Originally Posted by
JungleBus
Well, last few years the wife and I have nonrevved internationally on Christmas Day, and come back about a week into January. It's worked out pretty well, we've never had a problem getting there or back.
This year, we brilliantly decided to stay in the country, visit friends in Portland the weekend before Christmas, then fly out to LAX 29Dec and return 1Jan.
Bad idea!!!
It turns out Christmas/New Years is a really hard time to nonrev around the US! Who knew!?
Getting to Portland wasn't bad, but we had to take Horizon to Spokane to get back. LA on the other hand went from being fairly open to horribly oversold with a ton of nonrevs, literally overnight. We tried getting there Saturday and Sunday and never came closer than 20 numbers to getting on. At one point there were 68 nonrevs on the list with no seats available for the next two days. Finally on Monday, my wife told me to take the jumpseat and go hang out with our LA friends over NYE without her. Our friends happen to be two good-looking twin sisters. Delta Revenue Management Rocks!!!
Was also in the jumpseat coming back. Both crews (LA based) were cool, friendly, & gracious. Thanks guys! I do have to say, every time I see that 737NG overhead panel, I have to double-check the airworthiness certificate to see if it was
really manufactured this century!
Jungle,
When non-reving on the west coast it is always helpful to remember what Obi-Wan Kenobe said to Luke Skywalker: "Use the ZED Luke."
OK, maybe it was "Use the force," but you get the idea.
Our Mainline network on the west coast is pathetic - we are fully dependent on codeshare/DCI. If I am doing any north south on the west coast with the wife I will first check for mainline flights through SLC but usually end up buying her a ZED on Alaska or Southwest. We have had great results with this plan. Not sure if this would work over the holidays but worth looking into.
As far as the LAX crews being cool - what do you expect, Buzzpat is our role model.
Scoop