Jetblue has three SLC-LGB flights a day right now and a non-stop to JFK daily. That is four flights a day all A320s out of SLC daily.

With a jetblue office there and really the only mountain destination besides denver its a recipe for disaster to non-rev in the busy summer season there. I'm sure lots of vacationers trying to get in and employees trying to away.

Quote: As for the UA "charity" I find it on one hand, a nice PR gesture. After all, PR is all about the spin and this is a great PR opportunity. On the other hand, they are rewarding bad behavior and stupidity which I dislike. And on yet another hand (don't ask me where my 3rd hand came from), you'd think it'd be more of a 'story' if UA was the dark knight that just flew them back to IAD.

If you read the article someone bought them tickets home, it doesn't say which airline. It probably wasn't B6.

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 99): Quoting mayor (Reply 92): I think JONC777 was referring to buddy passes going bye bye, not all travel benefits. All non-rev benefits are in play in my opinion. Unless you're a commuting pilot or flight attendant. Why give them an opportunity to take them away? The passes this family had were from an employee.

The passes this family had were buddy passes, which are becoming more and more difficult to use, everyday and seem to be causing more troubles than their worth. I would not mind giving them up as long as my regular passes are safe.

Quoting skycub (Reply 93): Keep the buddy pass program, but allow employees smart enough to know they are worthless trade in some of their buddy passes for positive space passes. Heck, I get 16 roundtrip buddy passes a year. I would gladly trade all 16 for just TWO positive space passes!

This idea, I like......I'd give up ALL of my buddy passes for 4 ps passes.

Quoting skycub (Reply 93): The other day, I was flying out of our airline's headquarter city and stopped by a gate to say hello to a gate agent I knew. Within FIVE minutes, she had no less than FOUR people flying on buddy passes approaching the gate podium to ask questions that should have been easily answered by the person who gave them the passes! NOT ONE SINGLE REVENUE passenger approached her with a question... they were all buddy pass passengers. I don't mean reasonable questions like: "How does the flight look?" but questions like: "What am I supposed to do now?" and "What do I do when I get to my connecting city?" and "I am flying with my son who is only three on these buddy passes and we haven't been cleared yet but we need seats together. How do I make sure we get seats together?" and "I am going to San Francisco, so where do I have to change planes?" I mean questions that SHOULD have been asked and answered by the people who gave them the passes!

Ever worked customer service? You know as well as I do that they only hear what they want to hear and that's the paying pax.

Quoting bestwestern (Reply 4):

Eh, I've traveled tons this summer. Every other week. I've only missed one flight, and had one cancellation.

As long as you plan, you're certainly able to non-rev in the summer.

I'm traveling tomorrow and the loads don't look great for one of my flights out of the hub. So if I miss it, I might just go somewhere else, or turn around and go home. No big deal.

Quoting STT757 (Reply 101): If you read the article someone bought them tickets home, it doesn't say which airline. It probably wasn't B6.

The article states it was a viewer, not an airline. What I'm saying is I don't totally understand why UA decided to get involved from a PR perspective by supplying a motel room instead of just flying them back to IAD. That'd be more of a story, I'd think, ludicrous as it may be.

Quoting B727FA (Reply 2): I think jetBlue is going to stand by (no pun intended) the employee

Not a chance. He'll be a former employee soon enough.


Also, why the hell weren't the parents arrested or the children taken from them? One meal a day, causing their 4 year old to get sick? Disgusting.

Wow, what an amazingly overdiscussed topic.
The real problem is that JetBlue has a very large employee base in SLC (all of its reservations staff live ther) and relatively few flights. Buddy passes have a lower priority than employee passes so employee passriders are taking whatever few seats are available and this family is on an endless doomloop at the bottom of each flight's boarding priority.
Trying to fly in and out of SLC on a Jetblue buddy pass in the peak season is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. The jetBlue employee who gave (or god forbid sold) these passes should have told this family that this situation would predictably occur.

I am pleased to see the care and respect with which so many of the posters here treat the privilege, and how aware they are that their "buddies" can really screw up a good thing. It seems that that hasn't changed much since the serious sit-down I got before my first buddy-pass experience with a "buddy" that was *travelling with me*. The advice I got that day, posted above, is I am sure still valid today.

Quoting jblua320 (Reply 105): The article states it was a viewer, not an airline. What I'm saying is I don't totally understand why UA decided to get involved from a PR perspective by supplying a motel room instead of just flying them back to IAD. That'd be more of a story, I'd think, ludicrous as it may be.

