Originally Posted by
e6bpilot
Please at least inform the jumpseat chair. You can fill out a form on the swapa app on your iPad I believe or just send him an email. He is really good about getting back to you. If you have names/gate numbers/flights it is even better because he can trace it to the exact ops agent.
MCO is in second place in my least favorite places to jumpseat/nonrev from. My family and I were running late due to security and showed ten minutes prior to push time for a flight the day after Christmas. The CSA had boarding passes for us but the ops agent would not let us down. I begged and pleaded and even tried to get the captain's attention. No dice. Flight pushed 5 minutes early without us. Complete BS.
I asked the CSA what was up with the ops agent and she shook her head and mentioned that the ops agent and MCO ops sup may have worked for another airline that was recently acquired by SWA and that was how they did business there.
In s small defense of Airtran, I ran up to their desk on two occasions after the boarding door was closed as the agent was printing paperwork. Both times the agent escorted me down to the jet with the paperwork, just jotting down my name and employee # as they shuttled me on the jet to an open seat in back. Of course this was all pre-911/TSA so a much different world.
I appreciate the SWA jumpseat, and lately I've even gotten through the 1-800 listing # in less than 30 mins of hold. Lately, most of the time they do let you pre-board if you stand close to the door and ask nicely.