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Thread: New to non-rev travel and now registered companion on AA--a few questions!


  1. #1
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    Default New to non-rev travel and now registered companion on AA--a few questions!

    Hi everyone! It's great to have found this forum! So my great-aunt was a flight attendant for TWA back in the day. She retired before the merger with AA, so she lost her flight benefits in the early 2000's (I have distant memories of us using her triple E tickets that she used to get in the 90's when I was little). For some reason last year, they gave them back to her! Now I'm her registered companion and this is all very new and confusing to me--but very exciting! She isn't great with computers, so I know she doesn't know much about jetnet or how it works, and she's busy preparing to move into her motorhome and travel around the continent, and hasn't gotten the chance to use her benefits yet. So to put it simply, I really know nothing about this, haha.

    My fiancee and I are trying to travel to China this summer to visit our friend who's teaching english there. She's letting him have two of her D3 passes and I'll be traveling as D2R. I have a few questions, if any of you could be so kind to answer! I have no one to really ask about this since it's all so new to my aunt, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

    1) I've listed us for the flights on Jetnet, and it shows up under "My PNR's". Have I properly "listed" us for flights? Is there anything else I should do?

    2) So as a D2R, am I correct in thinking that my fare in coach would cost nothing? I'm super confused cause I thought I would have to pay at least the government taxes and fees, but when I view the "charges" under the PNR, it looks like coach costs nothing. That seems too good to be true, haha.

    3)Speaking of too good to be true, in the trip book it says something like my flying could be subject to "imputed income" when tax season comes around. But it says that the value of the flight is going to be added to my aunt's income, and not mine?

    4) It says as a retiree my aunt will be sent an invoice for the cost of the flight, and it has to be payed in 30 days. Do they send this from the time I listed us for the flights, or after the flight has been actually taken?

    5)In her buddy pass bank, she still has the max number of passes. No deductions have been made. Does that not happen until after the flight has been taken?

    6) Does anyone know about the international baggage allowance for D3 and D2 passes? I can only seem to find the info about domestic flights. We're thinking it might just be best to do carry on anyway, but is that allowed on international flights for those passes?

    7)Why does jetnet show US airways flights and flights from other airlines, but you're unable to select them? Will this be an option eventually?

    8) Can you obtain something that looks like an actual flight reservation? All I have is the email jetnet sent, which doesn't look like much. I only ask because we have to get a Chinese visa and sometimes they want official flight reservations. I've already read some of the stuff about getting a visa as a non-rev on here though, and I think it'll be okay, especially since we have someone with residency inviting us.

    I think that's all I have for now. I apologize for the long post! If anyone can help, thank you so much!
    Last edited by JayAlexandra; 05-Jun-2015 at 03:54 AM.


  • #2
    Winner! mrs767er's Avatar
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    To be certain, get 2 letter from your friend in China, naming each of you separately. These will go with visa application. China goes however they wish, when they wish, so the letters are safeguards. My friend had a visa problem herself, so she got her ex-husband to invite us to China. I felt comfortable having that. The rest of the details will be explained by others here. (I'm DL, so I can't help with more)
    mrs767er - NonRev Correspondent - Specialty Travel

    Wherever you go, there you are

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    Administrator Migflanker's Avatar
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    Welcome aboard JayA and welcome back to non-rev travel.
    First of all TWA retirees now (after the merger TWA retirees did not receive any AA passes) have the same travel privileges as all other AA retirees; which means your great aunt and you, as her registered companion(RC) have unlimited fee-waived COACH travel. There are charges for First and Business class travel.
    You are responsible for taxes, fees, surcharges levied by governments/airports.


    Baggage - Non-revs are allowed two free checked bags(50lb ea. I think) - but I always advise to do only carry-on if possible


    Paying for the trip - Once the flight segment is completed, your aunt the retiree, will be billed. Make sure her JetNet address is up-to date.
    Billing is done monthly, so it could be a couple of weeks before she gets the invoice. BTW, they do assess late fees.


    Imputed Income - Completely out my element as I just give everything to my accountant.
    Fortunately, there is a section on imputed income on JetNet.


    Pass Bank - Passes aren’t deducted until the flight segment is complete.


    AA and US don’t have a single reservation system yet, but we will - eventually.