Probably out of pity more than actual charity. Remember: 2 parents, 2 kids, stuck at the airport for 4 (5?) days, all of whom probably did not have a shower in as many days, and probably had worn the same clothes for as long since their bags were more than likely stuck below decks the entire time. With someone buying a ticket for them, I'd at least want them to get a hot shower, some clean clothes, and a good meal.

Quoting Goldenshield (Reply 109): Probably out of pity more than actual charity. Remember: 2 parents, 2 kids, stuck at the airport for 4 (5?) days, all of whom probably did not have a shower in as many days, and probably had worn the same clothes for as long since their bags were more than likely stuck below decks the entire time. With someone buying a ticket for them, I'd at least want them to get a hot shower, some clean clothes, and a good meal.

Nobody mentions it, but maybe the tickets bought by the Channel 4 viewers were on UA and since they were, UA decided to chip in with the room.

In June of 2008 my wife and I flew on DL issued buddy passes through my cousin, a retired DL senior VP. The route was AMS-ATL-TUS and for the both of us I paid $340, which consisted of taxes and fees. The lie down C cabin on the 767-400 was terrific, but the 757 ride from ATL to TUS was horrific. I'm not complaining, though. Made both flights, although the 757 only had one seat left.

Quoting PWMRamper (Reply 104): Eh, I've traveled tons this summer. Every other week. I've only missed one flight, and had one cancellation.

By yourself? It's much easier for one to travel than it is two or more.

My best bud is capt with AA on the 757-767 domestic, and another friend that is sometimes my safety pilot in my Six just retired as an International F/O with AA on the 75-76. I have flown on their passes and they were VERY clear of the rules and etiquette. Their job is on the line! We were instructed not even to MENTION you were non-rev. I was told very specifically as a D-3 I was absolutely "space available" and could be left anywhere at anytime and have no room to complain as I myself was essentially flying for free.

I completely understood the rules and risks, and by no means would I EVER risk my friend's employment. These people are nuts and absolutely have no respect for their sponsor and if he was me they'd certainly never fly on my ticket again. I wish I still had the email AA sent me detailing the rules and etiquette. It wasn't required but I even wore a full suit.

Quoting toobz (Reply 3):

  
Buddy passes are actually a pain in the you know what. I wish we FL/WN or one of the other carriers would come up with an innovative program where we the crew member could either opt for buddy passes or, some other perk, say a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. Unlike the government and many big businesses such as Law Offices and Insurance we airline employees get penalized for sick time though we earned it and get paid for it. Say 1 "occurrance" excused per six months in lieu of buddy passes. Or, instead of say 6 buddy passes, 1 positive space round trip for the employee and any companion per year. Just saying.
Also, a lot of us will sell our buddy passes to fellow employees hard up for them who seem to go through them the way the Kardashian sisters go through men. So, in many cases there's a communications breakdown. The few times I've given buddy passes, I lay down the law and read my peeps the riot act. If your misbehavior or anything else causes me to lose priveledges or worse my job you will have no problem subsidizing my expenses!

Several years back, I had a young lady who acted anything but more like uber bad ghetto. It wasn't my buddy pass. I gave her a Jack Webb/Seargent Friday lecture on how her demeanor could put one of my work family out on the street. I tried to make sure there was no blowback for the crewmember but, made sure there was a paper/computer trail for all downline stations. Our ungreatful buddy pass diva had the pleasure of seat 31-E on all her flights to and from BWI-ATL-LAX, and this was during the Spring Break season from hell.   


To the family who had to get the media involved, shame on you. Next time just drive your overextended SUV wherever the hell you want to go and leave Jet Blue and the rest of us the hell alone!

Over the past 10 years each summer it gets harder for me to travel myself non-rev on vacation. A first, I deferred my vacation till after Labor Day when most of the Summer People are back in school, prison, their government job, or paper pushing office. BTW if you want to take a cruise this time of the year bargains are afloat.

Even when I myself fly Non-Rev, I make sure I'm on my best behavior and even offer if I can be of any help to the gate agents. I've even escorted UMNR's on and off the a/c. An easy rule of thumb behave like you are a guest in a friend or loved one's home or better yet, you are a dinner guest. This seems like easy no brainer common sense. Maybe I'm showing my age (56 years young). My parents drilled in courtesy and propper behavior to me and my sister but hey, today we live in the culture of the "New Morality" where we are all entitled, can do what what we please can sue and bring in the lawyers and have babies out of wedlock. Sorry if I'm flying on my soapbox but we need a return to common sense, courtesy and manners. These may not get those poor putz's on the next Jet Blue flight for free but maybe such issues would not be made into a media circus.

