As an eligible AA family member (parent), and regular pass flyer, this string boggles the mind. Yes, there are some factually correct things in it, but the amount of misinformation, outdated information, conjecture, guesses, opinions (sometimes uninformed) and wild-eyed ranting make these posts a definite caveat emptor proposition.
For the record, my wife and I fly on AA passes regularly, the latest being four flights in the last week. We have current, practical knowledge of how the system works, having used it countless times over the past 11 years.
Just a few observations.
1. The only practical way for the OP to know the ins and outs of the offer being made is to work it out with the employee who is theoretically providing the discount. If the employee is too new or too inexperienced in pass/discount issues to understand the details of what's going on, then he/she must look into the matter and learn the details.
2. Unlike what at least one poster said, all D-pass flying on AA is non-rev, space available. D-passes never earn mileage credit. There is a pecking order starting with D1, which is a pass available only to employees and immediate family members in VERY limited quanitities each year. They're meant to be used on the rare occasions when the employee needs to "jump the line" to get a higher boarding priority than standard employee pass riders. D2 is the standard employee and immediate family pass (wife, partner, kids). D2P is next in priority and is for the parents of the employee. Then comes D3, which is the AA equivalent of the "buddy pass," although they don't use that term. Even lower on the priority list are TWA retirees and ZED tickets, which are heavily discounted tickets used by employees and families of other airlines. D passes sometimes require that service charges be paid, depending on who's flying, the employee's longevity with the company, the relationship to the employee, and whether the trip is domestic or international. The employee has a limited number of passes that can be shared among parents and D3 guests. Service charges for D3 passes are CONSIDERABLY higher than those for D2 and D2P, and increase with length of flight and class of service. All D2P and D3 passes require a service charge. Contrary to what at least one poster has stated, D3 guests are eligible to fly in first and business if seats are available and if they list for these classes. If they list for premium classes and they're full, they get bumped back to coach if there's space.
3. It is very much worth noting that in many cases D3 service charges are not far away from the most deeply discounted revenue fares. Potential guests should make note of this, because sometimes the few extra dollars for a revenue ticket is money well spent, since it gets you positive space. In other cases, depending on advance purchase times, markets, etc., D3 passes are a good deal. You should always reimburse the employee for the service charge. And remember, all D passes, including D3, are for personal travel only; no business may be conducted on the trip. The employee's job may depend on your obeying the rules.
4. It is absolutely true that pass flyers need to be flexible and have "plans B, C and D" ready to go. That said, in 11 years of heavy pass flying, domestic, international and ZED, we've been bumped from exactly three flights, none of which has resulted in anything longer than a three-hour delay. Lucky? To some extent, of course. But once you learn to play the game there are techniques (and instincts) you can use to your advantage. For instance, we list for the earliest flight we can, so that there are more options if we get bumped.
5. In all those years I've never seen gate agents treat pass flyers any differently than they treat anybody else. In fact, when we began to use passes, i kind of expected a bit of a cold shoulder, but it never happened. When you think about it, it's easy to figure out why: counter agents, gate agents, and everybody else at the airline also have families and friends who fly on passes (not to mention their own sweet selves), so the Golden Rule tends to kick in. They tend to treat us the way they'd like their colleagues to treat them and their families. It's all generally very pleasant, given the pressure they're sometimes under. I find that a smile and a kind word generally elicits a similar response. Simple as that.
6. Somebody was ranting about non-rev lounges. They do exist at a handful of the larger airports. They are not Admiral's Clubs, or anything like them. They came about as a grass roots project by airline employees, who scrounged some spare rooms, furnished them as best they could, and put a sign on the door that says "We Are Family." They're a homespun courtesy for fellow employees and their families, and they speak very well for the people who work at AA and Eagle.
7. Since there's so much talk about when non-revs get to board, i might as well set the record straight on that one too. Non-revs get to board when they are issued a boarding pass (assuming their group has been called--otherwise they wait for their group). When are they issued a boarding pass? It depends. When there is a iight load, non-revs will get a boarding pass right out of the kiosk in the lobby just like a revenue passenger. This makes sense, because it saves paperwork at the gate where it's obvious from the jump that the passenger will be accommodated. Sometimes, the gate agent will issue boarding passes before boarding begins. In this case, non-revs board with their group. Other times, with heavier loads, boarding passes will be issued in the middle of boarding or even at the end of general boarding. it all depends on seat availability (especially for first and biz listings), and agent workload. It's nothing to panic about, we just go with the flow. Rest assured, we won't be seated until all you revenue passengers and road warrior DYKWIA upgrades have been taken care of.
8. On the "cluelessness" and making a fuss at the gate issues, here are my observations: The huge majority of pass flyers are employees and their families who do it all the time, know the ropes, and are perfectly calm and unannoying. Even you FT "experts" might not know who some of them (us) are. Of course, there will always be the occasional first-timer who's confused and/or worried. That just goes with the territory. I've occasionally spotted them and tried to quietly reassure them, calm them down, answer their questions. But I don't know why they should be a big issue for everyone else. If you've got positive space, you'll get on (or get compensated), so why worry about a nervous D-3?
In summary, the huge majority of employees, families and guests who fly on passes know that non-rev is a privilege, and they appreciate it. They all realize that revenue passengers pay the bills and allow them or their family members to have jobs serving them. They know the advantages and pitfalls of pass flying, and most are smart enough to plan alternate routings in case they get bumped. None of this is rocket science, and those who do it well and joyfully--the great majority--are credits to themselves and to AA.