It is the responsibility of the Delta employee who gives you the buddy pass to explain all the rules to you. This shouldn't be a problem because employees are only supposed to give the buddy passes to people they know very well and trust. If you can't ask these kinds of questions to the Delta employee you know, you might reconsider traveling on their buddy pass. They are your only source for accurate information. [Source: I know employees from various airlines, the rules are all quite similar]

The hostility you may face here is because this forum is mostly filled with people who pay (sometimes large amounts) to fly Delta, often don't sit in business class on international flights, and may direct that envy/jealousy towards someone who is very publicly asking for details about sitting in business class for a very low amount of money.

OP should talk to the DL employee that gave him/her the buddy pass.

These links from FT may answer some questions and see why some people on FT do not like these things discussed on a public forum (including Delta Airlines).

This is from FT UA (this is a good one): http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...x-germany.html

FT DL: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ve-thread.html

On the top thread you will see several posts I made. I did the buddy pass thing one time - not my cup of tea. Also remember, you are on a S4, after retirees. Chance of C is very slim, but it can happen (rarely).

Again, talk to the DL employee.

Yes, if there is still space in BE as the standby list clears and they get to your name, you will get BE.

No. In fact, asking directly would only hurt your "chances", as there is a system in place and asking directly would imply you're trying to circumvent the system - a huge "No-No" on buddy passes, and breaking the rules or causing trouble while on a buddy pass could get the employee who gave you the buddy pass in trouble. The only thing that matters with buddy passes is the seniority (date of hire) of the person who gave you the buddy pass. ALL employees traveling (active and retired) and the buddy-pass riders who got their passes from an employee with more seniority will be ahead of you.

I think DL finally got rid of some of the restrictions for dress when traveling non-rev, but still dress conservatively and don't look like a slob.

EDITED TO ADD: I will recommend this: do check-in with the gate agent ONE TIME when you first arrive to ensure you are properly on the standby list for the flight. When I was non-reving for the first time with the "Companion" deal, I was connecting via ATL. In ATL (my second flight of the day), my name displayed on the GIDS (Gate Information Display Screen) on the standby page but when the GA started clearing names, I got skipped over initially. I don't remember why, but although I was showing on the GIDS for standby, I somehow didn't show up in the system the GA was using to process standbys. Not sure if it was because I didn't check-in, thus letting the GA know I cleared the first flight of my trip. After you check-in once with the gate agent once, do not bother them again until called to the podium to get your boarding pass, if you clear (this is actually part of the pass-rider and non-rev guidelines - minimize the amount of time you spend talking to gate agents or reservations agents, as they need to focus on dealing with paying customers, not assisting non-revs). The GIDS will provide you all the information you need - including seat availability in each cabin and whether or not you've cleared. If there is no GIDS, just wait patiently in the boarding area after checking in with the GA, and if there's no GIDS, it may not hurt to ask about the load factor either while you're up there checking-in but don't keep approaching the GA to say "How's it look now?" - the GA will call you up if/when you clear.

Yea I had the "Companion Pass" for a year from a friend at DL. Used it twice in a year Wasn't my cup of tea either, and I flew with his seniority as S2 (I got six S2 passes a year) or S3, not S4. Some things are just worth paying for though. The standby thing isn't for me.

I don't particularly care one way or another about the whole debate, but I'd say that as a good general rule in life, it's good to be nice to the GA... and the FAs....and the people standing around you...and puppies...

Not just when you're hoping to benefit.

You know...Karma.
:cool:

All of the above advice is very good. As one who has quite a bit of NRSA experience, the best thing you can do for yourself is be polite and stay as inconspicuous and out of the way as possible. The GA will clear you into J if it's available when they get to you. If not, don't bother them about it.

One thing I do hope you're aware of is that you are under no circumstances guaranteed a seat. Flights to Europe this time of year are notoriously heavy and difficult to non-rev on. Given your priority as a buddy pass, there is always a chance that you won't get on the flight. Glancing at the loads for Spain next week, most of them appear to be quite full in both cabins, and in some cases oversold. Depending on the number of non-revs, you should just be aware that you might not get there on the day you want to.

