ASA, Comair, Delta non-revs on Skywest

[Willy21]

My family and I just got back from the west coast trying to non-rev on Skywest. I am an ASA pilot and I ran into a interesting situation. On two flights out of a Skywest city we got bumped by a Skywest buddy pass, listed as a S4 on travelnet (to get home I spent $800 on Eagle and $180 for a hotel). I had a jumpseat pass filled out and was willing to do that to get to SLC. I understand that on Skywest flights active ASA, Comair, and Delta people only get a S3C priority. Likewise on Delta, ASA, and Comair flights Skywest people get S3B priority. They still get on ahead of our buddy pass riders. So my question is was the buddy pass getting on the flight ahead of me propper procedure? If it is then why is that not true on Delta, ASA, and Comair flights with actively employed Skywest non-revs?

Second, when does the non-rev list close on Skywest flights? On the second flight the last non-rev, also a buddy pass rider walked up 5 mins after scheduled departure and was boarded. They held the flight for him even though my wife, daughter and I were in the gate house ready to go.

Also when I non-rev on a Delta flight (DL, EV, ect.) I have to conform to the Dress code that Delta has published. One of the buddy pass riders was wearing shorts. I asked the agent at the gate about it and she said that was propper attire for a Skywest non-rev. I then asked if it would be alright for my family to put on shorts and she said we would be denied boarding. Why the difference?

I understand that non-reving on the west coat or anywhere can be difficult at best. I would like to think that when I am in the right seat spinning the wheel I will make it happen for any non-rev or jumpseater if I can. That is just a good practice because you never know when you might need the help. It just sucks when you think you got the shaft. Skywest pilots, If I did get the shaft who do I call so this doesn't happen again.

 

[chperplt]

So my question is was the buddy pass getting on the flight ahead of me propper procedure?

Contact your pass bureau as they will have the answer.

Skywest might allow their internal buddy pass riders priority over offline carrier travel pass holders. Maybe the buddy pass rider was a family member of the gate agent and you got hosed... Either way, contact your company and check with them.

If something was done incorrectly, you should file a complaint and have Delta investigate. You won't get your money back, but you might get a gate agent fired and or disciplined, which might send a message to other gate agents to follow the rules.

Post a reply when you find out the real deal..

 

[Willy21]

Getting somebody fired is not my goal, just want to know if what happened is what should have happened. I also wanted to let Delta, ASA, and Comair pilots know that if this is the correct procedure they need to look at the buddy pass riders a little closer.

 

[trip]

I non-rev on ASA a bit and allways get S3C with SKYW ID and SKYW gate agents? I am usually the last non-rev on the list.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Here is some cut and paste info I found regarding NRSA with connection carriers.

Dress Code Guidelines

Dress code guidelines vary among carriers. Always check with the operating carrier before traveling.




Family & Friends guests are eligible for travel on SkyWest on any flight operated on behalf of Delta.

The boarding priority for Family & Friends guests is SA4.


Nonrevenue travel on SkyWest flights will follow the same non-rev travel procedures and guidelines as a Delta flight with the exception of the boarding priority. The boarding priority is S3C or S3CR.





Sorry for the sloppy post, but it is mostly cut and pasted info from dalweb.

 

[Willy21]

I non-rev on ASA a bit and allways get S3C with SKYW ID and SKYW gate agents? I am usually the last non-rev on the list.

You are still boarded above the buddy pass (S4). I was listed as a S3C, no problem, it was a Skywest airplane. The thing that gets me is a non-employee (buddy pass) was cleared before an active employee.

 

[propjockey]

Just a shot in the dark here, because I know it's apples and oranges, but maybe the buddy pass riders were travelling with the employee? If I recall correctly, at UAL buddy pass riders travelling WITH the employee get the full benefit of the employee's seniority AND their boarding priority (but I could be totally wrong). If they're alone, then they're bottom of the barrell.

 

[Willy21]

Just a shot in the dark here, because I know it's apples and oranges, but maybe the buddy pass riders were travelling with the employee? If I recall correctly, at UAL buddy pass riders travelling WITH the employee get the full benefit of the employee's seniority AND their boarding priority (but I could be totally wrong). If they're alone, then they're bottom of the barrell.

He was the only non-rev that got on the flight. I was trying to get my wife on the flight so that I could take the jumpseat.

 

[trip]

SKYW Buddy pass riders are S3C2 on SKYW flights last time I checked,
We dont have Buddy passes on mainline or other carriers. I never really understand what goes on behind the counter half the time, its like trying to get info out of Fort Knox. I usually just shake my head and walk over to LUV!

