Originally Posted by NWA320pilot

The mainline company basically owns the seats in the back, that's the reason for the discrepancy in boarding priority. Now they do NOT own the jumpseat so the mainline pilots do have a lower priority for occupying it.

As for the issues of commuting I deal with them all the time. The two main airports I commute from are only serviced by DCI. The aircraft has been full many times and the jumpseat taken by a DCI pilot. This is just the way it works and I understand it. I plan accordingly so that I can make my check-in. There have been numerous times my wife has driven several hours to pick me up at a major airport when I couldn't get back home due to full or canceled flights to my normal airport.

Please do not take the above as a dig..... I flew at the regional level for over 10 years and understand what it is like being treated like the "red haired stepchild".