Ameriflight Travel Benefits question.
 

Hey people,

I am interest in working for Ameriflight out in Burbank, CA. However, I do not understand what they mean on the airline profile page by

"Ameriflight currently has a reciprocal agreement only with Southwest"

What is a reciprocal agreement?

thanks

Jumpseat agreement probably.

That's exactly what it means. Each company signs a letter of agreement defining who is allowed to jumpseat on their airplanes and what the procedures are to do so. They usually include preferred dress codes and other pertinent information. They are normally signed by a designated company jumpseat coordinator and the company D/O. The reciprocal part means that each letter of agreement is in exchange for the same privilege on the other carrier with whom the specific letter of agreement is addressed to. Hope this helps.

Specific to this situation, Southwest is the only carrier that has a signed agreement with Ameriflight. That allows Ameriflight pilots to jumpseat on Southwest.

Can Southwest pilots jump on Ameriflight?

That's usually the case with reciprocal agreements. Not sure if the Southwest pilots would actually ride along, but I'm guessing it would be authorized by the agreement.

Ameriflight has a reciprocal agreement with Southwest, but is in CASS. In most cases it is up to the captain's discression, and being in CASS helps. USUALLY you can get on with most other carriers. That is what I have been told by Ameriflight and a few other people.

I am going from a non-CASS 121 carrier with many reciprocal agreements to Ameriflight with CASS and one agreement. Cabin only on Southwest always meant a middle seat. Maybe the real jumpseat is a little more comfortable.

Amflight Jumpseating
 

Ameriflight currently has a reciprocal agreement with Southwest, and SWA flightcrew are allowed to jumpseat, although it is by no means as pleasant as walking up a jetway- the SWA flightcremember would have to prearrange the ride, and the AMF captain has to make like the TSA and do a patdown/baggage inspection. I have heard of some SWA crew have taken advantage of the empty seat on most AMF for semi-regular rides, though it's a small number.

Aside from SWA, it is possible for AMF CPs to ride on other carriers, IF the gate agent and Captain of the flight decide to allow it. Out of BUR, it's not hard, but it may change the farther away from BUR you get. Horizon seems to be fairly routine out of PDX, though smaller communities that don't see jumpseaters often can get prickly. Being in CASS helps, but I'm not sure if other carriers allow AMF CPs to ride in the jumpseat since there's no recip agreement.

Also, don't count on getting in the cockpit- the jumpseat is usually reserved for when there is no other option, and it's still the Captain's call. Remember, the only people the Captain is obligated to allow up there is the FAA- on an SWA flight, I've sat next to SWA pilots jumpseating in the main cabin (and had great conversations that way!) I've also heard of at least one jumpseater who nearly killed his airline's rep by sticking his head in the flight deck and saying "Hey, I'm riding with you guys today!" Not smart. Any free seat is a free seat- treat it like gold.

If a SWA pilot has to go through that BS to ride, they should drop the agreement. That's not right!

Dear UFO Driver,

I have a question loosely based on this thread. If you're employed by a Regional, National, or legacy carrier (all-CASS), what travel benefits can be enjoyed by your immediate family members?

Thanks,

Cal99

Whether it's right or not is immaterial- it's not like AMF wants that stuff. It's required for security (likely TSA). The AMF CP has to act as "Ground Security Coordinator" and whatnot, the stuff that's handled by TSA with their X-ray machines and metal detectors and omnipresent "Your luggage has been searched for your safety and convenience" pamphlets in a real terminal. Keep in mind, most AMF operations happen on small airports that don't have full-time (or any) security aside from a fence- and not even that at a lot of places.

A reciprocal jumpseat agreement is an agreement between airlines whereby each airline will allow the other airline's pilots -- and sometimes other personnel -- to travel free on a space available basis. Subject to some limitations, this can include cockpit jumpseats. Very convenient, but there are some risks: Chiefly, that you may get "bumped" off the jumpseat by someone with higher priority, such as one of the company's own pilots, an FAA inspector, etc.

It's important to remember that any jumpseat ride is a courtesy extended to the jumpseater by the airline providing the ride. A very fast way to poison the well (and maybe get the jumpseat agreement canceled) is to act rude, pushy, try to talk your way aboard after you've been denied, show up looking like a crud, etc.

You just answered a question that was asked 2 1/2 years ago. He probably googled it by now.:eek:

On behalf of Mrsmith42e, Thanks!

I think he passed away two winters ago.

1234567890

Yeah, I know . . . but it's an area that's frequently misunderstood.

(a) Airline passengers (and crews) have to go through essentially the same "BS" at the terminal security checkpoint, using more sophisticated equipment than is available on the freight ramp. And yes, the CASS check, bag search, pat down, etc., are prequired by Ameriflight's TSA security program.

(b) AMF has trips that will get SWA pilots back home after the last SWA flight from the domicile has already gone -- a more desirable option, some of them think, that RONing and going home the next morning. In some cases, those SWA folks are in airplanes, and on routes, that they used to fly. . . .

AMF has reciprocals with several carriers now. I jumpseated from Florida to Alaska with Alaska Airlines in October, piece of cake.

Holy resurrected thread, Batman!

Did they have computers back in 2010?

Necropost for sure.

I do remember back around 2012 jumpseating on SWA and the AMF guy told me that they were limited on reciprocal options. Now it sounds like they've got pretty much everyone but DL and JetBlue. Happy to see improvements like that.

2010! definitely gets an award!