Buddy Pass Rip-off

[ALPO NO MO]

Pre-merger USAirways, the passes were ID90s I believe... I don't remember them being very expensive.

The "new" passes include a nasty $60/direction fuel surcharge for domestic.

One of the biggest things we had @ Airways was that everything was electronic - agent would simply look up our profile E*:123456US01100 (example) and be able to do ticketing for anyone. We also only paid $20 to sit up front, pets were free, and we could haul on as many bags as we wanted. And the buddy passes were 8 r/t per year (also electronic), regardless of segment count.

Seems like the "new" USAirways is not only nickel-and-dime'ing the customers but also the employees.

I don't like getting buddy passes anyway; too many rules, too many things can go wrong. It isn't a "perk" if I have to jump through hoops to make it happen and I don't want a friend po'd at me if they can't get on a flight or they won't follow the rules.

I will get them for close personal friends who need to travel somewhere but don't have the time to purchase an advance ticket. Last one was for someone who went to a funeral and that was quite a while ago.

 

[Black Magic]

I was in OGG a week ago and there was a guy on a guest pass that had been stuck there for a week as the reason of no open seats available. This was after he paid like $440 roundtrip from phx to ogg on the guest pass. He was furious after I had told him that my friends I stayed bought confirmed tickets and paid $432 on priceline.com and that was for a confirmed seat!! It's a complete rip-off!!

I also miss the flexi-passes at awa mainly being able to use them for companion travel.

 

[T5towbar]

To be honest, I wouldn't recommend buddy passes to anyone. Period.
Makes no sense to me, because you can't really use them. You might get to a destination, but will not get back.
I tell my friends to use another airline or go on the web for a lower fare.

The non-rev game is tough enough, but with a person who don't know the ins and outs of non-revving, boarding at a very low priority guarantees you NOT to make a flight. The only people who can win at this one is airline workers who can use their knowledge of the non-rev game, and can figure out ways to get home. Like I said before, going is not the problem.........getting back is!

 

[drifterreno]

I for one am very grateful for the buddy passes. My people usually book their reservation about 3 days before travel. Hence it's a great saving. Please don't complain too much--they're great in an emergency.

 

[konaparadise]

I recently checked on a companion pass from ORD to MCO , the price was $162.00 , I went to Orbitz and bought a round trip nonstop ticket on AA for my brother for $175.00. What kind of a benefit is this ? If I remember correctly these passes were given to us a part of a wage concession.With all of the empty seats throughout the system right now wouldn't it be smart to reduce the price back to what it was last year ? This management team has its head in the sand when it comes to good relationship with its employees. The icing on the cake is that a Buddy pass has to pay baggage fees like a regular passenger. Thanks for screwing up this benefit !

Here s another example: My sister-in-law wanted to visit here in Koa from Phx. Round Trip incl tax 432.00 I called one of my retired friends from DL from Lax to Koa 53.85 ow Called another friend retired at AA from Lax to Koa 83.00 Even from Phx to Lax on US buddy pass 50.00 plus taxes a rip off you bet. We need to write to Corporate and Doug Parker and just maybe they will listen. I do know that everytime I do email I do get a response I may not like the answer but they do respond

 

[Jester]

The Flexi Pass was cool becuase it was flexible.
It could be used as a guest pass, or a SA1P or a FC upgrade or a Pet Ticket or a Parent Pass, plus we got 40 a year with perfect attendance. 24 if you were a slouch. Calling in sick was weighed very heavily by that flexi equation.

The AWA buddy passes sucked... unless someone was going very short notice and even then it wasn't much of a deal, and the positive space through online shopping would be close enough in price as not to bother with stand-by. Now if they could have been combined to lower the fares even further, then they would have been a good deal. However, I rarely used them because they were of such little value, but the current passes even with the higher fees and I rarely have any left at the end of the year.

So Remembers Jester.

 

[Fully Cross Utilized]

The AWA buddy passes sucked...

Not always. Used to be $20 ow anywhere in the system.

 

[necigrad]

The AWA buddy passes were awesome in the 90's. You could use them as a buddy pass for anyone pretty much anywhere in the country for under $100. The fact that they could be used as companion passes, first class upgrades or as parent passes, combined with getting 40 a year made them AWESOME! When revenue fares started dropping they became far less valuable, then when revenue fares went up the buddy pass rates went up with them.

 

[signals]

"hunker down"?? at least on air tran you don't have to pay for a drink...

I'm betting you'll need more than one drink

 

[superG]

Here s another example: My sister-in-law wanted to visit here in Koa from Phx. Round Trip incl tax 432.00 I called one of my retired friends from DL from Lax to Koa 53.85 ow Called another friend retired at AA from Lax to Koa 83.00 Even from Phx to Lax on US buddy pass 50.00 plus taxes a rip off you bet. We need to write to Corporate and Doug Parker and just maybe they will listen. I do know that everytime I do email I do get a response I may not like the answer but they do respond

I just purchased a DL OGG-LAX-OGG BP in Dec-----fare was $148/rt incl taxes. There is a $30 surcharge for HI travel which does not appear in the fare quote. It's not just the US fares that are higher.

 

[legacy-to-LCC]

I'm betting you'll need more than one drink

ironic...that's what your mom said to me.

 

[HPearlyretiree]

The AWA buddy passes were awesome in the 90's. You could use them as a buddy pass for anyone pretty much anywhere in the country for under $100. The fact that they could be used as companion passes, first class upgrades or as parent passes, combined with getting 40 a year made them AWESOME! When revenue fares started dropping they became far less valuable, then when revenue fares went up the buddy pass rates went up with them.

Those were the days eh? Flying your date out to HNL for less than the cost of a dinner.

If I had now, all the buddy passes I "loaned" fellow employees.......

US made a huge mistake a few months ago when they (Carrie Ulrich) got rid of the wonderful Pass Bureau manager and decided to replace her with someone "young"

 

[Dog Wonder]

Young, dumb and wanting some

thing

Is a job requirement in the Sandbox.

 

[night-ice]

Those were the days eh? Flying your date out to HNL for less than the cost of a dinner.

If I had now, all the buddy passes I "loaned" fellow employees.......

US made a huge mistake a few months ago when they (Carrie Ulrich) got rid of the wonderful Pass Bureau manager and decided to replace her with someone "young"

Who was the previous manager? Wasn't it Sharon? What happened to her and who is her replacement??

 

[tadjr]

Young, dumb and wanting some

thing

Is a job requirement in the Sandbox.

Is being an ASU grad also a requirement? We had a girl (who just worked her last day today) apply about 15 times for employment in Tempe. She had a marketing degree and couldnt even get an interview for anything she applied for. We kept telling her she was too smart to get hired in Tempe. Too bad. She is now working with Expedia Marketing in Ft Lauderdale and her area covers several islands in the Caribbean. Another brilliant move by the Sandbox. Personally though, I want to thank them since I now have a hookup for some good rates on vacation rentals.

On topic- Had a WN guy come over and ask about swapping buddy passes. When I told him a buddy pass from TPA-NAS was $285 he just laughed and walked away. Had a BA girl come ask about one to get her boyfriend down from MEM. The purchased ticket was $20 more than a buddy pass. We got a sale!!!!!!! I dont even mention that I get them to anyone since its usually cheaper and easier to just buy a ticket except in rare cases.