NON-REVENUE TRAVEL

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Many of you who have visited my website, http://www.skaymarshall.com and read my bio know that I worked and retired from Trans World Airlines after 36 years. A while back, I had a friend ask me to blog about non-revenue travel. So that’s what I’m going to do today. Turp said everyone thinks airline employees have it so good because they get to travel free, but someone needs to tell them that there are a lot of problems for non-revs when they fly.

Turp is right there are difficulties to flying stand-by even for those who have paid full fare but missed their flight, and then are placed on a waiting list for the next flight. If that flight is full they could end up waiting for the next one or the next one.

Standby is not the same as non-revenue travel so don’t get confused here. Standby is usually a paying passenger who didn’t show up on time for his flight, and he’s not allowed to bump other paying passengers off their flight so he can get a seat. All non-revs are subject to being bumped by anyone even by other non-revenue travelers.

When I worked for TWA, we were allowed to board a flight by seniority. Some airlines use the first come first serve method for allowing non-revs on a flight. No matter what method is used, we are the last to board, and if the plane is full we are left sitting at the airport for the next flight.

Some airlines have agreements between one another where they honor tickets from other carriers. These tickets are discounted by 50%, 75%, or 90%, and all of those people would get on the flight before a TWA non-rev. Also, military always go before non-rev flyers and sometimes even before paying passengers depending on the situation.

Another thing, I must remind you of is that airline personnel have the same expenses at the other end of the flight as any paying passenger. Like everyone else, we have to save for our trips.

The longest I’ve ever had to wait for a flight is three days, but that’s another story, and I’ll tell you about it next week when I talk about my travel experiences while working at TWA.

One other thing I want to add is that I haven't heard from my contest winner, RobynL, and I need her address to send her prize.

Next Sunday, I’ll return with my adventures as a non-rev. Have a great week.

Hugs,
Sandy
http://www.eirelander-publishing.com

Happy New Year!

Hello Everyone,

As I look out my office window watching the snow fall, I can't help but wonder what the new year will bring. Will our economy get better, will the health care be changed for the better, will we be safer; all of these questions enter my mind and more.

The new year brings new hope, and we all look forward to something better in 2010. Some of you can remember the tough times of the fifties, the sixties, the seventies, and every generation thinks their decade was the hardest to get through. My parents grew up in the twenties, thirties, and the forties. All of these decades were difficult.

The last decade is no worse than any other. Every generation thinks theirs was not as good as the one before them. This is not true. Each group has its' problems to face, and each one of us can survive them if we just realize that all we have to do is keep going. It may not be easy, but it does get easier at times. Never despair so much that you lose hope.

That's enough philosophizing for now. Those of you who have been reading my blog every week know that I posted two questions on November 9, 2009 for a contest to start December 1st. I'm posting the questions with the answers below.

1. Give description of young woman at the Regional Laboratory.

Answer: Inside the regional laboratory, a young woman with hair parted in the middle and black ponytails at either side of her head greeted them. Andy handed the note back to the Goth-looking young woman with black lipstick and fingernails.

2. What did the tautness of Jake's arms tell Jolene?

Answer: He didn't buy what he was selling either.

Although many of you got part of the answer right on the first question. It was obvious only one person read the entire excerpt and got the correct answer. Wink! RobynL, you're the winner. lol I need your snail address again. Yep, that's right folks, this is the second win for Robyn L. She won the contest at my interview with Books by Pickles. RobynL, I hope you'll be as please with this gift as you were with the last one.

For the second contest that started on December 6, 2009, which was to be given to the commenter who came by the most frequently, I have a three-way tie. lol The winners are Elle, Amy M. and Robyn L., and all I'll need is email addresses. For those of you who have already bought Addiction, please let me know so I can send you something else.

May there be peace and prosperity in 2010. Hang in there folks.

Hugs,
Sandy
http://www.skaymarshall.com
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=e684nldayz0
http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com/1/post/2009/12/-read-review-of-addiction-by-sandra-k-marshall.html

Review by BK Books

Hello Everyone,

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We had a winter wonderland here and the kids in the neighborhood have been out sleighing in our driveway. lol Remember doing that as a kid. Brrr! No way could you get me out there now. lol

This will be one of shortest blogs, but I wanted to wish all of you a healthy and Happy New Year.

For some good news, my book, Addiction, received a wonderful review from BK Books, and I'm absolutely thrilled with the five stars they gave me.
Review by BK Walker - Addiction by Sandra K. Marshall is one of the best books I've come across this year! A must read for those that love a true murder and mystery.

If you wish to read more of the review you may go to this link:

http://bkwalkerbooks.weebly.com/1/post/2009/12/-read-review-of-addiction-by-sandra-k-marshall.html

Thank you to all who have visited my blog this year. Even to those who didn't leave a comment. Wink! I know you are there. Smile.

Happy New Year! Stay safe and may there be peace even if it's just in our little corner of the world.

Next week, I'll post the winners of my contests.

Sandy

Favorite Childhood Christmas Traditions

Hello Everyone,

Today, I'm going to tell you about my favorite childhood Christmas traditions. On Christmas Eve, I loved going to church because all of the children enacted the nativity scene that night to celebrate the birth of Christ. At the end of the services as we streamed out of the church wishing everyone a Merry Christmas we were handed a string bag with candy and nuts in it before we walked out into a winter wonderland to see snow falling and the glow of streetlights.

