ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking of doing this in Houston, just need to know the garage code and where the Harley keys are kept... 8)
Non-Rev Tips/Tricks
- Thread starter Finny
- Start date
I'm thinking of doing this in Houston, just need to know the garage code and where the Harley keys are kept... 8)
Finny
Well-Known Member
KJMS isn't a bad little airport! They have a really comfortable crew room, pizzas or hot dogs to cook, and a really friendly airport manager. Just don't ask him about NDSU football or about his Elvis car... You'll never get out of there!
Autothrust Blue
Welcome aboard the Washington State Ferries
bike21
9-5 Ruins Lives
Everyone saying buy a ticket or don't try to non-rev is full of poo poo. I've been to over 20 countries using our flight bennies and have had an absolute blast doing it. You gotta be flexible, travel at the right times and have the right attitude to make it happen.
OP, send me a PM and I'll share some tips when I get some more time. I'm actually thinking of writing up a non-rev guide that will probably carry over to all airlines and be generic in nature.
OP, send me a PM and I'll share some tips when I get some more time. I'm actually thinking of writing up a non-rev guide that will probably carry over to all airlines and be generic in nature.
ahw01
Well-Known Member
Ah yeh I've managed to get where I've needed for the last 5 years on 50 n/r flights - occasionally you have to buy a ticket to get from the hub to your destination or vice-versa, and at worst a night in a hotel.
Domestically it appears busier than before, but if you can pick and choose your flights you really can have an adventure!
Domestically it appears busier than before, but if you can pick and choose your flights you really can have an adventure!
^^Great advice. The worst thing you can do with worldwide travel benefits is not use them.
Biggest regret I had when I was 18-22 and worked the ramp for US. Still got to go to some cool places (Italy, Mexico, St. Maarten) but definitely didn't use it to it's full potential.
Screaming_Emu
Well-Known Member
Somewhat related I really want to do something similar in Europe. I'm not sure if they still exist, but when I was living in Germany in the 90s and early 2000s in the basement they had all these last minute travel agents. What they were basically selling is people who had trips planned but cancelled them. People would just pack a suitcase for however long they wanted to be gone, went to the last minute travel agency, and said "6 nights in Corfu or 5 nights in Havana?" And off they went, usually all expenses paid for a price much cheaper than if they had booked ahead.
ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
Thats what I want to do!
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
For domestic what I have sometimes done for my daughter is get a Southwest ticket. She will try to nonrev. If she gets on we don't get a refund from SWA (though they do have some of those tickets), but we get to use that money for up to a year. If she does not get on falls back to the SWA ticket.
F
Flying Saluki
Guest
Ignore the permissible dress code and dress nicely; i.e. jacket and tie. My experience is you get treated better and tend to get better results.
Like others have said: Be flexible. "Hey, I'd like to go to XYZ city for a few days!" is great. "I have a meeting at 0900 on XXDATE in XYZ city, I must get there".. yeah you need to buy a ticket. And arrive the day before. If you can be willing to think creatively, be flexible, spend the night in an airport now and then, you'll be fine.
I highly discourage non-reving with very young kids. Little bitty kids (toddlers/preschoolers) don't have the capacity to understand what's going on and why they've been in an airport for 12 hours and are very much over it. Wait to non-rev until they're old enough to have awareness and understanding of space available non-rev and everything that goes along with it. There's no specific age there, it depends on the kid. Some might have that understanding at 5, some might not fully get it until they're closer to 10 or so. I refused to non-rev with my kids until they were 6/7, and even then we had a looooong talk about expected behavior in airports and on planes, and that there is the chance we may not get on the plane we want.
Non rev with a positive attitude, be nice to everyone you encounter (even if they're less than super happy in return, you'll STILL be better off for being nice than not).
The biggest thing in non-reving is just to be able to deal with 'stuff'. Loads can suddenly tank, wx can go to crap, something somewhere else can go mechanical and suddenly your "totally wide open" flight is oversold by 10 with 20 standbys ahead of you.
