Captains! PLEASE preflight your jumpseats!

Compared to having nothing, yes. But, when you're used to other, MUCH more user friendly systems, it's a bunch of "whichusernamewhoaanotherpasswordwhyintheworldisthisportalgettingmoreaorlines".

When I was at a 135 carrier and CASS was new, I was overjoyed just to have something to shove in the face of a couple of gate agents who loved to say no to me. Now, after years of having good portals to use, myidtravel is fast becoming that really annoying kid on the playground.
 
learhawkerbe400 said:
I think it's pretty well known American agents are the hardest to deal with, for commuting pilots at least.
Click to expand...
I can agree with this. I've seen some pretty bad stuff done by UA agents in the past, but no one consistently makes me feel more like an unwanted burden than AA agents. At home, which is an outstation it's not so bad, but in ORD it's just sad how bad they can be.

I will say this...One of the Eagle agents really went above and beyond. I showed up for the last flight of the day going home. Something like a 2200 departure. For some reason myIDtravel was refusing to let me list for it. So I awkwardly found out several months ago that all they really need to list you for a flight is ANY record locator, so I listed for a flight leaving the following day. As the gate agent for my flight had disappeared I approached this gentleman at a neighboring gate. I explained him my situation, and he gladly helped me out. Got me checked in and on the standby list. I thank him and go sit down and he comes up again and I over hear him telling the agent working my flight that I am a jumpseater and to take care of me. He then a few minutes later comes back and gives me a confirmed seat.

Pretty solid work on his part. Couldn't thank him enough.
 
FlyingT said:
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.
Click to expand...
For the most part...but when it takes the dive, it really takes the dive. Way more than once I've been left behind because I couldn't make a listing because the site was having issues.
 
poser765 said:
I can agree with this. I've seen some pretty bad stuff done by UA agents in the past, but no one consistently makes me feel more like an unwanted burden than AA agents. At home, which is an outstation it's not so bad, but in ORD it's just sad how bad they can be.

I will say this...One of the Eagle agents really went above and beyond. I showed up for the last flight of the day going home. Something like a 2200 departure. For some reason myIDtravel was refusing to let me list for it. So I awkwardly found out several months ago that all they really need to list you for a flight is ANY record locator, so I listed for a flight leaving the following day. As the gate agent for my flight had disappeared I approached this gentleman at a neighboring gate. I explained him my situation, and he gladly helped me out. Got me checked in and on the standby list. I thank him and go sit down and he comes up again and I over hear him telling the agent working my flight that I am a jumpseater and to take care of me. He then a few minutes later comes back and gives me a confirmed seat.

Pretty solid work on his part. Couldn't thank him enough.
Click to expand...

That's awesome- and a great idea.
 
I have not flown in the 121 airlines environment as long as some of members here, but two legs commute each way for last few years. There were some CAs, FOs and gate agents went above and beyond get me onto the flight. There were / are always some gate agents who are "not in the mood". From my experiences, beside talk to flight crews, there are few things you can help yourself to get on the flight.

1. Get to gate early and list. If you can list on the flight by yourself, do it.
2. If gate agent is busy, go to another gate and ask other agent who is not busy to list you(stories behind it).
3. If you can, offer to buy gate agent something to drink or eat, such as a cup of coffee, chocolates...etc.

in regard FCFS vs seniority, I have experienced both positive and negative. My personal opinion, as long as I can get home as plan, I don't really have an opinion.
 
I've complained so much about the Eagle gate agents in DFW that I think it's only fair that when I find a good one I give them a shout out too. Yesterday the flight home was running late and the gate had been changed three times, when the agent started boarding she almost immediately was stopped due to maintenance on the airplane. A collective groan went up from the passengers. She quickly got on the PA and cheerfully said, "my name is Lori (Laura?) and I am right here with you. I am not going anywhere and I promise I'll stay with you until you all get where you are going."

Absolutely outstanding! I gave her a Starbucks gift card for Christmas and thanked her for taking care of me. If you see this well spoken, motivated, cheerful, blonde gate agent make sure you give her an attagirl! She reflects well on herself and on the Eagle brand!
 
ZapBrannigan said:
I've complained so much about the Eagle gate agents in DFW that I think it's only fair that when I find a good one I give them a shout out too. Yesterday the flight home was running late and the gate had been changed three times, when the agent started boarding she almost immediately was stopped due to maintenance on the airplane. A collective groan went up from the passengers. She quickly got on the PA and cheerfully said, "my name is Lori (Laura?) and I am right here with you. I am not going anywhere and I promise I'll stay with you until you all get where you are going."

Absolutely outstanding! I gave her a Starbucks gift card for Christmas and thanked her for taking care of me. If you see this well spoken, motivated, cheerful, blonde gate agent make sure you give her an attagirl! She reflects well on herself and on the Eagle brand!
Click to expand...

If we had more agents like her at DFW envoy it'd be a much easier time trying to get anywhere. Unfortunately there are a lot of new ones who don't know how to do much to help anybody playing outside their square box of normal ops. Even if you find a good agent, ops has no spine and no heart and will not do much to help revenue passengers or standbys.

The other day I overheard a conversation in which a flight had been planned weight restricted and they were going to leave some pax at the gate. Numbers came and they had several thousand pounds to give, so the CA called and told them to get the pax on. Ops said that they arrived at the final numbers after closing the flight and weren't willing to reopen it, even though the flight was already an hour late.

