QuirkyJules

I try to give the benefit of the doubt. But.... Is there ever any excuse for someone on a DH (on rotation) to bump a commuter off the JS rather than insist on the pos space seat?

Harrier Dude

No. Never. Not ever.

seminolepilot

Nope not at all. Some guys want to get that extra person on which I understand, but they're screwing over a commuter that might be trying to get home or to work. If the airline overbooked the flight then they can deal with the denied boarding compensation.

QuirkyJules

Well said event happened this morning in EWR, involving an airline that perhaps lately is more sensitive than most about denied boarding....

I'm not the pilot it happened to, so admittedly this is second hand. But apparently the TOTD realized he wasn't positive spaced though he was scheduled for DH, didn't want to call scheduling to get it fixed, and instead bumped the pilot who was trying to commute home. The flight accommodated a few off the standby list.

Really want to give benefit of the doubt somehow but I just can't come up with any way this guy isn't TOTD-worthy. Edited to add: I know nothing changes just by complaining on a forum. I'm sure official channels will be made aware.

Harrier Dude

Well, from what you've said, I'd have to agree with you. Have the guy file a PDR or submit a note to your jumpseat committee.

That's a fairly major party foul. It's bad enough when there's nobody currently ON the jumpseat. It's heinous when they actually have to remove a dude.

QuirkyJules

I used some inaccurate wording saying "bumped" - my bad; no need to make it sound worse than it was. The other guy who was supposed to have positive space signed in for the JS when no one was on it - but only barely. But he didn't change his plan even after knowing he was blocking a commuter from getting on the flight and there were still standbys being cleared.

Harrier Dude

He still should not be doing that for a number of reasons. Our DH procedures are a negotiated benefit. Voluntarily giving that up will get used against us as a status quo argument. Plus (as shown here) it takes the jumpseat away from somebody who needs it.

Document it.

OpenClimb

Unfortunately, yes, in the case of Frontier's substandard contract. Here's a direct quote:

"Pilots returning to Domicile for legal rest may be assigned a cockpit jumpseat if all seats in the cabin are filled with positive space revenue passengers or other Deadheading crewmembers and the Scheduled Block is less than 3 hours."

Believe me, I'm certainly not saying this is right or the way it ought to be. (So please don't shoot the messenger). I'm just pointing out one possible way someone jumpseating on F9 could be hosed by a deadheading crewmember forced to ride in the jumpseat. I don't think a crewmember could legitimately refuse since it's spelled out right there in the CBA.

Hoping that our now ALPA union leadership will fix this in our next contract.

EDIT: After reading the rest of the thread, I now see that the F9 issue doesn't exactly relate to this situation (and we don't fly out of EWR), but I figured I'd leave it posted just for general awareness.

RI830

TOTD Orange Card goes to the Mesa FO strutting through Terminal B at DFW today with his hat and sunglasses on.

His future is soooooo bright that he wears his shades indoors.

IFlyThings

Baby, when you're THIS cool, the sun shines on you twenty four hours a day!