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Delta Announces Pass Changes
first their Statement followed by
expanded info:
Delta Retiree & Survivor Pass Travel
Program in 2025
We're excited to
introduce several pass travel changes coming in 2025, designed to offer greater
flexibility and expanded options, with more opportunities for your family and
friends to travel:
S3A flight
days increase from six to eight in 2025. On
your pass travel anniversary in 2025, you will receive the new allotment of
eight S3As per eligible pass rider. In the interim, two S3As will also be added
to your remaining 2024 balances by Feb. 2025.
One
'secondary' travel companion added by Feb.
2025 for unlimited and unaccompanied non-revenue standby travel at S3B
priority, even if you have a spouse/domestic partner/primary travel companion.
Fly Confirmed
For Less Discount Program open to primary travel companions in the second half of 2025,
allowing them to fly unaccompanied and unlimited Fly Confirmed For Less (FCFL).
FCFL is already available to parents, spouses, domestic partners and dependent
children.
Fly Confirmed
For Less Discount Program for 'buddies' with four 'slots'
to issue either one-way or round-trip tickets for someone who is not in your
PPR will also be available in the second half of 2025. The traveler must
be accompanied in the same PNR by you or one of your eligible pass riders
(e.g., you and a neighbor could fly together) and on paid FCFL tickets.
We will not
issue buddy passes beyond 2025. We heard that many Delta people are looking for more valuable
alternatives in lieu of buddy passes. The data shows that buddy passes are
underutilized and considered low value, with buddy pass users issuing an
average of three passes out of the eight allotted per year. You will be
allotted four buddy passes in 2025 to ease the transition, and your current
allotment of buddy passes for 2024 will remain in effect until your anniversary
date in 2025.
Please refer to
the detailed FAQs for more details. If you need additional help, please
contact Ask HR via Alumni Deltanet.
Thank you,
Jennifer Shay
Director, Employee & Alumni Services
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks to Carol Faulkner for sending in this expanded Q & A on
the changes:
Retiree & Survivor Pass Travel Enhancements in 2025
Buddy Passes
Why is Delta discontinuing
buddy passes after 2025?
We have data about low buddy
pass utilization:
·
Over the last two years, data shows that only 38% of active
employees have issued at least one buddy pass
·
1/3 of buddy pass users issue passes to the same person every
time
·
Buddy pass users issued on average three passes out of the eight
allotted
As a result, Delta is replacing the buddy pass program with other options that
are more highly valued. Employees and retirees will have the option to add a
Secondary Travel Companion who may travel unlimited and unaccompanied with S3B
standby code. Retirees will enjoy an increase in their S3A annual allotment
from six to eight.
Why aren't we being
provided with the option to keep buddy passes or elect something else?
These changes are based on
survey responses and in-person focus groups conducted over the last year, and supported
by the low utilization of buddy passes across the operation. The combination of
feedback and the technological changes required to manage multiple offerings
guided decisions about the program.
Who does this change
impact?
All primary pass riders who are
eligible for buddy passes will have four buddy passes, effective with their
next pass anniversary on or after Jan. 1, 2025. No buddy passes will be
allotted after 2025.
Will the four buddy passes
for 2025 continue to be roundtrip?
Yes, buddy passes will be valid
for one-way or round-trip travel. There are no changes to the policy or usage
parameters for buddy passes issued in 2025. The process to add, authorize and
ticket buddy passes will not change. The only change is the number of buddy passes
being allotted.
Does this mean buddy
passes will go away starting Jan. 1, 2026? Or throughout the year as the
authorization expires?
Effective Jan. 1, 2026, buddy
passes will no longer be allocated. Buddy passes issued on your 2025
anniversary that have not yet expired may continue to be authorized and
ticketed in 2026. Any unused buddy passes during your current pass anniversary
year expire on your next pass anniversary date.
What will happen if I've
already authorized and ticketed eight buddy passes in my previous pass
anniversary year that have travel planned during my current pass anniversary
year in which the buddy pass allotment has changed?
