Nonrev
Encyclopedia
A Nonrev or Non-rev, in airline parlance, is short for a non-revenue passenger. Typically this refers to an airline
employee, or family member of an airline employee, who is utilizing their travel benefits to fly on a standby
basis at no cost
, or at a substantially reduced cost. Subload (Short form of Subject-to-load) is another term used for Non-rev. Another term is interline travel
, which is relevant only of the airline employees uses another airline (other than his own employing airline) to travel. All non-revs need not be interline travellers.
On nonrev tickets, passengers are not able to reserve a seat. As the nature of the ticket is "Space Available Ticket" or "Standby Ticket", contrary to revenue passengers whose tickets are often called "Positive Space Ticket" or "Confirmed Ticket" because the reservation can be confirmed by an airline, indicating that the airline holding the reservation is responsible for the carriage of the passenger to the said destination. However, "Space Available Ticket" or "Standby Ticket" are sometimes sold by the airlines or travel agents throughout the world at low price in order for the airlines to fill up the seats in attempt to generate last minute revenue. "Open Tickets" is also sold to revenue passengers in the same manner but it is bookable, often changeable and refundable. Due to its flexibility, it is often very expensive. Nonrev travel is important from an airline's perspective, as this is a unique incentive that only airlines can offer to their employees. This keeps employees' loyalty to the employer and the industry. The airline maintains a department (mostly under HR, Customer Relationships, Sales & Marketing) just to support this welfare initiative and in most cases, provide dedicated websites and reservation hotline to make, modify, and delete the "listing" (Letting the airline know of their intention to travel on a particular flight).
When there are more passengers on standby
than there are available seats, free spaces are awarded based on priority: nonrev passengers have the lowest priority on a flight's standby
list, as they will be competing with paying passengers on standby
as well as other nonrevs. This usually leads to a situation where non-revs get "bumped off" of a flight.
Further, nonrevs are prioritized amongst one another, with airline employees prioritized by seniority
or check in time, then airline employee family members, and then finally "buddy passes", which are neither.
Airline employees usually enjoy the freedom of flying any flight on a standby
basis with little or no advance booking, as long as there is a seat available on the flight. As a result, there is a niche "nonrev" vacation
industry that caters to airline employees. Travel agencies
catering to nonrevs market surplus discounted vacations, and hotel
accommodations at the last minute at deeply discounted rates, with the knowledge that nonrev travelers are able to travel to fill such accommodations with minimal planning.
Off-late airlines are becoming conscious of the fact that proper management of non-rev travel
can save a lot in terms of cost and at times generate revenue. (A part of the standby
tickets may be given to the employee at a small fee). Thus this becomes one way to utilise a seat which otherwise would have gone empty. Advance booking (even for a standby
travel) is becoming a practice in many carriers.
Nonrevs also often get discounts at the cities they layover when they work. They generally receive discounts at restaurants, attractions
and local tours because frequently visit these businesses in large groups. Nonrevs on vacations sometimes make others aware of these discount
s by passing information to their fellow workers through word of mouth as well as company blogs or special-purpose nonrev websites.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
employee, or family member of an airline employee, who is utilizing their travel benefits to fly on a standby
Standby (air travel)
On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a prior reservation for that specific flight.- Why fly standby? :...
basis at no cost
Cost
In production, research, retail, and accounting, a cost is the value of money that has been used up to produce something, and hence is not available for use anymore. In business, the cost may be one of acquisition, in which case the amount of money expended to acquire it is counted as cost. In this...
, or at a substantially reduced cost. Subload (Short form of Subject-to-load) is another term used for Non-rev. Another term is interline travel
Interline travel
Interline travel refers to airline employee discounts for travel. Interline is a term used in the airline industry indicating travel between airlines...
, which is relevant only of the airline employees uses another airline (other than his own employing airline) to travel. All non-revs need not be interline travellers.
