Originally Posted by
Avroman
NWA family used to be free on the company you worked at but a fee on the rest of the family. i.e. worked at pinnacle but taking a mesaba flight would be a fee. but mesaba taking a mesaba flight free for either coach or first. Now travel is free in coach on any family flight but first class has a fee even on your own company. There was never an issue to jumpseat to avoid the fee like you are describing, and now it's not an issue since there is no fee unless you are in first. which I suppose if that happens you just request the jumpseat and avoid the fee. Not that there is ever a seat in first open with all the ways people get to upgrade now....
Yeah, when i worked for Mainline US, coach was free on all US branded flights and F/C was something like $20 each way CONUS and $100 OCONUS. Parents had to eventually pay a fee but US waived it (er, the agents) while I was on military leave. Now that I'm with an NW Airlink carrier, we, too fly free on NW branded flights in coach and something like $32 e/w for FC. Parents do pay a nominal fee..ie: CLT-MEM-SHV would be like $80/rt, which still isn't too bad. My World Business Class seat on NW to NRT via DTW was $120 and coming back coach was $32 (for int'l taxes)..all in all not too shabby. I hope when (if) this merger goes through, DL will include *all* regionals under one umbrella as far as non-rev'ing.....