I would open the door. Only takes a minute. So what if it causes a late departure? It's amazing to me how management has conditioned the rank and file to be so incredibly afraid of a late departure. I'd rather help a fellow pilot and take a delay.

 

Amen!

Whoa! You have a board with rollers!? Is that one of those skateboards with the big tires? Orrrr did you mean a roll-aboard...as in to roll aboard an aircraft?

 

Then why did you come on here and crucify a captain for operating his flight IAW Company Procedures, and not interrupting his checklists and entire operation AFTER he had blocked out, just so that he could open the door back up to accomodate your personal scheduling crisis?

Look, I always go out of my way to accomodate jumpseaters as well, if it doesn't contravene the primary operation. But sometimes I can't, or won't, and I don't want to be second guessed about it.

Don't you think you over-reacted just a bit Pard?

Dr. Phil

 

Crucify? Hardly.

 

I never ever said, that I expecteded him or anyone to open the door. Now, I had wished the door was opened, who wouldnt? But when Ive reopened the door few times in IAD for his fellow crewmembers going to ORF, then I hope somebody has same compassion.

The reason for the poll was to get a general consensus as to what most CAs may or may not do.

Oh and relax dude!

 

I'd open the door again. Massage what I need to massage, make it happen. I try to make sure to look into the windows in the terminal if possible to see if there is any pilot waving frantically-- I've got a few guys on with that check. Or I make the walk for one last visual sweep in the gate area.

I've also had some fantastic flight crews in the past get me on as well, a few times I have had to jump across a gap (a manageable gap-- no crazy health risk) between a pulled jet bridge and the airplane with a welcoming crew on board, that's a very awesome feeling.

The giant wrinkle in all this is usually gate agents, not pilots. I have had gate agents go all out to get me on and others that belligerently denied me any sort of access to the aircraft. That is frustrating.

No one else will watch our backs but ourselves. We are pilots first and foremost, regardless of employers. Good goes around.

 

Why the relax comment? He stated his opinion just like you, even mentioned he goes out of his way to help commuters, just because we all aren't going to open the door doen't mean we don't help commuters. Sometimes the problem is that a few commuters think the world revolves around there transportations issues.

 

Amen brother. The guy (gate agent) @ gate 7, LAX gave me the 3rd degree because I didn't get to the gate 30 mins prior to departure (15-20 mins is when I showed up). I just wasn't able to. He wouldn't even go ask the CA! WeNt down to gate 2 where they looked out for me.

+1 on the GA wrinkle.

 

I am very happy to be a commuter no longer. Being rid of that stress and time lost is wonderful! But I think it is reasonable and maybe even likely that I will be forced into commuting again. So I do what I can for jumpseaters, even if they're not commuting. When I did commute if I showed up later than 15 to 30 prior I would do so with fingers crossed, but expect to not make it.

You just can't expect a captain or FO to compromise the schedule or company policy to get you on. Its just not fair.

 

Why? Crucify? A bit dramatic dont you think