Buddy passes that have been
authorized and ticketed, and have not expired, can continue to be used for travel.
This change affects my
ability to plan travel with family and friends that aren't eligible to be a
part of my pass rider list. Will there be any changes to our pass travel policy
to replace this change?
Based on employee feedback and
low utilization of buddy passes, Delta is replacing the buddy pass program with
other options that are more highly valued. In 2025, employees and retirees will
have the option to add a secondary travel companion who may travel unlimited
and unaccompanied with S3B standby code. Later in 2025, employees and retirees
will have the opportunity to extend their Fly Confirmed For Less discount to
individuals who are not currently included in their eligible pass rider group,
allowing employees to fly with family and friends. Both the employee and their
companion must be flying on purchased Fly Confirmed For Less tickets.
S2 Allotment Increase/S3B
& S3A
Will retirees now receive
S2 passes?
No. Retirees are eligible for
S3A flight days that are comparable to active employee S2 flight days and offer
a higher priority among other retirees or S3B pass riders.
Beginning in 2025, all pass riders eligible for S3A allotments will increase to
eight S3As per year, renewed on the anniversary date. For example, if your anniversary
date is on July 15, 2025, you will have four buddy passes to authorize and
issue before your next anniversary date on July 15, 2026. The buddy passes
ticketed in that period will follow the normal ticketing and issuance
guidelines. You will not be given a new allotment of buddy passes after
2025.
Is it going to be harder
for me to get on a flight with the increase in S3B pass riders?
Currently. 81% of retirees have
higher seniority dates than 88% of active employees. This means that you will
maintain priority over these new unaccompanied S3Bs. Additionally, only
retirees and eligible riders will receive an increased allotment of S3As,
keeping the retiree group competitive from that perspective as well. The new
secondary companions will not be eligible for S3As.
Can I exceed my S3A
allotment?
No, you cannot exceed your S3A allotment. If you or a pass rider
exceeds their S3A for priority allotments in an unauthorized manner, the
primary pass rider will be penalized $150 per day exceeded for domestic travel
and $300 per day exceeded for transoceanic travel. This may also result in
suspension of pass travel privileges and/or administrative action, up to and
including termination of employment.
Secondary Travel Companion
Who is eligible to have a
secondary travel companion?
Full- and part-time employees,
Seasonal Agents, Res W@H, co-op students, interns, employees on disability,
voluntary leave participants, furloughed employees, retirees and
survivors.
I already have a primary
travel companion designated; can I add a secondary travel companion?
Yes. You can add a secondary
travel companion along with your spouse/domestic partner/primary travel
companion.
What pass priority will
the secondary travel companion have?
The secondary travel companion
will fly at a standard boarding priority of S3B.
Is the secondary travel
companion eligible for the Fly Confirmed For Less program?
No, secondary travel companions
are not eligible for the Fly Confirmed For Less program.
Is the secondary travel
companion eligible for ZED (OAL) travel?
No, secondary travel companions
are not eligible for ZED (OAL) travel per our agreements with our partner
carriers.
Can I add or remove my
secondary travel companion at any time?
The addition/removal of a
secondary travel companion will follow the same rules as your primary travel
companion. You may add a secondary travel companion at any time if:
·
You have never designated a secondary travel companion during
your employment at Delta.
·
You have not had a secondary travel companion since your last
pass eligibility date, or in the event of death of your current secondary
travel companion
·
Your current secondary travel companion has not traveled since
your pass anniversary date
Once added, if your secondary
travel companion travels, you may not add a new one until the anniversary date.
You may remove them at any time, but you will not be able to replace them until
your following anniversary date.
Can I designate my
secondary travel companion as a primary travel companion?
Yes. You can designate your
secondary travel companion as a primary travel companion if:
·
You have never designated a primary travel companion during your
employment at Delta
·
You have not had a primary travel companion since your last pass
anniversary date, or in the event of death of your current primary travel
companion
·
Your current primary travel companion has not traveled since
your pass anniversary date
Who can I designate as my new secondary travel companion?
