USAirways backs off. They have announced changes to their recently announced changes. All miles flown — whether on discount tickets or full fare tickets — will count towards elite status. All flyers on discounted tickets will be able to fly standby, albeit with a $100 fee.

The industry has moved to a new norm. All major carriers have announced that standby (which had previously been offered at no cost) will be charged $100, in most cases beginning January 2003. Also, if you have a discounted ticket and aren’t going to fly the trip, you need to apply the value of the ticket to a new itinerary before your first flight is scheduled to depart or you will lose the full value of the ticket.

So, on the whole we are worse off than before — but things didn’t go as far as US’ initial move.