Captains! PLEASE preflight your jumpseats!

Hmm... So here is how I see this going.

"Hi! I'm Mike, is the jumpseat available headed home please?"
"Did you list?"
"No, I wasn't able to list because this flight is Mesa."
"What?"
"This flight is operated by Mesa, so I couldn't list on MyIDTravel"
"Your ID what?"
"Nevermind, no I didn't list."
"I can't help you if you didn't list."

Then I end up going to Pinkberry, getting some FroYo and waiting for the next American flight...
 
Vapor lock? I can't even get that far. Half the time I'm tapping the solenoid and hoping for the best!
 
ZapBrannigan said:
Hmm... So here is how I see this going.

"Hi! I'm Mike, is the jumpseat available headed home please?"
"Did you list?"
"No, I wasn't able to list because this flight is Mesa."
"What?"
"This flight is operated by Mesa, so I couldn't list on MyIDTravel"
"Your ID what?"
"Nevermind, no I didn't list."
"I can't help you if you didn't list."

Then I end up going to Pinkberry, getting some FroYo and waiting for the next American flight...
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falconvalley said:
What is it with SWA gate agents lately? I have had a couple gate encounters where one gate agent was trying to help out and another was protesting. If I hadn't been asking for a ride I would have asked WTF she cared so much about me not getting on!
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They have labor grumpiness over there.

Everyone gets a turn on the wheel.

Richman
 
Yup. Eagle agent in DFW says, "I don't know if I'm going to have time to put you on the jumpseat."
 
Did that same commute yesterday... DFW ops had the gate agents get a physical OK from the captain before they were allowed to list me on the jump. The Mesa captain assured me if I wasn't down there he'd come back up and find me. More hospitality than I get when I commute on company.
 
That's good. It's been a tough few weeks to commute and in afraid it's only gonna get worse as we get closer to the holidays. (whine)
 
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A previous employer's policy required jumpseaters call flight control to list for a flight. At the time I thought it was a hassle because it added to my workload, particularly during irregular operations. Looking back on it though, I think it makes a lot of sense to do it this way. Bypass the gate agent, and put the jumpseat in the control of the people who benefit from it.
 
Another DFW commuting fail.

Got to DFW at about 1:15 for a 3pm flight. Found the captain and asked for the JS. He says no problem. Agent says there are four open seats and gives me a standby boarding card.

Then never calls standbys!! I ask if I'm going to be able to get on. Nope, flights closed. I wait around for the Captain to come rescue me. Nope, they push back without me... Again!! Wtf?!

Excuse the rant. I'm a little irritated.
 
Your rant sounds pretty well justified. What has your Jumpseat coordinator had to say about this? (If anything)

Sure sounds like a systemic problem to me...
 
I haven't pursued it with the jumpseat committee yet. Partly because I don't collect names, gate numbers, and flight numbers to pass along, but I also haven't felt like it was worth escalating, but I'm getting to the point where that may be the only reasonable course of action.
 
ZapBrannigan said:
I haven't pursued it with the jumpseat committee yet. Partly because I don't collect names, gate numbers, and flight numbers to pass along, but I also haven't felt like it was worth escalating, but I'm getting to the point where that may be the only reasonable course of action.
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That was a reasonable course of action after the first time. I'd get on the horn to your jumpseat committee ASAP.
 
Unfortunately, yes Ken. It was an Envoy flight.

I should add that I wasn't the only one trying to get on that flight. There was also a retired AA gate agent on the standby list. She was traveling with a dog that she had rescued and was delivering to its new owners in Arkansas. She was waiting patiently for standbys to be called as well, and was justifiably upset when the flight closed without the agents ever calling standbys.

We made it on the next flight, but rather that being home to have dinner with my wife on her birthday, I didn't get home around around 8pm. Don't get me wrong, always appreciative of the commute, but in this case really unfortunate.
 
learhawkerbe400 said:
American agents are by far the worst I have ever dealt with. It is embarrassing how bad they are.
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Everybody has good days and bad days. I have met some amazing American and Envoy agents in my time...and I've met some horrible ones. Same could be said for any airline at any time I think.
 
Dispatch_Ken said:
Everybody has good days and bad days. I have met some amazing American and Envoy agents in my time...and I've met some horrible ones. Same could be said for any airline at any time I think.
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I think it's pretty well known American agents are the hardest to deal with, for commuting pilots at least.
 
I'm with a 135 that has CASS privileges, and AA is one of my top 2 to use. I guess we all have different experiences, but their MyID system works great.
 
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