 

[SSDD]

Sorry, my original post was not completely accurate.

 

[tuna pimp]

Really. This is news to me. (I don't nonrev on Skywest too often). Sort of bullcrap if you ask me. I think (but I'm not 100% certain) that Delta pays Skywest on an ASM buy (cost-plus) type schedule. That means Delta essentially charters the Skywest aircraft to fly where we want to them to fly. Which means DL is basically chartering the whole aircraft, and as such DL is buying all 50 seats on an OO aircraft every time. By extension, all 50 of those seats technically belong to Delta, not Skywest. Very interesting. You'd think Skywest would wise up and see that from a nonrev POV they have more to gain from DL than DL has to gain from them.

 

[Willy21]

Trip
Is a S3C2 a higher priority than what a ASA employee would be on? If you could find out it would help me out.

 

[Lebowski]

Trip is right on both counts:

1. SkyWest buddy passes are S3C2.
2. SkyWest buddy passes are for SkyWest only. They don't count for mainline Delta (or UAL) flights, which obviously can be a severe handicap for anyone trying to travel on a SkyWest buddy pass.

I don't know how the buddy passes work at ASA, but assuming they work on mainline and other DAL Connection carriers, that's a huge advantage over SkyWest buddy passes. If there is in fact a higher priority on SkyWest for SkyWest buddy passes (I don't know that there is) that might be a logical explanation.

By the way, as far as the crews go at SkyWest, I've never seen a single person who doesn't go above and beyond to accomodate non-revs and jumpseaters (as long as we're informed of them of course), regardless of what airline the non-revs are from. That's also been true when I've JS'd on ASA. The crews are totally accomodating and professional, and it's greatly appreciated. I assume that's the case at all regionals. You'd have to be a pretty big a-hole to discriminate against a fellow crewmember or their family based on what airline they happen to work for.

Big L

 

[trip]

I will ask at the gate when I get back to work and report back!

 

[sweptback]

In no way should an employee be bumped for a buddy pass (any buddy pass). If this happened to me, I would contact the pass bureau and maybe even send an email to the station manager asking for an explanation. They should take this seriously. Pass benefits are one of the last benefits that have remained largely untouched, and it's a shame to see people get hosed like this. I'm going along with the buddy pass being a friend/family member of the gate agent theory.

 

[Mu2Driver]

The order of priority for a Sky West flight should be:

S3 - Skywest employees
S3C - Active Delta/ASA/Comair Employees
S3CR - Retired Delta/Non-Dependent/Parents
S4 - Delta Buddy Passes

The order for a Delta flight should be:

S2/S3 - Delta Employees
S3B - Retired Delta Employees/Non-Dependents/Parents
S3C - SKYW/CHQ Employees
S3D - Furloughed (Coach Only)
S4 - Delta Buddy Passes
S4B - Pan-Am employees who still have rights to Delta Non-Rev travel

I have run into some problems with this myself on a trip I took from SAN-DEN in which the SLC-DEN leg was a SKYW CRJ and I recognized some people from that flight. I fly S3 on Delta and got the last seat in F/C from SAN-DEN then I got to SLC and saw some of the same people standing by for the Denver flight. They were all on S3B passes as Non-Dependents. The SKYW agent in SLC started clearing people and the people I knew should have been behind me got seats on the plane to DEN. After it was all over and I didn't get a seat, I asked the agent, and she said "they are on S3B passes and you are on S3C." I then told her that I got on the plane in SAN ahead of them and they were on S3Bs there as well. She then looked through the computer and told me they were Non-Dependents and the computer messed up by putting them on S3B status on the SKYW flight instead of S3CR, and that I should have gotten on that flight. It was no big deal cuz I got on the next Delta flight 2 hours later, but it goes to show you that things do get messed up and you have to double check them sometimes.

 

[trip]

Mu2 is correct,
Type in A*W* in deltamatic for the prioritys.
I asked a couple of gates and of course recieved different answers, probably not intentional on the gates part. Your wife should have been above a OO buddy.

 

[Willy21]

Thanks for looking into it Trip. I really appreciate it. See ya down the road.

 

[~~~^~~~]

The order of priority for a Sky West flight should be:

S3 - Skywest employees
S3C - Active Delta/ASA/Comair Employees
S3CR - Retired Delta/Non-Dependent/Parents
S4 - Delta Buddy Passes

The order for a Delta flight should be:

S2/S3 - Delta Employees
S3B - Retired Delta Employees/Non-Dependents/Parents
S3C - SKYW/CHQ Employees
S3D - Furloughed (Coach Only)
S4 - Delta Buddy Passes
S4B - Pan-Am employees who still have rights to Delta Non-Rev travel

So what are ASA current pilots on Delta? Are we considered Delta employees? Would an ASA pilot be a S3, or S3C?

