I can’t decide if I simply love this story or have great sympathy that this young man’s days as a pass rider may soon come to a screeching halt. A self-professed “nepo baby” sharing about his flight benefits on United Airlines has gone viral on TikTok. And for good reason: having friends or family who work for an airline can be incredibly valuable for those who have the time to use the perks.
“Nepo Baby” Has Flown The World In Premium Cbains On United Airlines Due To Flight Pass
23-year-old Joshua Crawford flies around the world on United Airlines, often in Polaris Business Class, for a fraction of what you or I pay. Why? His father works for United…he’s an aircraft mechanic in Newark…and as a result, Crawford is the recipient of so-called “pass travel” or “flight benefits” that represent part of his father’s employment package. United employees, as well as their family and friends, can travel the world on a space-available basis, paying just a small fare plus government taxes.
Surprisingly, this is a benefit that few airline employees regularly use, but some employees use heavily…and that makes the generally lower wages of airline employees much more palatable.
Per the New York Post, Crawford has flown 120 flights spanning 260,000 miles in the last five years, mostly in the front cabin. For that, he calls himself a “nepo baby” (a term generally referring to celebrities whose parents have succeeded in the same careers).
“Essentially I fly ‘standby’ which is where you wait until the last minute to get a seat on the plane so if there’s any open seats you get put on the flight. Sometimes it can be a bit hit and miss, but I can check the seats beforehand so usually I won’t list on busy flights.”
But don’t believe everything in the Post story. For example, leisure pass riders do not trump revenue passengers for upgrades. Ever.
He’s also managed to save whopping six figures on first-class upgrades, which he receives ahead of other passengers due to his “high priority” status.
No. That is not quite correct, though not technically wrong. I think most would read this as saying that he gets upgrades ahead of paying passengers. That is not correct. However, due to his father’s seniority, he often finds himself ahead of many pass riders (other employees) when waiting for those “leftover” premium cabin seats.
I can’t imagine United is happy about any specific information put out there in public about his pass travel program, though.
Pass Travel In The Age Of Social Media
United’s pass travel guidelines, which I have seen before, are deliberately vague but state that pass travel is not permitted when “traveling for business or personal gain.” Where the line is drawn, though, in an internet age is a difficult one.
On the one hand, this young man is a great cheerleader for United and he strikes me as the sort of av geek that I would enjoy hanging out with. He also does a great job of selling the United Airlines product. I would not necessarily fault him for the misinformation in the New York Post story on upgrade priority.
But what if this young man develops a TikTok following (before it is banned…) that he can monetize based specifically on his pass travel? That is ultimately United’s concern, not mine, but I find it interesting that there are so many “influencers” who are pass riders (just search on YouTube for airline employees with video channels on pass riding). I guess by the “letter of the law” United could be quite strict. Personally, though, I think TikTok channels like Crawford’s actually do a great job of promoting the airline and should be embraced when done tastefully.
CONCLUSION
You’ve heard of white privilege. How about flight privilege?
I love the video above and commend Crawford for taking advantage of his flight benefits on United. What a great opportunity! “Nepo baby” may be a bit too self-deprecating, but it makes me wish my wife was a Lufthansa flight attendant instead of a nurse sometimes! Maybe we’ll send Augustine to work at United one day!
image: TikTok
All employees of my company get flight privileges and they are very generous. It is a perk that is mostly misunderstood by the general public. I can’t speak for United but our non-rev employees will not bump a legitimate revenue passenger upgrade in a class of service. We are also told that we do NOT discuss our flight privileges with other passengers and CERTAINLY NOT on “Tick Tok Crap”. Part of employee “on-boarding” includes signing an agreement regarding privileges. Many times we will be standing at the gate as the jet pushes back…and we’re not on board! We MUST take the seat assigned to us and we are not permitted to ask a passenger for a “seat swap”. We are also reminded that failure to abide by the rules of our non-rev travel privileges can be result suspended privileges, revocation or can result in termination. This is another reason I do not give out “buddy passes” as I would be responsible for that “buddy’s” actions. This young man, at 23, is getting to the end of his privileges by virtue of his age BUT…his loud mouth and braggadocio about his flights is going to get his parent in trouble if at my company. Hopefully United will put the “gear of god” in his parents.
One aspect I didn’t mention is that his father made him his “designated friend” such that his benefits will not expire at age 26 and he will enjoy a higher place on the boarding seniority list. That’s a great dad!
