I talked to some friends that had problems lately with jumpseating eg gate agents "I don't have time to look in CASS".. I find it wierd because I jumpseat about once a month and haven't had too many problems (maybe due to my good looks! Ha). All the Carrier's gate agents, FAs and Pilots I've tried always were nice and accommodating.

So for those who jumpseat let's hear some stories. Anything to make it better and pass some advice along?

 

I attempt to utilize the privilege of jumpseat travel often as both a necessity of commute and for personal travel. More often than not, I encounter uncooperative gate personnel that have an attitude that jumpseating pilots are creating more work and should not be accommodated. This seems especially so in busy understaffed noisy commuter concourses.

The canned question "Are you listed?" is usually the first indication that the gate agent may have an attitude about jumpseaters, and tone of voice in how that question is asked is key. Listing for non rev travel is a concept from the 1960s when a listing was made to insure that a meal was catered for the non-rev. In that pre GUI era of computers, a listing also minimized the workload at the gate. That work load now is often one or two keystrokes or mouse clicks, so an agent that starts with that question may be implying, "If you aren't listed, I'm going to start out with an attitude and make you uncomfortable at least and not accommodate you if I can." I try to list but offline every airline has subtle differences and listing it self can be difficult if your jumpseating is plan "B".

In today's CASS environment many carriers have a link that creates a listing when CASS is properly accessed. If the flight is full and you're asking for cockpit access CASS does most of the work formerly associated with creating a listing.

I applaud ALPA for the attempt to bring jumpseat problems to the attention of our peers with the "No pilot left behind" campaign, but it doesn't go far enough to educate gate agents and ground staff persons. For the past several years I have been trying to get up and take a walk up the jetway to have some dialog with the agents in the terminal especially when the flight is a domestic segment and booked full. I make an effort to assure pilots at the gate that I will make every effort to get them on board. I attempt to do so in full view and earshot of the gate agent(s) working the flight. That usually sets the tone as to how jumpseating pilots will be treated. The agents almost always are watching and listening, so it makes it difficult for that agent to continue to exercise any personal anti-pilot agenda without a lot of risk.

On the flip side, I have mentioned gate agent resistance, nasty personalities, violation of established procedures etc... to captains after suffering the process expecting them to be proactive only to hear things like, "Dude, I just want to get off the gate and on the way to the layover..." So there you have it, who should we blame? ourselves.

I recently was told by and outstation gate agent working one of our own 737s, that "the jumpseat wasn't available." I kicked myself immediately for not having approached the captain as he had been in the terminal for coffee. I then asked for some specifics and she replied, "I don't know, it's just not." I said well why don't we go ask the captain? She told me she, "didn't have access to the captain"!!!! At that point I informed her that I would make a call to the company dispatcher working the flight and find out for her. while I was still dialing, magically the jumpseat became "available".

The whole point of this ramble is that we need to fight to continue to have access to jumpseats. Once again a professional attitude on the part of the pilots working the flight can set a tone that carries though for the pilots that may not take the time to bother seeing if gate agents are getting pilots on. If however your the requester in the terminal you are at the mercy of the agent and how their supervisor interprets and establishes pilot jumpseat protocol.

 

ohh... there are thousands of bad stories about jumpseating... I do have several, but this one really made me mad. It actually wasn't about me, was about another jumpseater trying to get on and gate agent not letting her.

I was deadheading with my crew and when we got to the gate found that the flight was full and there was a jumpseater trying to get on. She aproached us and asked if we were flying this leg. I told her we were deadheading (more like "heading dead"). She said she was trying to jumpseat and she flew for a small 121/135? outfit (can't remember the name) and altough they weren't CASS approved, they had a jumpseat agreement. She even mentioned that she had been jumpseating for a while with this company, off course not in the actual cockpit but if a seat was avail. in the back, there were no problems whatsoever.

Now, the problem was that the flight was full and she didn't have acces to the cockpit (no CASS). So here's when I offer to lend a hand and came to the gate agent very politely with a smile on my face (while she wasn't really busy) and asked her if I could list for the jumpseat since I'm CASS approved, and let the non-cass jumper take my seat in the back. Gate agent gave me an attitude and told me I couldn't jumpseat 'cause I was deadheading. I told her "I understand", but actually it wouldn't affect her who was ridding where and told her that I was trying to help get everybody onboard. After trying to convice the GA to help "us" out, she asked the jumpseater what airline she was with. Jumpseater told her and the GA was like "what? I never heard of them before" Jumpseater politely explained that they had a jumpseat agreement. GA said "I don't think so" and didn't even look in the computer. Jumpseater insisted to look it up in the computer (the most logical step). and gate agent refused saying again "I never heard about that company before". So again, me approaches the GA and asked her to check in the computer, that will clearly be the answer if she could be listed or not. Ga now p*ssed, again refused to look it up in the computer and start asking stupid questions to the jumpseater like : "where do you guys fly to?" "what kind of airplanes do you have"? "are you an airline or what?" "private pilots can't jumpseat..." "if you are not CASS can't jumpseat" To this I was like "AND THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY I'M TRYING TO JUMPSEAT IN THE COCKPIT, SO YOU CAN LIST HER AS A JUMPSEATER BUT SHE'LL RIDE IN THE BACK. SHE WON'T GET ANY CLOSE TO THE COCKPIT, I PROMISE !" This argument went on a on, and yet.. she didn't want to look it up in the computer. When the whole plane was boarded gate agent told me "you better board this airplane" and I told her "what about the jumpseater".... after another argument (AGAIN !) she agreed to look it up in the computer. And suddenly a miracle...It was in the computer after all, what do you know... took her 30 seconds to list her and list me in the jumpseat. We finally got on board. Jumpseater was really thankfull since she was a long way from home and that was the last flight of the day.