You can designate whomever you
choose. Remember, your travel companion must be someone you know well. You are
responsible for educating your pass riders about Delta's policies, procedures
and behavior expectations when traveling as a Delta non-rev. Misconduct by you
or your pass riders could result in suspension of your pass travel privileges
and/or termination of employment.
Will the secondary travel
companion travel at imputed income or yield fare?
The value of the flight
segments flown by the secondary travel companion (based on the yield fare) will
be reported as taxable income (imputed income) to the employee after travel is
completed. Applicable international departure/arrival fees and taxes will be
payroll deducted (or invoiced for retirees). This is the same process applied
to travel by domestic partners and primary travel companions.
Example: If the base out of
pocket yield fare for travel on a particular route is $100, the $100 is taxable
and subject to the employee's normal federal/state/local/FICA withholdings. For
example, if your total tax rate adds up to 30%, then you will be responsible
for $30.00 in taxes for that trip.
Is my secondary travel
companion eligible for emergency travel?
Yes. In the event of a
life-or-death emergency, S1A emergency pass travel can be used with your
manager's approval. Inactive employees and retirees should contact the Travel
Call Center (1-800-MY-DELTA). Additional information on Delta's Emergency
Travel policy can be found here.
Fly Confirmed Discount
Program – Travel Companion Eligibility
Once implemented in late
2025, will my primary and secondary travel companion be eligible for the Fly
Confirmed Discount Program?
In the second half of 2025,
your primary travel companion will be eligible for the Fly Confirmed Discount
Program and can travel unaccompanied. Your secondary travel companion will not
be eligible for the Fly Confirmed Discount Program.
How will the imputed
income be calculated and reported?
More information on this will
be shared as the program launches in 2025.
Why aren't non-dependent
children eligible for the Fly Confirmed Discount Program?
Offering the Fly Confirmed
Discount Program to primary travel companions more closely aligns with
privileges offered to spouses and domestic partners, for those retirees who are
not married or in a domestic partnership. Because of the high number of
non-dependents and the potential for revenue loss and additional cost to Delta
for the FICA tax obligation for imputed income, we are not considering
expanding FCFL eligibility to non-dependents.
Is there a limit on how
many times my primary travel companion can use the Fly Confirmed Discount
Program?
No. There is no limitation on how
many times your primary travel companion can utilize the Fly Confirmed Discount
Program.
Are there any blackout
dates or restrictions on when my travel companion can use the discounts?
No, there are no blackout dates
or restrictions.
Fly Confirmed Discount
Program – Non-Pass Rider Slots
How do I add and ticket a
non-pass rider to the Fly Confirmed Discount program?
Information about the new
process will be available closer to the launch date later in 2025.
Do I have to accompany my
non-pass riders when using Fly Confirmed For Less?
While we believe this new
offering will be highly valued by employees, even with the accompaniment
requirement, this feature helps reduce opportunities for program misuse. The accompanying
passenger can be anyone (except a secondary companion or nondependents) in the
employee’s PPR pass rider list. It does not have to be the
employee/retiree.
Delta reduced our buddy
pass allotment from eight to four, and there are only four tickets in which a
non-pass rider can utilize the Fly Confirmed Discount program. Has Delta
considered increasing it to more available slots?
This is a new offering that was
considered based on employee feedback. Because these are confirmed tickets, the
potential for revenue dilution is greater than for buddy passes so the number
of available slots is four. After the program is in place, it will be evaluated
as part of ongoing reviews of Delta's pass travel offerings and employee
feedback.
How will the imputed
income be calculated and reported?
More information on this will
be shared as the program launches in 2025.
Non-dependent children are
not eligible for the Fly Confirmed Discount Program. Is my non-dependent child
eligible to travel in one of the slots even though they are considered a pass
rider in my pass rider list?
Yes, they may use any of the
"slots" or tickets – as long as they are accompanied in the same PNR
by one of the eligible PPR riders.
Are there any blackout
dates or restrictions on when non-pass riders can use the discounts?
No, there are no blackout dates
or restrictions.
·
© 2024 Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Information Technology. All rights reserved.
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