[Edited 2012-08-22 21:05:50]

In addition - I don't even fly non-rev at all anymore because of the incredible loads these days on the airlines. The chances of not getting a seat repeatedly is almost guaranteed somewhere along your trip. I want an absolute guaranteed seat and ticket. Last time I non-revved was 2005. It wasn't worth it anymore...I'd get bumped all the time no matter how careful I was picking flights. Pay outright these days. Was fun while it lasted!  

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 114): Buddy passes are actually a pain in the you know what. I wish we FL/WN or one of the other carriers would come up with an innovative program where we the crew member could either opt for buddy passes or, some other perk, say a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.

UA has an option where you can give up buddy passes and get an extra permanent (per year) passrider. So you can have both a spouse and another passrider.

Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 116):

Cool! Great idea.

Quoting Accidentally (Reply 115):

As I said earlier it seems each year it's harder to fly Non-Rev standby. There was even an article I believe something mainstream like Time magazine or USA Today.

One has to be flexible, and creative and factor plenty of time doing it. Sometimes that easy nonstop or direct flight becomes a point to point "adventure." Last summer I had to have my Giordano's pizza fix of course the easiest one for me is near MDW on Cicero Ave. in Chicago. I live and work in Baltimore! So, going from BWI to MDW on a Saturday last August, I went on WN on a direct flight BWI-CLE-MDW. But, coming back I had to take shall I say the indirect route. Everything Saturday night was full coming back on both WN and FL so, I went FL to Hotlanta where it was a hot mess and the next day would have been a no go to get home. Well, thank God there was a delayed flight to STL. I hopped it. I could then do Swa Life or FL back. I got to pile up some Z's in a nice and frigid terminal (I like it cold) finish the James Patterson book I was reading and fly a nonstop on WN which had seats the next morning all for my Giordano's fix. Would I do that again? Damn straight, my vacation is coming up after Labor Day and I got that love jones for my Giordano's pie. Also, non-rev travel is a bit easier since I'm single and can go solo.

Quoting Reply 107):

Or the person who gave them the passes could have non-reved out there to SLC from wherever the hell they work. They could list everyone under the same PNR and fly at the same priority as everyone else that works for B6. Assuming there were seats available which it appears there weren't.

Quoting mayor (Reply 112):

Many of the flights I've been flying with my parents.

Have to be flexible and willing to take weird routings.


Hell, just two weeks ago I was flying with my parents out West. The initial plan was SBA for two days, then SMF for two days, then LAS for a day and then home.

Flights to SBA filled up, so we did SMF first, LAS second, and instead of SBA on the way back, we did MSP for two days instead visiting family.

On the return trip from MSP, we had to connect twice and flew into BOS rather than PWM. Almost had to take a train from New York.

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 118): They could list everyone under the same PNR and fly at the same priority as everyone else that works for B6.

Huh. When I flew non-rev as a buddy, we each flew at our own priority. In later years, at a different airline, they actually lowered my employee buddy's priority to mine if my buddy flew with me on the same PNR, so we didn't do that.

Quoting skycub (Reply 76): Then there is my brother. You know, I love my brother to death. I would do anything for him. But when he asked me for buddy passes so he and his wife could fly to Florida with their two sons under the age of five.... I said: "Absolutely not. I know the four of you will not want to split up. The flights are just too full. You have to not only get on your original flight BUT a connecting flight. I love you... but no. You can't have them."

I agree, this family flying on buddy passes in high season from a city with limited JetBlue flights was ill-considered -- pure madness.

I wonder, could they also have expected somehow to have been seated together? Even had they made it onto a flight, they'd probably have been spread all over the cabin.

FWIW, when Buddy Passes first came about in the early 'Nineties, they were for travel accompanied by the employee only. Then the privilege was extended to non-accompanied travel domestically. I believe this policy needs to be looked at again, and perhaps unaccompanied Buddies should be restricted to persons in the employee's Family/Companion list with their Airline.

At the same time, it's worth considering that airlines do realize revenue from Buddy Passes. Typical Buddy passes these days can cost $100 or more each way for domestic U.S. travel.

This is a good reason why some airlines do not offer buddy passes. Benefits to only blood relatives and extended family.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 48): Can the entire buddy pass program.

I'm all for this, frankly.

Look, when break-even load factors are at or around the mid 70s, and companies need to have returns on invested capital of plus or minus 10%, you're talking load factors in the mid to high 80% range, on average. That equates to a statistically full operation, most of the time.

