As a SkyWest pilot that commutes from the east to the west coast, I have the need to fly on United from time to time. We got this email from our SAPA president, regarding the "fun" that United Express carriers are experience with the new nonrev fees. What wasnt understood was how jumpseating was going to work. WELL HERE IS THE LOWDOWN after our SAPA president contacted UNITED.... EVERY COMMUTER SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS and talk with their reps at ALL OUR AIRLINES.... There are a few issues that as PILOTS regardless of who we work for need to know and act on and in my opinion THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

Here is a cut from our President Update....

"Yesterday I called UAL to get clarification to something written in the SWOL Q & A (Question 13) that says we will not be able to jumpseat in any open cabin seat unless we paid our fee (remember for all the other UAX carriers it is $20.00 per leg… and could change for us come 2010 as well). UAL confirmed that this statement is TRUE. UNACCEPTABLE! What they also stated was that there are NO UNLIMITED JUMPSEATS as all cabin seats belong to UAL. In other words even our fellow pilots at ASA (UAL’s example) would be denied a cabin seat when attempting to jumpseat unless they had an ID90 (as they do not have UA travel benefits), or the flight was full and they could ride in the cockpit. I talked to UALPA today, and they are unaware of this statement, and will be researching it in the next few days (it COULD affect their jumpseat policy as well for OAL pilots). In the meantime, I think we need to campaign our management to NOT SIGN THE CONTRACT until we get this worked out. The bad news is that SkyWest is the only Express carrier to have not signed. The good news is that as long as SkyWest hasn’t signed, we will remain status quo (no changes to current structure).

Yet another unbelievable Tilton tactic. Don't let this ride guys fight it tooth and nail. I'll do what I can from my end. If this happens to you it'll bne industry wide before you know it.

fwiw...i ride ual mainline A LOT when i commute (i just started commuting 3-4 months ago). i never list on expressnet 1st, just go up to the gate and request to list for the jumpseat. i have yet to ride in the actual jumpseat, they always give me a seat in the back, and I have not been charged for anything. i certainly hope it stays that way. if they start charging for cabin seat when we are omc's then they are gonna have to allow us in the cockpit even when there are open seats in the back.

how do u think we're going to pay back the 1.5 billion next year

That's it, right there.

Although I usually have to sit jumpseat, they have been very good to me too.

So let me get this straight. Tilton wants me to further subsidize his poor leadership abilities when I commute down to serve in the military, while he continues to be one of the highest paid CEO's (is this still a fact?) Maybe I should just sign over my entire 20k paycheck to his wife so she can spend it all on hats.

Delta has been this way for well over a year now.

Well not quite. They were supposed to start charging on a per leg basis, but they haven't. I jumpseat/nonrev on Delta regularly and have yet to be charged a per segment fee. They do; however, charge a much heftier annual fee than was charged last year. It appears United is charging UAX pilots $20 every time they want to ride in the back.

Delta also has an unlimited jumpseat policy while it appears that UAL will no longer offer this benefit. This bit alone is disastrous for commuters. If both you and I were trying to get on a UAL flight to DEN or wherever and there were 50 seats open, only one of us could go because there is only 1 jumpseat in the cockpit. Yes, an ID90 would solve that problem but it costs extra money and takes time that a commuter may not have before the flight departs.

I'm sure you already knew this stuff...I was really just babbling on for the sake of others so they can compare this to what is happening at UAL.

No good post Noodles...

Some of us have only been doing this gig for a couple months and most of it is OJT or trial by fire.

I'll spring for a hotel if need be before I give United a dime......

Didn't this forum and UAL pilots get all torqued up a few years ago when Airtran was charging $25 after the first JS?