I was recently told that all international airlines have a "Buddy
Pass" system where certain employees have a limited number amount of
free international flights they can give away to their friends and
family members. The only charge to the recipient is the cost of taxes
on the ticket that must be paid. I do not have a friend or family
member that works at an international airport and has this option,
which brings me to my question.

How can I find someone who is willing to put me on their buddy pass
list for international flights? Clearly, I am thinking this would have
to be someone who is single or maybe someone with not a large family
because otherwise they would already have plenty of people ahead of me
in line waiting for these ticket opportunities.

I am not looking to find an airline that flies international and I am
not looking for a place online to check for cheap travel tickets or
travel packages, I know of them all. I am looking to find someone to
put me on their list so I can take advantage of their perk at their
place of employment.

I look forward to everyone's responses. Thank you for your time and interest.

My mother is an airline retiree. She has access to a very small number
of passes. I cannot imagine that anyone would dole these out to
someone who was not extremely close to the family, and facing an
emergency situation.

Hi BKaufmann and Pink,

I work for an airline. Each airline has different "in-house"
privileges. Interline agreements with other carriers are generally
standard with 25% or 50% industry discount fares.

$30 airfares are a thing of the past. The $30 covered the insurances
and taxes to which you refer. Free flights are based on years of
service and purpose of travel as is the priority of
upload/offload/upgrade. Having served over 21 years I am in the
fortunate position of being able to travel the world for nothing. The
accrual system does allow for nominated beneficiaries.

Twenty years ago I had to prove my defacto relationship with my future
wife by way of providing joint bank account proof. Now the rules have
been relaxed for anyone to nominate even a neighbour. That came about
due to the sad (oops, gay) community and it's prevalence in being
attracted to the industry for whatever reason. They can change
nominated partners each 12 months by the way.

A "friend" like you had the audacity to ask to be placed onto my staff
travel. I told him where to go, in no uncertain terms. My lady friend
still enjoys the usage of my travel benefits. Although she now has a
job with the same airline, she has the benefit of my years of service
to ensure a higher priority of uplift.

I would rather gift my privileges to a beggar on the street than to
afford same to one who has the use of a computer. Without my lady
friend, I would gift that to the person whom benefitted most.

The cost to the employee, in my case is Fringe Benefits Tax. Airfare
values over $500 paid become reportable. Then after $1000 become
taxable. Every dollar valued above $500 when taxable, equates to
dollar for dollar in paid tax. Trust me, I have memorised the formula
and paid for it for another's benefit.

I respect that you don't have the inside knowledge, but I still can
not believe that you have even asked the question.

Phil

Oh Phillip

Do get over yourself you self-righteous homophobic nonentity.

The OP just asked where he might find folk who possibly would take a
different view - as a commercial transaction I imagine, but you were
just toooo busy wallowing in your self-adulation to read it that way.

To the OP - maybe put a wanted ad on ebay?

Poet

pink: Thank you for your post.

silver777: Thank you for your post.

poet: :) I greatly thank you for your comments and suggestion. I am
certain if you had access to my request, you would be more than
willing to work out a practical agreement. I appreciate your time.

------

I look forward to more comments and suggestions.

BKaufmann ..

Thank you for your acknowledgement. If by chance you find a deal,
don't make it public. The employee may lose their job if it's found
that they sold their privileges. Then neither of you will end up with
rebated travel.

Poet ..

Yeah. Fair call I guess. Sorry to have upset you.

Phil

silver: Although you have made yourself quite clear, I never have
directly asked you the question. Would you be willing to make an
agreement with me? I am quite interested and not only can offer a
small amount of monetary value, but I can also offer other services
that you may be looking for. I do not see this as an illogical one way
avenue with me getting an inexpensive traveling pass, I see this more
as an economic benefit for the both of us. Both of us have needs
throughout our year, so we are merely trading our niches to better
satisfy our personal daily lives.

Please reply.

