Offline Jumpseat "Checking in"
 

I recently had a sour experience deadheading on a revenue ticket. CA happy assumed I was jumpseating because I was in uniform so decided to pull me into the galley while deplaing and asked me why I did not check in. My response was just as I stated, I was a Revenue customer on a paid deadhead. His claim was that we should still check in with them as fellow crew members. I bit my tongue and just walked out.

Now this was an anomaly I understand, but it got me thinking. What the hell is the point even if I am an actual jumpseater, with an assigned seat in the back, of "Checking in." Seems like an old time tradition bought from older generation Captains that has just continued on. I've had multiple pilots come "Check in" with me in the past on a single flight who have an assigned seat in the back. I’m friendly and appreciate the gesture but to me it’s just ridiculous. In no situation unless you are belligerently drunk or not wearing clothes am I going to say “nah you can’t sit in the back”.

Furthermore it interrupts crew and (although I was taught not to do this) people will still “Check in” with you in the middle of a checklist. It also backs up and slows boarding. Personally if you have a seat in the back I don’t give a damn. Sit down and shut up. We don’t require pax to come check in with the captain for approval to sit in a seat in the back, why are we making vetted airline crew do it.

If jumpseating it’s up to the captain to allow you to ride or not. His right not yours. Each company has their agreements and rules.
You don’t have to like it and you don’t have to Junpseat either.
I’ve had the experience you had with a paid ticket and riding in uniform and I professionally and politely told the captain I do not have to check in. He didn’t like it and couldn’t do anything about it. Not my problem.

I'm just spitballing here but did he have his hat on and describe himself as a Servant Leader in his predeparture galley PA?

Completely agree… my philosophy.

If you’re not sitting in a jumpseat, stow your $—t, sit down, and get out of the way.

if you’re in a FA jumpseat, let me know you’re there and that your qualified to do so, so that when I get the WB and it has extra FAs on it, I know it’s right.

if your sitting with us up front, have the obvious docs that I can see ready, then kindly stay out of the way till we’re ready to go. If you’re qualified to sit in a FD jumpseat, then you should know what we’re busy doing and know the drill.

No servant leader speech. But I did get the privilege of being stared down, with the guy in the hat, as I walked up the aisle to exit all the way from row 32.

Personally I like jumpseaters to check in for no other reason than I know you got on the plane and aren't getting left behind.

All of my commutes are offline. 95% of the time I end up in the back, but I'll still pop my head in and say hi and tell them I listed for the JS but got a seat in the back. Obviously I'll wait til any checklists/briefs are done before I say anything to not interrupt their flow. It's also not hard to pull my bags up and stand by the lav in order to make sure everyone behind me in line can continue to board. My thoughts are since it's always offline and since the JS is the CAs (even if I'm in the back) it's still just common courtesy to check in with them.

Also, when I'm operating a flight and I see 3 people are listed for the JS, if 3 people come up and just say hi and let us know they got on then I know they all got accomidated. If only 1 comes up and checks in then I'm probably wondering if the other 2 were accomidated and do the walk up to the gate to make sure that A) there was no buffoonery with the GA and B) that I'm not going to push with 2 open jump seats in the FD, not knowing if the other 2 listed got on or not.

Idk, maybe my philosophy is wrong, but I've never had an issue doing a quick check in offline, and I've always appreciated the check in when I'm operating, just so I know fellow commuters made it on.

Maybe I came off as a Jacka**, But I have zero problem with people checking in. Its the fact that some guys get upset or nasty if someone doesnt. It shouldnt be a requirement.

I also never trust Gate Agents in letting me know there are jump seaters on a flight. I always walk up to the gate once boarding is done to make sure there is no one waiting up there...

Yes I get this. I by no means get upset if someone comes and checks in , and as I mentioned I appreciate the gesture. But it should not be required or guys should not get upset at people if they dont want to do it. I always go up to the gate after boarding is complete to make sure there is no one left behind.

For sure, lol. I would always assume a pilot in uniform is PS/DH if he does not check in with me. If (big if) I would check in with him, it would not be confrontational.

And as a 25 year commuter, this is what I do:
List for JS, doesn't matter if uniform or not, cockpit or cabin seat, check in with the captain, it's his seat to give.
List for nonrev/DH/PS/own ticket, in uniform tell FA I'm not a JS, in case the captain asks. Not in uniform, tell the FA I'm airline to get a free drink.