I’ll see his 30 years and raise him the 1982 companion seniority I have with UA. Haha.
Being a “designated friend” doesn’t excuse the kid’s actions. It also doesn’t excuse the dad from reminding all pass riders of the company rules. Assuming UAL has similar rules from other carriers, the primary pass rider assumes the liability for all of the subordinate pass riders. I’ll bet that the UAL HR/pass bureau is not happy with this slap against the brand. I will admit that I gave a buddy pass to a friend’s son so he could visit Oregon. The day he was supposed to come home, he checked in at the ticket counter and went through security but never boarded the flight! For two days, he was missing and “rechecked” in at the gate, not the ticket counter in the lobby. So where was he? No one knows BUT, I did get a call from the pass bureau about the incident. He was banned from using any passes from anyone. When I queried him afterwards, he had no explanation. I reminded him of the conversation we had when I authorized the pass. From that point on, I have never allowed anyone a pass.
My mom did the same thing for me, and thanks to her seniority, I got to travel comfortably all over the world! I always preferred “airline brat” though, especially since I was strictly raised to be nothing but polite when traveling, since we’re “representing the airline”.
Expecting factual accuracy from a NYP article is a tad optimistic 😉
Haha. But a story from the New York Slimes wouldn’t have any better credibility.
Premium “Cbains.”
What I think is the most telling about this whole situation is that this kid thinks United’s Polaris is a “premium” cabin. Is it better than United’s Economy cabin? Yes. Is it premium when compared to nearly every other long haul carrier’s hard/soft products? Not at all. This is not the flex he thinks it is.
120 flights in 5 years is basically 2 sectors per month. That’s hardly excessive.
Speaking as someone who has been (and still is) entitled to standby travel benefits through family and personal employment literally since the day I was born, the hassle over traveling standby stops being worth it at a certain point. If I’m traveling somewhere for leisure, its because I want to be there and not stuck at an airport – and I also need to get home and not stuck at an airport at the end of the trip.
I have only flown space available twice since the pandemic, and even pre-pandemic it was barely 10% of the time for my leisure trips. But back in my college days, pfft. I’m pretty sure I flew significantly more than just 120 segments in five years! Times change.
I stopped flying non-rev in 2002-ish and, after almost 2 million revenue miles, I haven’t missed it one bit.
@Sean M … Interesting … but to what end ? I’m innocently curious . What did you accomplish by all those flights ?
@Alert – One roundtrip a month over 5 years for a college student is hardly excessive. Even less when you factor in connections and reroutes.
Best part of travel benefits to me has always been a 20% off confirmed. I seldom if ever travel standby. I only would if things go wrong and I want to take a shortcut when the airline is being uncooperative (but always standby on another airline). I’d pay $100 and earn miles and get an upgrade the earned way any day over rolling the dice. My time off is too valuable to spend it sitting in an airport.
I literally thought of you when I read this article… “If he could only meet Sean and a few others I know…” I still shiver at some of the legs you and friend used to do! Wasn’t there like a contest in the “old” days of A.Net or FlyerTalk to see who could make the most connections in a single day?
@Nate – Things were much more fun back then, and you didn’t have to deal with the TSA all the time.
FWIW, 9 sectors was my single day maximum without backtracking.
Disgusting attitude! It says everything about ppl. who have no moral values. Hopefully he sees himself in the back seat in the future..to show him how humility works. United the ball is on your court, do sth.
It doesn’t look like he is sitting in a United Polaris or first class seat. Article should have included a correct photo of him on a United aircraft.
Whatever happened to non-revenue pax dress codes? I recall a college buddy who pretty much dressed up in a suit and tie to use the non-rev pass.
Yep those were the days. I remember being made to buy a pair of slip-on shoes at Hartsfield once because a Delta gate agent wouldn’t let me board in First with laced loafers (“laces are for sports shoes” was her verdict). And a blazer was always packed in my carry-on just in case!
I totally forgot about the dress code! When I used companion passes I remember my ex telling me to wear a nice shirt, khakis and dress shoes. I was so paranoid about it but you better believe the Japanese United staff at Narita would make sure everyone followed the rules and I was not about to be ‘downgraded’ because I had stuffed up. Was always paranoid about it though lol
Appreciate Matthew’s perspective here.
The TikTok was not that serious, and very clearly making a self-depricating joke about himself on the nepo baby part. I see older generations elsewhere (and in these comments) taking this as an easy lay-up to yell at clouds, but it’s not this serious.
