I remember when Delta had the 1 jumpseater per PHYSICAL jumpseat installed rule. Back in 2004, I was trying to catch a ride on Song from LGA to MCO. I checked in at the gate and they sent me down. There was already an Eagle guy up front talking to the Captain. I showed up and humbly asked for a ride. The Captain looked at me, the Eagle guy and the one jumpseat on the 757. He then said, "We have a problem. I can only put one of you on the jumpseat." He then asked me to wait in the galley while he finished with the Eagle guy. The #1, or whatever Delta called them at the time, looked at me and said, "He's not going to leave you, is he? We have 100 open seats." I just shrugged my shoulders.
A couple of minutes later, the Captain stepped out of the cockpit and said, "Come with me." My bags were by the 2L door of the airplane and I asked if I should grab them. He told me know. He walked me up to the podium, put his arm around me and looked at the gate agent and said, "I don't care what you have to do or how you have to show it, but he rides with us to Orlando." He smiled at me and said, "See you onboard."
Great experience!