Why I don't give out buddy passes.
- Thread starter JordanD
- Start date
Bob Ridpath
Pit Bull love
Isn't this sort of the equivalent of natural selection amongst the traveling public? IDK. Kind seems like getting caught counting cards in Vegas to me.
titansox
Well-Known Member
One thing amtrak is good for is if you are trying to ship your car from the DC area to the Orlando area (I think the only 2 places they pick up/drop off too) it was $140 for me and my car. Unfortunately you have to travel with your car, you can't just throw it on the train and meet it in MCO. Since I wasn't paying for it, I sent it via truck and flew down.
thewaffles
Well-Known Member
Everyone in the company knows that SLC is one of the hardest places to nonrev in and out of, there are constantly 30-40 standbys on that flight. The flight is pretty much just an employee shuttle between SLC and JFK. Now, while we don't know all of the facts, whether the family was reaching out to the employee for help or didn't bother. For all that employee knows is they had already made it back to VA. Regardless, I'm sure they'll be disciplined for this. I think there is definitely a lot more to the story from the families end. I don't think any employee would just leave them with a "well, just come back tomorrow". There are plenty of other options for getting them back to VA, so something is not right here.
mastermags
Well-Known Member *giggity*
Wait wait, so you've got a young child who you are admittingly starving, depriving of sleep, and force feeding garbage and you're whining to the news about not getting on flights?? You should be having Child Services called on your ass!
Autothrust Blue
"Well, on the Brasilia..."
I'm glad I'm not the only one who caught on.
I half jokingly call them "enemy passes" - as in, I would give these to my enemies.
PositionAndHold
Well-Known Member
From one of the reader comments....."You give buddy passes to people you hate". Maybe that was the case.
Autothrust Blue
"Well, on the Brasilia..."
Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if the employee in question bears the brunt of JetBlue's unhappiness over this little episode.From one of the reader comments....."You give buddy passes to people you hate". Maybe that was the case.
PositionAndHold
Well-Known Member
O
No doubt. I didn't try to travel when I was at xjt, (except jump setting LAX-EWR) let alone letting one of my dumb ass friends try it.
Back "in the day" buddy passes were probably great. Flights weren't full, you could go places with friends, take extended family & siblings on trips...
But it hasn't been "in the day" for a LONG time. Even when I first started (1995) flights were pretty darn full. Getting on as an employee non-rev was easier than it is now, but bottom-of-the-barrel buddy passes were left behind often even back then.
Seriously, buddy passes aren't worth it. The associated fees aren't FREE, and by the time you figure in hassle & headache of dealing with standby travel it's a much better deal to do some advance planning and buy a ticket.
But it hasn't been "in the day" for a LONG time. Even when I first started (1995) flights were pretty darn full. Getting on as an employee non-rev was easier than it is now, but bottom-of-the-barrel buddy passes were left behind often even back then.
Seriously, buddy passes aren't worth it. The associated fees aren't FREE, and by the time you figure in hassle & headache of dealing with standby travel it's a much better deal to do some advance planning and buy a ticket.
CcrlR737AMT
Well-Known Member
I was thinking the same thing. I am the same way with my relatives/friends. I am not going to jeopardize my job for someone to act inapporiately at the gate or not know what standby passes are and the consquenes are if you are stuck there.
NickH
Uber Driver
I travel to and from Europe on buddy passes every year.
But:
I travel alone. I know what I am getting. I dress well, show up early, am polite to everyone and don't hassle the gate agent. I get business on United most of the time. But I don't cry if I'm in economy, or get the chicken.
I get stuck sometimes, overnight occasionally, but saving money and usually better seats are worth a lot to me.
I'd like to thank anyone who does help out their buddies with these passes, and ensures they are fully aware of what they are and are not getting. If it's family, be a buddy and tell them straight.
But:
I travel alone. I know what I am getting. I dress well, show up early, am polite to everyone and don't hassle the gate agent. I get business on United most of the time. But I don't cry if I'm in economy, or get the chicken.
I get stuck sometimes, overnight occasionally, but saving money and usually better seats are worth a lot to me.
I'd like to thank anyone who does help out their buddies with these passes, and ensures they are fully aware of what they are and are not getting. If it's family, be a buddy and tell them straight.
Springer
Well-Known Member
The family probably doesn't know who the employee is. As a gate agent, my wife experienced that all the time. My airline tighten it up to the point where the employee had to travel with the buddy. Since my company merged with another and their pass policy prevailed, I repeatedly see more buddy pass riders than I do active/retirees for a given flight. I suspect many buddy passes are given out by min wage employees who don't care if they get busted.
SeanD
Well-Known Member
Ill bet they got a visit from someone after that news segment aired. At least I hope so. I dont feel sorry for them at all. In fact, I think the father knew the risk and thought he could pull the pitty party card to get the airline to accommodate them. Looks like it back fired. I do however feel sorry for his children.
saxman
Well-Known Member
cmill said:
Amtrak tends to be cheaper for shorter trips and they are also cheaper if you buy weeks in advance. Summer is a busy time with many trains being sold out so they charge a premium for a last minute tickets.
It's a 2 day trip from SLC to Virginia on Amtrak. They wouldve been home days ago instead of hopping for sympathy from ABC News.
mastermags
Well-Known Member *giggity*
Apparently the paramedics were called to check on the 4 year old after five days of malnourishment led to vomiting. I mean, at what point do you realize that you are being a crappy parent and you should go home? This isn't 'The Grapes of Wrath'. What are you going to tell Grandma when you get there; 'It was a treacherous journey. We had to bury Junior back in Utah, but Lord willin' we made it.'
Vector4Food
This job would be easier without all the airplanes
LOL @ United Airlines trolling JetBlue like that 
dasleben
That's just, like, your opinion, man
Absolutely. When I had pass privileges, I put my Dad on a pass to go from SAN-GEG. I laid out the whole process for him, and he went to the airport with a backup. Unfortunately, he couldn't get on as a pass rider, so out came Plan B: A visa card. He still got there, albeit on SWA, and it wasn't free. But, he was prepared for the possibility of that happening, and still got to where he was going.
