Red Pass and seat upgrades?

[U/S]

I'm travelling with AC later this week to Europe. I don't work for an airline but have a red pass. Is there any use bringing it with me to the check in counter to try for an upgrade or should I leave it at home? Thanks,
U/S

[Panama Jack]

You've got to be kidding.

[THEICEMAN]

No!...& what ever you do, don't go walking out on the terminal halls with it exposed. If you decide to bring it with you for identification purposes, leave it in your bag/pocket.

At least here in YUL, my buddy was questioned by security. They wanted to know why he had his red pass with him off duty. Apparently they don't like it!
Don't blame em..

[loadshed]

employees usually dont even get the upgrade, even if seats are available. (unless deadheading)

[. .]

Believe it or not, your red pass can't even be used for identification to get your ticket. So not only will it have 0 chance of getting you an upgrade, it also won't even be able to be accepted as a piece of ID.

[LegoMan]

I used my red pass as ID because I forgot my passport and drivers licence. And on one of the flights was upgraded to first class although I only got breakfast after everyone got theirs

[. .]

Lego: You were lucky to be allowed boarding with a redpass. Even company pilots aren't allowed to use it as an ID source. Perhaps yours was awhile ago before things changed.

[LegoMan]

it was about 2 months ago, the check-in desk saw my pass and then at the gate they looked at my pass and then the captain came and looked at my pass and issued me a jumpseat pass. it was that easy flying both ways.

[Stinky]

Lucky. I was deadheading in uniform with my redpass obviously and they made me dig out my drivers license to board the plane!

[captainsweaty]

Doesn't hurt to sweet talk gate agent or FA's if not too busy, if they they have to move someone due weight and balance, or to accommodate people traveling together could be your lucky day!

[Cat Driver]

So if a Red Pass is no good to identify who you are with your picture on it why have one?

[. .]

The regulations specify that ID must be presented at the boarding gate with the name, gender and DOB present on government issued identification. This means that using the RAIC is technically not legal since the RAIC does not include the date of birth.

Obviously encoded fingerprint and retina scans isn't enough to make up for the lake of date of birth.

[bob sacamano]

As said above, RAIC pass does not qualify as an ID that may be used at the gate. I don't agree with it, but, the ones in power have decided that. Having said that, 99.9% of the time, that's what I use (50% of that time I would be in my uniform).

As for upgrade, sweet talk the F/A once you walk onboard, don't even bother with the gate agent. If you have a pretty smile, use it on her, if not, go to the back, sit down with the sheep, and use your smile on the fat lady next to you. Might not be first class, but on a long haul, she might come in handy as a headrest.

[captainsweaty]

sweet talking the gate agent my not have gotten me a j class seat it did get my girlfriend and I a middle row with no one in the middle on an almost full long haul. Only the gate agent can get you in j class if cattle class is oversold, in the plane and only if needed for ops purposes can the FA move you due W&B.

[El Comat]

Here's a question...why do some pilots feel the need to proudly wear their RAIC when traveling as a paying passenger in plain clothes? I picked my wife up from the airport the other day and she had the "privilege" of sitting beside a new hot-shot MU-2 pilot who was in jeans and a t-shirt, and of course, wearing his RAIC. And as you would expect of someone wearing their RAIC while not working/commuting, he couldn't wait to tell my wife what he did for a living (he made sure she knew he was a direct-entry captain). And we wonder why people think we're arrogant....

EC

[...]

Believe it or not, your red pass can't even be used for identification to get your ticket. So not only will it have 0 chance of getting you an upgrade, it also won't even be able to be accepted as a piece of ID.

Wanna bet? I get bumped up all the time everytime. Co-workers @ SKK shake their heads and drop their jaws in amazment as I spin my magical tongue into flury of suave lyrical extasy resulting in people feeling good about themselves from our brief experience together at the counter...9 1/2 times out of 10 we're sitting "B'inness" Class. If not it is because the section or flight is full.

I don't expect to...It's just a result of years of refined and tuned series of mechanisms I have developed while working in the airlines, flying and deadheading across the world, for 10 years. I will never devuldge my skills/secrets on this forum or in public. In fact, if a colleague see's me "go to work" on an unsuspecting check-in counter agent for an upgrade, I tell him I will cut down his family whilst they sleep if he repeats to anyone what he just witnessed.

------break break--------

To the author of this thread, take that red pass with you. If anything it will get you a break on hotels/hostels. And if you do it right, maybe even an upgrade on a flight. But don't prance around with it...even I can't stand that.

[Liquid Charlie]

I call bull shit

[...]

I call bull shit

That's fine.

[B-rad]

.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Where can I get a picture of one of these RAIC's I want to make one for my new dog because the old one my last dog wore was my old green ID from the eighties in Vancouver I just laminated the dogs picture over mine.

I want my new dog to at least look like he is up to date.

He is still only a pup and the gold captain bars are a little big for him now, but he seems to understand that he will look real cool at the airport wearing them.

[B-rad]

.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Here is a picture of Wilbur Wrong, I couldn't find his ID tag that day so he was not wearing it.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e353/ ... 010671.jpg

[CD]

The regulations specify that ID must be presented at the boarding gate with the name, gender and DOB present on government issued identification. This means that using the RAIC is technically not legal since the RAIC does not include the date of birth.

Obviously encoded fingerprint and retina scans isn't enough to make up for the lake of date of birth.

Was talking with a TC inspector last week. this is now changed and HE mentioned using it as ID. your heard it first from me on Avcanada!

Not quite yet... The proposed change has been published in the Canada Gazette Part I but not in Part II yet. Nothing is official until it's published in Part II. Here is summary of the proposed changes to the Identity Screening Regulations:

(1) Remove the requirement for passengers who appear to be under the age of 18 to present identification (currently a Ministerial Exemption).

(2) Remove the requirement for air carriers to verify name, gender and date of birth at the boarding gate, and require that carriers verify name only with one government-issued photo identification document or two non-photo government-issued identification documents.

(3) Include the restricted area identity card (RAIC) as an acceptable non-government identification document for presentation at the boarding gate.

(4) Incorporate in the ISR, salient elements of the voluntary Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) currently signed by air carriers, which include

(a) Using the most up-to-date names of persons specified to the air carrier by the Minister for the purpose of the Passenger Protect Program and prohibiting the air carrier from using any name of a person specified to the air carrier by the Minister for any other purpose (e.g. their own corporate use);

(b) removing any name no longer specified under the Passenger Protect Program from any air carrier system and prohibiting air carriers from using old names of persons specified to the air carrier by the Minister for any other purpose;

(c) ensuring the names of persons specified to the air carrier by the Minister are not disclosed by air carriers and that the names of persons specified to the air carrier by the Minister are accessed only by those who need access to this information in order to carry out their duties; and

(d) maintaining a list of airline personnel who have access to the names of persons specified to the air carriers by the Minister, and providing these names to Transport Canada, upon request.

(5) Designate monetary penalties (i.e. administrative fines) as a more effective and efficient means to enforce these Regulations.

Vol. 142, No. 21 — May 24, 2008 — Regulations Amending the Identity Screening Regulations