Well fellas, the day has come and went. I was suppose to be leaving for Rio last Wednesday night. Unfortunately I was unaware of the situation with Delta. It seems as if they decided to adjust the two flights a day to Rio out of ATL down to 1, leaving many passengers bumped from one flight to another. Had I known this I would not have bought the infamous "buddy pass". WHAT A CROCK OF SHIT!! I have been bumped off of every flight from ATL-Rio & ATL-Sao Paulo since last Wednesday. I have been to Rio 5 times via the "buddy pass" and have never experienced anything like this. To top it all off I have lost the deposit I had made of $390US as well as my travel mate that decided to shelve the trip till a later date this year (due to the flight situation).

Needless to say Im very disappointed. To wait 2 years for this trip only to get to the day and be told "The flight is overbooked". This was an obvious fubar on my part and Im willing to chalk it up as a learning experience. However, Im not ready to throw in the towel....

I checked my Advantage miles on my cc and discovered that Im good for a round-trip international flight. PERFECT!!! I immediately called the airlines and booked a "legitimate" flight for the first week of September. Excited that I will be able to get to the "Cidade Maravilhosa", I have found myself a bit apprehensive about traveling "solo". Yeah yeah I know many CH members travel solo on the regular and some even prefer it that way. I think I have just gotten use to my wing-man that has taken all 5 trips with me. This would definitely be a new experience going at this alone. I will be their for 7 days. I have already adjusted my living arrangements due to the fact Im not splitting the room with anyone.

Ive traveled to Europe solo many time, but Rio is a bit different to me. What I wanted to ask some of you vets is, what would you guys recommend for a first time solo mission? Anything to avoid? Are any of you guys going to be around that week? Im 31 yrs old so my approach to Rio may be a tad different that an older gentleman (no offense). Just would like to hear your opinions and ideas.

Thanks in advance fellas!!!

Why don't you make your flight and check in after you land in Rio?

I feel that buddy passes are pretty much a waste of time these days. After listening to Diversity trying to get a three-hop iten set up, then worrying like crazy that he can get a flight, I find them to be worthless unless you're flying domestic.

Look at it another way - what if you were in Rio and couldn't get out? Getting trapped in Brasil sounds good, until you're fired from your job for missing work, or you run out of money down there, or you end up paying a few grand for a one-way back home.

When airline yields are where they're at, there aren't a whole lot of empty seats, and buddy passes are the lowest of priorities. You have high-ranking non-revs, all paying customers, etc in front of you.

Saving money by having a friend/relative who works baggage or the counter for an airline sell/give you a buddy pass is not a good deal these days.

Agree completely....

Now that I have an actual ticket, do you have any suggestions for getting acclimated for my first solo trip?

Thanks in advance

It's no different than going with a group. I've never understood why guys go down in little Cub Scout groups. It's fine to hang out with friends and everything, but the whole sharing apartments, pretty much together 24x7 - certainly more of a black monger style than white monger style, though I've certainly seen single black guys and squads of white guys.

Stop passed Don and Ken, they usually know who is in town and if you feel really intimidated by the whole scene book then for a day or two as your "Terma guides"

I agree that stopping by Don and Ken's wouldn't be a bad idea if you have worries about doing Rio solo.

why not drop jag and cfk a mail and do the exact opposite what they recomend you to do?
or read the bwana dik rio guide,as far i can tell he gets it right.
iggy

Buddy passes are not worthless. You just have to have flexibility and know whether or not to even attempt to go to the airport to try to get on the flight. If you have rigid plans with where you are staying and deposits etc, I would not attempt it. However, when I rented in the past, I would tell the person that I may or may not arrive on a certain day, depending on whether or not I got on the flight, and they were cool with it because the apt was going to be open for a while any way. If they didn't provide that flexibility, I wouldn't have rented from them. Stand-by travel is a beautiful thing when it works out, but when it doesn't, it has more to do with your expectations, than any fault of the airline.

You have to remember that even though it's the off season in Rio, it is not in the states and all of the airline employees, and former retired employees, are vacationing, and they travel at S2 and S3 priorities, while buddy passes are S4. Basically, they put you on last, even after the freight sometimes.

However, don't be discouraged. It just takes planning. Of my last 4 trips to Rio, 3 of them have been on buddy passes, and I got on with no problem and sit in Business Class both ways for $410. My "Dad" and I were on the same flight down to Rio back in April and he walked right by me on his way to steerage. I tried not to smile. And, if you want to extend your trip , you don't have to call the airline and pay a change fee.