This means that non-rev travel is going to be difficult for employees traveling with their families; it will be damn-near impossible for yahoos like this moron and his poor family to get on a flight together as next-to-the-bottom buddy-pass travelers!

So either embargo buddy passes for anything but off-peak "shoulder" seasons, or just shit-can the whole program entirely. Frankly, I'm for the latter. It's a pain in the ass having to listen to agents explain to whiny buddy pass non-revs that yes, you technically paid a few bucks for this, but NO, that doesn't mean you're entitled to a seat, etc.

Quoting Schweigend (Reply 121): Typical Buddy passes these days can cost $100 or more each way for domestic U.S. travel.

The money the airline charges for Buddy Passes is mostly remitted to the IRS. The value of buddy pass travel is plainly income to the employee, income that wasn't declared on their tax returns by all but the most-anal of employees. One approach the IRS was thinking of was simply to add the value of the benefit to the employee's W-2, which would reduce his refund (or result in tax owed) at the end of the tax year. The other issue facing the IRS was how to put a value on the benefit -- is it the Y fare? The lowest supersaver fare? Something lower, because you aren't guaranteed a seat? But when you do manage to get on, you do get the same benefit as others travelling on the same plane. So what is it worth? I think ultimately, for simplicity, the airlines and the IRS agreed on a methodology where the thing is valued at roughly 25% of the Y fare and a percentage of that is determined to be a fair "tax" on the benefit, so the IRS collects, and the airline charges to the employee, a fee which is the agreed percentage times the Y fare once the Buddy actually travels. It could have changed since the last time I looked at this, but that's the basic idea: have the employer collect a fee upon actual travel which is remitted by the employer in lieu of adding the value of the benefit to the employee's W-2. FF miles are also arguably taxable income to the frequent flier, but IIRC when the IRS looked at pursuing that over a decade ago, the airlines screamed to Congress because taxing the miles would essentially kill those programs, and IIRC Congress either threatened to or did amend the tax laws to exempt miles from income tax; a purely political decision that had nothing to do with whether miles are income to the recipient; plainly they are.

Buddy Passes were around in the 80s, by the way. In the mid-80s they started allowing Buddy Pass travel without the employee present on at least some airlines.

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 114): I deferred my vacation till after Labor Day when most of the Summer People are back in school, prison, their government job, or paper pushing office

Good one, Zip. Good one....

Quoting wjcandee (Reply 124): Buddy Passes were around in the 80s, by the way. In the mid-80s they started allowing Buddy Pass travel without the employee present on at least some airlines.

I stand corrected. CO is the only airline I know well, and their BP program began in the early '90s.

But what airline started the whole Buddy Pass thing, if that was back in the '80s?

My guess would be AA, who were really innovating then (and hopefully are now, in secret). But honestly, I've no idea where the concept of buddy passes began.

 

Quoting slider (Reply 10): Tough sh*t. Those people are mouthbreathers and the employee ought to have their pass privileges suspended for some time. I hate this stuff and have ZERO tolerance for buddy pass riders or general pass riders who don't know how it works, don't play by the rules.

Most of the people I know aren't half the idiots these people are, and I've NEVER offered a buddy pass to anyone!

Quoting richierich (Reply 23): What a joke of a situation! B6 always seems to be on the wrong end of buddy pass 'news', even though they did squat all wrong here. I think their only misstep was not quietly taking care of this issue before it became a media event (and a PR move for a rival) and deal with the consequences behind closed doors.

There is no wrong end of a buddy pass - B6 has nothing to worry about.

Quoting Revo1059 (Reply 32): I think UA donating the hotel was a mistake. Now some other moron will expect something similar. Do it once and you open the flood gates.

Yep - it was a good gesture, but wait til the UA buddy pass rider gets stranded... I can see the A.net post now..."UA has a lot of explaining to do - Pass rider stranded for 3 days"

Quoting Cubsrule (Reply 60): Those seats can disappear pretty damn quickly, with paying pax that missed another flight, internet sales, upgrades, not to mention other pass riders that sometimes list at the last moment. Depends on the flight. That Tuesday morning 5:45 a.m. departure to DAL probably isn't very likely to fill up . . .

I think his point was that you never know what is going to happen - even the 5:45 flight can fill up if one cancelled the night before... You just don't know what's going to happen.

Quoting jblua320 (Reply 97): Even with all that, SLC is a no-go. That place may as well just have a permanent embargo on it.

