Non-revs in Business/First

MQAAord said:
At DL an employee can ride non-rev in a 1st class seat for no additional fee. At AMR you pay a segment fee per flight, depending on flight distance, for your first 5 years. Once you hit 5 years you don't pay for coach anymore, but you do pay for 1st or business class until 15 years (if memory serves me right, I may be incorrect on the 15 year number).
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At US domestic First Class for Non-Rev's is $20, but that's rarely ever enforced. Longhaul stuff (PHL-Europe, CLT-Europe/S. America, PHX-Hawaii is all $100 for Envoy.) I no longer work for US, but that was one of the perks that kept me there in spite of the 120 degree temps on the PHX Ramp. Getting to fly to Paris is a lie flat sleeper for $100 bucks plus taxes...no question. Do I deserve that seat more than someone who may have paid for a full fare coach seat? I can see both sides of the coin there, but again, that's one of the existing commodities the company has in order to retain quality people. It was always a nice surprise getting bumped to first doing my normal PHX-ORD runs, but really, my wife and I were just happy to get a seat, we would have sat on the rear FA jump seat if they'd let us. With available seats and capacity hovering at 90%, maybe not so much of a perk anymore though.
 
Doug Taylor said:
You can always ask about an "inside joke" and you're as much "inner circle", if not moreso, than I, Mr. 2300+ posts and 6+ years of being a part of our community! :)

Come on man, that's like me teasing X-Forces for having curly hair, flat feet, rhythm and inability to get a cab in Birmingham! :)
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Come on man, we could get a cab in Birmingham. I just might be afraid of where it takes us!! :eek2:


"Ahh, are you sure this is the way to the airport?"


"Yeeeppp, I got me a little shortcut thru this here forest, down that there dirt road"
 
X-Forces said:
Come on man, we could get a cab in Birmingham. I just might be afraid of where it takes us!! :eek2:


"Ahh, are you sure this is the way to the airport?"


"Yeeeppp, I got me a little shortcut thru this here forest, down that there dirt road"
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:)

"Yeah man, I really think we ought to call flight control, we're a little late for show!"
 
Bandit_Driver said:
Joining this a bit late, but the majority of DB's that make up elite, diamond, etc tiers make me sick. I am seen so many display of Elitism, childish, behavior etc it is a joke. Make them buy the upgrade. On one coast to coast flight I was on a company paid ticket and having not feeling the best. I didn't want to deal with my crapy seat in coach I paid the upgrade fee for first so I could hopefully get some descent sleep before hitting the west coast running. You should have seen the hissy fit that was thrown at the gate and on the plane when some elite DB didn't get first and saw me sitting up there. He also gives me crap on the plane at which point I flipped my ticket receipt at him and tell I guess money talks.

On another flight I saw a guy getting off the plane and the FA hands him his coat from the closet. He goes off on her and tell here she needs to learn how to hold his jacket so he can put it on and he will be filing a compalin with UAL. I told to start walking adn he threaten to have me fired from UA. Of course I tell him to go for it. I am untouchable by UA management. Of course he doesn't know I don't work for them.

Back in my Saab days a guy tells the FA his wife doesn't talked to the hired help adn she'll have XYZ to drink. The FA tell us this in the cockpit. It was a darn shame the the drink service was cancelled by the PIC due to turbulence. I swear HPN pax are the worst...

Treat people with some F ing respect you and you might get it return

*rant over*
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Its amazing how sometimes, in my customer service days, a guy who would get up in my face and tell me he had a billijion miles in the most entitled way possible and demand an upgrade in a very condescending way, yet he'd end up next to the lav in coach and the non-revs would end up in first. Funny how stuff like that happens. :)
 
Imagine that! Be a jerk to someone, and wind up with not-so-great results :)

I never understood why people thought being an ass would make someone do something good for them. That confuses me. We non-reved through ATL with the family last August, and my kind demeanor with the gate agent resulted in the agent being nice enough to split us up, resulting in the entire family making it home that day. If I'd approached him with an attitude, he probably wouldn't have done that, and we would all have been stuck in ATL that night. 2 of the 4 of us got on that flight, and since there were only 2 of us left, we got the last 2 seats on a later flight! Had we still been a party of 4, we'd have been stuck.

