Pro-tip of the week for off line JS'ers - Small bag of chocolates/treats for the Ops/Gate Agents will go a long way to getting you on the airplane at the beginning of the B group. Seems a little cheesy, but it works!

Guess y'all should have brought chocolates. Actually I've bought a Starbucks for the same ATL agent twice now, and I have noticed when I walk up nowadays, it's all chipper, smiles, "head right on down". Now I just pray she's working when I walk up.

Happy New Year!

You shouldn't have to buy them anything to get treated properly. What a bunch of bologna.

:mad: ^*+^ that! Not that it isn't nice to give at times but this is just conditioning them to expect it. Has our profession really degraded so far as to now have to bribe gate agents? We're the self respect people?!

Do you treat your jumpseaters differently if they bring you treats? GMAFB.....

Not saying you are wrong, but here's my take on this situation. I don't have to spend a day with an Ops/Gate Agent to know that have a hard job, especially when wx sends the operation sideways. They get the "joy" of dealing with ****ed-off, under/over medicated passengers, whose patients have long since left the building on far more regular basis than we do. So when one of us shows up looking for a seat, that is extra work for them. A small bag of candy or cup of coffee is great way to say "Thanks for the help". And if you can't manage to show up with something in your hand, saying "Can I help with the wheel chairs/boarding?" is the next best thing. Having a pleasant, positive attitude always wins!

Well said, it pays to be nice, and go out of your way to make someone smile.

I agree they have a tough job. I also agree that showing up with candy every time will condition people to expect it. It's no different than sending a dozen roses to scheduling; you start looking for favors. However, I disagree that it is extra work. It's part of the job. It's a duty that is in the job description. I recognize that they have a lot to do and are often stressed, and I try to be as accommodating as possible.

I will add, that during the holidays the candy thing sure can be nice. They are overworked, and everyone should be helping each other. I've also brought a treat or two for long international flights I've jump seated on.

i bring the gate agents a bunch of bologna and it gets me pre-boarding every time.

This policy did not just change. This has been the current policy for a long time. What has changed, it is now CONTRACTUAL.

5.S.2. Pilots on scheduled deadheads will be allowed to pre-board.

That was a violation of our CBA.

KTC

That policy has been written in their manual for a long time. Medical preboards go first then deadheaders and cockpit jumpseat.
Let me guess, ATL commuter?

It freakin says preboard on the back of the DH document.

2 of us were actually DH the other a jumpseater. All work at sw. Out of MCO. Even the gate agent said this ops person was rude.

File an IR. Inform SWAPA. This was a violation of our CBA.

^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

Please at least inform the jumpseat chair. You can fill out a form on the swapa app on your iPad I believe or just send him an email. He is really good about getting back to you. If you have names/gate numbers/flights it is even better because he can trace it to the exact ops agent.
MCO is in second place in my least favorite places to jumpseat/nonrev from. My family and I were running late due to security and showed ten minutes prior to push time for a flight the day after Christmas. The CSA had boarding passes for us but the ops agent would not let us down. I begged and pleaded and even tried to get the captain's attention. No dice. Flight pushed 5 minutes early without us. Complete BS.
I asked the CSA what was up with the ops agent and she shook her head and mentioned that the ops agent and MCO ops sup may have worked for another airline that was recently acquired by SWA and that was how they did business there.

In s small defense of Airtran, I ran up to their desk on two occasions after the boarding door was closed as the agent was printing paperwork. Both times the agent escorted me down to the jet with the paperwork, just jotting down my name and employee # as they shuttled me on the jet to an open seat in back. Of course this was all pre-911/TSA so a much different world.

I appreciate the SWA jumpseat, and lately I've even gotten through the 1-800 listing # in less than 30 mins of hold. Lately, most of the time they do let you pre-board if you stand close to the door and ask nicely.