I think that pretty well sums it up in bold.

I'm surprised no one has said WFBF (or in this case WJBJ) yet:)

As others have said, you should be asking the employee that gave you the buddy pass, not on a public board.

You aren't guaranteed a seat even in economy on a buddy pass if the plane is full.

Loads are heavy in the summer to Europe flights but you could get lucky, I would pay for an EF subscription and look at availability if your dates are flexible.

I was able to find flights with this summer with GU certs across the pond with no problem, and Delta is requiring a lot lower fare for GU than they did with SWU's so that could effect people sitting up front. But PM's are no longer able to upgrade with SWU's on international flights unless they had an old SWU issued before the change so that could free up some space upfront that might not have been available in prior years.

Even if you get stuck with a middle seat in the very last row, you are still getting a great deal.

Flying NRSA/Buddy Passes are a benefit are a benefit that Delta employees earn, just like GU's are a benefit for diamonds and mileage upgrades are a benefit for all skymile members with enough miles (and who are on a paid coach fare as well, and a very costly ones for mileage upgrades and people using the old SWU's).

I totally understand someone taking advantage of flying NRSA and using a buddy pass given to them by a friend, but I don't understand why that is considered a benefit of working for Delta (and I agree it is a Delta fringe they are entitled to and should use it) and acceptable to fly on a buddy pass (when there is a chance that person doesn't even fly Delta normally on revenue flights), yet people who fly 125K+ miles a year and are sitting in business using an SWU on an M or B fare we paid $4k+ for are "freeloading"

NRSA flying and buddy passes are a perk for Delta employees. GU's on International and complimentary upgrades on most domestic are a perk/benefit for people who fly a lot with Delta.

Good luck! I've found it's always easier getting there but getting back for some reason is always way harder.

Part of the reason why I say that Hawaii is where NRSAs go to die. That place is easy to get to, but really hard to get out of.

Just curious as to why it would be easier to fly to a place as NRSA than return? Seems like most revenue passengers would book a round trip.

I'm sure non-revs that fly to Hawaii are hating the routes that Delta is now giving upgrades on for free (works out though because now space is available for NRSA's on JFK to LAX routes).

In Europe I feel like there are so many factors like a Skyteam JV partner could cancel one flt and that will screw a lot up for standbys.

Actually, my point exactly.

GUs and SWUs are/were the only way for Medallions to get upgraded. Don't begrudge the nonrev for a perk they have earned for a dreamed benefit that was never there.

Most people don't begrudge NRSA's for the benefit providing they behave, don't get meal choices over someone paying to be in the premium cabin and Sheena isn't involved in the upgrade.

And diamond's shouldn't be begrudged for getting an upgrade on a GU, if someone wants GU's then fly 125K miles a year (or 62,500 a year in first/J).

NRSA's upgrades are a benefit of Delta's employee program and GU's are an upgrade for Delta frequent flyers.

I had an issue in the past of having to pay for an M or B fare with J wide open and not having the upgrade processed right away. With GU's they seem to have a lot more inventory. And if I were to be waitlisted now, I don't have as big of an issue. If I buy the cheapest ticket and am waitlisted no big deal since I will want to be on the flight anyway. No paying thousands more for the same seat with the risk of the upgrade not clearing.

Now if I were to have bought an M ticket using an old SWU that didn't clear and a non-rev got into J, I think all of us would rightfully have an issue with that. If I am on a paid J ticket, I expect my meal choice to be honored over a NRSA flying up front which I think is reasonable. If my seat or IFE system breaks and someone is on a J ticket costing thousands of dollars I think it's reasonable to expect the NRSA to trade seats. But if all the GU's and SWU's were cleared and no sheena involved, most people don't have an issue with NRSA's up front.

That has always been a big mystery in non-rev travel. Getting out of HNL on Buddy Passes have resulted in stories of families dropping $6000 for a family of four buying day of departure Y class tickets (after spending a week in the airport).