DAL Buddy Pass Embargo

[Iflyamouse]

I hate Buddy passes as much as the next guy ... but I'm trying it anyway.

DAL says there's a buddy pass embargo from Jan 1 - Jan 3. The flight I'm trying to put a buddy on is on Jan 1 and, as of right now, the flight isn't even 1/2 full.

Is DAL really strict with these embargoes or is there some discretion to the local station to put someone on if there is room?

 

[johnboy99]

Play devils advocate for just a minute. Would you as the gate agent sign your name and put a buddy pass rider on even though there is a company wide embargo??? I sure wouldn't want to be looking for a job in this economy. Good luck with your buddy pass. I only give them out to people I don't like because by the end of their trip they will hate you for giving it to them.

 

[ultrarunner]

I don't believe the embargo is "load-dependent". I'd suggest your friend walk or drive.

 

[GOULET!]

I wouldn't risk it if I were you. You may luck out and get a gate agent dumb enough not to realize there is an embargo but chances are there will be something on their screen that will prevent them from being able to issue a seat to a non-rev.

 

[viper548]

I ran into this last year. They had an embargo date when they combined the reservation system from NWA. The flights were wide open that day but no buddy passes.

 

[WalterSobchak]

If you're booking in TravelNet on DLNet, I believe it will not even allow you to make the listing on an embargoed date.

 

[GogglesPisano]

There is so much automation in place I doubt the system would allow a buddy pass rider to fly during an embargo.

 

[doh]

Typical of the EE. They want you to take personal responsibility and treat each passenger as an individual. When it comes to employees, zeese are zee rules und vee have vays of making you follow zem! F the EE!

 

[CRJ puppy]

The system is set up such that even a customer service agent can't override the system and put a buddy pass rider on a flight during the embargo dates. In fact, if you have a connection and the connection gets delayed until after midnight (east coast time) on the 31st, they won't be able to board. In summary, if they must fly on an embargo date, buy a ticket.

 

[Cpt Oveur]

The system will let you book it on an embargo date, but the computer at the ticket desk won't let it activate. I tried sending someone on a flight with 70 open seats on an embargo date, and it worked up until the moment they had to check in. Why it lets you book it in travelnet though, who knows.

Look on delta.com, I've found it is actually cheaper to purchase a revenue ticket on the same flight half the time.

 

[regionalcap]

The system will let you book it on an embargo date, but the computer at the ticket desk won't let it activate. I tried sending someone on a flight with 70 open seats on an embargo date, and it worked up until the moment they had to check in. Why it lets you book it in travelnet though, who knows.

Look on delta.com, I've found it is actually cheaper to purchase a revenue ticket on the same flight half the time.

I agree with the part about prices. I was looking at sending someone on a buddy pass in January. Then I saw that a ticket was only $50 more roundtrip than the buddy pass.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

If you book a Buddy Pass on an embargo date, they will not even let them activate at the airport. S4's are literally kicked out of the system on embargo dates.

Also if you have a buddy starting their trip on the 31st with a connection on the same journey on the 1-3rd, they will get parked at the intermediate destination until the elbargo is over.

You will not get any help from a gate agent, they are not going to pull favors, they can't. These pass riders are locked out of the system. Just save you and your friend the hassle and do not even book them on a trip that could have them traveling on an embargo date.

***I saw a bunch of S4's from ACC get parked in JFK because they were late and arrived on an embargo date. The gate agent to them what the cheap hotels were as well as what a going airfare was.

 

[DieselDragRacer]

This sounds like a job for a Delta Red Coat!

 

[Iflyamouse]

Just a little follow up ... Travelnet wouldn't let me book the reservation. That's when I found out about the embargo in the first place. It said one or more of my selected flights were on an embargo date.

I spoke with a former gate agent who said the agent will get dinged if they override a buddy pass on an embargo day.

Interesting note, she also said all S4's are automatically flagged during embargo days. Problem with that is that parents travel as S4's, but parents are supposed to be okay to travel.

Oh well, thanks for the responses. We didn't do it, it wasn't worth the risk.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Parents of DAL employees travel as S3B's or S3's when you accompany them.

 

[cksport]

Parents of DAL employees travel as S3B's or S3's when you accompany them.

My guess would be this is a Connection Carrier employee that got the big hose job after the pass benefits were renegotiated. I loved my pass benefits when I worked for ASA when it was a wholly owned subsidiary of DAL, but find the new deal far less appealing. It barely warrants the designation of a benefit anymore. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome to have pass travel benefits, but the agreements keep getting far less beneficial to the employee these days.