US Airways fires three at PHL in 'buddy'-pass scheme

The most manipulative part of this scheme is, "Seats were blocked out on the Tel Aviv-Philadelphia route, and released just hours before a flight, so that passengers with the "buddy" passes could fly"

The article claims that the Envoy (business) tickets PHL-TLV are $1-3K but should probably clarify that's a one-way price.

What other flights were being blocked also? Not just the Tel Aviv but where else and how long did this go on.

Wow 450 bucks for a Business class last minute seat. Great deal.

Happens alot, something I'm not terribly surprised about. But tracking cactus's loads between Phl and tlv, I'm shocked they were even able to get on!

And hey...they gotta at somehow ;)

As a corporate travel agent for 30 years, this article disgusts me. I work 12 hour days to place many a business traveler on various airlines,yet the airlines do not compensate me one penny. Eight round trip tickets per employee a year is shocking. What have these employees done to promote and sell USAIR? I do that. I'd like eight round trip tickets a year, too! USAIR truly is USELESS air.

A friend works for an airline, you wouldn't believe what goes on !

The fact that the loads were so full was the reason that the employees were illegally blocking seats so that the pass riders they sold them to could get on.

Good riddance to those 3...Fantastic, maybe now my seniority will go up....employee-USAir