Southwest Travel Benefits "Suspended" - Awesome

Washu234

Well-Known Member
Found out today that SouthWest standby Travel Benefits have been "temporarily suspended" due to violation of travel rules by FedEx employees. Does anyone have any idea what kind of violation would cause a system wide suspension or when it will be lifted?

This is a major downer as I think my travel benefit is one of the biggest perks of FedEx so part of my 'compensation' was effectively cut :angry:

I think I read mention of this happening once before. How long did that suspension last?
 

Ricochet1a

Well-Known Member
Found out today that SouthWest standby Travel Benefits have been "temporarily suspended" due to violation of travel rules by FedEx employees. Does anyone have any idea what kind of violation would cause a system wide suspension or when it will be lifted?

This is a major downer as I think my travel benefit is one of the biggest perks of FedEx so part of my 'compensation' was effectively cut :angry:

I think I read mention of this happening once before. How long did that suspension last?

A FedEx employee that was using interline travel benefits either was drunk or had some psychological problems and "disrobed" while the aircraft he was traveling in was enroute. No safety problems resulted, but Southwest suspended the interline travel privileges for Express employees. Southwest airlines employees still have discount shipping with FedEx. Since it was a FedEx employee at fault, FedEx isn't going to pull interline shipping benefits for Southwest.

The statement didn't give a definate date but it is looking like it will remain in effect through Christmas. The unofficial word is that interline travel will be restored after Christmas or "on or about" January 1st.
 

FedEX 4 Life

Well-Known Member
Why don't you just go away. If you don't even know about the interline travel benefit with Southwest....
Ah Shadup.

I remember when I first came to this forum and mentioned one of the perks of Fedex was flying and all you morons jumped on me and calling me a liar saying there are no flying benefits at Fedex.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Ah Shadup.

I remember when I first came to this forum and mentioned one of the perks of Fedex was flying and all you morons jumped on me and calling me a liar saying there are no flying benefits at Fedex.

That's because you said you had just returned from a free flight on JetBlue. You've been caught in lies so many times, yet you persist, and keep right on telling more of them. TROLL.
 

DOWNTRODDEN IN TEXAS

Well-Known Member
Found out today that SouthWest standby Travel Benefits have been "temporarily suspended" due to violation of travel rules by FedEx employees. Does anyone have any idea what kind of violation would cause a system wide suspension or when it will be lifted?

This is a major downer as I think my travel benefit is one of the biggest perks of FedEx so part of my 'compensation' was effectively cut :angry:

I think I read mention of this happening once before. How long did that suspension last?

This can be caused by being disrespectful to their employees, not dressing properly, being beligerent...so many ways, it lasted a year the last time, I think....
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
We give SWA and the other airlines 75% off regular rates, but when we fly interline they take 75% off their highest rate, making it less of a deal than it seems.

That said, some FedEx people do act like idiots when they fail to realize that they are standby passengers. I've been in my seat on a SWA airplane getting ready for pushback and asked to get off the plane because a paying passenger showed-up at the last minute. That's just the way it is. Other times, I've waited for 5 or 6 flights and had to go home because there weren't any no-shows.
 

Washu234

Well-Known Member
We give SWA and the other airlines 75% off regular rates, but when we fly interline they take 75% off their highest rate, making it less of a deal than it seems.

That said, some FedEx people do act like idiots when they fail to realize that they are standby passengers. I've been in my seat on a SWA airplane getting ready for pushback and asked to get off the plane because a paying passenger showed-up at the last minute. That's just the way it is. Other times, I've waited for 5 or 6 flights and had to go home because there weren't any no-shows.

I'm not sure what airport you fly out of MrFedEx but I'm glad to hear you use the travel benefit. Its my favorite part of FedEx hands down but you gotta be good at it.

I often use Flightstats.com "Seat Availability" tool to figure out the 'likelyhood' of me making a flight. If there are 6+ seats you'll most likely make it.

If you're flying jetBlue call out as far as you can to list standby. Globaltravel won't tell you (but jetBlue will) that you can list for their flight as early as you want to (I think its upto 90 days out). Also, call-call-call. jetBlue crew support is always incredible when I talk to them. Sometimes they won't tell me the numbers, but they will make good suggestions (like if I'm flying from Boston I sometimes hop down to JFK for a better chance). I have yet to miss a flight with JetBlue. Infact one time they asked a pilot flying coach to fly jumpseat when they found out I was with FedEx.

I, however, have been bumped from flights. The worst was an AirTran flight where they told me to go on and find the one empty seat, I looked around and didn't see one, then the flight attendant asked if I was non revenue. When I said I was she walked me to the jetbridge and asked me to wait and slammed the door in my face. Talk about disheartening. The plane just backed away without me.

A LOT of People at Express don't use the flight benefits, I feel like its one of those things that makes FedEx worth it.
 

Washu234

Well-Known Member
A FedEx employee that was using interline travel benefits either was drunk or had some psychological problems and "disrobed" while the aircraft he was traveling in was enroute. No safety problems resulted, but Southwest suspended the interline travel privileges for Express employees. Southwest airlines employees still have discount shipping with FedEx. Since it was a FedEx employee at fault, FedEx isn't going to pull interline shipping benefits for Southwest.

The statement didn't give a definate date but it is looking like it will remain in effect through Christmas. The unofficial word is that interline travel will be restored after Christmas or "on or about" January 1st.

I heard about this on the news! That was a FedEx employee!? :angry:
 

SmithBarney

Well-Known Member
...

If you're flying jetBlue call out as far as you can to list standby. Globaltravel won't tell you (but jetBlue will) that you can list for their flight as early as you want to (I think its upto 90 days out). Also, call-call-call. jetBlue crew support is always incredible when I talk to them. Sometimes they won't tell me the numbers, but they will make good suggestions (like if I'm flying from Boston I sometimes hop down to JFK for a better chance). I have yet to miss a flight with JetBlue. Infact one time they asked a pilot flying coach to fly jumpseat when they found out I was with FedEx.
...

Unfortunately FedEx is the bottom tier when flying standby, meaning paying customers, jet blue employees, other airline employees go before FedEx... there might be a few other levels in there, I found out the hard way, and it wasn't Jetblue's fault, because JFK canceled landing privs for like 25% of the flights that day.

Luckily Jetblue is pretty cheap to begin with.
 

Brown287

Im not the Mail Man!
Wow just another example of how ground drivers get hosed. Flight benefits...heck they would be happy just to have medical benefits.
 

MrFedEx

Engorged Member
Wow just another example of how ground drivers get hosed. Flight benefits...heck they would be happy just to have medical benefits.

The flight benefits aren't that great. Personal jumpseat was a much better deal in my opinion. Staying up all night wasn't all that fun but the price was right (free). Sometimes I think the only reason FedEx keeps them is to shore-up their claim that they are an "airline" (which they are not).
 
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