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How Staff Airlines flight loads and agent answers work
Staff Airlines shows two kinds of numbers for a flight: an estimate of open seats and, when someone has checked, what an airline employee saw in the system. The estimate tells you where to look. An agent's answer adds the detail. Here is what each one means and how to use them. New to standby? Start with How to fly standby.
Estimates help you pick the flight. An agent's answer adds the detail.
Ask an agent in the appEstimate or agent’s answer
Every flight in Staff Airlines comes with estimated open seats and a rating, such as Good or Fair, so you can compare flights fast, across 500+ airlines.
An estimate is not official airline data, and it can be off. Use it to pick the flights worth a closer look, not to decide on your own that a seat is yours.
When an agent has recently checked the flight, you see their numbers instead of the estimate: what an airline employee saw in the airline's system at that moment.
What an agent is
An agent is someone who works for an airline or at an airport check-in desk and answers load requests from other staff travellers. Agents are verified when they sign up, show a nickname rather than a name, and earn tokens for answering.
An agent's answer is a snapshot of what they saw. If an answer looks wrong, email [email protected] with the flight number and the date: we check the agent's answers.
What an agent's answer shows
The answer breaks the flight down by cabin: First, Business, Eco+ and Economy, with the open seats in each. It also shows the standby list, in a field called STBY: how many people are waiting for a seat on that flight, as the agent sees it.
Who sees what:
- The cabin-by-cabin breakdown goes to the person who asked.
- The standby list is shown to every Premium user looking at that flight, so one request helps everyone travelling on it.
How long an answer stays fresh
An answer counts as fresh for one hour, or for three hours if the flight departs more than a day away. While it is fresh, the app shows the agent's numbers directly.
After that the answer stays on the flight, marked with how long ago it came in. The estimate for that flight can't show more open seats than the agent actually saw. For a flight close to departure, ask again.
How to ask an agent
Open the flight and tap Ask an agent. A request costs one token. Once an agent takes it, they have 10 minutes to answer; if they don't, the request goes back to the queue. You get a push notification when an agent answers, declines or doesn't pick it up. If nobody answers, your token comes back.
Agent coverage differs by airline, so on some flights no agent may pick up the request. You don't need Premium to ask: on the free plan you can buy tokens in packs, and Premium plans include tokens. How to check flight loads covers other places to look, from your booking tool to the airline's own app.
Questions, answered
How accurate are Staff Airlines flight loads?
The estimate is not official airline data and can be off, so use it to compare flights. When an agent has recently checked a flight, you see what the agent saw in the airline's system instead.
Who are the agents in Staff Airlines?
Someone who works for an airline or at an airport check-in desk. Agents are verified at sign-up, appear under a nickname and earn tokens for answering load requests.
Does Staff Airlines show the standby list?
Yes, when an agent has answered. The standby list, shown as STBY, is visible to every Premium user on that flight. The cabin breakdown goes only to the person who asked.
How long does an agent's answer stay current?
One hour, or three hours if the flight is more than a day away. After that it stays visible with a note of how long ago it came in, and the estimate can't show more seats than the agent saw.
Do I need Premium to ask an agent?
No. On the free plan you can ask with tokens you buy; Premium plans include tokens. If no agent answers, your token is returned.
Loads are estimates and don't guarantee a seat, even after an agent replies: boarding decisions are made by the airline. Found a mistake? Let us know.
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