allga

Most people don't understand that there is a very big difference between "deadheading" and "commuting." Staff that commute (principally pilots and FAs) must use D2 passes. Staff that deadhead get a higher classification than D. I really don't think it's appropriate to go into those details here, because if you're someone who deadheads or travels on other company business, you know the story; if you're not, you simply don't need to know.

Non-NonRev

Actually, FTers as a group are quite well-versed in the significant difference between deadheading and commuting - the valued AA staff members who participate in this forum have been instrumental in assuring that we do understand

Fair enough - no one should expect you to breach confidentiality (or even common-sense caution). That kind of information is posted in other fora for other carriers, but I understand personal reticence.

I asked about this in the interest of making the Wiki (and the general level of knowledge on FT) as complete as possible, not out of abject curiosity. As you may know, many of us are hoping that AA might someday give an American version of Continental's "PDA Tool", which allows anyone with a wireless device to see the current status of an individual flight's standby and upgrade list. Being aware of things like deadheading might help a revenue flyer who is standing by for an earlier flight, understand why uniformed crew were given seats and they were left behind at the gate.

allga

Well, I suppose you're right that a larger percentage of people who haunt these boards are more familiar with the arcane ins and outs of the airline business than the general population. Yet so much of what I read by some of these self-styled pundits is, charitably, nonsense.

Reading these boards I generally get the feeling that far too many people are far too much into the weeds on this stuff for their own good, or anybody else's. On the other hand, the fact that some road warriors seem to spend an awful lot of time thinking about every obscure detail of the airline business is their business, not mine. Still, sometimes I wonder how they have the time to be road warriors.

I wrote a long post earlier today because this string had become a rambling, incoherent, and sometimes inaccurate mish-mash, and because a great number of people might have a friend or relative working for the airline who could at some point offer them a pass or try to work out a discount for them.

As a parent of an employee, I have a general idea of how employee business travel works, but I have no interest in rooting out the details or in publishing them here. I also withheld some details about how D-pass flying works, simply because there's no need to know them until you get to list for NRSA, at which time they will be explained to you.

This isn't about being mysterious or "I know something you don't." It's just that sometimes less is more.

Just one opinion.

FoothillFlyer

There is no such thing as a personal travel discount of 50% for AA employees. It simply does not exist.

skylady

You are correct. All I am seeing is ID75, ID90, AA20 and ZED.

Landing Gear

And thank you dstan for the wiki page.

In my experience, this is not always enforced out of CDG, not that I would complain, mind you.

dstan

ID50 and ID75 are mentioned specifically under Business Travel as being restricted to company business. However, ID75 is also listed, along with ID90 and ZED, in the Discounts on OAL chart pertaining to personal travel. Thus, I did a bit of interpolation to suggest that ID75 tickets may be for either business or personal travel, although perhaps not necessarily on the same airline, depending on the interline agreements.

Then there are several ID75 tickets listed in the chart - for example, the very first entry in the chart on Page 29, Africa / SA Airlink - as well as, of course, ID90 and ZED.

Thanks for your help!

dstan

I think most of this is covered in the Business Travel section starting on page 53 of the Trip Book example (although deadheading is not mentioned explicitly in the examples there).

Non-NonRev

(Sound of palm hitting forehead) You're absolutely correct (somehow, i missed your clear, easy-to-spot link to the Trip Book)

As an excuse, I will offer your choice of a) advancing old age; or b) starting an early celebration of the free booze in the Admirals Clubs

And let me second Landing Gear in thanking you for your efforts ^

trinity_in_texas

AA's non rev agreement with QF does not allow D3 fliers. You have to be D2 or above.

Herb687

Non revenue positive space (NRPS) travel generally uses "A" codes based on priority and is confirmed (takes a seat out of inventory, the lower priorities of NRPS travel require E class to be available while Y can be overbooked for some of the higher priorities that have operational impact).

I may be wrong on the precise order of the codes but I believe that highest priority A1 would be for crew members deadheading to cover a trip. There is a distinction from crew members deadheading back to base following the completion of a trip; these are lower priority A3 I believe. A1/A3 NRPS only applies to crew that are deadheading as part of their work assignment; voluntary commuting between home and base is NRSA, not NRPS; it's on the employees own dime and time and is strictly space available standby (D2 or D1).

Other NRPS priority codes would be used for upper management and officers that get unlimited positive space travel. Based on level in the company this could be (I think) A2-A6 with a B or P designator after depending on whether the travel is personal or official company business. I believe that Managing Directors and up that are eligible for NRPS for personal travel are allowed to confirm F/J class if it's available. Nice perk! Aim for being at least an MD if you work for AA!

"Normal" management employees traveling on official company business are A10 (level 5/6 management) or A11 (level 1-4 management) and non-management employees on official company business are A12. A10-A12 confirm coach when E class is available and can standby for an upgrade. They show up on the priority list as UPGE and only get their upgrade after all revenue upgrades clear.

TWA884

Outstanding post. I will just add that furloughed employees also travel on D2P priority.

D3 passengers are generally not subject to paying federal imputed income tax because in most cases the service charge on the D3 ticket is the same as the fair market value of the trip.

Domestic partners, registered companions and furloughed employees are subject to paying federal imputed income tax on the values of their trips.

Take a look at page 118 of the aforementioned Trip Book.

That depends on the interline agreement. I have never seen that benefit extended beyond spouse, children and occasionally parents.

RChavez

Can D3's even be used on non-AA metal? I thought all inter-line travel were on ZED fares?

EDIT TO ADD: A little embarrassed by committing a newbie mistake and quoting a post way early in the thread asking a question/making a point that had been answered, debated, flamed, and re-confirmed multiple times over for many, many posts after mine. It's been a long day.

TWA884

D3 passes can only be used on AA and AX.

Actually it is on ZED and ID fares.

Pilots can "jumpseat" in the cockpit on most other airlines. Generally, they will be accommodated in the passenger cabin if space is available.

Some airlines extend "jumpseat" privileges to flight attendants; however, on most OAL they will not be permitted to occupy an actual flight attendant jump seat.

dstan

Not important, but what are Appendix T / Article 30 flight attendants? Just curious.