That wasn't the end of the evening. After church, we drove just a few blocks to Grandma and Grandpa's house. The Christmas tree sitting in front of their picture window brightly lit welcomed us and the excitement built in my cousins, sister, brother and me knowing what was inside. Grandma had hot chocolate and cookies ready for us when we went through the door. One look at all the gloriously wrapped gifts and the ones that weren't wrapped drove that from our minds.

Of course, we always got to unwrap gifts first, then we had the hot chocolate and cookies before leaving sleepily to go to our own homes. It was a lovely tradition and one I have missed. It was a time when families were close no matter what issues they might have with one another.

There were other Christmas traditions that I liked very much. We opened gifts at home on Christmas Day, and then we went to Grandma and Grandpa's to open more and for dinner. The whole day was spent cooking, eating, playing games, laughing and talking. I usually found time to sit in a corner reading the latest Trixie Belden or Nancy Drew book I had gotten for Christmas.

Another thing I liked about Christmas as a kid was the carolers who came to visit our house on a cold wintery night. We lived in the country and the snow was deep. Always, the carolers were invited in to warm themselves and drink a cup of chocolate while they sampled cookies. The carolers went to all the farms in our community. It was wonderful.

Remember January 1st, I'll be announcing the winners of my contest.

Thank you for visiting and feel free to tell your favorite Christmas, Hanukkah, or other religious traditions at this time of the year.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Peace!

Sandy

Interview With Villain

Hi Everyone,

It's Sunday, and I'm blogging. Smile. Okay, I'm doing something a bit different today. My heroine, Jolene, is going to interview the villain of my story, ADDICTION. Yay! Just beware though, that the hero might just pop in at any time. There's no stopping that man.

Jolene: Why do you kill women?

Villain: They are evil bitches.

Jolene: Huh! Why do you say that?

Villain: They are never there for you. They are supposed to protect their kids.

Hero: Humph. He's evil, not women. I should amend that, not all women.

Jolene: Why do you say women should protect their kids? Don't they usually?

Villain: The old witch who was my mother didn't. She deserved to die.

Jolene: Gasp! Did you kill your mother?

Hero: That was probably his first kill, that's where it started.

Jolene: Oh no. How horrible!

Villain: Turning to hero. You think you know it all, but you don't know me. Not at all.

Hero: I know your type. I've seen your profile. If you are not stopped, you'll continue to
kill innocent women.

Villain: Ha! None of these women are innocent.

Jolene: Why do you say that? What did they do that was so bad.

Villain: Um, uh. They allowed their children to be abused.

Jolene: Your crazy. All of the women you've killed have been single.

Villain: Sneering, I've seen their type. I saved their children from being abused in the
future.

Jolene: You don't know that they would allow that to happen. Why do you want to kill
me? I haven't done anything to you.

Villain: You! You're the worse of all. You're an alcoholic, he said, contempt dripping
from his tone.

Jolene: I've quit, she said tearfully.

Villain: Yeah right. That's what she said.

Jolene: I want to live. Don't I deserve some happiness?

Villain: Hell no! He sprang forward, his hands reaching for her. You never showed me
any happy times.

Hero: Hey, wait just a moment. He stepped behind the man, wrapped his arm around
his chest. This chat is over.

Jolene: She stared into space hoping that it could really end like it had in her
imagination. Would she live to find love? She hoped so.

Okay, folks, don't forget the contest that started December 1st. The details are on my November 29th post. Also, the contest that started December 6th is an easy one, all you have to do is leave the most comments for the month of December.

Vicki Wurgler is the winner of my Author Island contest at http://www.authorisland.com and she won a big basket full of goodies. Among them is a DVD of casino games, candles, lotion, etc.

That's all until next Sunday. Keep warm and safe.

Hugs,
Sandy
Buy link for Addiction: http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/addiction.htm

Help for Those in Need

Hi Everyone,

I have decided to have another contest before the first one is finished. lol This one is going to be for the rest of the month, and it's going to be easier. All you have to do is make the most comments for the rest of the month of December starting today. Easy. Right! We'll see.

Once again, I'm not telling you the prize. It's going to be another surprise. Wink!

Before I close today, I want to remind you of pet shelters, nursing homes, children, food banks, Salvation Army, and homeless shelters that need our help. This is the season for giving, so please help where ever you can. I know everyone is needing something and none of us can do everything, but just one present to a person in a nursing home or to a child can make a huge difference in their lives. One dollar in a Salvation Army kettle can do so much.

Thank you. Until next Sunday.

Sandy
http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/addiction.htm

Holiday Contest

Hi Everyone,

I'm having a contest for the month of December. It will start December 1st through December 31st. Won't it be fun to receive a present in the mail after Christmas? I would love it myself. lol

Here's what you have to do. There are two questions to answer: 1. Give description of young woman at the Regional Laboratory. 2. What did the tautness of Jake's arms tell Jolene?

The answers can be found at http://www.skaymarshall.com/ and at http://www.eirelander-publishing.com/ by reading both excerpts of ADDICTION.

Remember the answers can't be posted until Tuesday, December 1st. For those who want to leave an answer but don't know how just use anonymous and put your name under the comment.

Good luck.

See you next Sunday.

Sandy