I have only had a problem once in 30 years deciding who rides. Yes, I will make the decision, but it usually works itself out.

If 2 UAL dudes want to ride, what I usually do is ask, who is senior, and who is going to work or going home. I politely ask them to work it out if there is only 1 seat available. 99 times out of 100 they come to a mutually agreeable solution, most times based on pilot seniority. Once in a while, they guy going to work is the more junior of the 2, and gets the nod from the other guy, who takes a later flight.

Please use some common sense in these matters. Yes, I know the rules, but you have to be able to work this out reasonably too.

The one time I had a problem. RNO-SFO on the Shuttle. Nice new hire guy came aboard shortly after we blocked in, and did the usual polite, "Hi., please, I'm going to work," thing. 5 minutes before we push, a famous UAL scab walks on the plane and doesn't say hi, or introduce himself, he just says, "Get out of my jumpseat." I notice that he doesn't have an ALPA pin on, not to mention he was rude in the extreme.

Unfortunately, the previous jumpseater had politely put his bag down in the pit and taking it off would have delayed the flight. Regretfully, I had to tell the scab to get off the flight, you are delaying the trip.

It gets a little grayer if both dudes are off line.