If you're nice to people, you'll find most people to be nice right back. Sure, there's always the exception, someone who's going to be a jerk no matter what. But for the most part you'll get back the same attitude from people that you show them.
 
ChasenSFO said:
Its amazing how sometimes, in my customer service days, a guy who would get up in my face and tell me he had a billijion miles in the most entitled way possible and demand an upgrade in a very condescending way, yet he'd end up next to the lav in coach and the non-revs would end up in first. Funny how stuff like that happens. :)
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The best, are people who have XX miles, or are XX status level, yet you'd never know it, because they don't use it as a "status symbol".
 
ChasenSFO said:
Its amazing how sometimes, in my customer service days, a guy who would get up in my face and tell me he had a billijion miles in the most entitled way possible and demand an upgrade in a very condescending way, yet he'd end up next to the lav in coach and the non-revs would end up in first. Funny how stuff like that happens. :)
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I remember a funny moment that I'm reminded of reading that.

I was deadheading back to base on a hub to hub flight late at night. It was on a 757-300 and there were only about 30 total passengers. Being hub to hub though, about 20 non-revs listed (especially since it was wide open).

This was before this particular airline had the feature where someone's new seat prints out on a little receipt when the agent scans them in.

Around the usual boarding time, the gate agent makes an announcement to the passengers that due to the extremely light load tonight, they've had to move people back towards the tail of the airplane for weight and balance, but rest assured anyone who wants their own row of seats will certainly be able to have one, just in the back. They have ALL 30-40 pax line up and pick up their new seat assignment.

As soon as the last passenger got their new seat, the same agent made a PA, "All standby passengers are now cleared, you may approach the podium for a boarding pass." So all 20 non-revs and deadheaders line up for their first class seats and board a moment later!

So there we were, in a 757-300 with 224 seats. First class just about full of deadheading crew and non-revs, and the 30-40 customers about 40 rows back near the tail. As we taxiied out I thought to myself, someone's eventually going to troll an aviation forum after they have a beef with this scenario.
 
As someone who has, and will continue to accept a FC while commuting, I never expect to be upgraded. When I do, I thank the agen graciously and enjoy my squisky seat and free cocktail (on the way home, of course) What I have a beef with is agents who upgrade non-rev TODDLERS. It specifically states in the DAL benetifts that children under 6 cannot be upgraded but sure enough, in 4+ years that I have been commuting, every week a flight attendant or pilot marches on board with their family and takes up FC with a screaming toddler or two (With their airline badges prominently displayed) DAL wont even upgrade Elites that have a lap child. I always wondered how long it was going to take for one of the Elites to sue.

Not to say Elites are so "elite," its amazing that I manage to drag myself out of bed at 4 am, shower,press my clothes, put on stockings (if Im wearing a skirt) brush my hair and make SOME attempt to look presentable, not only incase I get an upgrade but also because that it was my company expects of me and it is just plain courteous....but the Elites on the upgrade list can walk on looking like they woke up in a GUTTER 20 minutes before boarding! No joke, I had a guy upgraded on a flight I was working (back in my drink slinging days) that wore a dirty t-shirt with holes in it, a pair of ratty pajama pants and flip flops and smelled so bad we had pax in mid cabin complaining. Im all for airlines enforcing a dress code in FC, the way most foreign airlines do.

I dont know about anyone else, Im certainly going to be happier (as are, Im sure, other FC revenue pax) to put a pilot in his (hopefully!) clean uniform in first than some "elite" who couldn't be bothered with ANYTHING let alone shower and do laundry. Although, Im not so sure about the smelly guy versus the screaming non-rev baby....
 
I said pages ago that I had an idea. A great idea. The business model thought out, etc. Here's what I can tell you:

It will piss off everyone.

