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Airline w/ the best employee travel benefits?

Airline w/ the best employee travel benefits?

Old Feb 5, 2008, 8:18 pm
  #1  
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Airline w/ the best employee travel benefits?

I plan to apply for a part-time side job with an airline, mainly for the travel benefits. Do the policies on free/discounted employee travel vary much across airlines or are they basically the same? Is there a waiting period before you get to use it?

The airlines I'm considering are United, US Airways, Northwest, and Air Canada (in the US).

Any information or advice would be appreciated!
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Old Feb 5, 2008, 8:24 pm
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Travel for employees

I do not know about the other airline but have quite a few family members and freinds who work for United Airlines. Their non-rev travel is based upon senority. Which means that you as employee low on the todem pole could be bumped from a flight. American on the other hand has a first come first listed policy with regards to it's non-rev program.
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Old Feb 5, 2008, 8:33 pm
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That's a great piece of information, Hayduke. Unfortunately American isn't hiring here... Does anyone know if US, NW, or AC use the first-come-first-served approach?
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Old Feb 5, 2008, 9:06 pm
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AC also works with the seniority system

also, AC doesn't have its own staff at all US stations

some smaller stations (ie: DFW for AC) are contracted out to ground handling companies, and they get no benefits!
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Old Feb 5, 2008, 9:20 pm
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Kone, do you know if you have to work for AC a certain amount of time before being eligible for travel privileges, and how much do the flights end up costing? I assume you have to pay the airport taxes?

some smaller stations (ie: DFW for AC) are contracted out to ground handling companies, and they get no benefits!
That would be annoying!
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Old Feb 5, 2008, 9:27 pm
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Don't expect too much !

You might end up working that much and even underpaid that travelling to use the benefits is nearly impossible.

With the money you can earn extra in another industry you can buy positive space tickets and even earn miles on these.

Also many airlines do not give benefits to part-time employees or you are requiered to work there for 6 months before you can use any benefit.
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Old Feb 5, 2008, 9:31 pm
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If Delta is hiring, they have pretty good benefits. Full and part time employees get full benefits. You and your spouse and children get full benefits. If you do not have a spouse, you can choose a travel companion who pays reduced rates. You also get 8 buddy passes per year to give to friends for reduced fare flights.
Its based on seniority, but usually it doesn't matter... They get full benefits after 30 days and it is completely free in the USA, and you pay only departure and landing taxes when traveling internationally. You also get first class when available, which is usually on almost all international flights in my experience.
Also, many airlines have counter to counter agreements with other airlines at your airport. This means that you can fly other airlines for free as well. Ask about it when applying/interviewing.

Nearly all airlines have ID90/ID96 or ZED fares. This means that you get 90% off, or 96% off of the lowest fare on almost all other airlines.
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Old Feb 5, 2008, 9:44 pm
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from what i've heard of within Canada, there used to be a six month requirement before you were able to use passes. however, that has been lifted, and you can now travel from day one now. I don't know if it's any different in the US.

i'm afraid i don't know what the actual costs of the trips are like.

and just quick scan of the ac website shows that they have positions posted for ORD and BOS (in their cargo dept)

and skywalkerLAX is correct. if you can get a better paying job elsewhere, go for it because the airlines will give you stand-by passes, but not the means to use them like you would want to.
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Old Feb 6, 2008, 8:49 am
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Originally Posted by Kone
and skywalkerLAX is correct. if you can get a better paying job elsewhere, go for it because the airlines will give you stand-by passes, but not the means to use them like you would want to.
I don't fully agree. It all depends on the person, their age, and their expectations. I have little to no trouble getting where I need to go, usually in business class. I go on 2-3 trips a month, 2-3 days at a time, working full time. I can stay longer if I trade shifts with someone or take a day or 2 of vacation. I stay at hostels, so I don't spend all of my admittedly low pay.
If traveling means a lot to you, and you aren't going to get a job that makes enough to meet your demands, I'd recommend it.
Another plus is that a lot of the station managers start out on the ramp or at the gate and move up. If you can work up to that, you will make decent pay, and still have your benefits.

Either way, its up to you. Make the right choice. Its not for everyone and the pay does suck.
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Old Feb 6, 2008, 11:23 am
  #10  
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Even if the airllines travel benefits aren't based on seniority.. the shifts usually are. At my airline, part time shifts are pretty highly coveted, and only come after a few years with the company... and then you're looking at the most undesirable part time shifts for some time after that.

If by "on the side" you mean in addition to another full time job... you may have some difficulty even finding an airline that can accomodate you.
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Old Feb 7, 2008, 1:52 am
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I know you didn't ask about CO, but theirs is seniority based, and it DOES matter. The CO hierarchy is employees, travel companions, buddy passes. Within each of those, you're ordered by hire date (companions per the employee's hire date). However, people holding "vacation passes" go before "personal passes." (Vacation passes are provided to the employee on a limited basis.)

There have been times when I've had to change to a vacation pass a couple of hours beforehand in order to get on. And other times when I was the last person boarded, and others were left behind. I'm glad my dear friend has been working there so long!
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Old Feb 7, 2008, 9:07 am
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I have a friend who works for US Airways and he said part time employees are required to work 5 days per week to prevent abuse of free travel. Their travel is also seniority based.
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Old Nov 2, 2008, 8:50 pm
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Employee Benefits of Korean Air

Is anyone know about the travel benefits in Korean Air, such as free tickets for employee/Parents/Sibling/Companion. Do they have any Companion ticket?

ANy informaion would be appreciated..

