How come flight attendants don’t have to ask permission for a ride? I see Delta, UA, NK, B6, etc all the time as D7UJ’s, but they never come up front and hello. We make such a big deal about pilot etiquette yet they freeload all the time and we don’t think twice. Shouldn’t we be aware that there’s an additional person in the back who could assist durning an emergency?

 

Dont use logic else risk offending the blowhards. This is an antiquated system, as if in this day and age we are going to open the door in the middle of an emergency and hail all the pilots up to the front. We may ask the FA to go through and get one, look at the credentials and see they are a JS then bring them up, but really, the flight crew doesn't need to always know who is in back.

I have, without a friggen doubt, had more MAINLINE pilots fail to act properly than any regional pilot. Some show up in street cloths, dont bother checking in at all if they got a seat etc. The LCC guys/gals are awesome, always very respectful and properly dressed. I think it goes unreported about mainline because people fear any sort of retribution, as silly as that may be. So before they get up on their high horse it would be best to look inside first.

At the end of the day, you either are a captain that just wants a quick hello and understands that people are just trying to get to work or back to their home/family with as little issue as possible, or you are the type that feels they are owed some huge debt of gratitude for letting you on "their" aircraft. I do however agree about the dress code policy if sitting up front, we dont want passengers to see pilots going up with jeans on, might make them feel we are not taking this seriously enough.

Either way, I find it easier to just say "excuse me gentlemen/ladies, just wanted to see if I can catch a ride". At that point I take the cues from them.

 

I’ve had this happen many times as well

 

while we are talking about jumpseating...I have the best/worst story from a few months back. This is the account I sent to ALPA after the fact because it was so terrible.

Good morning, my name is XXX, and I just had a regrettable jumpseat experience on AAXXX YYY-ZZZ on MMM DD. For the record, I was not in uniform, but was wearing dress slacks and a button down dress shirt. At the gate, I was assigned jumpseat ‘2w’ 5 minutes prior to boarding, and told by the gate agent that I should board with group 4, so that I could find a place for my suitcase.

When I am assigned the actual jumpseat on AA/EAG (or any seat when flying OAL), I always, leave my suitcase and briefcase at the door of the plane, and proceed to check in with the flight attendants and then the captain. In my hand, I always have my Crew ID, J/S boarding pass, pilot certificate and medical. If the captain grants me the privilege of jump-seating, I offer to wait on the jetbridge, until boarding is nearly complete so that they can prepare the flight deck without somebody breathing down their neck.

Flight XXX was no different, and when I arrived at the aircraft, I left my suitcase on the jetbridge, introduced myself to the flight attendant standing in front of the flight deck door (there was a second FA setting up the first class galley), and showed her my crew badge (which I was holding), and started to move toward the flight deck. At that point, the second flight attendant setting up the galley, moved to block me, and then proceeded to ask the captain if he wanted a jumpseater to come up. The captain said “no, not right now” and the flight attendant told me that I could never ‘just board the aircraft and go to the cockpit.’ As I was leaving the plane, I said that I was an Envoy pilot, and knew that I could not ride without the captains permission, and had even left my bag on the jetbridge.

When the gate agent came down to close flight (I was still standing on the jetbridge), she told me a seat had opened up in the back, and gave me a new BP, and I proceeded to board (as now I was an online d2 with a seat, not a 2w jumpseater). As I boarded, the same flight attendant whom had scolded me earlier told me to check in with the captain, and he also proceeded to explain /scold me that “you can’t just come up to the flight deck without your crew ID.” I explained to him that I had introduced myself to the FA in front of the FD door, had my ID, certificate, and medical in-hand, and had even left my bags on the jetbridge to await his permission (as nothing is guaranteed). He just reiterated that was not what he was told and to always have my crew badge, and told me there was nothing more to say as I had a seat in the back. I did not apologize, and took my seat in the back.

Fundamentally, I have my utmost respect for captains authority and the privilege of jumpseating, but felt this whole experience was unprofessional, and counter to the ALPA jumpseat guide. I never raised my voice, nor argued, and always used the pronouns sir and mam when addressing the crew. I wanted to share my side of the story should the crew decide to report this experience to their own respective jumpseat committee.

Sorry for the novel - but a good example of some people having a chip on their shoulder. Now that I am a captain...I have pilots all the time just tell me they are jumpseating (in the back), and frankly I don't care, but it does bother me that if I had the same laissez faire attitude, I would get a coach and council from the flight crew.

 

FYI...if I’m jumpseating on your plane, the only “assist” you’ll get is a path of knocked over passengers as I run my ass off the airplane. I signed up for a free ride...not to be your #7.

 

What is the dress code for CASS nowadays? Back when I flew 121 cargo, we were required to wear slacks, a button down dress shirt, sports coat and tie. Didn't bother me, but I assume that's no longer required.

 

Business casual or in uniform. I had a mainline pilot trying to jumpseat in jeans awhile back and respectfully requested he put on slacks which he did.

 

So no more coat or tie required?

Amazes me how some people will continue to push the envelope and wear jeans or other casual clothing. If you let them get away with it, before long you'd have pilots trying to jumpseat in shorts, muscle shirts and flip flops.

 

You should read up on FAR 121.533 specifically part e. And while you’re at it FAR 121.547 and 121.583. You are a crewmember if you’re jumpseating and may be required to perform duties in the event of an emergency. You will be required if the captain demands it. It’s also on the alpa jumpseat etiquette and courtesy page.

 

No one is pushing the envelope. Business casual has become the norm and neat, clean jeans are acceptable. Most jeans are not only more expensive than slacks, but look a heck of a lot better too.