OAL here. Process for checking bags as a jumpseater? TIA

 

I think you can book the JS listing on myidtravel, then you’ll have a PNR.

 

Tangent; I’m trying to understand how AA pilots think when jumpseating on their own metal. At my airline, if I’m listed for the jumpseat on my own metal but a seat exists in the back and my seniority can get the seat in the back, it’s expected that I will take the seat in the back so the next pilot in line can have the jumpseat. My experience jumpseating on AA is not that way at all. The AA pilot awarded the jumpseat will take the jumpseat regardless of whether or not they could’ve had a seat in the back and I get left behind even though I was next in line for the jumpseat. I’m obviously talking about completely full flights. I’ve been left behind countless times when I could’ve had the jumpseat if the AA pilot took the seat in the back. Conversely, I’ve had numerous AA pilots be able to sit in the jumpseat on my metal because I took the seat in the back seat. It’s my understanding that the way my airline does it is the way most do. Why does AA do it differently? I’m not necessarily complaining because I have no authority to tell any pilot what to do on their own metal. I’m just trying to wrap my head around why AA insists on not doing what is “normal.”

 

Per our FOM…
Changing to a Cabin Seat

A jumpseat occupant may move to the cabin after:

1. all revenue/non-revenue passengers are boarded and accommodated

2. the entry door is closed

3. the captain has coordinated the change with the FA 1/purser
———-
Also at AA seniority has nothing to do with boarding priority.

 

what city pair are you commuting on? I have no idea what you are talking about.

They are trying to get AA nonrevs on? Dont want a middle seat? Have no idea you are even listed?

 

Not enough data to answer your question, but that's what I understand from your post:
1. You got "left behind countless times" at AAL mainline flights because the AAL pilot "didn't get a seat in the back?"
2. You're talking about full flights?

So if you're OAL and trying to nonrev at AAL (I think you're OAL and not associated with "American Eagle") - you're pretty much the last priority in the standby list. If an AAL pilot booked and got the jumpseat - him/her sitting in the back doesn't make sense (on full flights). What am I missing?
Different scenario - flight with 1 open seat, 1 AAL pilot listed for JS, plus yourself listed to nonrev (OAL JS reservation): AAL pilot get the JS, you get the only open cabin seat.

 

I understand that seniority and boarding priority are not the same thing. I should have have said boarding priority, not seniority. And I now know that your FOM language makes the situation much more confusing than it needs to be. But why does the jumpseater ever even need to be a “jumpseat occupant” if their boarding priority or seniority or whatever we want to call it can have them sitting in the back when more than one pilot is listed for the jumpseat?

 

It’s been multiple city pairs over the course of my career and maybe they don’t know I’m listed but shame on them for not having that discussion with the gate agent before ever getting on the plane. If I know it’s going to be full or close to full on my own metal I’ll specifically ask the gate agent if there are other jumpseaters listed and then tell the agent I’ll take a seat in the back so the next pilot in line can have the jumpseat. Again, something I assumed was “normal” to do.

 

sounds like you have bad luck? There is no requirement or expectation of what you are implying…

 

I get what you’re saying. Maybe it’s different unions teaching it differently. The way we do it at my airline is the way our union told us to do it. We try to help the next pilot out even if they don’t work for us. We aren’t going to leave our own employees behind in favor of OAL pilot. Example: 1 seat left on my own metal, it’s me an AA pilot and an AA flight attendant trying to get on. The AA flight attendant has higher boarding priority than the AA pilot. My union says I should take the seat in the back and the AA pilot gets the jumpseat. Too bad for the flight attendant. I’m not arguing the ethics of leaving the flight attendant behind. I’m just saying my union tells me to do it that way to look out for the next pilot in line for the jumpseat.