So every commuter should have to live with greater uncertainty so you can trade trips at the last minute? Seems a little bit selfish.

I could see a special clause about flights canceling though, that seems reasonable.

Delta is seniority based for non-rev travel. AA is first to check in for non-rev. Delta and AA are first come first serve for the jumpseat. It’s booked and it’s yours, you can book 5 days out at Delta and AA is similar.

I don’t commute… but seniority IMO should be the key for JS. I do believe there should be a published cutoff (15 mins?) so JS users can’t be bumped by a-holes rolling up as door closes. I had one the other day try to bump a new hire as the gate agent came up with papers… he looked at new hire JSr (not me) and “said sorry, I gotta ride”… like it was his to give. I said “sorry, but you’re too late”. He wasn’t happy but hopefully will learn.

regarding DAL/AMR JS reservations… what’s stopping a pilot for booking it daily and then being a no show or cancel last minute just to hedge their bets?

I think you did the right thing. Seniority is the primary factor, but ultimately it’s the Captain’s seat to give or not.

Sort of correct. At Delta you can only book 5 1/2 days out if you are going to work. You can book 3 1/2 days out if commuting home from work. The "work" has to be on your published schedule. I think personal travel on JS is 1 1/2 days out.

Instead of "race to the phone", I think a hybrid system would be good. For 5-3 days out from going to work, it goes by seniority and the list gets locked in by seniority over that 2 day period. So, if #17K books JS 5 days out and #1 books same JS 3 days out the order would be 1 followed by 17K. But at 2 days out if #1 books then the #17K guy keeps the first spot.

IOW, some sort of hybrid that respects seniority but the senior people also respect common decency for the junior. Rarely do I have competition for the JS. But to abide by the commuter policy I buy a ticket to get to work because a couple of times a senior guy came up 30 min prior and needed the JS for his non rev trip. When there are only 2-4 flights/day this uncertainty pushes me into buying a ticket.

Yes, commuting is a choice. But the expense borne by the underlings, cumulatively, adds up because "you never know" if you have the JS unless you are system sen of #1.

Seniority is in full force for the other 200 seats on the plane for "the senior guy" and all his family that's NR when I'm trying to get to work.

My suggestion is but one feeble attempt to respect seniority while also decreasing costs for many commuters by providing some certainty on the JS booking.

that’s normal - people miss flights but if you don’t have the JS reserved you just list at the gate and 15 minutes prior they will give the jump seat to next on the list. So if it’s already booked you just list at the gate

Booking the jump seat for personal use is 3 days out. 5 days out for work. Worst case pilots can also use a FA jump seat at DL, have to list at the gate and that is also first come first serve.

Trading trips at the last minute, and somehow affecting a commute is a little bit of an exaggeration. As a commuter, if you trade something at the “last minute,” you’re probably sitting at home and taking a flight hours from then. I’m not advocating for listing five minutes prior to door close because you’re lazy.

Admittedly, though, my opinion might be different if I lived in a place where there were a ton of commuters, but the 570 showing up just minutes before departure scenario that everyone likes to throw out just doesn’t happen to me.

Want a cut-off of an hour or something like that—tell your reps.

Whether it's not "fair", or "selfish"... it's reality here at Yo-nited Airlines.


Seniority is good. Seniority is right. Seniority works. Seniority cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit....

That's EXACTLY what his seniority has earned him... along with 6 weeks vacation, unlimited back to back prem-Os, sweet schedules, and a big O' sick leave balance.

Im more of the mindset that we should retire with as close to zero as we can get in our SL balance. No need to carry a big bank. Can’t take it with you😁