Originally Posted by JohnBurke

So it's about image, then.

What difference does it make what the crew thinks of you if you're in their jumpseat? Are you seriously suggesting taking a job for the benefit of looking better, being considered an equal, or however you wish to parse it, while in the jump seat?

If that's your goal, it might work out for you. In my experience, having flown ACMI widebody international, when jumping, nobody cared who I flew for, and most had no idea who my employer was, when I told them.

It really comes down to your goal here. If you're after international experience, that's understandable, and if you're interested in experiencing a wide body airframe, ok. If you want to travel, look for variety, or see this as an opportunity with relatively short upgrade times, there's something. It's not a fast path to a major. I can't imagine the notion of seeking out a job however, in order to upgrade your appearance to the crew operating a flight on which you're jumpseating. Seems a tad overkill for a superficial, even vain benefit, if it could be considered a benefit at all, don't you think?

You're not likely to fly enough hours to fast track yourself anywhere, or to use the job as a stepping stone, so hiring on will need to be for the job itself, rather than some pass-through benefit. If it's about looking good to the cockpit crew of your jumpseat ride, it seems quite an effort to make for a very insignificant return...those impressed crewmembers (they won't be) aren't going to get you closer to an alternate goal.

Sounds like an advanced stage of shiny jet syndrome; big shiny jet syndrome.

I can think of a lot of good reasons to take the job. How it makes you look in passing to mainline crew isn't one of them.