Thrill

Looking to Jumpseat SFO-FRA on the 29th and return the 3rd on the 744. I think the loads look OK, but does this flight "freight out" often?

Thx all.

Phantom Flyer

Huh ? What does this mean ?

supernaut

He wants to know if the plane gets weight restricted because of the freight. Then the airline bumps non-revs for the freight.

Thrill: I've gone OMC on that trip several times and never had a problem. I was always told the east coast to EU legs were the ones with the issues (less capable/smaller planes I suppose). This was several years ago so things may have changed. I dont work at UAL so I dont have current or statistical info for you.

threeighteen

Shouldn't be an issue.

serhito

FWIW, I jumpseated to Geneva in April on United. After going back and forth at the gate between taking the nonrevs or not, they finally said we could get on. Got a nice comfortable middle seat in coach , pushed back, started the engines and after 10 min., went back to the gate. A big discussion went on between the captain and ground crew, whether to take the cargo or non revs off. Captain decided to leave the cargo behind. Good for us non revs, but I hope he didn't get into too much trouble.
United have been very nice, but their flights tend to be packed a lot of the time. And don't rely on the ual website to give you a good idea of available seats. I saw several times that they still had plenty of seats the day before, to find myself with an oversold flight the day I was flying.
Frankfurt should offer you alternatives to get back. But you might have to pay taxes for each flight you try. You can get reimbursed later, but it can take a bit of your time.

Good luck.

Thrill

Thanks!

Haven't done the INTL Jumpseat thing in years....does being in uniform help on the EU side, or is incognito the way to go?

cencal83406

FWIW I jumpseated international in uniform when I was a newbie, and I got the impression (including a "lecture" from a KLM FO), that wearing the uni when offline jumpseating was not kosher. So, lately, I've taken to wearing business casual and complying with the liquids restriction. Though - bring the uni "just in case" for returning to the states, as I had a < 3 oz item confiscated even though it made it through security in Europe, by the TSA...

Thrill

Good info, thanks!

Sniper

I was once in FRA trying to get back to the US. I missed the first flight ('freighted out'), and had to commit to one of two options (flight 1 or 2), both of which were overweight.

The RFO for flight 1 noticed me in the terminal, asked if he could help, and ended up personally getting both the PIC from flight 1 and 2 to approve me. He then walked me to the jetway for flight 2 (my preferred option, though I would have taken either), and put me on flight 2.

I can assure you, had he not intervened, there was NO chance I was getting on either flight (and had been told as much by the agents working the flight).

What's the point? The RFO went out of his way to help a fellow pilot (thank you, I try to pay it forward). But he only knew I was a fellow pilot because I was in uniform. The RFO even told me nobody ever wears the uniform. He wouldn't have even noticed me had I not been wearing the uniform.

I wouldn't have made the flight if I hadn't worn the uniform. It's that simple.

serhito

Don't worry about what european carriers pilots think of wearing the uniform. One of the reason they feel that way, it's because there is no such thing as jumpseating in Europe. If you non rev on a European carrier you must have a ticket, a non rev ticket. You are no more than an airline staff traveling on standby.
Besides, there is a lot of rivalry between pilots from different airlines. Everybody feel superior. There is no solidarity like in the US.
I prefer to travel with the uniform, since it helps you a lot going through security in Europe.