It will piss off those expecting free upgrades.

It will piss off crew members expecting to be seated in business or first.

It will piss off everyone but the airline and me. Because we will make money from it. The beauty is, the hotly contested topic of this thread will not be an issue anymore - but nobody (except for the airline and me) will be happy with the outcome. And truly I am fine with that.
 
Krystal said:
....but the Elites on the upgrade list can walk on looking like they woke up in a GUTTER 20 minutes before boarding! No joke, I had a guy upgraded on a flight I was working (back in my drink slinging days) that wore a dirty t-shirt with holes in it, a pair of ratty pajama pants and flip flops and smelled so bad we had pax in mid cabin complaining. Im all for airlines enforcing a dress code in FC, the way most foreign airlines do. .
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My parents (in their early 70s) still get reasonably dressed up when they go fly on an airliner. Prior to TSA, dad would wear a coat and tie, now he'll wear a dress shirt and tie. To them, it's still something you get dressed up and present well in public for.
 
WacoFan said:
I said pages ago that I had an idea. A great idea. The business model thought out, etc. Here's what I can tell you:

It will piss off everyone.

It will piss off those expecting free upgrades.

It will piss off crew members expecting to be seated in business or first.

It will piss off everyone but the airline and me. Because we will make money from it. The beauty is, the hotly contested topic of this thread will not be an issue anymore - but nobody (except for the airline and me) will be happy with the outcome. And truly I am fine with that.
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The funny thing is that Jim has a great point and I've been biting my tongue not entering the fray here.

Once upon a time, the company paid for business tickets coming to this craphole, and then that went away and everyone said they would quit. Some did, but most didn't, because bottom line, the economy sucks and Obama is not paying for my mortgage. I find it interesting how it has been stated how if you were not getting that upgrade while non-reving you would quit.

Getting free airfare to anywhere in country is a great perk guys. I'm looking at flying my family this summer out to the east coast to finally put my Mom's ashes to rest, and its going to cost a minimum of $1600 in airfare going from major airport to major airport (coach mind you). But I will book it through the airline that gives me the most perks, and that why airlines offer status levels and free upgrades to their loyal customers (see marketing strategy). Also, until my last trip out here, I've paid both cash and miles to upgrade to business (not every trip has been cash) going from IAD to DXB. I've said about all I'm going to, I'll be back in six months to post again... :)
 
MikeD said:
My parents (in their early 70s) still get reasonably dressed up when they go fly on an airliner. Prior to TSA, dad would wear a coat and tie, now he'll wear a dress shirt and tie. To them, it's still something you get dressed up and present well in public for.
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I wear contractor cargo pants, khandahar dirt and a collared polo when I travel business usually.....
 
mjg407 said:
I find it interesting how it has been stated how if you were not getting that upgrade while non-reving you would quit.
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The difference is that you aren't in an entry level job and can't replace your income with being a greeter at WalMart. A ramper or gate agent can do that. Also, for many of them it's a second job they keep strictly for the travel benefits.
 
I know someone who flies strictly for the travel benefits. Her and her husband are probably worth multiple millions of dollars, but it's hard to match the companies flight benefits for bidding a schedule, dropping the chaff and flying the wheat.
 
WacoFan said:
I said pages ago that I had an idea. A great idea. The business model thought out, etc. Here's what I can tell you:

It will piss off everyone.

It will piss off those expecting free upgrades.

It will piss off crew members expecting to be seated in business or first.

It will piss off everyone but the airline and me. Because we will make money from it. The beauty is, the hotly contested topic of this thread will not be an issue anymore - but nobody (except for the airline and me) will be happy with the outcome. And truly I am fine with that.
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If they didnt see it when you first posted it I doubt they see it now. Problem is you staying in the loop and the airline not pushing you out on your idea. That is the bigger challenge that I see.
 
I drop 12-15k a year on airfare. I have little sympathy for any free upgardes from a capitalist point of view. From a pilots point of view most of you have been so stripped of dignity that I hope you get any and every upgrade possible.
 
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