Originally Posted by
whiskey72
Captains,
Please take the time to make sure there are no non-revs / js in the boarding area. I try to go out on every flight and find out if there are. Usually on my flights, if there is plenty of room, I like to board them ahead if I can. Professionial courtesy. I know how much I hate sitting in the boarding area wondering.
As well, if someone has approached you, it's only common sense to make sure they made it on. I know things get busy, but I've never had an instance where I couldn't take two minutes to walk up the jetway to make sure we weren't leaving anyone behind. I always check the windows tomake sure someone isn't trying to flag me down. Numerous times I've had the door closed and someone ran up. Jetway was pulled and I still brought them on. ACARS you wonder, at least with us, once we register a push time, it sticks. If we open the door, it asks wether we have returned to the gate. I hit no and go on with my life. I've never ONCE been questioned by my company.
It's the holiday time guys and gals, let's help our fellow crew members out. We should be doing this year around, although right now it is more important than ever. With the changes in schedules, work rules and concessions we take, don't overlook the one benefit that is for us and could be the most important benefit we have.
Take the time, it's everyone's responsibility.
Thanks to all.
Whiskey
Great post Whiskey!!
I have only had to deny a jumpseater ONCE.
The only reason I did is because the friggin rampers had told me the exact number of PAX and bags we were going to have on board, and I had already told them to write down 2 less carry ons than what were actually on board so we could take the jumpseater right at our cutoff wieght limit. It was 2 days before Christmas and I did not want to leave him behind because of 2 lousy carry on bags... Well with IAD and all of its glory, the rampers come back up to me 1 min before pushback and make a change on the manifest telling me they had to add 8 more connecting bags to the count... We were already at the min fuel required to go, and if the ramper hadn't actually written the correction on the manifest we wouldn't have had a problem. I figured they were going to say they had a few less than they had said... figures I was wrong
I felt REALLY bad having to tell the guy we couldn't take him and to thank the friggin rampers for screwing it up once again in lovely IAD.
I always try everything I can to take as many jumpseaters as possible all the time, not just during the holiday season.