DL has a list of cities with a permanent embargo for buddy passes, as well as a certain dates that are blacked out system wide. Do other carriers not have something similar?

Quoting skycub (Reply 93): I would GLADLY trade in my 16 buddy passes a year for two POSITIVE SPACE passes! Let me or my parents know that we are going to get where we want to go ONCE a year.

Quoting zippyjet (Reply 114): I wish we FL/WN or one of the other carriers would come up with an innovative program where we the crew member could either opt for buddy passes or, some other perk, say a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. Unlike the government and many big businesses such as Law Offices and Insurance we airline employees get penalized for sick time though we earned it and get paid for it. Say 1 "occurrance" excused per six months in lieu of buddy passes. Or, instead of say 6 buddy passes, 1 positive space round trip for the employee and any companion per year. Just saying.

Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 116): UA has an option where you can give up buddy passes and get an extra permanent (per year) passrider. So you can have both a spouse and another passrider.

^All of these are good ideas^

[Edited 2012-08-23 03:03:30]

Quoting flyingsux (Reply 127): I think his point was that you never know what is going to happen - even the 5:45 flight can fill up if one cancelled the night before... You just don't know what's going to happen.

You don't, but you can be pretty sure. There are some trips that are pretty much "safe" to make on a buddy pass. Based on what the B6 folks have said about non-reving ex-SLC (a city that, by the way, can have plenty of empty seats on other carriers depending on time of day and route), it appears that this was not one of them.

Quoting Cubsrule (Reply 129): You don't, but you can be pretty sure. There are some trips that are pretty much "safe" to make on a buddy pass. Based on what the B6 folks have said about non-reving ex-SLC (a city that, by the way, can have plenty of empty seats on other carriers depending on time of day and route), it appears that this was not one of them.

You should not be taking your family on vacation in the height of the summer travel season on "buddy passes" without a backup plan.

Nice to see UA stepping up and providing them with a hotel and people donating to help this family. I don't think they realized exactly what they were getting into, although they did not say anything about this.

[Edited 2012-08-23 05:36:17]

Quoting skycub (Thread starter): At least that's what a family of four trying to fly with buddy passes on JetBlue did.

This is why I have never given away a buddy pass.

And as for me all the flights are so damn full that I usually buy a ticket for my family vacation if I have to be there for something like a cruise.

Quoting skycub (Reply 80): On a related story, but a different situation.... I ran across this rant on the website my3cents.com. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Read through the review... a couple trying to get out of Johannesburg on Delta using buddy passes during Christmas a while back. http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=92509

This site is quite addictive actually, there are several entertaining DL Buddy Pass sagas on there...

Quoting wjcandee (Reply 120): Huh. When I flew non-rev as a buddy, we each flew at our own priority. In later years, at a different airline, they actually lowered my employee buddy's priority to mine if my buddy flew with me on the same PNR, so we didn't do that.

At one point at B6, you used to be able to fly under the same standby priority if the person who's buddy pass you were traveling on was with you. Not sure if that is the policy now.

Quoting wjcandee (Reply 67): EDIT: Amazing. Airport officials say he refused food and lodging vouchers. His excuse: "I didn't want to lose our place." Since they are already on a list, this is further proof that he is a moron. Let your kid throw up from hunger for no reason? This is a jerk who is plainly enjoying the sympathy of "I can't afford it. Help me." He wanted to hang around for the media interviews and his moment in the light. That somebody bought him tickets home is appalling. It interferes with the effects of Darwinism, which would be welcomed here, IMHO.

AMEN! There's a new saying out... "Let's take the warning labels off of everything and let the problem sort itself out!" AGAIN...HORRID PARENTING!!

Quoting flyingsux (Reply 127): There is no wrong end of a buddy pass - B6 has nothing to worry about.

Remember the buddy pass pax who was allegedly asked, by the FA, to sit in the lavatory for the remainder of his flight? A few things about that story never made any sense but it was covered briefly in the media and did put B6 under a negative light.

Quoting ih8b6 (Reply 47): I am not sure how you are suggesting B6 should have resolved the situation 'quietly' but I am hoping you aren't suggesting their resolving the situation would have been giving these people confirmed tickets on B6 or another carrier. That just encourages stupid behavior. I am not saying that is what you were suggesting, you just never stated what you were suggesting.

