DELTA BUDDY PASS
Apr 10th, 2006, 09:08 AM
#4
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I have had one.
There are a few things to consider.
Mine was for standby flights only. Your priority on that non-rev standby list is based on the priority of your buddy. (Mine was pretty high, but still....) You are behind all paying passengers.
I seem to recall it was a 10% fare basis, but don't know the other details.
I wound up never using mine.....I just don't have the time to do standby.
There are a few things to consider.
Mine was for standby flights only. Your priority on that non-rev standby list is based on the priority of your buddy. (Mine was pretty high, but still....) You are behind all paying passengers.
I seem to recall it was a 10% fare basis, but don't know the other details.
I wound up never using mine.....I just don't have the time to do standby.
Apr 10th, 2006, 09:40 AM
#5
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halsar....Sorry if my answer seemed "snipy".But at the same time I was posting, my housekeeper was falling into the pool.She took the wrong bus, got off the wrong corner,left her glasses at home and fell into the pool while she was heading to the guest House instead of the Main Hall.....but all is OK..It has been my experience with friends at Delta that they will know all the ends and outs of the usage of the Buddy Pass.I was offered one to go to Florida but declined since I too "had" to be there at a given time.Beacuse of listening to their horror stories for years, I would personally not do this.Hours of standing by, missing flights, not getting there...thats just not for me.So ask your "Buddy" to give you the details and hopefully it will work for you.I dont think the info is on any wedsite other than one available to only Delta employees.
Apr 10th, 2006, 12:28 PM
#6
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My husband is an employee of Delta so we have many buddy passes- your friend should not be giving that to you as a wedding present. They can be tough to use at times- don't pre-pay for any hotels bc you never know if you'll make the flight or not. Plus you have to pay $0.07/mile... it *can* add up. (Thay might have increased the rate as well)
Apr 10th, 2006, 02:18 PM
#7
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I found out that it costs 3.5 cents per mile domestic and 2.5 cents per mile transatlantic. They give an example round trip flight from cincinati to ny costing $47. That distance is 500 miles so bicoastal trips might be not the best deal, but it looks like a trip from boston to rome might be ok with summer fares over $900. My friend doesn't have much money so even as my best man I am thankful for the gift! I just hope my attitude is rewarded when at the airport trying to get on that flight standby!!!
Apr 13th, 2006, 07:01 AM
#9
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Hey TXgalinGA!---don't suppose you have any secret info on what is going to happen to Delta this weekend? My sis is SUPPOSED to fly Delta from Atlanta to San Antonio on the 18th--we are all more than a little concerned about what is going on--In that "we" ,I include everyone who has flights planned with Delta. Any response would be appreciated.
Apr 13th, 2006, 07:01 AM
#10
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Hey TXgalinGA!---don't suppose you have any secret info on what is going to happen to Delta this weekend? My sis is SUPPOSED to fly Delta from Atlanta to San Antonio on the 18th--we are all more than a little concerned about what is going on--In that "we" ,I include everyone who has flights planned with Delta. What do you think?
Apr 13th, 2006, 08:12 AM
#11
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Chances are really really slim that you could fly on a buddy pass overseas during the summer and if to Rome-definitely forget it as those flights are usually totally full. If you need to get somewhere,just buy a cheap ticket and know that you are going to have a seat as they really aren't that good of a deal.
Apr 14th, 2006, 09:59 AM
#13
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halsar - Airlines don't give out vouchers for free trans-Atlantic travels these days when you take a bump. They'll give you a voucher for about $300-400, and put you on another flight. A hotel if one has to wait for next day. That's about it.
A little more if you're involuntarily bumped, but that's pretty rare.
One would be foolish to anticipate a bump. These things you can only thank god/whoever when it happens, but you can't expect it.
A little more if you're involuntarily bumped, but that's pretty rare.
One would be foolish to anticipate a bump. These things you can only thank god/whoever when it happens, but you can't expect it.
Apr 14th, 2006, 07:29 PM
#14
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To use a buddy pass overseas... you need to pick a less popular airport. Paris and London are out. Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich... all good choices. Again though, it's not 100% until the flight takes off. We made in to A'dam and Munich last summer no problem. We came back from Munich first class- it was fab!
travelintoes- obviously you know Delta did not go on strike!! Good thing bc my hubby is on a flight right now from Atlanta to SA
So your sis is in the clear!
travelintoes- obviously you know Delta did not go on strike!! Good thing bc my hubby is on a flight right now from Atlanta to SA
So your sis is in the clear!
Apr 14th, 2006, 10:25 PM
#15
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Halsar-these passes are stickly standby and you go behind every employee;their family members;retirees and employees from other airlines on the waiting lists. Summer/holidays are a terrible time to try and use them. Since they are "space available" you cannot get bumped or compensated.Personally, I feel for the money that you will spend on some of the overseas passes you are better off buying a real cheap ticket if you need to be there at a certain time and day.Good luck!
Apr 15th, 2006, 08:00 PM
#17
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Mu husband is an airline employee and we fly on passes all the time. It never seems to be a problem getting where you want to go, it's getting home. There is no worse feeling than being at the end of your vacation and wanting to get home and you're stuck somewhere and can't get out. After a huge fiasco in India, now if we're going anywhere "exotic", we fly to a European city on a pass with a confirmed ticket to our "exotic" destination. It's a heck of a lot easier to get a flight out of London or Paris than Delhi or Nairobi. And you'll find a lot of airport/airline employees in some of these countries have no idea about employee or buddy passes. I'd just buy a confirmed seat and have a worry free holiday/honeymoon.
Apr 17th, 2006, 08:31 AM
#18
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I can see how getting home could be a problem, we have no problem packing a carryon and going anywhere but would have to return to a popular New England Airport-(wouldn't mind taking a bus from as far as NYC to boston, in some situations)- i think that could be more difficult as Atlanta seems to be the hub. I guess we would pick places that seemed to have BOS as the major connecting airport to be safe.
Using London as an EU base sounds ok-I just think that we would be paying a premium for last minute fares-even on this discount airlines like Ryanair.
Do you think I should let my friend know this is maybe not a good gift?
Using London as an EU base sounds ok-I just think that we would be paying a premium for last minute fares-even on this discount airlines like Ryanair.
Do you think I should let my friend know this is maybe not a good gift?
Apr 17th, 2006, 09:33 AM
#20
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I don't think it's a good gift for you, and you can tell your friend that.
It's not for everybody. If you have a job to come back to, and you want your itinerary fairly certain, then these things don't work well.
It's not for everybody. If you have a job to come back to, and you want your itinerary fairly certain, then these things don't work well.
