The double edge sword of your airline being successful this summer is the loads will be maxed out for the next several months. Everyone wants to travel this summer but the airlines cannot get the capacity on line fast enough. What that means for you is tougher commutes. So don’t fall into these 5 traps. And if you do, I have given you several ways to get out.
1) You didn’t check the loads – This summer things are very dynamic. Weather, cancellations, cargo, even volcanic ash will effect right up to the last minute. Even if your flight looks wide open, be ready for it to be cancelled or the flight before it being cancelled and being bumped off the flight you are non-reving on.
2) You didn’t check flight to see if it canceled. Cancellations are big issues these days and sometimes the Airline is late getting the information to the passengers through their websites. Going right to the Airport website to check flights are much more accurate. Go to http://www.nonrevwebsite.com/nonrev/travel/timetable.htm .
3) You didn’t have a backup airline – Other airlines might give you an opportunity to get to the city your trip starts from. Always have an idea of other airlines you could use. If you need a timetable with all the airlines on them try http://www.nonrevwebsite.com/nonrev/travel/timetable.htm
4) You didn’t have a backup airport – Just like a backup flight, you need a backup airport. New York has three to choose from. If a runway closes at JFK, go to LaGuardia. If the seats are filling up in LaGuardia, go to Newark. To see what the loads are for a city, go to http://www.nonrevwebsite.com/nonrev/travel/timetable.htm and use quicktrip for every city around the area. It even displays low fare carriors.
5) You didn’t know how to go from the Backup Airport to your flight. You made it to the city, now how do you get to your airport. There are lots of ways. To see your options, go to http://www.nonrevwebsite.com/CheapUS/nyc.html#airportHotels
6) Bonus Go early to a hotel room. Goto http://www.nonrevwebsite.com/CheapUS/nyc.html#airportHotels to see all the hotels at JFK, LGA and EWR.
This Summer will be very difficult to non-rev. Those interline discounts for travel are going to be almost impossible to use. So much for our free travel benefits we were promised when we were hired. Those deals are long gone. But there are ways to go to those attractions positive space to almost any area in the world. Go to our article at http://nonrevwebsite.com/blog/2010/07/01/advice/when-not-to-non-rev/ to see how.
And if you are commuting to New York this summer, watch this blog. Several of us are commuting there and we will be writing what we find. Remember, if you have run out of options, go to our New York page to get ideas. If you need help anywhere else in the world go to http://www.nonrevwebsite.com/. Just one more thing, try to watch for non-revs and help them when you can. Trust me, they WILL remember you, and it will be when you need there help the most.