 

[Mu2Driver]

ASA and ComAir employees are also S3s on Delta equipment.

 

[viper01]

ASA and ComAir have the same pass bennies as Delta employees

 

[Major Metalhead]

Really. This is news to me. (I don't nonrev on Skywest too often). Sort of bullcrap if you ask me. I think (but I'm not 100% certain) that Delta pays Skywest on an ASM buy (cost-plus) type schedule. That means Delta essentially charters the Skywest aircraft to fly where we want to them to fly. Which means DL is basically chartering the whole aircraft, and as such DL is buying all 50 seats on an OO aircraft every time. By extension, all 50 of those seats technically belong to Delta, not Skywest. Very interesting. You'd think Skywest would wise up and see that from a nonrev POV they have more to gain from DL than DL has to gain from them.

Delta employees do enjoy better benefits on Skywest aircraft both contract and non contract flights. And here they are:

Delta parents fly free on Skywest flights, Skywest parents pay on Delta
Delta buddy passes valid on Skywest flights, Skywest buddies dont fly Delta.

In case you were not aware, EMB operated flights out of SLC are NOT contract flights, only the CRJ flights are. HOWEVER, Delta is enjoying the same benefits on these non-contract flights as they are on contract ones. Guess Skywest could always yank that away from Delta, but they havent.

So, Delta is already getting a better deal out of this because of the contract flying.

 

[Biatch5]

bump...

 

[Tom Hung]

Ask to speak with the captain...gate agents dont know $hit. Typically theyre busy The standard is to be polite and wait while they ignore your presence. You dont bombard them with questions because you acknowldege theyre busy and they have a job to do. And 15 minutes after the plane has pushed they still act busy so they dont have to face you...you turn your back for two seconds and theyre gone. If there has every been a grey area they dont want to take the time to research the right answer theyd just assume go with what they know. Ask to speak to the captain and have him look into it. SKYW captains from my experience have always extended themselves to help jumpseaters/other company employees. If that doesnt work then get the the retarded agents name and call your people.

 

[Weasil]

do pilots and their families who work for skywest enjoy travel privileges with United Airlines?

 

[Major Metalhead]

Ask to speak with the captain...gate agents dont know $hit. Typically theyre busy The standard is to be polite and wait while they ignore your presence. You dont bombard them with questions because you acknowldege theyre busy and they have a job to do. And 15 minutes after the plane has pushed they still act busy so they dont have to face you...you turn your back for two seconds and theyre gone. If there has every been a grey area they dont want to take the time to research the right answer theyd just assume go with what they know. Ask to speak to the captain and have him look into it. SKYW captains from my experience have always extended themselves to help jumpseaters/other company employees. If that doesnt work then get the the retarded agents name and call your people.

Why do I have this gut feeling your one of those crew members those "retard" gate agents think is a total jackass? Maybe there is a reason they ignore you and pretend your not there.

Thumbs up there trooper, your a champ!

 

[Tom Hung]

Its sad metalhead metalmouth or motormouth...whichever you call yourself (original by the way) that after reading my thread stating a person waiting and standing patiently must indicate someone is a jackass... pull out your checklist and read that one again. Youre definately the one they refer to as "we get one every now and again thats slips throught the cracks" youre such a craig you doosh bag
oh and license to rock...take the rainbow sticker off your chart case

 

[Major Metalhead]

Its sad metalhead metalmouth or motormouth...whichever you call yourself (original by the way) that after reading my thread stating a person waiting and standing patiently must indicate someone is a jackass... pull out your checklist and read that one again. Youre definately the one they refer to as "we get one every now and again thats slips throught the cracks" youre such a craig you doosh bag
oh and license to rock...take the rainbow sticker off your chart case

Doosh bag? Slips throught the cracks? Man, I might be somewhat insulted if you could spell right. Obvious what kind of rocket scientist you are. Oh wait, you like the word retard, maybe thats more of a better reference.

Ill add William, or er excuse me, Tom Hung to my "real bright one" list. Congrats your on the list!

And oh yea, your attempts to flame are pathetic at best. I advise finding a new hobby there William, like singing.

 

[Morning Wood]

Willy
I'm curious what city you were flying out of.

 

[Morning Wood]

do pilots and their families who work for skywest enjoy travel privileges with United Airlines?

Yes. The crews fly both sides of the system.