The next time (if ever) you try to use one, have the person you got the pass from call and see how many seats are open a couple of days before the flight, then keep checking it until the actual day. They can see how far you are down the list and how likely you are to actually get on.

Also, if there is bad weather in the midwest or northeast on any given day, go to the airport and try to get on no matter what the flight looks like because some of those people on the flight won't make it because their connections were delayed by weather.

Yeah, I think my mistake this time was the fact that I didnt know Delta had stopped the second flight to Rio out of ATL. This obviously made the single flight out a bit more difficult to come by.

The whole thing about the "wing-man" is more out of comfort I guess. I have always traveled with this guy to Rio so I guess its just what Im use to. Guess now would be a good time as ever to branch out.

In regards to Don and Ken, I know I have seen just about everyone talk about them on this site. They seem pretty cool. Could someone "remind" me of their web site? Im going to need another apartment also and would like to see what they have to offer.

Here is their web site.

http://www.amerioca.net/

The other plus is that if there are any other guys in town using their service, then you might also meet a few new running mates.

Thanks Bluestraveller

Delta never had two flights a day between GIG-ATL, to the best of my knowledge. They just started that routing a few years ago, they used to just fly to GRU and then you had to get a domestic flight from there to Rio.

They recently announced the restart of the second ATL-GRU flight (seasonal). I'm not sure if it has actually restarted yet though. ATL-GIG is definitely once daily.

Thawk 127,
welcome to the world of pass riding, sometimes a problem, but with outstanding benefits, and ALWAYS a concern.
I have been pass riding for 38 years now, only last year did I have to buy a ticket for the first time due to extreme load conditions, etc. It is an art form that is learned, and this is why most airline personnel are reluctant to give buddy passes out. The buddy pass provider has an obligation in my book to help with the checking of loads, and a host of other factors that affect those loads and available seats. You state you have traveled 5 times now on a buddy pass; was it luck or skill that allowed you successful boarding? Do you honestly have any idea of checking the non-rev's information telephone line, the computer for actual seat counts. Do you understand the following:actual/authorized/booked? Where do you decide whether to try for a flight or not?
I have only been bumped 6 times in my life, that's no accident, that's planning. My point: your friend should have been looking at the loads, aware of any flight restrictions, and giving you a newbie some advice and help in getting to your destination. Diversity recently begin using buddy passes and I have been educating him since. He now understands terms/situations he has only heard me reference. Also, a flt can show seats available but what about those thousands of pounds of revenue producing freight going underdecks. Peru is one destination on Delta that warns their employees that this destination is difficult. On Continental, we always have freight problems out of SP, even tho seats exist above deck. Try explaing to 20 non-revs why they can't get on with 30 open seats while 50,000 lbs of freight [producing very good income vs 20 freebies] is going and they are not! The point is only airline personnel are privy [with some research in many cases] to all the information that helps in making a good decision as to whether to try for a flight or not.
Diversity, due to his benefactor at an airline, and myself has had very good sucess with pass riding, but it is because he is learning how it is accomplished. Granted, when an unknown entity such as another airline airline cancels a flight or an equipment substitution (downsize the aircraft) occures then everyone including the veteran fliers are subject to a problem of accomodation and then it does get problematic. Also, besides freight, and revenue passengers, you are competing with other pass rides with different pass classifications. You need to know those, and FYI: a buddy pass is a bottom feeder-lol [no offense, just fact]
The upside is when you get on w/o any problems as you have several times now it certainly is nice isn't it? Hopefully this very unfortunate and costly experience will cause you to take the necessary steps in the future to ensure minimal risk of getting bumped. Good luck!

Thawk,
you are not a dumb-ass, only a pass rider with a lower pass classification on a full flight. One day you can't get a middle seat in the last row, next day you are in First Class, the way of the pass rider!

I guess you are right... I was just ready to get there already. Oh well.. I will be in Rio the first week of September (thank goodness for the advantage miles on my credit card). Any of you guys going to be down there?

Let's put it this way - with a buddy pass, you might get to where you want to go sometime around when you want to go. Same on the return. Or you may just waste a lot of time prepping for a trip and hanging out at the airport and never actually go anywhere. No sun, no fun, no pussy.

