Originally Posted by
ShyGuy
You’re yelling past me. Read again, I’m talking about the culture issue. No, at VX they never asked. They just put them on. They would give a heads up and say hey full flight you may have jumpseaters. You need CA permission to ride in the physical jumpseat. The gate agent can still list someone, and you can still deny them. The shift I saw has happened since the merger especially since 2017. I’ve never seen it as a problem when 1 JS lists. They don’t even ask me. What they always ask is are you okay with 2 jumpseaters? If they’re taking 1 without even asking the CA, it then ask if they’re okay with 2, then what conclusion can you draw other than it’s a comfort issue? I just told my story that happened last month, on my own metal a UA guy ahead goes to list for the jumpseat. The gate agent never asked any CA or told the UA guy he had to wait until permission is received. She just listed him. I was next and she directly told me she already have one JSer, so she has to ask the CA if it is okay to take 2. I said okay, but can you please list anyway? And then she did. And btw, SFO had had a lot of turnover. Don’t assume they’re all ex VX. Many quit and left after the merger. Anyway. It sounds like you took offense to the live in base and not caring comment. Because there’s no way to conclusively point to that as a direct reason, I apologize for insinuating such. Talking pre-2016, let’s be honest that when an an outsider looks in, and sees a legacy with no scope, industry bottom work rules, low voting percentages in their own election cycles, one of the very few major passenger airlines to use block representation, what other conclusion are they left to draw other than the fact that this place is “unique” and chosen because of its AK/PacNW presence, and the kind of mentality that has prevailed that goes along with that? The good news is more than half the airline is less than 10 years longevity and there is enough new blood that they are demanding change. The “old way” won’t work. To give credit where it’s due, lots of legacy AS are also on the same boat united together for improvements.
I don’t intend to hijack this SW thread so I’ll drop it after this. Gate agents refusing to list pilots is not unique to AS and is not due to the culture surrounding the pilots operating the flight. I’ve had it happen occasionally to me at different airlines. More than a few times at AA, even after the CA said “come on down”. I actually started avoiding them because of it. I don’t blame the pilots for the actions of the gate agent.
Yes, a lot of pilots choose to come to AS because it allows them live in base. I’d say that’s a a major motivator at most airlines. Pilots gravitate towards the company that affords them the QOL boost that comes with driving to work. We can go into the pros and cons of AS or VX but that’s for another thread. Believe me when I tell you, there is no culture, practice or other shared experience causing the gate agents and certainly not the pilots to deny the use of either jump-seat. It may be the way the gate agents are being trained, it may be the gate agent is having a bad day but it most definitely is not because the CA drives to work and insists on being comfortable. I assume you were not denied the jump-seat in your scenario, in fact, you should have had priority which tells me the gate agent was inexperienced and didn’t know the listing priority.
I apologize for going low bar on you but I thought it pretty petty to paint our pilot groups as you did. The only thing to take away from this is jump-seaters are welcome in both seats on AS!