Bingo. As long as you don't take the final step of issuing the pass, you're in the clear and it won't deduct the pass from your allotment. NWA won't charge unless the rider actually shows boarded in PARS, in the event that they check in, but don't get a seat and scrub the trip. The other NWA advantage (or I suppose disadvantage, depending on how you look at it), is that NWA will payroll deduct any fees, whereas DAL wants you to pony up a CC or debit card before they issuse the pass. In the DAL system, if your buddy doesn't get on, and on our boarding priority that's a realistic possibilty, you've got to go through the hoops to get the charge reversed. I don't even offer these things anymore unless someone really, really really needs it, and only then after a 45 min discertation on how they're better off buying a ticket anyway.

That's exactly how I've been. I have a saved email I send them explaining how much of a pain these things are and how unlikely that it will go as planned. Plus with the increase in yield fare....