This is what your letter should have said. It should have been a letter addressed to all UAX captains and instructed them to do this instead of issuing ultimatums and starting a jumpseat war.
I'm sure Tilton is laughing his ass off all the way to the bank now. Not that he wasn't already anyways.
No, JJ was correct, SKW has first priority on a SKW flight, then ASA, then other code-share pilots.
Am I reading this correctly? United mainline pilots have PRIORITY over a UAX guy AT HIS OWN COMPANY?
According to the UAL priority system, yes.
The UAX operations manuals say otherwise, but the CSRs use the UAL computer system so the process defaults in favor of the UAL guy, unless the UAX CA intervenes (he may not even know a company JSer is waiting).
To add insult to injury, gojet pilots have a higher priority on UAX flights than company pilots (ie gojet has higher priority on SKW than a SKW pilot).
Ok I know it is not exacaly the same, however, US Airways has a similar priority system. The main line person (pilot, fa, maint) all have priority over anyone else on someone elses aircraft. Similar to the UA/UAX issue. However, when you get to the gate you let them know that you are with the airline operating the flght. IE CHQ, AWA, or CJC and you get on first. The gate agents take care of the computer glitch. The do this just about everytime on there own with out large amounts of bickerin. However, on occasion when something goes SNAFU you call scheduling and get the Captain cell # give him/her a hollar and explain the situation. Problem solved for now.
To add insult to injury, gojet pilots have a higher priority on UAX flights than company pilots (ie gojet has higher priority on SKW than a SKW pilot).
There's no way a gojet guy should be getting on ANYONE'S jumpseat, regardless of priority.
Seems like there are several easy solutions to this but with commuting getting so difficult lately people will do ANYTHING to get a seat. If a UAL pilot saw a UAX pilot (don't tell me they can't tell) they should have also said to the gate agent that he may not be of the highest priority.
This goes back to a general lack of respect SOME mainline guys have towards regional pilots. I have actually been told by an AA FO that he gets the jumpseat over me on a NORTHWEST flight even though I was there about a half-hour before him because "You're Eagle, I'm AA, its my seat." to which the NW responded by clarifying that its first come, first serve with off line and non-Airlink pilots, and that this AA guy should find a different ride to work.
Its a slippery slope UAX and UAL are on right now, hope it doesn't all crash at the bottom.
Seems like there are several easy solutions to this but with commuting getting so difficult lately people will do ANYTHING to get a seat. If a UAL pilot saw a UAX pilot (don't tell me they can't tell) they should have also said to the gate agent that he may not be of the highest priority.
This goes back to a general lack of respect SOME mainline guys have towards regional pilots. I have actually been told by an AA FO that he gets the jumpseat over me on a NORTHWEST flight even though I was there about a half-hour before him because "You're Eagle, I'm AA, its my seat." to which the NW responded by clarifying that its first come, first serve with off line and non-Airlink pilots, and that this AA guy should find a different ride to work.
Its a slippery slope UAX and UAL are on right now, hope it doesn't all crash at the bottom.
If the guys like that wanted unrestricted priority on every airplane, they should have put the RJ's on their list in the first place.
Ok I know it is not exacaly the same, however, US Airways has a similar priority system. The main line person (pilot, fa, maint) all have priority over anyone else on someone elses aircraft. Similar to the UA/UAX issue. However, when you get to the gate you let them know that you are with the airline operating the flght. IE CHQ, AWA, or CJC and you get on first. The gate agents take care of the computer glitch. The do this just about everytime on there own with out large amounts of bickerin. However, on occasion when something goes SNAFU you call scheduling and get the Captain cell # give him/her a hollar and explain the situation. Problem solved for now.
The difference with US Air is that there is a document out there that states you have priority on your own aircraft. If the gate agent disagrees, you can always produce the paperwork proving your point. I understand that such a document doesn't exist on the UAX side.
As far as CAs ensuring the proper priority, we have a hard enough time getting everyone to agree to the priority. I have seen plenty of express dudes get bumped by a mainline pilot when our manual doesn't distinguish between the two. CAs are afraid of offending the mainline. Of course, I've also seen a CA bump an offline JS'r for one of our guys who had positive space to work(was doing the gate agent "a favor"). I objected, but he didn't want to offend the senior guy.
This won't go very far and will be spottily implemented on the express side is my guess since many of us seem to have an inferiority complex.
The difference with US Air is that there is a document out there that states you have priority on your own aircraft. If the gate agent disagrees, you can always produce the paperwork proving your point. I understand that such a document doesn't exist on the UAX side.
Not sure about your Ops manual, but does it have a JS priority list (I know ours does, that is why I ask) and what does the list say? If your trying to jump on your companies aircraft, you could produce the documentation out of your ops manual...that should suffice.
My advice, print it out and have it with you whenever your going to jumpseat...that way you have ammo at the gate.
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