    Of course your best source of info is JetNet. Take some time and read everything, starting with that Trip Book.


    M7 has given you some valuable China travel info, post any additional questions in a new China Info thread. Post in the “Interline Travel” section, “Region Specific” Forum - “Australia/Asia/Oceania” Sub Forum. Bigger marquee, so more members will see it.
    We do have some members that have traveled to China. You can also do a Forum ‘search’ for China info.
    And when you get back, I want to hear all about this trip.

    Mig
    Keep'em Flying

    Migflanker - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Los Angeles

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    Thank you two SO much! That information was super helpful! Especially the part about where my aunt won't be billed and the passes won't be deducted until the flight segment is completed. Very useful to know! I'd love to come tell you all about the trip once it's done! It's a little over a month now.

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    ddagencylv - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Global Aviation News

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    Hi there folks! If anyone is able to help, I had another question or two pertaining to AA employees and listing flights, so I thought I'd just ask it here again. As a registered companion can I book a flight on US Airways? I'm just wondering because on jetnet it has a section with a pdf on how to use US's booking system. And a "web check in" area. Also I was wondering how to use the "travel on other airlines" section, with the myIDtravel? Last week I tried to check it out and look at flights, but I didn't get very far. I think I was searching and it wasn't showing me the flights. I guess my main question though is if it's possible to book a US flight as an AA RC. And if you can, does that mean it's a ZED ticket, or another pass class?

  • #7
    Administrator Migflanker's Avatar
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    As an AA R/C you can fly on US (no upgrades). The US Travel user guide (link on JetNet) is a great resource - take the front screen tour it will walk you through it.
    Keep'em Flying

    Migflanker - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Los Angeles

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    Booking US Airways travel is done thru the TravelUS link on jetnet. No zed is needed. However, I'm not sure if as a RC you have travel privileges to zed on other airlines or travel on US. The systems should be merging in the fall so after that time you should definitely be able to travel on US flights.
    isppilot - Senior NonRev Correspondent - New York City

  • #9
    Top Member spongebue's Avatar
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    I think I can answer the imputed income question. Even if AA doesn't charge for the flight, the IRS sees that as a taxable benefit. And it would be a liability for the employee. So, let's say your flights were given a value of $300. Your aunt didn't suddenly earn $300 by you flying around, but as far as the IRS is concerned, she may as well have. So, say her tax rate was 25%. That would be $75 that she would be taxed on. But when she's retired... I'm a little less sure how that works. Probably worth asking higher powers. But it would be on her if anything so be prepared to write a check. I'd be careful here! While nowhere near full fare, it can add up!
    Spongebue - NonRev Correspondent - U.S./Midwest Region


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    Thank you all! I'll take a closer look at the UStravel area on jetnet. I was confused if it was even possible, so thanks for clearing it up! Spongebue, thanks for the imputed income answer! That was super helpful. I was thinking I should be careful about how much I use it as well! I don't want to have to write my aunt a huge check, haha. Is there any chance if you know if the airlines send the IRS this info, or is she expected to report it?

    Sooo... I have one more question if you generous AA folks could help me. Sorry, I seem to just be coming up with new ones as I get further into this! So right now we are listed for a flight to from Phoenix to Dallas that arrives at 10:51 am. Then our flight to Hong Kong departs Dallas at 12:45 pm. I just looked, and there is an earlier flight from Phoenix that gets to Dallas around 9 am. That one also has more seats available (currently, at least). I thought it might be better to list us for that earlier flight so if we get kicked off we'd have a second chance to get to Dallas before the Hong Kong flight leaves. Should I cancel the first PNR and re-list us for the earlier Dallas flight and our Hong Kong flight again (since both flights are on the same first PNR, it's my understanding that we'd have to re-list for the Hong Kong flight?) I checked and no other non-revs have listed for the Hong Kong flight, so I don't think we'd lose our place or anything. I'm just not sure about the best way to do this.

    Also, in your experience, how quickly do flights fill up as the flight date approaches? I'm sure it probably depends on the flight, but I'm just curious since both our flights are currently in green, but the first only has 60 seats left and the Hong Kong one has around 100 left I think. And it's a little under a month away.
    Last edited by JayAlexandra; 12-Jun-2015 at 03:02 AM.

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