Thanks
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Old Nov 3, 2008, 1:28 pm
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I've been bouncing around the airline industry for quite a few years and one thing that I can say with absolute certainty is that Southwest Airlines is the best airline to be working for by far. You may have a little bit harder of a time getting into Southwest than the others but it's way worth it. Southwest is famous for their fun and easy going work environment, the pay is higher, and the flight benefits are the best..

It sounds like you're primarily interested in flight benefits so here's the run down.. Unlimited non-rev travel on Southwest for employees, spouse, children, and parents. As an employee you'll also receive 16 buddy passes per year which allow for free non-rev travel for anyone, you can give these to anyone you like. If you're not married, you can elect a "companion" to receive 4 free round trips per year. Southwest also has probably the most expansive reduced rate employee travel networks in the industry.

ID 90 with all airlines listed below --

A
Aer Lingus Irish Airlines (EI)
Aeromar (VW)
Aeromexico (AM)
Air Canada (AC)
Air Canada Jazz (AC*)
Air Creebec (YN)
Air Europa (UX)
Air Europe (PE)
Air France (AF)
Air India (AI)
Air Jamaica (JM)
Air Marshall Islands (CW)
Air Mauritius (MK)
Air New Zealand (NZ)
Air Pacific (FJ)
Air Sunshine (YI)
Air Tahiti Nui (TN)
Air Tran Airlines (FL)
Air Wisconsin (ZW/US*)
Alaska Airlines (AS)
Allegheny Commuter (US)
Allegiant Air (G4)
Aloha/Island Air (WP)
American Airlines / American Eagle (AA)
Astar Air Cargo (ER)
Atlantic Southeast (EV/DL*)
Augsburg Airways (IQ)
Aviateca (GU)
B
Bahamasair (UP)
Bering Air (8E)
British Airways (BA)
British Midland (BD)
C
Canadian North Airlines (5T)
Cape Air (9K)
Cayman Airways (KX)
Central Mountain Air (9M/AC)
China Airlines (CI)
Colgan Air (9L/US*)
Comair Airlines (OH/DL*)
Commutair (C5/CO*)
Continental Airlines (CO)
Continental Micronesia (CS)
COPA (CM)
D
Delta Airlines/Delta Song (DL)
E
El Al Israel Airlines (LY)
Emirates Airlines (EK)
Era Aviation (7H)
Ethiopian Airlines (ET)
Everts Air Alaska (3K)
ExpressJet (XE)
F
Federal Express
Frontier (F9)
Frontier Flying Service (2F)
Funjet Vacation Packages
G
Grand Canyon Airlines (YR*)
Great Lakes Aviation (ZK/UA*)
Gulf Air (GF)
Gulfstream International (3M)
H
Hawaiian Airlines (HA)
Horizon Air (QX)
I
Icelandair (FI)
J
Japan Airlines (JL)
Jet Airways (9W)
Jet Blue (B6)
K
Kenya Airways Ltd. (KQ)
Korean Airlines (KE)
L
LACSA (LR)
Lanchile (LA)
LIAT (LI)
Lot Polish Airlines (LO)
LTU International Airways (LT)
Lufthansa German Airlines (LH)
M
Malev Hungarian Airlines (MA)
Martinair Holland (MP)
Mesa (YV)
Mesaba (XJ/NW*)
Mexicana (MX)
Midwest Airlines (YX)
N
Nantucket Airlines (DV)
Northwest Airlines (NW)
O
Olympic Airways (OA)
P
Pacific Coastal Airlines (8P)
Pacific Wings / Air Nevada (LW)
Pakistan International Airlines(PK)
Papillon Helicopters (HI)
Penair (KS)
Philippine Airlines (PR)
Piedmont (US)
Pinnacle Airlines (9E/NW*)
Polynesian Airlines (PH)
PSA Airlines Inc. (US)
Q
Qantas (QF)
R
Royal Air Maroc (AT)
S
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV)
Scandinavian (SK)
Scenic Airlines/Grand Canyon Airlines (YR)
Skyways (JZ)
Skywest (OO)
South African Airways (SA)
South African Airways Special Fare
Southwest Airlines Vacations
Spirit Airlines (NK)
Sun Country Airlines (SY)
Swiss Airlines (LX)
T
TACA International Airlines (TA)
Texas River Expeditions (TRE)
Trans States (AX)
Transwede (TQ)
Tropic Air (PM)
Turkish Airlines (TK)
U
United Airlines (UA)
United Parcel Service (UPS)
US Airways (US)
US Airways Shuttle (US*)
V
Virgin Atlantic (VS)
W
WestJet (WS)
Wings of Alaska (ASB)

And ZED (ranges from med/low) with airlines listed below--


Canadian North (5T)
Continental Airlines (includes Continental Express) (CO)
Delta Airlines (DL)
El Al Israel Airlines (LY)
ExpressJet (XE)
Frontier Airlines (F9)
Hawaiian Airlines (HA)
Lufthansa German Airlines (LH)
Mexicana (MX)
Northwest Airlines (includes Pinnacle) (NW)
Swiss Airlines (LX)
United Airlines (UA)
US Airways (US)
Virgin Atlantic (VS)



There are also all sorts of way to acquire additional free travel passes on Southwest for your merits, including positive space passes..

I'm pretty sure Southwest's flight benefits are unmatched in the industry, just like everything else.
num1bearsfan is offline  
Old Nov 4, 2008, 12:28 am
  #15  
 
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Hi num1bearsfan,

Thanks for your information. As far as I know, not all airlines give free ticket to the companion of the employee although the employee is not married yet. If they are single, the free ticket only can be given to Parents/Sibling. And if you're married, the FOC ticket only can be given to spouse and children.These things I know because I have friend working in SQ and she
have told me they don't have any benefits like buddy passes.
Do you know any information about KE?

Thanks in advance
lybonn is offline  

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