If I am this kid parents I would tell him to shut up. You don’t brag about things you get from others. He never did anything to earn this. His dad did. And his dad may not want that publicity.
You are so correct. No bragging about what you received from others. Bragging rights are earned.
Spoiled!
Send him to WORK? What’s work?
Why is he entitled etc? He’s just lucky that his dad works for United and he’s living a good life taking advantage of the benefit? Why can’t we just enjoy his fun?
The difference between him and Sean is he is 23 and he can turn up and say hey there’s a seat to Brussels. Let’s do it! And if he gets stuck somewhere he can take his time and or fly economy.
I had a mate who was a pilot at Qantas and in the 2000s anyway you could choose anyone (even non-family) to have your pass benefit. He choose another mate of mine who took a million trips here and there in biz amd first for a year. Was pretty cool (although second mate often flew to Vegas where he squandered more than his discount).
I also had a gf in the 2000s who’s dad was a captain at Qantas. She got to fly in the jump seat all the way to nyc once!
UA has a dress code, and a sweatshirt in business or first is not acceptable dress code for NRSA. You are also not supposed to advertise you are flying for free when the person next to you paid a $1000.
You make a chuckle about “white privilege” but it’s a shame that you and this guy probably are not well liked by some simply due to your race and gender. It’s for this reason that I intend to retire outside of this nation where I feel like I’m simply not welcome. In the meantime, there are those who are privileged such as the Kardashians who’ve marketed their privilege into a billion dollar business or some who believe they’re entitled to privilege and few call them out on it.
That’s why international travel is invaluable particularly now. When I first left the country for a week, it was life changing. I witnessed that “truths” I had been raised in the states on were not universal. I saw that people are alike around the world in some ways, but not in others. Ironically, my “economy class” lifestyle helped further immerse me into how “Common People” lived in other nations and the invaluable perspectives it gave me.
What a pointless word salad.
Also didn’t you come to the US from Poland?
There’s always someone at work who wants to abuse any perk to the point that it gets taken away.
He forgot to mention all the charity organizations he’s involved in. I imagine his father educated him to contribute to the communities he flies to. Not to mention all the languages he could master by now.
I lived in Tokyo from 2001-2007 and my ex worked in management at Narita and at that time they flew basically everywhere in Asia as well as to HNL and all over the US nonstop. I was spoiled rotten with these benefits (I was a teacher at the time) and nonstop flights in business class to NYC, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Chicago for a few hundred dollars (I think the most I paid was $500 USD for return flights to the US east coast) was such a steal. It made me learn about frequent flyer points and status real quick after I moved to Australia and found out all of United’s flights here are almost always 100% full. Fabulous perk but it is quite the shock having to return to reality and pay up.
I was that exactly that guy 40 years ago ( except I wore a suit and tie per Pan Am non-rev travel policy) . My Dad worked for Pan Am and i took full advantage of the travel benifits when i was 19 to 23 years old. I flew First Class or Business class ( and sometimes economy) to Sydney, Honolulu, New York, London, etc. i loved every minute of it. I commend him for indulging his travel lust and taking advantage of the standby benifits that airlines offer. But he should at least dress nicely and wear a sport coat and shirt with collar.
Nepo baby?
He doesn’t even have a flight benefit of his own.
How can he even dare to call himself that.
The real nepo kids graduated from Ivy and are mostly found working across the Hudson.
It does seem like he trying to jump start some social media career.
Hmmm I wonder if this is why we’re (UA employees) getting non-rev refresher as part of our mandatory company training. While it doesn’t say you can’t post on social media it’s pretty well addressed that you shouldn’t be boasting, as he’s doing. Like I’ll post pics while sitting in business but it’s a subtle brag to the people who know my benefits without actually bragging about it.
I actually did away with buddy passes after a family member abused them and the only two people who have access to my benefits are a best friend and my partner who are both well versed on the rules and etiquette of flying NRSA. My rule is, if something happens that you feel is wrong, bring it to me and I’ll address it through another channel. Don’t cause problems at the airport or on the plane and ‘here’s a copy of the dress code.’
All that said travelling NRSA is a pain which is why after almost 20 years I just buy my tickets when I want to go somewhere.
You wish you’re wife was a Lufthansa pilot you mean? Or mechanic or gate agent? Just throwing out there that just because she’s a woman doesn’t mean Sha automatically has to be a flight attendant