4 ms·

Unless Southwest is wildly different than other airlines, the behavior of people you give F&F standby passes to potentially reflects on you as an employee. Not

Unless Southwest is wildly different than other airlines, the behavior of people you give F&F standby passes to potentially reflects on you as an employee. Not sure if getting in trouble with another airline instead of your employer would mitigate that, but my guess is whoever gave him the buddy pass caught some flack at work.

paradox460 3y ago
I haven't flown southwest in a very long time. Do they still use the plastic boarding passes they give you when checking in?
- CSSer 3y ago
  Unless this is a standby-specific question (in which case I’m not sure), no.
- m463 3y ago
  I think everything can be on your phone. One thing different about southwest is that you don't have a reserved seat.
- kd5bjo 3y ago
  No; those were retired in the wake of 9/11 when boarding passes became required to get through security. After that, the logistics of at-gate checkin didn’t work anymore and Southwest started issuing disposable paper boarding passes outside security like every other airline. For those that aren’t aware, this is the origin of Southwest’s quirky boarding process. They required you to check in at the gate, and each gate had a set of reusable plastic boarding cards with sequential numbers— You were handed the next card when you checked on and gave it back as you got on the plane, so that it could be reused for the next flight. Everyone boarded the plane in the order they arrived for the flight without needing to stand in a strict queue while they waited. If the flight you were planning to take was full, you would be first in line for the next one which was often scheduled for less than half an hour later for their core routes.
lupire 3y ago
Imagine what kind of sleazeball you have to be, to take an expensive gift with your friend's name on it, and use it to commit a federal crime. That said, what's the point of the buddy pass system, if it's not guaranteed? Who goes to the airport, through security and checkin, thinking "maybe I'll fly today, maybe not, maybe I'll fly somewhere else, whatever's available, you know?"
- pxx 3y ago
  That's the whole benefit of flying nonrev... You take what is otherwise unsold inventory.
- inoffensivename 3y ago
  So many people, every day. Pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, airline employees and their families with travel benefits.

paradox460 3y ago

I haven't flown southwest in a very long time. Do they still use the plastic boarding passes they give you when checking in?

CSSer 3y ago
Unless this is a standby-specific question (in which case I’m not sure), no.
m463 3y ago
I think everything can be on your phone. One thing different about southwest is that you don't have a reserved seat.
kd5bjo 3y ago
No; those were retired in the wake of 9/11 when boarding passes became required to get through security. After that, the logistics of at-gate checkin didn’t work anymore and Southwest started issuing disposable paper boarding passes outside security like every other airline. For those that aren’t aware, this is the origin of Southwest’s quirky boarding process. They required you to check in at the gate, and each gate had a set of reusable plastic boarding cards with sequential numbers— You were handed the next card when you checked on and gave it back as you got on the plane, so that it could be reused for the next flight. Everyone boarded the plane in the order they arrived for the flight without needing to stand in a strict queue while they waited. If the flight you were planning to take was full, you would be first in line for the next one which was often scheduled for less than half an hour later for their core routes.

lupire 3y ago

Imagine what kind of sleazeball you have to be, to take an expensive gift with your friend's name on it, and use it to commit a federal crime. That said, what's the point of the buddy pass system, if it's not guaranteed? Who goes to the airport, through security and checkin, thinking "maybe I'll fly today, maybe not, maybe I'll fly somewhere else, whatever's available, you know?"

pxx 3y ago
That's the whole benefit of flying nonrev... You take what is otherwise unsold inventory.
inoffensivename 3y ago
So many people, every day. Pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, airline employees and their families with travel benefits.