Leave early. Seriously, I know it royally sucks to get up and take that 0540/0600 departure but do it anyway. Generally speaking you'll have less chance of mechanical issues, fewer (not nonexistent, but fewer, especially in the summertime) weather issues with most summer thunderstorm issues happening in the late afternoon/early evening. And since not many people want to be up that early loads tend to be lighter on those brutally early kick-off flights.
I will also agree with the 'never leave the gate til the plane is out of sight' thought process. If you can, wait until you know the flight has actually departed the airport... Not always possible but especially at outstations where if the flight does come back it'll come back to the same gate. Like the drunk girls getting removed from the plane after departure, stuff happens and you just never know. It's worth sticking by the gate if you can.
Flying on other carriers you'll probably be pretty bottom of the barrel standby priority... so fly on your own metal if you can. Not that you should never consider another carrier as an option, just know that your -best- bet is probably your own.
I highly discourage non-reving with very young kids. Little bitty kids (toddlers/preschoolers) don't have the capacity to understand what's going on and why they've been in an airport for 12 hours and are very much over it. Wait to non-rev until they're old enough to have awareness and understanding of space available non-rev and everything that goes along with it. There's no specific age there, it depends on the kid. Some might have that understanding at 5, some might not fully get it until they're closer to 10 or so. I refused to non-rev with my kids until they were 6/7, and even then we had a looooong talk about expected behavior in airports and on planes, and that there is the chance we may not get on the plane we want.
Non rev with a positive attitude, be nice to everyone you encounter (even if they're less than super happy in return, you'll STILL be better off for being nice than not).
The biggest thing in non-reving is just to be able to deal with 'stuff'. Loads can suddenly tank, wx can go to crap, something somewhere else can go mechanical and suddenly your "totally wide open" flight is oversold by 10 with 20 standbys ahead of you.
Leave early. Seriously, I know it royally sucks to get up and take that 0540/0600 departure but do it anyway. Generally speaking you'll have less chance of mechanical issues, fewer (not nonexistent, but fewer, especially in the summertime) weather issues with most summer thunderstorm issues happening in the late afternoon/early evening. And since not many people want to be up that early loads tend to be lighter on those brutally early kick-off flights.
I will also agree with the 'never leave the gate til the plane is out of sight' thought process. If you can, wait until you know the flight has actually departed the airport... Not always possible but especially at outstations where if the flight does come back it'll come back to the same gate. Like the drunk girls getting removed from the plane after departure, stuff happens and you just never know. It's worth sticking by the gate if you can.
Flying on other carriers you'll probably be pretty bottom of the barrel standby priority... so fly on your own metal if you can. Not that you should never consider another carrier as an option, just know that your -best- bet is probably your own.
Flyboy57
Well-Known Member
etflies
Keeping calm, Chiving on.
Almost to a T, this is how my wife and I ended up honeymooning in Ireland.
Flyboy57
Well-Known Member
I'm sure you're not alone, but I think many got into flying precisely because they like going places.
Screaming_Emu
Well-Known Member
Take forward progress where you can get it.
Example, the wife and I were trying to get back from SEA. We could have waited all day for an iffy shot at the direct flight to IAD. But instead there was a flight from SEA-SLC that left earlier and had more seats. From there we ended up having to do SLC-MEM-DCA and then rent a car to get back to where our car was parked. It was a pain in the ass, but if we had waited for the direct flight we would have ended up stranded. By taking the earlier flight you increase the number of shots you have to make it there.
Example, the wife and I were trying to get back from SEA. We could have waited all day for an iffy shot at the direct flight to IAD. But instead there was a flight from SEA-SLC that left earlier and had more seats. From there we ended up having to do SLC-MEM-DCA and then rent a car to get back to where our car was parked. It was a pain in the ass, but if we had waited for the direct flight we would have ended up stranded. By taking the earlier flight you increase the number of shots you have to make it there.
