I have to say that unless it's for last minute emergency travel, the buddy passes just aren't worth it. You can buy a real ticket with a confirmed seat for the same or even less.
Couple of additional things I don't like about the new system compared to the old NWA:
1. If it's oversold, you can't see how much more they will oversell. The NWA over booking program was very accurate, if they were still selling seats you were probably going to get on (depending on where you were on the list).
2. Can't check availability (not seats, number and what time flights) for other airlines. Great for commuting, pull up and print the day's flights for say AA.
and last but not least.............YOU CAN'T BOOK A JUMPSEAT!! (you have to go back to PARS)
Ferd
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I have to say that unless it's for last minute emergency travel, the buddy passes just aren't worth it. You can buy a real ticket with a confirmed seat for the same or even less.
In some cases that may be true. However I just went though this for ATL-STT, ATL-LAX, ATL-SEA. Most of the bookings I looked for were about 4 weeks out or early Aug. Could not come anywhere near the buddy pass price on a regular ticket. The best I could do was about twice the B pass.
ATL to STT was 204 on the pass. Best I could purchase was 504.00
I purchased a couple buddy passes a couple months ago on the old system from SLC-ATL-ATH and return. It cost about $500/person round trip for this trip. My buddy is listed for this trip later this month. I understand that the current rates are higher. Question. Will my previously purchased buddy pass still be honored or must it be repurchased at the higher rate? This pass still shows up on the new travelnet site.
Couple of additional things I don't like about the new system compared to the old NWA:
1. If it's oversold, you can't see how much more they will oversell. The NWA over booking program was very accurate, if they were still selling seats you were probably going to get on (depending on where you were on the list).
2. Can't check availability (not seats, number and what time flights) for other airlines. Great for commuting, pull up and print the day's flights for say AA.
and last but not least.............YOU CAN'T BOOK A JUMPSEAT!! (you have to go back to PARS)
Ferd
Go back and look again. It shows available and authorized for each cabin class. That gives you the oversale allowed. will normally be something like
-7/12. That means the flight is over by 7 but they are allowed to sell 12 more seats.
To get other airlines you have to go through Icrew. They say that a future enhancement will make it available in travelnet. You still wont get exact loads for other airlines since they don't share that data. You can tell how many of each fare level are still available for sale which gives a rough idea.
I can't activate any of my remaining buddy passes, does anyone have a suggestion?
I know going through the pass bureau could activate it in time for the buddy to use, but I'm trying to figure the fare from ATL-DTW before its to late to buy a real ticket.
Try passrider.com , it will tell you every flight available in your chosen city pair. If you knew all of the fare types that showed up on the old system, then you will be disappointed. If you are looking to see what other airlines are offering between DFW-MSP however, you will be one happy cowboy.
Yep, and ASA is PSYing their commuters again this summer while our DAL guys are left at the gate. I have seen thins happen multiple times. I thought they get slapped for doing this last year. Apparently not enough to stop the practice.
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