Tag Archives for nonrev.
On an Alaska Airlines flight, a boy screamed, hit passengers, and hurled a toy train. When a disabled veteran non-rev quietly told him to hush, the crew turned on her—publicly shaming her and putting her daughter’s career was on the line.
The British Airways employee got caught listing access to standby travel for three months on the auction site, asking nearly $800. In addition to non-rev flights, buyers would gain access to discounted confirmed space as well.
One of the major complaints I see from flight attendants (and other employees, but mostly flight attendants) is that standby passengers make it difficult for them to fly free as nonrevs. All they see if passengers filling up a flight as a standby, ahead of them on the list to get onto a flight. They do not ‘see’ the flight the passenger comes off of, freeing up more seats for nonrevs.
Starting February 3, Delta Air Lines is banning employees on nonrev travel and who are traveling on company business from accessing their lounges. Delta acknowledges the “lines out the door” of their clubs and that this includes “360 and Diamond Medallion Members – waiting for seats once inside” and says they’re eliminating access for employees who pay for membership in order to “ensur[e] our most loyal and valued customers have adequate access.”
There are numerous rules that go along with flying so-called ‘free’ (there are often fees for international travel, and for some there can be tax consequences as well).
One of the stranger ones on American Airlines is that employees cannot book conflicting paid travel and non-rev travel. In fact, they aren’t even allowed to list for non-rev travel on American is they have paid or mileage award tickets with the same origin and destination within 24 hours on another airline like Delta. This actually makes American Airlines less reliable for customers.
About a week and a half ago I wrote that if you must travel now, you should consider turning down the first class upgrade. There’s not much service or food to speak of, so you really just get a bigger seat. But first class is more full than coach. You’ll be more comfortable – and more socially distanced – by sitting in back and spreading out in your own row.
American Airlines has basically taken this approach and made it mandatory for their employees who as traveling as non-revenue passengers. “Nonrevs” can no longer fly first class on narrowbody aircraft.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
