RobbNYC, if you don't already know someone at DL and they know you, it is highly unlikely one would be willing to give you a buddy pass. I imagine DL's non-rev rules are pretty much the same as American's (the airline I work for). If you were to misbehave in any way--arguing with a flight attendant, boarding drunk and/or getting drunk on the plane, etc--it would all fall on the employee who gave you the pass, with penalties up to and including termination for the employee. In order for me to issue a buddy pass to another person, I have to certify that I am totally responsible for their behavior and their mode of dress--certain "costumes" will also result in the buddy pass rider being denied boarding. For this reason, there is no one on my non-rev travel list that I have not known for a long time. And, I still warn them about the possibility of being stuck somewhere and having to purchase a last minute ticket (very expensive) in order to get home and back to work. I also warn them (on penalty of death by the most painful means I can think of 🙄) to behave themselves.
And, as it has been pointed out by others at Dl (same as American's situation) giving someone a buddy pass is a good way to lose a friend. No one seems to understand that non-revenue passengers--i.e. employees and buddy pass users--have exactly zero priority when it comes time to assign remaining seats. All revenue adults, children, cats and dogs will get seats ahead of the non-revenue employee or friend. I am a full-time AA employee. I had to burn one of my very scarce high priority passes in March to travel to Costa Rica, and I occupied a flight attendant jumpseat for the 4+hour flight. Not too long ago, I would have been sitting in First Class for the flight.