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
I don't know. I traveled with my kids when they were young and no issues... aside from my son wandering off the minute my head was turned. One when he was about 4 the airport police came to me with him. I guess he figured out that if he dialed 911 on the pay phone a nice lady would answer.
Then there was the time going through airport security at MCI. Of course being midwest folks the inspectors (not TSA there at the time), had to be polite and carry on a 1 minute conversation with each person in line. When there are 120 people standing in line that works out to oh... about 2 freakin' hours you idiot.
So the gate is announcing "Party of two_________, this is your final call." And they chose my son (again, about 4), for extra security. "Raise your hands." So he raises his hands like he is surrendering. "Party of two________, final call." ARRRRR!. "No son, not like that, but to your side like this." Inspector raises then lowers his arms. "Party of two_________, gate is closng." Oh for crying out loud. I try to step in and show him what they mean. "Sir, step away from him or you will have to go back through screening." So my son raises, then lowers his arms just like the inspector showed him. "No son, raise them, and keep them up." So he raises them, then raises them up all the way. "No son, raise them up to your side and keep them there." ARRRRR!!! "Party of two___________, gate is closing." He finally gets it, they wave their wand over him, give me the thumbs up and I scramble.
One time they did not have seats together, so they put me and my daughter in one row, and my son between two hot girls a few rows ahead. Lady next to me asks if I would like her to change seats with my son. I go up to him and ask if he wants to change seats with the nice lady in my row. He shakes his head emphatically "No". Again, he's about 4 or 5. On the flight my daughter and I hear him telling the girls he's 11. Man, he was working them hard.
Daughter is finally old enough for first class. A few times traveling by herself she got to sit there and man, was she spoiled. Next time we traveled together we walk through first class and she points out the empty seats. "Sorry hon, Joe is not old enough for first class." She responds, "Well, he can sit in coach, I'm sitting here." Ummm... nice try.
Finally, one time we had to be someplace so we went SouthWest. We got in line to board and my daughter says, "Dad, we can't board yet. They haven't called our names."
Ahh.. memories.
Then there was the time going through airport security at MCI. Of course being midwest folks the inspectors (not TSA there at the time), had to be polite and carry on a 1 minute conversation with each person in line. When there are 120 people standing in line that works out to oh... about 2 freakin' hours you idiot.
So the gate is announcing "Party of two_________, this is your final call." And they chose my son (again, about 4), for extra security. "Raise your hands." So he raises his hands like he is surrendering. "Party of two________, final call." ARRRRR!. "No son, not like that, but to your side like this." Inspector raises then lowers his arms. "Party of two_________, gate is closng." Oh for crying out loud. I try to step in and show him what they mean. "Sir, step away from him or you will have to go back through screening." So my son raises, then lowers his arms just like the inspector showed him. "No son, raise them, and keep them up." So he raises them, then raises them up all the way. "No son, raise them up to your side and keep them there." ARRRRR!!! "Party of two___________, gate is closing." He finally gets it, they wave their wand over him, give me the thumbs up and I scramble.
One time they did not have seats together, so they put me and my daughter in one row, and my son between two hot girls a few rows ahead. Lady next to me asks if I would like her to change seats with my son. I go up to him and ask if he wants to change seats with the nice lady in my row. He shakes his head emphatically "No". Again, he's about 4 or 5. On the flight my daughter and I hear him telling the girls he's 11. Man, he was working them hard.
Daughter is finally old enough for first class. A few times traveling by herself she got to sit there and man, was she spoiled. Next time we traveled together we walk through first class and she points out the empty seats. "Sorry hon, Joe is not old enough for first class." She responds, "Well, he can sit in coach, I'm sitting here." Ummm... nice try.
Finally, one time we had to be someplace so we went SouthWest. We got in line to board and my daughter says, "Dad, we can't board yet. They haven't called our names."
Ahh.. memories.
poser765
Well-Known Member
No problem. it all seems pretty daunting when you are new, but just give it time. It won't take too long before you start realizing what works and what doesn't and how the flow of the whole process works.