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My family and I just listed for a flight to Seattle on "our company" SA2P. We listed F class which was wide open, I even sold the first seat (of 6) at the connecting airport before we boarded (and there were no pax upgrades coming for those listed, so 5 seats available)
We arrive at the gate, let the agent know we were there in a friendly way, and because the plane was 1/2 full, he released seats to us in row 20....
I asked a 2nd agent a few minutes later if we could upgrade to "F", and he said "if there there were seats available and we went to customer servive and paid the $20/person Non-rev surchagre" ....I guess this sometimes happens....lol
About that time....3-4 guys come, sit on the floor in front of the counter....w/no exageration...deplorably dressed (baseball caps, snealers, t-shirts w/outter short sleve shirts, opened, jeans...etc) and again w/no exageration....are playing a board game on the floor, and are loud and undisciplined (for lack of a better word)
The original gate agent acknowlegded them as if he knew them, and said "I have 3 eats left in First" ...a few minutes later, they said , 'We will take them" He then handed them all boarding passes "F" seats!
We are kind of upset, knowing that these guys didn't pay for the upgrade, but not knowing whether for sure they were rev's or non-rev's, we didn't say anything http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif (btw, we are dressed for FC)
Minutes later, about boarding time, the Pilot and FO come out and ask for a 20 minute maintenance delay.....this of course turing into 3 hours for a hydraulic issue...right when they posted a 12:30 AM departure, we decided to abort and turned in our boarding passes (even saying Thank You for the seats) not wanting to arrive at 3:15 AM (esp after a 1:30 AM flight the Sunday before taking days to catch up on sleep)
Long story short...we did some research, 2 of the Guys were SA3P's and they had given Buddy pasess to the other 2 which made them SA4P's....
Not only that, this gate agent issued them Meal Vouchers w/the delay....UNHEARD of for non-revs http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif
So we are trying hard to get over this and drop it....my station manager however wants "heads to roll"
Any Opinions/Advice...is this just something that "Happens from time to time? It's just plain sad imo that I bust my hump for the airline and this crap happens?
TIA
A
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Wow, that doesn't sound good. Gate agents have the power to do pretty much what they want with non-rev seating on the flight. I can only recommend one thing - don't check on what happened! This will save you a lot of aggravation in the future. What you don't know won't hurt you http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif I know it sounds harsh but you would be better off just keeping track of your own travel and letting the rest go because it can only cause friction. I have learned from working in rez to never check on something later because I only got frustrated with my fellow employees.
Is it fair? No. Does it happen? Yes and, unfortunately, there is nothing to be done about the whole friends and family thing unless it is a serious violation of the rules. You should try nonrevving out of BRW or DUT. If you don't know someone, you can be stuck for days.
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Damn, and I heard the 30 foot snow drifts and minus 30 degree temps in Barrow where amazing next month! :lol:
I hear what you are saying..and as far as social injustice goes, I have no right to whine....this is majorly petty http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif
This was just a harsher wake-up call to how the system works than I was ready for....
I guess all I can do is take care of the non-revs at my station and treat people how I would like to be treated ....
...after all, this agent did have to stay 3 hours late, write 50 something meal vouchers, and possibly deal w/angry pax....karma can work so quickly sometimes.
What would be nice in an idealistic sort of way...is if something could be said or done in a constructive manor about favortism and some of the petty (but cummulative) theft I see in our industry!
... as for me, I'm going to start looking for the "Balance" that I know exists
............Somewhere! http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif
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A, knowing the right person always has its advantages; is it fair, no, but it sure gets me a table at my favorite restaurant on a busy Saturday night. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif You know back in the old days http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif when flight listing meant calling reservations and being told only that a flight looked "good, "fair", or "forget about it", having a friend in reservations that would give you hard numbers made all the difference. Having been on both sides of a friendly upgrade, I say "C'est la vie"! http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif
Keep'em flying
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DNA, I have to agree with Donna and Migflanker. Just best to grin and bear it. Just let it go. Maybe there are parts of the story you do not know.
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Thanks everyone!
I'm/we're over it.....but the Station manager and supervisors at my station are having a harder time because this was "our" plane/airline/company....and a mainline (OAL) employee had no right to do this in thier opinion!
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Migflanker,
What old days? LOL
That's pretty much what I have to do with most airlines I want to nonrev with and the replies most of the times are that it looks good/bad/no chance!
Only a few airlines are usually nice and give me hard numbers in all classes.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hamilton_SAS:
Migflanker,
What old days? LOL
That's pretty much what I have to do with most airlines I want to nonrev with and the replies most of the times are that it looks good/bad/no chance!
Only a few airlines are usually nice and give me hard numbers in all classes. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Gotta say here....don't always believe the no chance
If you have time to hang out...I see overbooked flights were people don't show...TSA busts them for drugs at the last minute (yes, there are stupid people in the world)...etc and the seats open up...
Often we have Non-revs flying to work that must drive 2.5 hours needlessly when they rely on bookings...
