mack82

Do regional pilots have the ability to commute on airlines other than their own or their mainline carrier? (For example, an ASA pilot who wanted to catch a ride home on maybe a USAirways flight or even a PSA flight). Or, are pilots at regionals solely restricted to their own company in terms of commuting?



Thanks
Any info is appreciated

flyerNy

Depends on the regional, however, most regionals/airlines have agreements so that you can commute even if you work for another airline. Whether or not you may be able to get the jumpseat is another question.

mack82

Is the jumpseat the only way on another airline, or is space-available an option too???

rickair7777

Typically a regional pilot (and his family) will have non-rev priveleges on his own airline AND the major airline for which his company works. You can call, check availability and list for travel. Assuming there are empty seats available, you get a seat in the back. If your airline has multiple major partners, you might have access to all of them, or maybe only the one in who's system you happen to fly.

Jumpseating is less comfortable, but more flexible. As a 121 pilot you can jumpseat on just about any US 121 airline, including cargo. Sometimes the "jumpseat" privelege really just means you get an empty seat in the back. If you are jumping on your airline or one of your major partners, you normally are authorized to actually ride in the jumpseat if the cabin is full of paying customers (or non-revs with higher priority than you). If your airline participates in the CASS ID verification system, you should be able to occupy the jumpseat on any CASS airline. Some airliners have one jumpseat, some have two. I've spent many a LONG night jammed into the second jumpseat on Airbus going from the east coast to the west or vice versa

Since only pilots can jumpseat, a non-rev with a higher priority than you can't pre-empt your seat (unless they're a pilot too)

mack82

Any airlines that really discourage commuting through contracts, work rules, missing work due to being bumped, etc????


Thanks for the info

rickair7777

I know eagle used to deny jumpseat/non-rev benefits to new hires for six months. And they required you to live in San Juan, PR. Not sure what their policy is today, but that was only a couple years ago.

Other than that, I think most of your large regionals are ok with commuting since LOTS of folks do it. A lot of it depends on the city pairs in question. If you have several daily non-stops on your company or codeshare, then you're in great shape. I did coast-to-coast for while; it sucked but was mangeable because I had the company non-stops.

Horror story: I knew a guy who lived in small-townville pacific northwest and flew turboprops out of hickville, new england. His commute:
Horizon to SEA, Alaska to LAX, USAir to Philly, Company bird to his domicile. Nightmare....