BUDDY PASS

[Black Magic]

It seems like nearly all flights on us airways are always overbooked. IMO the guest pass is kind of worthless as your boarding priority is sooo low.

Back in the day what was non-reving like? It would seem like since the planes werent as packed it would be a gift.

 

[nycbusdriver]

It seems like nearly all flights on us airways are always overbooked. IMO the guest pass is kind of worthless as your boarding priority is sooo low.

Back in the day what was non-reving like? It would seem like since the planes werent as packed it would be a gift.

Non-revving to neat places was never a happy circumstance. Flights to high demand destinations always tended to run quite full. If you were traveling with a family (4 or 5 people) it was often a nightmare.

WAY back in the day (pre-deregulation, pre-1978) it was probably much better because fares were higher and load factors were lower. It didn't matter to the airlines then, since their regulated environment virtually guaranteed profits. Non-revving was just part of the glamour of working for an airline.

ALL of the glamour is gone, BTW.

 

[OSFSCOTT]

Are there any other cities that she would have a better chance of flying in and out of using the buddy pass to Europe

 

[galley princess]

ALL European flights are full from May until end of Sept, most of the time. The only people who can non rev to Europe during that time with any sanity are flight crew that can nab a jumpseat, and even then, before the drastic cut in FAs on board, it was not unusual to have a couple of jumpseaters vying for seats.

Please, we're trying to do you a kindness here. I will not even consider taking my family to Europe during the summer and I fly the flights all of the time. Your friend will be at the mercy of busy European USairways stations and at the bottom of their list of things to do. There is a lot of pressure on them to get those flights out ASAP because they're often making up for delays and nonsense out of PHL. They WILL leave non revenue passengers behind if it means closing that door on time. We have seen it happen and while I am not denigrating them, the reality is the pressure on them from US is enormous.

Oddly enough, the only reason that the embargo was lifted from European travel was at the behest of AWA employees who never had such a thing. IMHO, I think that you'll find it returning when Tempe gets heat from an American Embassy in Europe because "UsAirways isn't honoring tickets". That's when the old US imposed the embargo. People just don't brief their buddy passes well enough.

A crewmember's parents got stuck in FCO during the shoulder season, and after they paid for meals and hotels and finally a train ride to AMS, they spent more than two full fare tickets. Go to Expedia, Travelocity etc. Otherwise, think January and February for European buddy passes.

 

[exusairways]

Are there any other cities that she would have a better chance of flying in and out of using the buddy pass to Europe

None that I know of! Try booking the trip through hotels.com. I have booked week-long trips to places like Rome and Jerusalem for decent prices.

 

[nycbusdriver]

OSFSCOTT -

I know you have already gotten quite an education here from many of us.

You must consider that buddy passes to Europe in the summer are false economy. You will be much better off to return and cash in those passes and get online to find a reasonable price to purchase tickets. Unless you are feeling extremely lucky, it will be much cheaper in the long run.

I really feel that Tempe lifting the summer European embargo on buddy pass riders was done out of sheer ignorance. They have demonstrated time and time again that they are clueless in running a transoceanic operation, and this is just another example. Don't get caught in the middle of their stupidity.

With the embargo gone and the west employees (who are higher priority than buddy pass riders) running their butts across the Atlantic this summer, there will be much wailing (literally) and gnashing of teeth at the USAirways European stations as these employees are faced with the reality that they will NOT get home to get to work, the station agent will NOT be able to help them even a little bit even if they wanted to and their "freebie" flights will be one of the most expensive mistakes they ever made.

The east employees have been there, done that, and the embargo was instituted to keep unsuspecting non-employees from becoming victims of summer travel. Now the embargo is gone and it will NOT be pretty this summer. By next summer, the embargo will be back once Tempe has learned the lesson for themselves the hard way.

 

[OSFSCOTT]

OSFSCOTT -

I know you have already gotten quite an education here from many of us.

You must consider that buddy passes to Europe in the summer are false economy. You will be much better off to return and cash in those passes and get online to find a reasonable price to purchase tickets. Unless you are feeling extremely lucky, it will be much cheaper in the long run.

I really feel that Tempe lifting the summer European embargo on buddy pass riders was done out of sheer ignorance. They have demonstrated time and time again that they are clueless in running a transoceanic operation, and this is just another example. Don't get caught in the middle of their stupidity.