On nonrev tickets, passengers are not able to reserve a seat. As the nature of the ticket is "Space Available Ticket" or "Standby Ticket", contrary to revenue passengers whose tickets are often called "Positive Space Ticket" or "Confirmed Ticket" because the reservation can be confirmed by an airline, indicating that the airline holding the reservation is responsible for the carriage of the passenger to the said destination. However, "Space Available Ticket" or "Standby Ticket" are sometimes sold by the airlines or travel agents throughout the world at low price in order for the airlines to fill up the seats in attempt to generate last minute revenue. "Open Tickets" is also sold to revenue passengers in the same manner but it is bookable, often changeable and refundable. Due to its flexibility, it is often very expensive. Nonrev travel is important from an airline's perspective, as this is a unique incentive that only airlines can offer to their employees. This keeps employees' loyalty to the employer and the industry. The airline maintains a department (mostly under HR, Customer Relationships, Sales & Marketing) just to support this welfare initiative and in most cases, provide dedicated websites and reservation hotline to make, modify, and delete the "listing" (Letting the airline know of their intention to travel on a particular flight).
When there are more passengers on standby
Standby (air travel)
On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a prior reservation for that specific flight.- Why fly standby? :...
than there are available seats, free spaces are awarded based on priority: nonrev passengers have the lowest priority on a flight's standby
Standby (air travel)
On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a prior reservation for that specific flight.- Why fly standby? :...
list, as they will be competing with paying passengers on standby
Standby (air travel)
On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a prior reservation for that specific flight.- Why fly standby? :...
as well as other nonrevs. This usually leads to a situation where non-revs get "bumped off" of a flight.
Further, nonrevs are prioritized amongst one another, with airline employees prioritized by seniority
Seniority
Seniority is the concept of a person or group of people being in charge or in command of another person or group. This control is often granted to the senior person due to experience or length of service in a given position, but it is not uncommon for a senior person to have less experience or...
or check in time, then airline employee family members, and then finally "buddy passes", which are neither.
Airline employees usually enjoy the freedom of flying any flight on a standby
Standby (air travel)
On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a prior reservation for that specific flight.- Why fly standby? :...
basis with little or no advance booking, as long as there is a seat available on the flight. As a result, there is a niche "nonrev" vacation
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
industry that caters to airline employees. Travel agencies
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
catering to nonrevs market surplus discounted vacations, and hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
accommodations at the last minute at deeply discounted rates, with the knowledge that nonrev travelers are able to travel to fill such accommodations with minimal planning.
Off-late airlines are becoming conscious of the fact that proper management of non-rev travel
Airline staff travel
One of the perquisites that the airline industry provides to its employees is free or discounted travel. Since the traveller in this case is the "staff" of a particular airline, the benefit is widely known as "staff travel" and is either offered internally within a company or independent companies...
can save a lot in terms of cost and at times generate revenue. (A part of the standby
Standby (air travel)
On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a prior reservation for that specific flight.- Why fly standby? :...
tickets may be given to the employee at a small fee). Thus this becomes one way to utilise a seat which otherwise would have gone empty. Advance booking (even for a standby
Standby (air travel)
On most modern airlines, flying standby occurs when a passenger travels on a flight without a prior reservation for that specific flight.- Why fly standby? :...
travel) is becoming a practice in many carriers.
Nonrevs also often get discounts at the cities they layover when they work. They generally receive discounts at restaurants, attractions
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and local tours because frequently visit these businesses in large groups. Nonrevs on vacations sometimes make others aware of these discount
Discounts and allowances
Discounts and allowances are reductions to a basic price of goods or services.They can occur anywhere in the distribution channel, modifying either the manufacturer's list price , the retail price , or the list price Discounts and allowances are reductions to a basic price of goods or services.They...
s by passing information to their fellow workers through word of mouth as well as company blogs or special-purpose nonrev websites.
External links
- iFly Staff(offers management of non-rev travel, and booking facility for employees)
- StaffTravel.eu (All your Staff Travel needs in ONE place)
- InterlineTravel.com(offers non-rev travel discounts to airline employees/families)
- ID90 (offers benefits and information to nonrevs)
- nonrev.net (message board for non rev travelers)
- Non-Rev.com - Non-Rev tools, community and resources