Originally Posted by
FlyBoyd
Go North at the intersection of Democrat and Portia. Your Airline badge will get you through the guard. Continue North and park near one of the buildings on the West and East side of the road. This is the offline Jumpseat parking area. Stand at the curb with your bags at the Western building. One of the shorter crew busses will stop to get you. Tell them you need a ride to the AOC.
If you return via FedEx, catch the bus at the same spot you get dropped off and tell them you need a ride to Jumpseat parking. They will drop you at the Eastern of the two buildings above. You may have to remind them to stop if there are Fedex guys on the bus and they are focused on driving by it.
This is a short description of what our Jumpseat people will tell you when you ask them the same question when making your reservation.
Portia? Where's that?
The Parking lot on the north side of Democrat Rd. is huge -- hard to miss. The entrance is almost exactly half-way between Airways Blvd/Plough Blvd to the west and Tchulahomah Rd. to the east -- about 0.9 miles from either one.
There is a covered/enclosed pedestrian walkway which spans Democrat Rd. just to the east of the parking lot entrance. If you're coming from the east, turn RIGHT just before the walkway; if you're coming from the west, turn LEFT just after passing under the walkway. (If you want to plug in an address and go with Google Maps, use 2838 Democrat Rd.)
There are 2 lanes inbound -- use the left lane. Stop at the guard shack and explain you're jumpseating and show your ID. You will then come to a 4-way stop sign. Your safest bet (remember, you're in Memphis) is to proceed straight ahead. You'll pass between the 2 shuttle stops (covered shelters), and you can choose to park on either side. I recommend turning to the left so you won't have to cross over traffic on foot to get back to the west shuttle stop. Once there, you should find a sign facing the curb designating the Jumpseater Pick-Up/Drop Off.
Large buses will be driving through the parking lot to transport hub employees to the bridge, and smaller buses will be going to the pilot parking lot to the north which is secured by another electric code-operated gate. Look for one of those smaller buses exiting the pilot parking lot to pick you up and carry you to the Air Operations Center (AOC).
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