 

I get a funny look when I board a WN flight now a days.

PS. Don't try and jumpseat a FX flight w/o your medical. Haha.

 

Wow. Unbelievable. Was there any remorse or apology from that awful gate agent? That's angering just reading about it.

Obviously it would be an unprofessional act, but thats the kind of situation where, on the inside, you would just love to rub it in their ignorant face that they (the gate agent) were wrong.

 

Better yet document the instance and give the documentation to you ALPA jumpseat coordinator and insist that they either act on it for discipline or use it during negotiations when it's time to sit at the table. This comes down to airlines ignoring their own policies and/or allowing empires to be built by out-station managers, gate agent supervisors and individuals that think the power of jumpseat authorization is something they have the power to allow or revoke, rather than administer. Once again it comes down to intentionally down playing the role and contribution of pilots.

 

No remorse whatsoever... just the typical attitude of " I'M SO POWERFUL THAT I CAN DECIDE WHO GETS ON OR NOT OR WHEN THE FLIGHT LEAVES... I'M JUST GOING TO DO THIS BIG LAST FAVOR TO YOU PAIR OF MORTALS...."

When we landed I told her to contact her Jumpsat coordinator right away and if he/she had any questions, they could call me and I'll gladly speak out.

 

I was very blessed today I must say. Took a flight trying to get home CLT-TPA and flight was booked as well as the 3 others later in the day ( oversold ). The gate agent had a computer problem and couldnt pull up my listing or any infomation in his system. 3 mins ot departure time he walked me HIMSELF to the captain and asked if I could ride the jump seat etc. Capt and F/O were more than welcoming and said " sure we loved to have someone with us "

None the less ,it took only 50 seconds of his time and avioded hours of waiting and possible hotel costs etc.

Thank you to all those who spend the extra few minutes in your job adn caring for some of us. cant say that for all of them sadly enough...

 

FlyingW,

Thanks for starting this thread! I have been meaning to start one because of the PLEASANT jumpseat experiences I had in July.

Trying to get back and forth from Pensacola I had nothing but great treatment from all involved. Jumpseated 6 times on Delta (1 leg ASA) and twice on AA (1 leg Eagle). Everyone was accomodating and friendly. Sat in in the cockpit on Delta three times and enjoyed every minute of converstation with the flight crews.

The last leg was the most impressive though. While trying to travel on the same plane from ATL to PHX with my two daughters and their friend I was informed that the flight was full and the jumpseat had been taken by a DAL pilot and that I would have to wait for the next flight. I told my daughters it was no big deal and I would follow behind them when I could. I had already made arrangements for my wife to pick up the girls if I did not make it.

That is when an amazing act of kindness happened. I recognized who the DAL jumpseater was (we all have that look) and approached him and said hello. I really truly had no expectations other than to meet a fellow pilot. I found out he had just gotten in on an international flight and lived in PHX and during the discussion he asked about my situation. I told him I was trying to travel with my girls but had a back up and everything was cool. The plane had started to board and I told him goodbye and went to say goodbye to my daughters. After they had gone down the jetway I saw the DAL pilot motion towards me and that is when I found out he was going to sit on the Flight Attendant jumpseat and give me the cockpit jumpseat. What and amazingly kind gesture. Having been up as long as he had I am sure the cockpit jumpseat would have been more comfortable for him. All I can say is thanks Mark and I will pass in on so to speak!

The Happy and most grateful,

Oscar

P.S. Of course a smart person would have bought a ticket on that last leg..........

 

great thread. i jumpseat weekly for my commute, and have done so for about 3 years. before that it was a couple times per month, different commute. maybe i'm lucky, but i've only ever had one completely uncooperative gate agent. legacy airline, no reason to name them. they hadn't started boarding the plane yet, and i walked up to the gate agent (there were 3 working the flight). i had my id in my hand, i was in uniform, and i opened my mouth to speak. he shut me down immediately by putting his hand toward my face and saying, "i don't have time to deal with you right now." that was it. so i stood about 6 feet away from him, looking at him, patiently waiting. they boarded the flight. they closed the door. i still stood looking at him. finally, one of the other gate agents asked him about "the jumpseater" and he looked up at me and said, "oh, the flight's closed now". my blood was boiling. i almost exploded with rage. but i just walked away.

i have certainly had gate agents who were having a bad day (we all have them), or could have been friendlier. i have also had gate agents that were amazingly nice and accomodating, even though chaos reigned around them. i feel very fortunate to be able to commute to work, to live where i want, and i feel lucky to have a good experience the vast majority of the time.