rp2pilot

This must be a trick question.. Every airline that I know of uses seniority to set jumpseat priority.

TexBubba

Spirit is 72 hrs prior. First Spirit pilot to list gets priority. Seniority aside.

awax

What happens if they no-show the listing?

It’s pretty easy write a script to automatically reserves the jumpseat at (available time + 1 second) just to have it as an option I suppose.

Hilltopper89

Delta doesn’t. They reserve it far in advance.

Probe

So the monthly schedule awards come out, and it is a food fight to see who has the fastest fingers to reserve jumpsuits? Or you reserve them before the awards, and then cancel them or just no show?

Unfortunately there needs to be a fair system. First come first served sounds like our current vacation passes. Instead of being used for what they were intended, they just become the "nuclear option" for pass travel, and everybody burns them to try to get a seat/better seat. And it still ends up going in DOH order.

As a new hire, I got bumped off lots of JS. But I always thought it was a fair system.

Baradium

I'm interested in seeing the list of every airline you know of. United is alone among the big three and my understanding among all the legacies.

Delta is based on type of use for when you list (see below) and is confirmed upon listing.

AA just has a set timeframe that I think is a week prior regardless of reason.

IIRC Alaska is first come first serve but it's walkup only even for their own pilots.

I don't remember what SWA uses and any regionals I know actual policies of are first come first served.

For Delta there are three timeframes based on whether going to work, from work, or personal travel based on days prior to the flight in question, regardless of reason of use, once you list the jumpseat is yours.

Most commutes there's not a rush to reserve jumpseats when the window opens (I guess there could be some that go quickly but haven't experienced that) and since once you reserve it you have it confirmed you can plan commutes out well before the commute day itself. Because of this there is no list of pilots who enjoy showing up last minute to list and bump commuting pilots or stress about whether you are getting to work.

Regardless of what you think about seniority, the majority of the pilot group benefits from this system because everything is figured out well before the flight for planning purposes and you don't spend time waiting for a jumpseat you're not going to get when there are other options.

Grumble

^^^this.

We have an archaic system that only benefits a few, but creates QOL issues for many.

RJSAviator76

SWA doesn't. It's first-come-first-served among SWA pilots as well as OAL. A SWA pilot can, of course, bump any OAL pilot, however, virtually all of us will happily take the 4th FA jumpseat if that's what it takes to get you on though.

Grumble

I would gladly do that... but the AFA won’t let us ride “their” jumpseat.

BMEP100

Darn that seniority! It's wasted on those who have paid their way.
Viva the Bern!