I'm not really sure what I was suggesting, to be honest, because I agree that rewarding stupidity just leads to more of it. However, despite the astonishing level of stupidity involved here, this again makes Jetblue look bad and heartless to the average viewer who may not know what a buddy pass is. The whole situation is made even worse for B6 by having a rival airline step in and help out this family. The news article obviously gives a sympathetic eye to the family, and to the great uninformed, it appears B6 chose to do nothing and it took UA to come to their rescue. All I'm saying is that the level of bad press exceeds what it would have cost to take care of this matter, in my opinion. JetBlue did absolutely nothing wrong here, but clearly they did not want this story going national to the Nightly News or CNN, etc.

Good to hear that Jetblue has 100 per cent loads day in and day out.

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 133): At one point at B6, you used to be able to fly under the same standby priority if the person who's buddy pass you were traveling on was with you. Not sure if that is the policy now.

I don't know either, that is usually the case. But, if the fligths are full, the employee isn't getting on either - so now they'd have 5 hungry people sleeping in the airport.

Quoting richierich (Reply 135): Remember the buddy pass pax who was allegedly asked, by the FA, to sit in the lavatory for the remainder of his flight? A few things about that story never made any sense but it was covered briefly in the media and did put B6 under a negative light.

Yeah, I forgot about that - it was pretty dumb of the FA (although a little amusing to anyone who has tried to non-rev and couldn't get on). I think it reflects more on the FA than on B6, but that's just my opinion.

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 133): At one point at B6, you used to be able to fly under the same standby priority if the person who's buddy pass you were traveling on was with you. Not sure if that is the policy now.

This is correct. If you fly with the employee on one PNR, you all fly at the employee's priority code.

Quoting SouthernDC9 (Reply 132): Read through the review... a couple trying to get out of Johannesburg on Delta using buddy passes during Christmas a while back. http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.c...92509

Hillarious!! After DL told him that the employee is at risk of losing her flight privelidges if he doesn't stop contacting DL, he replies to their letter questioning their policy... I bet she never let anyone use BP's again.   

Quoting jblua320 (Reply 138): you all fly at the employee's priority code

So what happens if the employee is flying positive space?

Quoting flyingsux (Reply 139): http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.c...92509 Hillarious!! After DL told him that the employee is at risk of losing her flight privelidges if he doesn't stop contacting DL, he replies to their letter questioning their policy... I bet she never let anyone use BP's again.

http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.c...92509

I'd like to see the letter that DL sent to that retiree!

Quoting wjcandee (Reply 140): So what happens if the employee is flying positive space?

I doubt if it applies, in that case.

Quoting wjcandee (Reply 140): So what happens if the employee is flying positive space?

You can't combind the two - Positive space has to be a seperate reservation. The Buddy pass riders would have their own PNR and travel with a non-accompanied pass classification.

Quoting type-rated (Reply 141): I'd like to see the letter that DL sent to that retiree!

So would I - even more so, I'd like to hear what she said to her "buddies".

[Edited 2012-08-23 12:15:45]

Maybe the name of the passes will be changed from "buddy passes" and "Friends & Family Passes" to........


With Friends Like This, Who Needs Enemies Passes

Quoting flyingsux (Reply 143): You can't combind the two - Positive space has to be a seperate reservation. The Buddy pass riders would have their own PNR and travel with a non-accompanied pass classification.

I've never seen a reservation with more than one person on it where they had different priority codes. B6's standby system is pretty simple compared to other airlines I've seen. AS's had something like 2 pages of priority codes. I think B6 only has 1A (revenue standby) through 5A (other airline employee standby). 3A is employee and employee traveling with family, 4A is buddy pass/family traveling without employee. I can't remember what 2A was though, but it might be company business non-positive space.

[Edited 2012-08-23 13:28:53]

This is one of the many reasons as to why I don't give out my buddy passes. I have trust issues with almost everyone. I am asked a lot for a buddy pass, and my response is always: "I gave mine all away already....sorry." and then I leave it at that.

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 146): I've never seen a reservation with more than one person on it where they had different priority codes. B6's standby system is pretty simple compared to other airlines I've seen.

That's right - Positive space and space available are two different boarding codes, even though you may get bumped (this varies by airline) on the ps, it's booked as confirmed.

Oh, this morning on the way to work (here in Rapid City, SD) the local radio people were reporting this...AND they were trashing the family for just being so dang stupid!!! It was great, these radio peeps were not aviation buffs, nor were they regular flyers...just people with common sense and I applaud them for making it clear over the morning commute that this family was pathetic! Yes, they even wondered why the parents weren't reprimanded in some way for child neglect etc! KUDOS!

[Edited 2012-08-23 13:35:08]