I'll tell you this much. If I'm on a 20 min turn and you and your FO come up to ask for a ride on a DH, I'm going to be upset. Stop asking for rides on positive space tickets. If the poo hits the fan and I need to know if there is anyone in the back who can help, I'll ask the FA. If a Captain tries to lecture me about not asking for a ride, I will tell him how many holes he can put his advice in. Then I'm calling the Union.

 

I have a question: What if a pilot has a scheduled DH at 23:59 back to his home base where he also lives, but elects to deviate and find his way back several hours earlier.

Curious about ya'll thoughts on this: Are crews generally ok with having their cockpit crowded up for this purpose? I know I personally would be welcoming in this situation; I mean as long as the guy was courteous etc.

 

You're basically jumpseating home on an earlier flight, and so you never had a scheduled deadhead on this flight, right? IMO just say "hi, I'm so and so trying to get home to XXX , could I please jumpseat and hitch a ride?"

 

I agree, I don't need, or want, to say "hi" to a whole bunch of flowback jumpseaters sitting in the cabin.

My company's policy is that IF a jumpseater is actually assigned and will actually occupy the cockpit jumpseat, I need to check credentials and he/she needs to ask permission. But if they are flowing back and are assigned a passenger seat I do not even need to see them, nor do I care to. But a flowback is still considered a jumpseater and rules such as no drinking apply.

Having said that, I don't expect other airline pilots to know my company policy, so I don't mind if they stop by the cockpit to introduce themselves, even though it's an unneeded distraction. If in doubt just pop your head in the cockpit and politely ask if you need to show your credentials even though you are sitting in the cabin.

 

Yeah, I only ask because the gracious crew usually asks if you are going home or to work. When you say going home, they ask where you're based. When you say K___, the place they are taking you, they get a little confused. Lol. I'm probably over thinking it. I've done it twice and both times I've owned up to what I was doing, and they didn't seem to mind, but I did feel a little awkward. Course I would never bump a guy on a real commute.

 

Why wouldn't a company jumpseater just list as a non rev?

 

Isn't the title of this thread "Jumpseat Etiquette"? It's not deadheading or non-rev etiquette. If you're jumpseating (whether you were provided a seat in the back or not) be polite to the FA's and "ask" the captain for a ride. Don't look like you just got out of bed and be ready to provide your credentials.

It's not that difficult and it's called common courtesy and manners. Perhaps you've read about this somewhere!

 

Why is this so hard?

If you're a jumpseater, whether you're sitting in back or the actual, approach the crew, credentials in hand, and politely ask for a ride.

If you're nonrevving or deadheading, board the airplane, take your seat, and offer a friendly 'thanks for the ride' as you deplane.

Does it really need to be more complicated than that?

 

I'm a brand new airline guy....and I ask because I seriously have no idea. What is the difference between jump seating with a seat in back and non reving? If I make a reservation on myidtravel.com and fly in the back on an AA flight what am I?

 

Let's start with jumpseating (which is most definitely not what you book on myidtravel.com).

If you have CASS (which just about every 121 operation does, I believe), then you can hop on any airliner that has a reciprocal agreement with your carrier and is flying domestically (you cannot J/S internationally unless it's on your own metal and your carrier allows it.)

So, as a Skywest pilot for example, you can jumpseat on UA, DL, AA, VX, B6, WN...you name it, as long as the other carrier has an agreement with Skywest.

If the flight has an open seat in the back, that's where you'll sit. However if the flight is full and there's nobody else who would trump you for the jumpseat, you sit in the actual.

Regardless of whether you're sitting in the cabin or in the actual, you are considered an additional crew member (ACM). You can only ride with the permission of the CA. At my airline the CA is required to check credentials for all jumpseaters, regardless of what seat they're in.

If I'm jumpseating and have been given a seat in the back, I'll usually introduce myself to the CA at an opportune moment and say "Good morning captain, my name's ___ and I'm with Skywest. I'd like to request a ride to ( ) today. They've given me a seat in the back, and here's my paperwork." I'll then hand over my employee badge, passport, airman cert, medical, and FCC RTOP. Also most importantly I'll hand over the jumpseat card printed by the gate agent. I'd say that 50% of captains just glance at my badge and the jumpseat card, while 45% wave it away and say "Welcome aboard, glad to have you" without bothering with my credentials.

If I'm in the actual (no seat in back), I'll say something like "Good morning ( ) , my name's ___ and I'm with Skywest. If it's OK with you I'd like to request a ride to ( ). They don't have any room in the back so hopefully you're OK with me in the actual." And then I'll present my credentials. In my experience, guys will check your paperwork more carefully when you're in the actual, just to ensure you're not a long-lost Bin Laden relative.

Non-revving is different and comes in 2 flavors:

1) Non-revving on an airline on which you have benefits. You'll always have benefits on your own airline, but if you're a regional guy you might have (lousy) benefits on mainline carriers you fly for. For example, I have nonrev bennies on both DL and UA. So I can list for any UA/DL flight and as long as there are open seats and not too many people ahead of me on the list, I'll get a seat.

In this case I am NOT an ACM. I am just a nonrevver, just as if I were a gate agent or ramper or retired mechanic's mother-in-law.

2) Non-revving on an airline where you don't have benefits, using a ZED fare. This is where sites like myidtravel are relevant. This is basically the same as #1 above, except there's a nominal cost for the ZED fare and your priority will be below any nonrevvers with benefits on the airline operating the flight.

As a non-revver I see no reason to check in with the captain. There is no FAA regulation nor airline FOM I am aware of that requires nonrevvers to check in with the crew; if every nonrevving pilot did so, the crew would never get their preflight duties accomplished in any reasonable time. However as a jumpseater I always, always check in with the captain, regardless of where I'm seated.

Then there's deadheading, which for all intents and purposes is the same as being a revenue pax (aside from the fact that you are on duty; most airlines require that you be in uniform, although I believe some do not. And you obviously shouldn't be drinking while in uniform.) As a deadheader I will never bother the crew by sticking my head in the flight deck, unless it's on my own metal and I know the crew.