When I worked for one of the Canadian airlines we travelled a lot. We didn’t always get to where we planned to go, but we went somewhere. If we had a free week, these passes allowed us the freedom to spend a few days in Cairo or Hong Kong.
However, there are strings attached when you use passes like these. You get to travel when there’s Space Available – no space, no travel. There have been many times when we’ve watched our airplane push back from the gate without us. And when that happened, the airline was not obligated to assist us in any way – we were on our own to find alternate arrangements.
Two stories come to mind.
The first when we wanted to pop down to Houston for a few days. I checked the loads (more on this later), things looked good so off we check our one bag, through US Customs pre-clearance, security and off to the gate. In that time, another airplane going to Houston went mechanical – so all those passengers got reassigned to our flight. Guess what? We’re not going.
Back through Canadian customs where we wait…and wait and wait for that one bag we checked. It never comes. Turns out, it went to Houston! Now I must fill in a form saying that I arrived in Canada, but I have a Lost Bag. But we never left – fortunately this gave the Customs Inspector a chuckle. “Let me see if I have this right – you never went anywhere, and they still lost your bag?!” We all laughed and were welcomed back into the country. It was smooth sailing the next day and we enjoyed just one day less in Texas.
The other time – we never saw coming. The four of us were off to China for a couple of weeks. The loads looked good with our first leg going to Japan, then connecting from Japan to Beijing.
We’re at the gate in Calgary, all the revenue passengers (that’s what we call you guys) are on board and now us non-rev passengers are waiting for the gate agents to hand out boarding passes. But they don’t.
Instead, they close the flight and the door. We are all just looking at each other with confusion. That’s the day I learn that cargo makes more money for the airline than non-rev passengers.
Spoiler Alert – we don’t make it to China, but this adventure is just starting. However, that is another story.
Is employee travel free? No, I usually had to pay about 10% of a regular fare, plus all the extra taxes & fees that we all pay.
How does the Standby Boarding Order work (which employees gets boarding passes first)?
The two common classes for non-revenue are C1 & C2. The C2 class is your basic employee standby travel and is used most often. A C1 ticket is more expensive than a C2 ticket but it gives you priority just below revenue passenger – and maybe one of those business class seats!
Checking loads is something you get good at very quickly. The airline provides you access into their booking system which will tell you how many open seats there are on any given flight. Loads change quickly, and often.
So, be flexible, pack light, have backup plans, do a little dance for the Standby Gods, and go for it.
0 Comments