I feel your pain....

A lot of times it might be 9E Dispatch tankering fuel, i.e. having the fueler fill up the tanks to save $$ on fuel at the outstation. Apparently, our dispatch awards gift cards to restaurants for the dispatcher who tankers the most fuel in a given month (from a good friend who works as a dispatcher).

When this happens, or if there is an alternate at the outstation, MEM ops classifies it as a "balance critical" or "weight critical" flight and good luck trying to get and fill out a jumpseat form from the agent. I know that as a 9E FO based in MEM trying to commute home a lot of times this frustrates me more than anything. Anytime MEM ops sees or hears those two words, the gate agents play CA and will deny the jumpseat, and normally with me, will always lead me into a heated discussion with the agent about whether or not I can list for or even fill out a form for the jumpseat or if I can talk to the CA about it.

Like someone else said, this is an huge issue @9E, but also like someone else said, most 9E CA's are good guys will help me out.