mike734

I would think the CA would look at me in the uncomfortable Jseat and say, "You should have been here earlier, then you'd be drinking a beer and sleeping."

Seriously, why would he think any different? Neither JSer is "representing" their airline.

dojetdriver

I respectfully disagree with this statement. I would also have to venture that you don't use it often nor commute. There were times after 9/11 where it seemed like I spent more time in the JS on a 757 or an Airbus than I did in the flying the Dornier. And whatever you did back in your days in JS'ing on TWA, you can't argue, being in the airlines was night and day different than it is now, in A LOT of ways.

I forgot to add in my previous post. Plane got to the gate, parking brake is set. I always wait for them to finish the parking checklist before I move. They do, CA looks at me and says "you can pop the door and split at any time. You see the other jumpseater on the way out, tell him to come up here, I want to talk to him"

Like I said, do whatever YOU want when using the JS privelege.

trafly

DoJetDriver seems to be making the point that you never know who's around, and it's best to play things on the safe side. God knows I'd like to NEVER turn down a free beer, but public and professional perception of pilots plays into things. Could be another pilot, could be an FA or gate agent, could be a frequent flier from your airline who overhears that you are a XXX pilot on the J/S. I've actually heard people say that pilots should never drink! Better to play it safe. Gotta go now, just enough time to get in one last drink before pushback!

Dark Knight

okay, back to basic jumpseating.....
how do you "list" yourself to make things easier for the hosting airline on which you are JS'ing?

JayDee

How does breaking wind play into this?

dojetdriver

Most legacies you don't have to list, just walk up to the gate and request a JS pass. SouthWest has a phone number, 18663597967. The coolest thing about it, you call and somebody ACTUALLY answers the phone, what a concept eh? Also, you are not talking to "floyd" somewhere in a foreign country.

If riding on Frontier, just call their reservation line, go through the phone tree. When the person answers, simply tell them you are an offline non rev and want to list for a flight. When they ask who you work for, just give them your company's 2 character code. Both SW and F9 are great to JS'ers. If you are riding on FedEx or UPS, you will have to call and get your information in their system, FedEx has a website, as does UPS, just follow the directions.

http://www.alpa.org/fdx/jumpseat/

http://tools.ipapilot.org/jumpseats/index.php

As far as riding on the ACMI carriers, go to their website.

Well, that's the great thing about having 3 (or more) guys riding in the front of the plane, isn't it? When somebody drops an air biscuit, nobody really knows who's guilty.

psycomant

dojetdriver you're the man, I'm saving this post

psycomant

What I still don't get is this...other than buddy passes and all the other gigs, you technically really don't need travel benefits since you can fly around for free in the CASS system...am I correct or there's something I'm missing?

dojetdriver

Depends on how you look at it. To be clear, CASS has NOTHING what so ever to do with international JS'ing. It's a domestic thing only.

Now, pulling this in with the other thread. If I am "non-reving" as opposed to JS'ing, I will partake in the amenities offered in first class. That is, I'm not in uniform, etc.

It can depend on who you work for. Say CAL/XJT. We get allocated what are called "vacation passes" every year. If I am going to travel for vacation, I will use one for various reasons. For one, it puts me in a higher priority category than a regular non-rev, and it costs me NOTHING to use. If you are DAL/DelCon, just pay your yearly fee and take advantage of your international travel days.

Remember this, when you are JS'ing you are the absolute last person to get issued a seat. Now, domestic it may not matter as the physical JS may be open and there is your ride. International where you CANNOT occupy the seat (certain exception) and the flight fills up, you are SOL. Every other non rev is going to get a seat before you. Including buddy pass/companion riders, as well as ID/ZED pass riders. If you have the option to non-rev, it's better.

This example has happened to me before. FOR NOW, CAL boarding priority goes by DOH as it pertains to CAL/XJT. So say I am using a REGULAR S3 pass to get to work. If a mainline CAL employee with less seniority is there, I get on before them. Say I'm the only pilot, I am going to take the actual JS, then another pilot from an non coex carrier shows up. If my seniority can hold a seat in the back, I will take the seat in the back to free up the JS so he can get home/to work as well. But that's just me, I will help out a fellow commuter in that regard. SOME guys don't go by that, are very "me first" and consider it a dog eat dog world. Like I said, JS.commuting karma can be a beyotch.

Now, if you are commuting or JS'ing around the country a lot, and you work at a place that charges you for every leg, then by all means, use the JS. It's way cheaper than using your bennies. Like I said, at XJT, if I was to use my S3 passes to commute all the time, it would run around $100-125 a month. if you are first year FO, that can add up. And that's coach, if you use first class, it gets even MORE expensive. Using my Delta benefits, it's just the $50 a year and then unlimited after that. For BOTH coach and first class.

SuperPilotJesse

Yo Do.

You seem to have a lot of knowledge about all this and I really appreciate you willingness to help us all out. I am in class for Comair right now... is that 50$ for travel the travelnet.com membership or whatever, or is it something else?