BK,

Replying as asked. I like your lateral approach. Although we may
disagree in principal, I admire your tenacity toward finding an
answer. I choose not to help you directly regardless of any
reciprocated service on offer. Or as you suggest "join the queue". We
all have friends, and most have families. Hey, what else can I say?
I'm not here to profit from a privilege.

Do not take it personally. You can't anyway, as we don't know one
another. I just need to be very clear on that point.

Should you happen upon someone who is willing to do a contra deal,
please bear one thing in mind. The rebated travel, passes or whatever
are a privilege, not a right of employment. As such they are for the
purpose of leisure travel, not business. Discounts are also offered
for the carriage of cargo. This will appeal to you, but again it's for
personal effects, not business. One big contravention of the
privileges can stuff it up for the honest majority. Please think on
that, beyond short term personal gain.

I believe I now understand your asking. Perhaps there is another way
to reduce your travelling costs. Consider the number of people who
choose not to fly, yet accrue frequent flyer points just by using a
credit card. From memory, (without checking) I think that the points
can be "gifted" depending on the joint deal offered between the
financial institution and the airline.

How about making inquiries on that angle? Then, as you sort through
the chaff you might advertise: "Cash in your Frequent Flyer points".
Doing so may limit you to certain destinations, but will cut your
costs. Percieved value is also another angle I am sure you will have
the nous to pursue. Imagine trading goods at "your" price for the
retail "percieved" price in exchange for flying points. You will be
the one in control, because the non-flyers won't use the points
anyway. If they won't accept your price, just walk away. But leave
your business card. They will call you. In fact, you may do better
than airline discounts with the nett result. You must beat their own
family to the finish line by the way, so keep your offer attractive to
them. It's all about balance isn't it?

The only other way I can think of, is to score a job with an airline.
Many will have only part-time jobs available. You would have to work
for a minimum period before qualifying for those cheap airfares. How
might a part-time job affect your current work? Again, it's for
leisure travel, not business.

I like the way you think. I hope that I have helped and not dismissed
your question.

Phil

silver: I want to again thank you for taking your time and posting
another comment. Let me start off by saying I disagree with part of
your last post. You state that rebate travel is a privilege, not a
right of employment. With what you have said in all of your posts, I
am quite surprised that you even accept this privilege. Furthermore, I
have a credit card with frequent flyer miles, but I could wait years
before that will pay its dividends. I believe this is the most
practical way of finding someone who is willing to share their perk.
Even if that person is not looking for a reciprocated service in
return, it would be allowed as ownership of the privilege to at least
stay open minded and consider my request. As far as working for the
airline, the closest one to me is about 60 miles, which would not be
convenient for me to drive to even on a part-time basis.

I sincerely appreciate your continued posts. I know we can come to
some type of arrangement that is good for the both of us. I am certain
there is some type of service you would be interested in as a return
for granting me discounted travel; remember this service can also be
personal satisfaction and helping someone in need.

I look forward to your reply.

BK,

I think we are on different wave lenghths.

Any "perk" in a job is a privilege. The usual purpose that businesses
do so is for both morale and to avoid their own staff buying goods and
services with the opposition. I pay for travel at a staff rate. To
refuse to take part in that would be stupid.

Read my previous post again re frequent flyer points, which may (or
perhaps may not) be transferable or "gifted". Explore the possibility
of buying someones points. It's simply a suggestion for you.

Finally, no we can not come to any arrangement.

Phil

No airline employee in their right mind would every take you up on
their offer. Why would they? I would never give my priveleges to
someone I dont know...and why would I want to go to the beach in Costa
Rica with you when I can be there with my wife, friend, girl friend,
boy friend, aunt, uncle, grandpa, grandma, mom, dad,
brother,sister....ect.
The airlines are very strict about using buddy passes or flight
priveleges for personal gain.
I know a number that have been caught selling buddy passes/trading or
using priveleges for gain (YES TRADING IS CONSIDEREDT THE SAME) and
fired on the spot. SORRY....Your only option is to get new friends, a
job with the airlines, or save your miles.
happy travels.