...plus on one occassion, we were in YVR and the gate agent read the priority incorrectly ...she just saw us so far down on the list she said "little chance" ....90 minutes later, I was on the phone w/my station as they watched the seat map and told us as our seats were released http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Migflanker,
What old days? LOL
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You're right Hamilton, the old days just aren't as "old" as they used to be. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif
Keep'em flying
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hamilton_SAS:
Only a few airlines are usually nice and give me hard numbers in all classes. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I am only going to give "hard numbers" to a non-rev pax that works for the same company as I do. I think giving specific information is a breach of confidential information IMHO. I will be as helpful as possible to a non-rev of another airline, and give as much information as I feel comfortable with, but giving exact numbers, I don't think so. I would like to see continued success of the airline I work for and continue to have employment with my airline for a long time http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
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I work in a Res Center and I have mixed feelngs about giving "hard numbers" to OAL employees. Per our policy, if a paying pax calls and ask if the flight is overbooked, we must tell them. If I have to give the paying pax hard numbers then why not the OAL employee?
I always take time to actually look at the loads rather than going by the flight availability screen that shows all 9's across but generally is overbooked by 20 or more once you check the load. I often call other airlines to check the load prior to going to the airport, I explain that I am non-reving and I can tell that the res agent is not even checking the loads when he or she quickly replies "the flight looks great" and then when I ask what number am I on the standby list, they give me a song and dance about not being able to give that info out. Well I'm thinking why can't you show a little mercy on a fellow airline employee? I try to treat folks like I would want them to treat my mom or dad if they were trying to list on a flight. I wouldn't want anyone spending needless hours in the airport trying to get on a flight that I know they would never get on. At least if I give them the info upfront, then it would be their choice to try to list for the flight or try another carrier.
Sorry to be so long but this is one of my pet peeve......I think that a lot of folks are on some type of power trip, and they should show some common decency about the entire non-rev traveling. After all, didn't most of us get into the business to have fun????
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DNA I have been by-passed or put on the airport standby list incorrectly once or twice. When it happens I don't get angry I treat it as a training issue. The last time it happened in one of our hubs I made a beeline to the Manager on Duty to explain that I was not complaining, but the Agent at gate so and so needed additional training. He had just left a group of senior employees sitting at the gate while boarding Companions and new hires. I even took the time to look up the computer courses that addressed the Standby list.
Though it was not right what happened at the gate I was sure that same Agent would not make the mistake of letting it happen again.
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Coyne's comments about non-rev standby policy leads me to ask a question about non-rev calls to reservations.
Are there guidelines for handling non-rev calls?? I'm assuming the policy would be airline specific, so I'd appreciate answers from everybody that knows anything about this.
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
Are there restrictions on the type/amount of info you can give and is the caller's airline/alliance a factor?
Can you answer general questions like, "What is the best flight from X to X on Oct 1, or must all questions be flight specific?
Are there better times to call, or is it really a matter of luck and the call center?
Are non-rev calls limited to a few minutes only...on and off?
What if I get one of those voice recognition systems, do I trust it, even if I 'change plans...change plans...change plans?'
and finally, and I realllllly have to ask, are they really recording my call for training purposes? http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif[/list]
Thanks
Keep'em flying
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To answer Mig's question, here's what's suppose to happen when calling a SWA Reservation Sales Agent (RSA). Just remember that the unfortunate reality of the human condition is that some people will be more helpful than others.http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif If you get a crab, just hang up and call back! I have!http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif
The only thing not suppose to be released is the 'authorized to' number. You can be told how many seats are left to sell and whether or not the flight is oversold.
Your questions can be as general or specific as you'd like. In theory an RSA should help you locate an acceptable day(s) to travel and which flight(s) look better than others. Even if that means sorting thru unscheduled routings or odd point-to-points. It's always helpful if the caller has visited our website and has at least a general idea of what flights are to be checked.
When to call? Honestly it's a matter of luck.http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...n_confused.gif We're told early in the morning or late in the evening is usually best. But even then it's still a craps shoot. For SWA, at least, you can call any time of the day or night, you're not restricted to certain hours. RSA's have been instructed to take each call as they come - regardless of type or length.
And yes! Select calls are recorded!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CSSup:
DNA I have been by-passed or put on the airport standby list incorrectly once or twice. When it happens I don't get angry I treat it as a training issue. The last time it happened in one of our hubs I made a beeline to the Manager on Duty to explain that I was not complaining, but the Agent at gate so and so needed additional training. He had just left a group of senior employees sitting at the gate while boarding Companions and new hires. I even took the time to look up the computer courses that addressed the Standby list.
Though it was not right what happened at the gate I was sure that same Agent would not make the mistake of letting it happen again. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Thanks for the ideas/comments! http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
While we have "let this go" ....we are still receiving suggestions like yours...and ... ie Confront the agent; write it up in a constructive manner; take it to the next level, etc.
One of the problems at the time, we did not know for sure, although we were 90% sure, that these were non-revs. http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif
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As for the who to call and what to ask question...
I've personally found that 9 times out of 10, when I call the main reservation number and ask for the non-rev desk (first)...I get a very co-operative RSA (the one who origianlly answered) to help me. So in my limited experience...I'd suggest asking for the non-rev desk http://www.nonrev.net/infopop/emotic...on_biggrin.gif
