Since I usually find flyastrojets to be on the side of reason and common sense, I want to do some more thinking about this one.

However, somewhat like pauleeeplaul, my initial reaction is pretty negative. If, and that's a big if, AA's buddy pass program really was expanded in 2000, with an associated incremental cost $50 million, this is just plain bizarre, particularly in light of some of the more obnoxious cutbacks which, in the most optimistic of cases, are probably not saving AA much at all (i.e. pillows, soy nuts, pain relievers, short catering soft drinks, short catering F class desserts, etc.).