Asking for the jumpseat and other lost traditions

ZapBrannigan

ZapBrannigan

If it ain’t a Boeing, I’m not going. No choice.
I've noticed something over the last several weeks.

People don't ask for the jumpseat anymore. They TELL you they're taking it.

"Hey, I'm Joe from Trans States and they said there's plenty of seats in the back"

"Tom from United trying to get to work. You guys have a place for my bag?"

Whatever happened to the good old fashioned "hi I'm Steve from jetBlue. Mind if I hitch a ride to Boston?"

Made me think of other things I miss from the good old days. I miss blazers and hats (not wearing them mind you, but how it looked)

I miss the sound of a Dash 8 taxiing in beta.

I miss Skymall

I miss non-RNAV arrivals that didn't have 20 fixes and stepdowns

I miss bourbon chicken in Philly with my coworkers

I miss load factors of less than 80% so you could actually nonrev sometimes

So what do you miss from the old days?
 
I had an FA from our company approach me at the gate and announce that she'd be taking the FA jumpseat. No introduction, didn't identify herself, and didn't request the jumpseat.
My response? "Good evening. My name is Mike, and luckily for you, you've caught me on a good day....."
 
Call me an ass but I do get a little hot under the collar when people anounce their "taking of the jumpseat." I always introduce myself to at least one of the FA's (sometimes I can't figure out who the lead is) and ask if I can beg for a ride. I always ask the flightdeck crew if I can hitch a ride. Perhaps it is a generational shift that is occurring within the dept that educates folks about how to jumpseat... I don't know... but I am always willing to step into the jetway to discuss how the jumpseat works and have always granted access to it with very very few exceptions. Moral of the story I guess... if you didn't pay for a seat on the plane you should probably ask to occupy one.
 
I never really cared if guys just went straight to the back without saying hi to the cockpit first. If you're riding the jumpseat, yeah, try to be a little humble and ask nicely if for no other reason than you're messing up the feng shui and cramping the space slightly.

But I'm not one of those miserable humans that holds a door open and gets pissed when someone doesn't say thanks.
 
Walking on last with my pilot cert, medical and crew ID in hand because that's what I expected to be asked for. And being damned thankful for the ride.

And I'll never forget the Delta CA that looked at his FO and said "well, we're lucky to have a CFI on board!" because I'd pulled the wrong card from my wallet :(
 
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jtrain609 said:
The Brave New World is a figment of the Internet.
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Nope. It's just because they respect you because you fly a plane with engines under the wings.

True story though... we had a husband and wife United pilot combo the other day who said to the cabin "I need you to sign this" (the jumpseat form) with no introduction and then proceeded to complain that our rampers probably weren't treating their golf bags carfully, even with the crew tags on them.
 
Luigi said:
I caught a Jumpseat out of SLC the other day, and once we hit cruise the captain told me how much he appreciated me actually asking for the ride, and introducing myself to the FA first.
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I can't imagine anyone NOT doing that, it's kind of weird.

Whenever I do get the very occasional "I'm taking your jumpseat" I sarcastically ask "Are you asking permission or are you telling me? Not sure if I'm sure for a line check!"
 
typhoonpilot said:
Pensions

.....and Buffalo wings from the Airways Motel

.....and flying PIT-ITH-ELM in a DC-9
:D
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Ooh yeah the Airways used to deliver wings to the gate if we called ahead.

ITH-ELM-PIT with .80 Leo was an experience. I might as well have stayed home for all he needed (or wanted) me there.

Flint still sucks.
 
Derg said:
I can't imagine anyone NOT doing that, it's kind of weird!"
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Happens to us all of the time. Had a UAL guy just yesterday come up while the Capt was gone. First thing he said was "Captain isn't doing the walk around is he?"
I said "nope" wondering who this guy is. He was plain clothes. Could've been a pax or an agent. No idea.
"Well, guess I'll grab a seat in the back" he tosses his jumpseat pass on the center console and walks to the back.

Captain didn't care but it rubbed me the wrong way. I guess because so much of the Captains authority has been watered down over the last few decades. Many companies have even eliminated traditional uniform pieces which, in my opinion, lessens the impact of the Captains role. There was a day when the Captain ran the airline. Today though we have TSA planting fake stuff to "test" us... why are they even allowed on the plane unsupervised? The agent thinks it is their airplane when it's on the gate and they'll write us up if we delay to get a pax or nonrev onboard. The FA thinks it's their plane from the cockpit door on back.

(I remember flying with the ubiquitous Tom Block once. He went to get something from the galley and the FA said "get out of my kitchen!" Tom stood up, looked at her and said "from the tip of the nose to the tail this is my airplane. This kitchen included" and went back to what he was doing)

So when a jumpseater assumes they have a ride it bothers me - not because I care whether they ride or not. I was a commuter, I absolutely want them onboard. And I'm not a Captain so it's no skin off my back. But because it's one more thing that has been silently taken away from the captain's authority by a generation that doesn't value those traditions. (not saying it's all RJ guys, the guy in the example above was UAL. It does seem to happen more often with commuter folks though..)

I like Derg's answer though. Passive aggressive and yet still gets the point across. [emoji38]
 
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