Buddy pass LAX to Germany
#16
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But I would assume OP is going to get much more useful info from a UA employee about flight loads (and related matters) than he can get here.
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5
OP here:
1 - my UA buddy flies domestic so he is not really up to date on intl flights
2 - in the past, his wife would handle buddy passes and unfortunately she is unavailable to hand hold me
3 _ they never had to deal with flight routes with multiple legs and many options at each leg of flight. United does not fly direct togermany from lax, so it both makes it more complex but also gives me many more options between muc and fra which should help avoid me getting stuck.
Thanks for the replies and sorry if I had upset any etiquette rules
1 - my UA buddy flies domestic so he is not really up to date on intl flights
2 - in the past, his wife would handle buddy passes and unfortunately she is unavailable to hand hold me
3 _ they never had to deal with flight routes with multiple legs and many options at each leg of flight. United does not fly direct togermany from lax, so it both makes it more complex but also gives me many more options between muc and fra which should help avoid me getting stuck.
Thanks for the replies and sorry if I had upset any etiquette rules
#18
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
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I'm not seeing where it says anything that implies that the OP shouldn't try to find out some info on the internet from his/her internet friends. The idea that the "primary contact" is the employee is completely, utterly unrelated to asking a question here.
My primary contact for my tickets to XYZ event may be some customer relations person named Bob, but that doesn't mean I can't ask someone else what seats I should pick. I'm just not seeing the problem here...
My primary contact for my tickets to XYZ event may be some customer relations person named Bob, but that doesn't mean I can't ask someone else what seats I should pick. I'm just not seeing the problem here...
I no longer have that booklet, but I made all my contact with the employee , and he/she gave me the info I needed. The booklet I received was from DL and I can not find it on the internet. Again, I will never use a buddy pass, unless I was retired or was a student. S4 is low on the totem pole. UA may be different.
#19
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Denver
Posts: 451
Wouldn't think you'd have much of an issue, given your flexibility on dates and the number of different routing options. Price wise wont vary much between the different cities. Way too soon to be able to tell anything about flight loads on specific dates, but a week or two out your buddy can give you a better idea of how things look. Given that you'll likely end up in Y I'd probably avoid the 747 out of SFO, and also break up the trip a little better. But if you don't care too much, just go with whatever looks like the safest bet.
Last edited by DENviaLAX; Apr 19, 2014 at 9:57 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
The buddy pass I received a few years ago was on DL. I am sure UA is very similar. I was given a list of rules concerning buddy passes. One of those rules was do not discuss buddy passes in a public forum. Another was do not release seat availability, do not discuss it on the plane, do not argue with FA or GA, Don't drink too much, etc.
I no longer have that booklet, but I made all my contact with the employee , and he/she gave me the info I needed. The booklet I received was from DL and I can not find it on the internet. Again, I will never use a buddy pass, unless I was retired or was a student. S4 is low on the totem pole. UA may be different.
I no longer have that booklet, but I made all my contact with the employee , and he/she gave me the info I needed. The booklet I received was from DL and I can not find it on the internet. Again, I will never use a buddy pass, unless I was retired or was a student. S4 is low on the totem pole. UA may be different.
#21
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Wouldn't think you'd have much of an issue, given your flexibility on dates and the number of different routing options. Price wise wont very much between the different cities. Way too soon to be able to tell anything about flight loads on specific dates, but a week or two out your buddy can give you a better idea of how things look. Given that you'll likely end up in Y I'd probably avoid the 747 out of SFO, and also break up the trip a little better. But if you don't care too much, just go with whatever looks like the safest bet.
#22
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
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If UA knows loads on DL, AA, etc. I could see a huge problem for the airlines. The employee I received the buddy pass from gave me exact numbers.
Again, perhaps UA is different.
#23
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
Posts: 4,479
I know this is UA. I have never flown buddy pass on UA.
Good luck to the OP. Again, talk with the employee that gave you the buddy pass. ^
#24
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
Sorry, I misread this post. The link I provided is not the booklet I received when I got my buddy passes. This is a generic terms of flying non-rev on DL. The booklet was paper and was issued by DL to give to the buddy pass holder. It had very strict rules.
I know this is UA. I have never flown buddy pass on UA.
Good luck to the OP. Again, talk with the employee that gave you the buddy pass. ^
I know this is UA. I have never flown buddy pass on UA.
Good luck to the OP. Again, talk with the employee that gave you the buddy pass. ^
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,960
I did my share of nonrev travel in a previous life when capacity was better and domestic first class upgrades still happened...
Anyway, I thought the purpose of the "not discussing" rule was to not upset the passenger next to you that they paid lots of money and you paid nothing - especially in premium cabins? Back then, there was no Flyertalk
It is a whole new game now with the limited capacity but also the availabiltiy of information on places like FT and at our fingertips when we travel.
Anyway, I thought the purpose of the "not discussing" rule was to not upset the passenger next to you that they paid lots of money and you paid nothing - especially in premium cabins? Back then, there was no Flyertalk
It is a whole new game now with the limited capacity but also the availabiltiy of information on places like FT and at our fingertips when we travel.