With the embargo gone and the west employees (who are higher priority than buddy pass riders) running their butts across the Atlantic this summer, there will be much wailing (literally) and gnashing of teeth at the USAirways European stations as these employees are faced with the reality that they will NOT get home to get to work, the station agent will NOT be able to help them even a little bit even if they wanted to and their "freebie" flights will be one of the most expensive mistakes they ever made.

The east employees have been there, done that, and the embargo was instituted to keep unsuspecting non-employees from becoming victims of summer travel. Now the embargo is gone and it will NOT be pretty this summer. By next summer, the embargo will be back once Tempe has learned the lesson for themselves the hard way.

Again thank you for all the information everyone has provided me with.On the embargo is this the first year since it has been lifted

 

[Black Magic]

The embargo was lifted around the middle of last year, but it wasn't posted on the company websites that much. It's true about trying to get back from europe. I was one of those west employee's who went to Rome around august and it was hell getting back. While I was there there was someone on a buddy pass and the gate agents in Rome didn't even know that company lifted the embargo. I had to tell them and they called Tempe to get verification. SA1P meant jack nothing that day! lol It seemed like all of europe was trying to go to the US at the time.

 

[OSFSCOTT]

The embargo was lifted around the middle of last year, but it wasn't posted on the company websites that much. It's true about trying to get back from europe. I was one of those west employee's who went to Rome around august and it was hell getting back. While I was there there was someone on a buddy pass and the gate agents in Rome didn't even know that company lifted the embargo. I had to tell them and they called Tempe to get verification. SA1P meant jack nothing that day! lol It seemed like all of europe was trying to go to the US at the time.

How long did it take you to get a return flight

 

[nycbusdriver]

The embargo was lifted around the middle of last year, but it wasn't posted on the company websites that much. It's true about trying to get back from europe. I was one of those west employee's who went to Rome around august and it was hell getting back. While I was there there was someone on a buddy pass and the gate agents in Rome didn't even know that company lifted the embargo. I had to tell them and they called Tempe to get verification. SA1P meant jack nothing that day! lol It seemed like all of europe was trying to go to the US at the time.

And, with the dollar tanking versus the euro and the pound, demand will likely be even higher this year for Europeans to get their bargains over here.

 

[OSFSCOTT]

And, with the dollar tanking versus the euro and the pound, demand will likely be even higher this year for Europeans to get their bargains over here.

How long did it take you to get back last summer and apprx how much would it cost the buy a ticket to get back to the US if they cann't get her home with her buddy pass and or would she even be able to buy a ticket

 

[YVINTERN]

Have you seen how much these walk up fares cost? I would just give the buddy passes a rest and tell her to buy the cheapest economy ticket on another carrier I promise you it will be worth every penny.

 

[OSFSCOTT]

Have you seen how much these walk up fares cost? I would just give the buddy passes a rest and tell her to buy the cheapest economy ticket on another carrier I promise you it will be worth every penny.

I'm completly new to all of this me nor my wife have ever flew outside the US how much could a walk up fare cost her..

 

[YVINTERN]

I'm completly new to all of this me nor my wife have ever flew outside the US how much could a walk up fare cost her..

Lets see...You owe me a drink

Say we hypothetically got stranded in those cities today and decided to purchase a walk up fare just back to the hub city PHL tomorrow it would cost
AMS $2925+Taxes
BRU $1794+Taxes
LGW $876+Taxes
FRA $3456+Taxes

And that is PER PERSON on USELESS AIRWAYS...Do you understand now what the heck we mean?

 

[OSFSCOTT]

Lets see...You owe me a drink

Say we hypothetically got stranded in those cities today and decided to purchase a walk up fare just back to the hub city PHL tomorrow it would cost
AMS $2925+Taxes
BRU $1794+Taxes
LGW $876+Taxes
FRA $3456+Taxes

And that is PER PERSON on USELESS AIRWAYS...Do you understand now what the heck we mean?

She is going to have to re think this trip completly the worst part is the US Arline employee is telling her she shouldn't have any problems getting around using his buddy passes but with all the information everyone on the forum has been kind enought to provide me with I don't think he know what he is talking about at all and I do owe you a drink
thanks