Zapphod Beblebrox
Inventor of the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
This relates to non rev travel and jump-seating.
I was operating a flight from DCA to FLL a few days ago. As we were getting ready to close out, I could see two stranded pax desperately waving to get the agents and my attention. The agent was backing the jetway away from the Aircraft. These were revenue passengers not "jump-seaters" or non revs.
I asked the agent to reattach the jet bridge and told the lead FA to open the door and we got both the Pax on board. They were very pleased and thanked us profusely. We pushed 2 minutes behind schedule. Next day I get a nice call from the Chief Pilots office to discuss my delay. I was reminded of the policy on not accommodating late passengers after the jet bridge is pulled. It is up to the agents to deal with these issues.
I am not a trouble maker, and this is the first time I have been called on an issue like this in my 29 years at this company. I don't make policy and it looks like anyone who deviates from policy will get a call, friendly at first and not so friendly if it happens again. Repeated delays will lead to discipline.
I post this here to let you know that the company is becoming fanatical about on time performance and if I am going to get a call about revenue passengers what will they do if I take a delay for jump-seaters? I encourage those of you who have ALPA jump-seat committees to contact the APA jump-seat committee and let them know that they should be advocating that the company place more emphasis on agent training. The agents are all trying to adapt to a new boarding system and software (particularly the former US agents) and the people it is going to hurt most are standbys, non-revs and jump-seat riders. Our boarding process is in chaos and the agents are being held accountable. Now flight crews are also.
I was perfectly willing to exercise captains authority to make sure non revs and jump-seaters get on but now it seems that the company will target anyone who takes a delay, no matter how small. I am sorry to report this but that's the way it is shaping up as this merger progresses.
I was operating a flight from DCA to FLL a few days ago. As we were getting ready to close out, I could see two stranded pax desperately waving to get the agents and my attention. The agent was backing the jetway away from the Aircraft. These were revenue passengers not "jump-seaters" or non revs.
I asked the agent to reattach the jet bridge and told the lead FA to open the door and we got both the Pax on board. They were very pleased and thanked us profusely. We pushed 2 minutes behind schedule. Next day I get a nice call from the Chief Pilots office to discuss my delay. I was reminded of the policy on not accommodating late passengers after the jet bridge is pulled. It is up to the agents to deal with these issues.
I am not a trouble maker, and this is the first time I have been called on an issue like this in my 29 years at this company. I don't make policy and it looks like anyone who deviates from policy will get a call, friendly at first and not so friendly if it happens again. Repeated delays will lead to discipline.
I post this here to let you know that the company is becoming fanatical about on time performance and if I am going to get a call about revenue passengers what will they do if I take a delay for jump-seaters? I encourage those of you who have ALPA jump-seat committees to contact the APA jump-seat committee and let them know that they should be advocating that the company place more emphasis on agent training. The agents are all trying to adapt to a new boarding system and software (particularly the former US agents) and the people it is going to hurt most are standbys, non-revs and jump-seat riders. Our boarding process is in chaos and the agents are being held accountable. Now flight crews are also.
I was perfectly willing to exercise captains authority to make sure non revs and jump-seaters get on but now it seems that the company will target anyone who takes a delay, no matter how small. I am sorry to report this but that's the way it is shaping up as this merger progresses.
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