I would have no trouble whatsover believing these cards used to exist or even still today exist (especially as described: recipricol between partners). There are certainly several scenarios that I can imagine where an airline opearational guy might have cause to fly and fly now, just give me a seat. All of the ones I can imagine would be for emergency company business, and heaven help you if you ever used the privilege inappropriately. Basically, I see it as a card that authorizes someone important to be able to cut thru all the crap and make something happen NOW, and worry about the fallout later.

An example from PERSONAL experience where such a thing might have come in useful was where a 747 I was supposed to board in the Cook Islands needed a part to be flown in from Fiji before the 747 flew again. The scenario I imagine is that even the part could be comandeered out of someone else's parts stock (we will take care of the paper work later), then fly me and the part to the other island (hours away) on someone else's airline, and fix the plane that is stranding hundreds of passengers and the 747 intended to carry them.

Would you REALLY want them to have to play unnecessary paperwork games at a time like that? Or have to explain to an inexperienced GA that you really DID want to get on the plane, and that it was "kind of important". And have the GA react to them like inexperienced GAs react to us from time to time?

Seems like a "cut thru the crap card" between carriers could have very legitimate uses. And watch out if you EVER abuse the privilege.