purpleguy

If you fly for a major U.S. airline, does anyone know if you can jump seat from Toronto to U.S. city on Air Canada? I know they reciprocate with ALPA carriers, but is this just within Canada or can I jump seat back into the U.S.? I'd appreciate knowing if anyone has any experience with this?

ShyGuy

Absolutely. Did it YYZ to DTW a couple times. You call the number and ask to list as a pilot jumpseater. You pay taxes and get a listing confirmation number. You can use that to check in on the AC website and see the loads too. Just a heads up though, they tend to put the letters 'FD' before your last name. It's a way of stating Flight Deck so they know you are a pilot jumpseater, and not just someone random who called in. So if your last name is Smith it would look like FDSmith, John. Point being that you can't scan your passport on the kiosk because it gives an error that the name in passport doesn't match name on boarding pass. Easiest solution is to check in online and just print the boarding pass. Or if you don't, then go to the check in counter.

purpleguy

Thanks for the information. I appreciate the tips you provided. There's no substitute for hearing from someone with first hand experience.
Again, thanks!

reCALcitrant

Wait. You sat in the cockpit on an international flight on a carrier other than your own? If yes, when did international jumpseats rules change. I live outside the US and commuting would be a hell of a lot easier if I could get the cockpit jumpseat every now and then.

BATOL

Guessing that's just the nomenclature to denote flight crew jumpseater, not necessarily IN the flight deck jumpseat. Just a hunch though.

I was curious of the same thing, specifically on Jazz or Georgian Air. What I was told by the gate agent is that yes you can do it in theory, but they (not sure if "they" is Air Canada, Jazz, Transport Canada, or whatever their TSA is) only allow as many jumpseaters as there are jumpseats on the airplane. So if five people want to Jumpseat on a Jazz 900, only one will get on even if the back is wide open. Based on that, I kind of decided it was not a viable option. If anybody knows differently I'm curious. This was about six months ago.

ShyGuy

No. It's just the nomenclature. You can only sit in the passenger cabin.


Hmmm, you may want to check with your JS coordinator but it sounds like the gate agent is thinking of the restricted jumpseat procedure. Something in the Canadian regs allow one jumpseater (assuming one flight deck jumpseat) to sit in the back, but be listed on the manifest as part of the crew, and therefore not have to pay the taxes. I know Porter does this. I assume Jazz and other do it too. But if you know there are other nonrevs/jumpseaters potentially, then just call the 800 number and pay the taxes and list. You get a confirmation number and by all accounts at this point you basically become a non-rev. You should get on.

Here's porter's form...

https://www.flyporter.com/jumpseat/RJPForm

This will work so as long as you are the only pilot jumpseater who shows up for this flight. If a Porter pilot shows up, he's going to take this position because he won't have to pay taxes. In case you know there is a pilot / potential pilots (non rev list), I would just pony up and pay.

But for Porter, you have a potential 'free' option.

For Air Canada though, it seems you have to pay:

"Call 1-800-413-1113 and select the reciprocal jumpseat registration option. Give your information with airline code to the representative and pay applicable taxes. They will list you and give you a booking reference."

Hovernut

For AC, when checking-in online, they typically have your first name as: Capt<firstname> & last name: FD<lastname>
It'll usually state such on the email confirmation they send you.

Freakin' finally got KCM at my airline & NOW TSA F's it up by denying passage for international travel!! Fricken geniuses!!

Piloteh

The AC agreement with our carrier (Canadian regional, non-unionized and non-affiliated so there's a specific written agreement) USED to specify for AC and Jazz that the number of Jumpseaters was restricted to the number of Jumpseats on the Aircraft (though you'd sit in the pax cabin). This changed approximately 6 months ago. Now there is no limit to the number of Jumpseaters or standby pax. It just goes by priority which, I think, has other airline jumpseaters pretty low.

Extenda

Just tried this from Boston to Canada. Called the number on their profile, (wait time seems to be 10-15 minutes) and give them your info. Credit card for taxes (5 dollars). They give you a record locator number, then you just show up at the gate. They WILL put FDExtenda as your name, so let them know if you don't have your record locator. It worked fine, but the flight was oversold so I didn't get on.

Hovernut

Yeah, only 5 bucks Northbound, but 60 some-odd coming back!