[Ramp Romeo]

I'm with Mesa Airlines (A regional), and we fly for U.S. Airways.

Mesa gives me 2 buddy passes every 6 months. These are only good on fligts operated by Mesa Airlines. These allow people to fly FREE on standby. No requirement to be accompanied. BUT, they do have the employees name on them. So if the recipient is a jerkwad, it's my bum on the line. Consequences range from suspended flight privialges to termination of flight benefits. If it's found you sold them to anyone, employment termination.
Aside from every six months, they also give them out is you have perfect attendance during a quarter, and somethimes as incentives for people to work certain shifts when understaffed. I know one guy who has 32 of them, he jokes he doesn't have that many friends.


The bulk of my flight benefits are with mainline US Airways. They issue us 8 Companion Passes each year. These are NOT FREE. fares are based on different zones. Even tho the name is "Companion pass", they do not have to be accompanied by the employee. BUT...... IF the "companion" is booked on the same flight with the employee, the boarding priority is now bumped to that of the employee. (Alone, they board SAP7. With the Express employee, they board as SAP5). If the companion is a jerkwad on this flight the mainline airline (US Air) can at it's discretion terminate flight benefits of the employee.
I think that pretty much covers most of it..... at least from my perspective.

Whereas I can fly Southwest and Jetblue and a few others for free, I am only issued guest passes from Mesa, or US.

Hope that helps.