This seems to be happening a lot lately. On behalf of my airline id like to apologize. It's embarrassing and it's wrong.
 
roundout said:
If we had more agents like her at DFW envoy it'd be a much easier time trying to get anywhere. Unfortunately there are a lot of new ones who don't know how to do much to help anybody playing outside their square box of normal ops. Even if you find a good agent, ops has no spine and no heart and will not do much to help revenue passengers or standbys.

The other day I overheard a conversation in which a flight had been planned weight restricted and they were going to leave some pax at the gate. Numbers came and they had several thousand pounds to give, so the CA called and told them to get the pax on. Ops said that they arrived at the final numbers after closing the flight and weren't willing to reopen it, even though the flight was already an hour late.

This seems to be happening a lot lately. On behalf of my airline id like to apologize. It's embarrassing and it's wrong.
Click to expand...

Go sit in Ops for awhile. They will be happy to let you do a walk-a-mile. Once you've done that come back and see if your opinion has changed.
 
Last edited:
roundout said:
If we had more agents like her at DFW envoy it'd be a much easier time trying to get anywhere. Unfortunately there are a lot of new ones who don't know how to do much to help anybody playing outside their square box of normal ops. Even if you find a good agent, ops has no spine and no heart and will not do much to help revenue passengers or standbys.

The other day I overheard a conversation in which a flight had been planned weight restricted and they were going to leave some pax at the gate. Numbers came and they had several thousand pounds to give, so the CA called and told them to get the pax on. Ops said that they arrived at the final numbers after closing the flight and weren't willing to reopen it, even though the flight was already an hour late.
Click to expand...
Parking brakes.
 
Dispatch_Ken said:
Go sit in Ops for awhile. They will be happy to let you do a walk-a-mile. Once you've done that come back and see if your opinion has changed.
Click to expand...

I'm sure they are busy, and have other flights to deal with, but come on. If a passenger, nonrev, or jumpseater is left behind it damn well better be because there was no other option. The "I'm too busy to bother" excuse is BS.

I agree with the above. Set the brake and say, "You don't have to reopen the flight, but I'll be occupying your gate space until you do."
 
PhilosopherPilot said:
I'm sure they are busy, and have other flights to deal with, but come on. If a passenger, nonrev, or jumpseater is left behind it damn well better be because there was no other option. The "I'm too busy to bother" excuse is BS.

I agree with the above. Set the brake and say, "You don't have to reopen the flight, but I'll be occupying your gate space until you do."
Click to expand...

Ok...I'm just saying there are a few things you guys don't understand about the system. I won't go into detail, but suffice to say it's not always the gate agents fault and it's not always the ops agents fault.
 
CFIscare said:
Many of the Captains don't have a spine or heart either. It's a sad culture that has been created here.
Click to expand...
Not to be "that guy" (wait, who am I kidding...) but YOUR side of the airplane has brakes as well. Or better yet, go up there and do it yourself. I would, and have, and will again.

If you taxi away with excess capacity with folks--revenue or otherwise--standing topside you are not doing your job.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
Not to be "that guy" (wait, who am I kidding...) but YOUR side of the airplane has brakes as well. Or better yet, go up there and do it yourself. I would, and have, and will again.

If you taxi away with excess capacity with folks--revenue or otherwise--standing topside you are not doing your job.
Click to expand...
I've gone out of my way to get people on, and I always encourage the captain to do so if I am unsuccessful, but when the captain tells me directly "no", I am not going to go around him.
 
CFIscare said:
I've gone out of my way to get people on, and I always encourage the captain to do so if I am unsuccessful, but when the captain tells me directly "no", I am not going to go around him.
Click to expand...
I can't imagine anyone I fly with giving me that sort of direct order.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
I can't imagine anyone I fly with giving me that sort of direct order.
Click to expand...
Like I said, the culture here has created this problem. Captains get called by the CPO if they are even one minute late. To save this hassle, many are unwilling to delay the flight to fix a problem someone else has created. Don't get me wrong, not everyone is like this, but enough are for it to be an issue.

The gate agents are pressured just as much, so you see the same kind of attitude.
 
CFIscare said:
Like I said, the culture here has created this problem. Captains get called by the CPO if they are even one minute late. To save this hassle, many are unwilling to delay the flight to fix a problem someone else has created. Don't get me wrong, not everyone is like this, but enough are for it to be an issue.

The gate agents are pressured just as much, so you see the same kind of attitude.
Click to expand...

You're completely right, and that is the point I was trying to make earlier.
 
CFIscare said:
Like I said, the culture here has created this problem. Captains get called by the CPO if they are even one minute late. To save this hassle, many are unwilling to delay the flight to fix a problem someone else has created. Don't get me wrong, not everyone is like this, but enough are for it to be an issue.

The gate agents are pressured just as much, so you see the same kind of attitude.
Click to expand...
That's not a good way to run an airline, although it probably looks good for the balance sheet.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
That's not a good way to run an airline, although it probably looks good for the balance sheet.
Click to expand...
Yep. I can't tell you how many times I have sarcastically said "It's a good thing we aren't in the business of carrying passengers" over the years. It's embarrassing really.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top