#26
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 200
I did my share of nonrev travel in a previous life when capacity was better and domestic first class upgrades still happened...
Anyway, I thought the purpose of the "not discussing" rule was to not upset the passenger next to you that they paid lots of money and you paid nothing - especially in premium cabins? Back then, there was no Flyertalk
It is a whole new game now with the limited capacity but also the availabiltiy of information on places like FT and at our fingertips when we travel.
Anyway, I thought the purpose of the "not discussing" rule was to not upset the passenger next to you that they paid lots of money and you paid nothing - especially in premium cabins? Back then, there was no Flyertalk
It is a whole new game now with the limited capacity but also the availabiltiy of information on places like FT and at our fingertips when we travel.
And for the OP, your travel sponsor is the best source of information because he or she probably does have access to far better load information than anyone here can provide.
Speaking of upsetting other pax, one time I was on a plane as a non-rev, a pax sat down next to me and did start bragging about how little he paid. I finally had to tell him STFU.
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,439
There is no upside to violating company policy. Many do not care about employee travel, but many do, some to the point of not wanting even a single employee to travel non-rev, as if it will somehow degrade their experience. Why participate in something in which there is no upside?
#28
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,123
OP here:
1 - my UA buddy flies domestic so he is not really up to date on intl flights
2 - in the past, his wife would handle buddy passes and unfortunately she is unavailable to hand hold me
3 _ they never had to deal with flight routes with multiple legs and many options at each leg of flight. United does not fly direct togermany from lax, so it both makes it more complex but also gives me many more options between muc and fra which should help avoid me getting stuck.
Thanks for the replies and sorry if I had upset any etiquette rules
1 - my UA buddy flies domestic so he is not really up to date on intl flights
2 - in the past, his wife would handle buddy passes and unfortunately she is unavailable to hand hold me
3 _ they never had to deal with flight routes with multiple legs and many options at each leg of flight. United does not fly direct togermany from lax, so it both makes it more complex but also gives me many more options between muc and fra which should help avoid me getting stuck.
Thanks for the replies and sorry if I had upset any etiquette rules
I usually give buddy pass info the week prior and then the week of and then the day prior so those trying to travel have all the info they need to make an educated GUESS whether they might make it or not.
From my experience, getting over to FRA on a buddy pass from somewhere is usually not a problem. Coming back on a buddy pass can be a hassle, and I see many folks getting stuck for days. So be ready to purchase a short notice ticket to get home, or purchase a refundable one ahead of time on another carrier (not United) and use it if needed.
AD
#29
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 514
I believe buddy passes given by a UA employee can only be used on UA metal or connection carriers. Again, as I stated above I used them once and being S4 is not fun. It is a gamble. That's why I moved to LAS, my odds are better.
To the OP, talk to the UA employee that gave you the buddy passes.
To the OP, talk to the UA employee that gave you the buddy passes.
I know that LAX-FRA seems pretty straightforward, but such a trip will require that you connect in San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Newark or DC, depending on seat availability. Seat availability, of course, is subject to a whole host of unknown variables, including weather, misconnects, mechanicals and even employees listing themselves for flights on a last-minute basis. Passenger loads and thus seat availability can fluctuate on an hour-to-hour basis. It's impossible being so far out from May 20th to know whether getting on the flights will be a challenge.
Getting to Frankfurt can be tough for a buddy pass traveler, as the priority level is quite low. My best advice would be to use Newark as a connecting point (based on seat availability of course as you near departure date), since Newark has the most flights to Europe. Have your friend list you for a number of flights to different European cities. For instance, United flies to Stuttgart, Hamburg and Berlin, in addition to Frankfurt and Munich, from its Newark hub. And Amsterdam, Paris CDG and London might be good alternatives (although to a lesser extent as travel time by train and busses is longer and more expensive). In any case, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Stuttgart are only a short train trip away from Frankfurt. Stuttgart is even closer to Frankfurt than Munich.
Also, your friend will have to make reservations for you and let you know what your odds of getting on certain flights are. S/He should provide updates one week out, the day before and the same day of departure so that you have information at your disposal. If you need to change plans/flights, you need your friend to make those changes. Gate agents can't switch flights for you. So if your friend is unavailable to make a change, you need to wait until s/he becomes available.
And plenty of UA employees who are telling him what he should do, which is not to discuss this issue on a public forum. His friend who gave him the pass should provide the answers, if he cannot he needs to ask his fellow employees to get the answers.
There is no upside to violating company policy. Many do not care about employee travel, but many do, some to the point of not wanting even a single employee to travel non-rev, as if it will somehow degrade their experience. Why participate in something in which there is no upside?
There is no upside to violating company policy. Many do not care about employee travel, but many do, some to the point of not wanting even a single employee to travel non-rev, as if it will somehow degrade their experience. Why participate in something in which there is no upside?
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Apr 23, 2014 at 8:31 pm Reason: multi-quote
#30
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,650
This is like if most threads said "You should consult united.com or Untied reservations for your answer" to frequent flier/airline seating/policy questions. Technically correct but pointlessly hostile. The forum exists to share information about travel on United.
Last edited by mduell; Apr 20, 2014 at 10:55 am Reason: meh was going off topic