Thread: I'm new and clueless, can you please answer ques.?

You should ask your son to get you some information from his pass bureau for nonrev travel. It will be extremely helpful for you. As a rez agent, I want to remind you to always identify yourself as a nonrev when calling to check flight loads. Have an pen/pencil and paper handy and know the flight times/numbers before you make that call. The rez agents want to be as helpful as possible but have to take nonrev calls fairly quickly and move on to a revenue call.

Personally, I not only check out my back up plans but print out flight times (and write down loads and nonrev lines on the same page) for every alternative airline I have a back up ticket for. If there is a connection possibility, I do a little research into hotels and print them out as well. Better to be safe than sorry. I don't hesitate to check my luggage but still keep enough in my carry on to be on the safe side.

SMILE at the gate attendant and every single employee you come into contact with. It may not help you get on the plane but it will make their day a little brighter and airport personnel these days could use that. Like everyone else, I have a horror story of getting stuck but only once in 8 years of nonreving and that one was totally my own fault (well, my husband's since he HAD to visit his sister in Florida during spring break). If you start with the first flight of the day, you have a much better chance of getting on even if the flight is booked to capacity because more people oversleep than you could possibly imagine.

HAVE FUN with your new priviledges. You have been given a gift that most people never even know exists. Use it and enjoy the heck out of yourself!