If it's not essential that you get to your destination, and you can spend your vacation instead hanging around your house, then great, nothing lost. Most guys with success with buddy passes are guys like CFK - retired, former airline employee, knows the system, likes spending time running seats down. Or guys like Diversity, who has very flexible work schedules and is very acquainted with the travel biz.

For everyone else, who needs to schedule vacation time, may not have a lot of flexibility when it comes to time/work schedules, then I don't recommend them. In those cases - which is basically most everyone - you want to know when you're leaving, and when you're returning, and you want to maximize your time. On a buddy pass, you're always going to worry a bit about not being able to get a seat. CFK was scheduled to go to Panama with me once and bailed out just a week or less ahead of time due to availability. No big deal to me, but if I had been in the same boat, then I would have been stuck home that weekend. Or paying a lot more for a last-minute ticket.

Just for clarification!!!!!!!!

My pass classification is different, I am NOT on a buddy pass. Technically they are for individuals NOT eligible for employee passes, ie non airline personnel. The class of pass varies among airline personnel, mgnt, etc. I still hold a high pass classification, just not as high as it once was, so when I get bumped or decide not to list for a flight it is pretty bad, other pass riders would not stand a chance.
Obviously as Cat stated, flexibility is a nice option, although when working I had the same constraints as anyone else. Planning is the key.
Never try and fly anywhere mid July-mid Aug, etc.
Trying to go to Panama with Cat was one of the few times I couldn't get a flight, maybe it was a SIGN???

CFK

It was a blessing for me to be sure.

Delta did have 2 flights (at least leaving Rio) briefly during Jan and Feb, but only on Saturday and Sunday. I know this to be a fact because I flew out of Rio on a Sat morning at 10 AM on Delta in mid Feb and there was another flight leaving later that night at the normal 11 pm time.

Of probably 20 trips to Rio over 5 years, I've flown on a buddy pass probably 16 of those times and have never been left behind, and only maybe twice did I not get in Business Class. And I've left the night I had planned all along probably 95% of the time too, so you just have to know what you are doing. It's not that risky.

As someone who have used a pass for about half of my almost 3 dozen trips to Brazil on two airlines, I will admit that it can be a blessing and a nightmare. Buying your way out of brazil is quite expensive. I have had to do this twice. If you are on a strict schedule and want a more worry free form of travel stay away from the buddy pass.Being stuck in Rio might sound fun but not when you have to be a work the next day. It's even worst when stuck in Sao Paulo, that place is like a giant maze when you arrive unprepared, nothing like Copa,LOL.

Even with pre planning things can go wrong suddenly. Recently some airlines have been switching to smaller planes at the last minute due to fuel cost(correct me if I'm wrong airline experts).I prefer to buy a regular tiket and try to do so when feasable.I mostly use those things because I tend to make my decisions to travel and find out my work schedule within a week or so of departure since I mostly travel outside of my assigned vacation. So I take a chance buying a regular ticket and finding out I didn't get the days off or paying high prices for buying so close to departure date.It also saves me from paying the $200 fees evrytime I decide to extend my stay for a day or two,which use to happen often during the good old days.

Do not travel to Rio on a pass around New years and the first few weeks of January, unless you don't mind staying in rio for a few weeks. And holidays here will make it hard to get on an outgoing flight to Rio ,especially connecting domestic flights to the airline hub (LAX-ATL,LAX-MIA etc).Of course Carnaval is a bad time. Also if you plan on connecting upon arrival to GIG on another flight(pre-paid) to another state in Brazil . But basically if you are going to do this pre plan and check the flights constantly (if you can). Always be ready for the possibilty of buying a last minute ticket out if you are left with no other option. P.S if you do this buy a round trip because they are cheaper and you can use the return date to go back to Rio(the return date has to be set at the time of purchase and has to be no later than about 60 days) and the unused leg of the pass to go home the next trip.

Not sure the day you are coming in, but I will be in Rio from Aug 22 to Sept 3. I will be around Don and Ken's place. If not, there are always guys around. AZ

AZ,
My fisrt day is actually on the 3rd. Thanks anyway bro!

if you are on a tight vacation schedule, its not worth it trying to non-rev...worst thing you can do it is spend a month jacking yourself up for a trip and not getting on the flight...

i got spoiled my first several trips getting business class for free but loadings have continued to increase (seemed to start getting bad when Varig went in the shitter)...i just buy a ticket to spare the stress

good to know though - my flight privileges are down to Delta so sounds as though i shouldnt consider...dont think they fly to Medellin yet either