How do you plan around a gate agent with 20 years seniority walking up last minute? Pilots don't get as much time in the airline biz as other employee groups, time of check in works to our benefit.

 

Gate agents are not the same priority as pilots; neither are baggage guys.

 

Seriously? That would never fly at B6, or any other airline that I know of. Most airline ground employees work for the airline benefits.

 

i actually thought most places had flight crew as higher priority. Didnt realize JB wasn't like that.

 

Just wanted to piggy back off this. Took us to both LGW and LHR and it was a fantastic experience. I've flown on legacy first class in the past (Years ago now) and Mint was just so much better. The isolated individual pods are so good. Being able to lie completely flat without worry about a neighbor trying to step over you or being bothered by people walking around in the aisle is great. It's truly a fantastic product, and it's so frustrating seeing the rest of the operation go to crap when I know we can be better than the rest out there.

Also, the end of the 190s can't come soon enough. They're an absolute joke as far as interiors go (I know we all know that), but I was really thinking about it after my London experience. Imagine buying a full fare ticket, experiencing Mint across the pond, and then connecting on a clapped out 190 with panels falling off the walls.

 

at least the engines work….

 

So let me get this straight. If I have 15 years longevity and rampers family that was hired yesterday will get a seat before my family and I if we clicked the check in button one second after them?

 

Gate agents and rampers and flight attendants turn over constantly. We are at the airline longer than anyone typically.

 

I'm just one guy with one perspective, but I'd like to think the general vibe at JB is more egalitarian than that.
Sure, we have a skill set that has fairly high barriers to entry, but the operation depends on everyone, and I wouldn't like any system that codified a different measure of value on different work groups.

As pilots, we have the privilege of the jumpseat, which will more than likely be open for you if you need it to make a commute, and that is DOH.

But ignoring all my high-minded nonsense: I think its just straight up a better user experience to know immediately 23 hours and 59 minutes prior where you fall on the list so you can plan another course of action, rather than last minute senior person showing up de-railing your plans. It's hard to plan another flight when you only find out 10 minutes prior to the gate closing that someone senior to has shown up.

 

Family without Crewmember (any family, from any department, not just “rampers”) is lower priority than family with Crewmember so relax.

PS- We call it Ground Ops around here.