"Are you headed to work?"
 

In my airline career thus far I have always driven to work. I do jumpseat 3-4 times per year to visit friends and family. I always get asked "are you headed to work?" I always answer with the truth.

Is it bad form to use our jumpseat privileges for pleasure travel on other airlines? I recently had one of my captains say that it was looked upon unfavorably. This is the first I've heard of this... Anyone have opinions on this matter?

I don't think it's looked on unfavorably. Possibly the etiquette would be if there are two jumpseaters, you allow the guy that's trying to get to work to go first. But other than that I don't see a problem with it. I don't ever ask that. Maybe he was just trying to make conversation.

Not at all. The jumpseat is for pleasure travel and for getting to and from your base. However, in my opinion, it should NEVER be used in place of a company required DH. There have been too many instances when a cheap company has asked pilots to jumpseat instead of buying a ticket.

Tell said captain to shut his mouth and buy the first round! As all have said it's for both. As a common courtesy, If the other dude has to get to work maybe let him go ahead of you. What do I know all the new millenial pilots only care about themselves anyway.

I disagree with your etiquette idea. If you get the jumpseat ahead of someone and all the seniority and check in rules were followed then the jumpseat is yours. Who cares if the person is going to work or pleasure. In fact the guy going to work most likely has a commuter policy that wouldn't get him in trouble. Going to see your kid play a sport somewhere and you miss it? No commuter policy for that.

I hope that last sentence was tongue in cheek. I see selfishness across all age groups. It's not unique to millennials.

I wouldn't go that far about millennial pilots. I took the jumpseat the other day to get an extra non rev on even when I had priority while going to work. I have and always will do that after being looked past multiple times while trying to commute to or from work and got frustrated by guys who didn't want to be inconvenienced.

I have been jumpseating to work for 18 years now, I get asked that on just about every leg, when I'm traveling in uniform mostly. But I always thought it was just a conversation starter, not a Spanish Inquisition.

If I'm in civies, as in going to visit my mom, MCO-BOS, on an oversold flight, I tell them.

The reason "Why" has never been an issue at Delta, (not that I've seen) I'm not sure about other airlines as I rarely need to use any others.

I agree. The company should buy a seat for you. But I will always take the jump if it will get another nonrev on as long as the crew is fine with it.

Even if I know I'm willing and able to take the jumpseat, I would still make them list me for positive space on the DH. After that THEN agree to take the jumpseat.

Thanks. That's what I figured. Unfortunately jumpseat etiquette is never taught at the regionals. I am making sure I didn't miss one of the "learn as you go" lessons. I've always assumed the "are you headed to work?" question was a conversation starter, but wanted to make sure I wasn't violating some sort of code of conduct. Thanks for the input:)