I agree there is no requirement but at my airline there is that expectation because that’s what we were taught to do. So it’s maybe just different cultures and different ways of thinking about the scenario.

 

if the open seat is in the back (beyond the exit row), or a middle seat, I would say that 99% of the folks will choose the jump seat over the others. But that will leave those seats available to the next on the list. If you’re being left behind with seats open- and it’s not weight restricted- then there most likely was a failure in communication with the gate agent.

 

No I never said I was being left behind on flights with open seats. My original post said full flights. My example scenario would still apply on my metal though. 1 open seat, me and 1 AA pilot and 976 AA FAs listed. I’m taking the seat in the back and the AA pilot gets the jumpseat regardless of whether or not those 976 FAs have a higher boarding priority than the AA pilot. That’s what we were taught to do.

 

Were you also taught that commuting is a choice and that it sucks? Or that jumpseating on other airlines is a privilege, not a right?

Guys are not intentionally going out of their way to screw you or whatever you think AA pilots are doing, but if the only seat left is a middle seat in row 36, yeah I think most guys are taking the jump and next in line non-rev can have it. Just the way the game works man, idk what to tell you.

 

I don't understand. Either way both pilots are getting on board.

I take the jumpseat... he sits in the back.

I feel like sitting in the back... he takes the jumpseat.

So what are you talking about?

 

He's talking about being AAC, or OAL jumpseat (D6) which is very bottom of the standby list. If one of our guys takes the js as a D2WP then it defaults the free seat in the back to the next in line standby which maybe a D2 or D3 (if OAL) as opposed to jumping the list if the D2WP took a seat in back.

 

Ok

Filler

Mods why don't you fix this stupid filler requirement?

 

I know exactly what you are saying and understand your plight. It's probably happened to me before I worked at AA and I always commuted on AA when I was an offline jumpseater at the regionals. It probably is something that could be looked at. From the AA pilots' perspective, it looks like the flight is completely full, so we go talk to the gate agent and tell them we are the listed jumpseater. Many times, they just print out the 1W right then and there. If the OAL pilot has not checked in with the gate agent yet, we cannot see the D6U yet. We can't even see if they have made a listing. The D6 can only check in with a person. So if I already have the 1W in hand, I'm unlikely to look at the standby list again and see that a D6U has checked in. Say there are 5 seats open, and I, as the online jumpseater is listed as No. 6 on the standby list for non-revs. Most of us just say we'll take the jump, screwing over the D6, and simply not realizing there's another offline pilot wanting on. If there were a way we could see the not checked in D6's this might help offline jumpseaters get on. Sorry, this is happening to you, OP. I think it's simply an oversight that most of us don't think about.

 

As a commuter I don’t expect anything when I JS offline. I’m entitled to nothing, different union or same union, I’m offline. So let’s just get that expectation straight from the start. If I’m taking UAL
home and the CA doesn’t like AA and says “no,” I walk off and try the next flight or commuter clause. That’s commuting

AA gate agents are trained to get people on from top to bottom. So as stated before, if it’s oversold, and we check in, it’s usually “we are overbooked, here is the 1W” and we take the JS. You’re assuming that I could have secured a cabin seat with my D2 listing and could have taken that instead of the JS. Usually never the case.

We also have no idea who is offline trying to JS that flight. We aren’t working the flight, and as much as you said “shame on us for not asking the agent,” listen man, we are just trying to get to work as well. A battle with a gate agent while JS on who will sit where isn’t a battle that everyone wants to fight when trying to get to work.

Almost everyone here has had to JS as a regional pilot and you get bumped by the legacy guy at the last minute or what you described but commuting is commuting. We always try to get everyone on but sometimes the mental gymnastics of telling the gate agent what she needs to do just doesn’t work out the way you want it.

 

Just as an aside, FAs generally do not take CJs unless it's the last option. They have zero reservations leaving nonrevs behind and taking a cabin seat. Pilots on the other hand are much more amenable to taking ours.

This guy has a valid point only so much that a lifelong commuter would get it. I empathize with him although my memory of CAs even doing a little bit of legwork to get more nonrevs on wasn't great so I don't think it's in our culture.

I tend to check in at the last moment so I ensure I'll actually make it and as such generally am last on the list anyways, so not really applicable for my flights. But he does have a point. Just the nice thing to do.