Jumpseaters, follow the rules!

I commute MCO-JFK. Some say I'm crazy to do it, but it's not bad. There are about 25 flights a day from JFK/LGA. I'm thankful for the people who get me to and from work. Jumpseating is not a right. For those who say live in base, I did but they closed the base. Live where you want to, companies change location all the time.
 
To commute or not to commute is something everyone has to decide for themselves.

Commuting, in and of itself, is neither good nor bad. It depends on lots of factors that can make each individual commute good or bad. Weigh the goods & bads of commuting, and decide for yourself.
 
Those of you that commute, I have a question. Can you normally get to your base on the day your trip starts or do you have to get there the day before and get a room? I'm guessing the company doesn't pay for this?

Also, I would like to hear some of the schedules that you guys have. Once you get your monthly schedule, is it the same trip all month?

I don't know much about it.

Thanks
 
t-cart said:
Those of you that commute, I have a question. Can you normally get to your base on the day your trip starts or do you have to get there the day before and get a room? I'm guessing the company doesn't pay for this?

Also, I would like to hear some of the schedules that you guys have. Once you get your monthly schedule, is it the same trip all month?

I don't know much about it.

Thanks
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Trips can be similar all month, depending on the line you get. Some have a different trip each week.

"COMMUTABILITY"

Yes, an ideal trip is commutable on both ends. This means a late report on day one and an early "end" on the last day (be it 2, 3, or commonly, 4 days).

In the regional world, it's becoming the unsafe norm to start a trip at 0500 and end the last day at 2300. Not only does this prevent commuting on "the day of," but it ruins any semblance of a circadian rhythm (not to mention employee-borne hotel rooms). Consistency is one of the most critical components to healthy sleep, which has direct correlation to diabetes, hypertension, and cognitive performance.

I know most regional commuters would like commutable pairings, but at this point, my body and health would really just appreciate AMs or PMs. I've heard that SWA likes to build morning/evening 3-day trips, thereby giving pilots 4-days off to satisfy commuting needs, all while adhering to modern sleep science.
 
t-cart said:
Those of you that commute, I have a question. Can you normally get to your base on the day your trip starts or do you have to get there the day before and get a room? I'm guessing the company doesn't pay for this?

Also, I would like to hear some of the schedules that you guys have. Once you get your monthly schedule, is it the same trip all month?

I don't know much about it.

Thanks
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Absolutely, depending on where you live. I live in Maine and commute to JFK. That's an easy one. Since there is normally a 0600 flight out of Portland, I can take any trip that starts after 0800 and not have to come in the night before. The last flight to Portland leaves JFK around 2220. I don't even have a crashpad anymore. Keep in mind I bid in the top half for my seat so I do better than a lot of other folks. When (if ever) I upgrade, I'll go back down to the bottom and end up commuting in the night before my reserve day starts so I can sit in my crashpad all week.

As far as schedules, I bid for commutable 4-day trips to minimize the number of times I have to commute to work. Credit hours for a 4-day trip commutable on both sides can be anywhere from 20 hours to around 26 hours. The more the better. I want my trips to be productive. However, sometimes I'll sacrifice some productivity for a sweet layover. I've grown fond of the island layovers we have: Aruba, Barbados, San Martin, etc.

Actual working hours very greatly. Some scedules are pretty tough - realy shows, redeyes and such. Sometimes you get a sweet trip working "bankers hours".
 
Here's a typical PDT 4 day trip. I'd say that roughly 85-90% of our trips are similar if not worse.

Base Report 0615
SA 4298 SBY-PHL 0715 0800 45 DH8
SA 4421 PHL-BWI 0930 1020 50 DH3
SA 4412 BWI-PHL 1100 1143 43 DH3
SA 4635 PHL-SCE 1229 1330 101 DH3
SA 4635 SCE-PHL 1400 1455 55 DH3
SA DH 3642 PHL-BTV 1610 1731

6852 D-END: 1746L (NR 900) REPT: 1538L
SU 4261 BTV-LGA 1623 1759 136 DH8
SU 4623 LGA-ROC 1829 2013 144 DH8
SU 4637 ROC-PHL 2045 2204 119 DH8
SU 4146 PHL-ROC 2255 0022 127 DH8

6853 D-END: 0037L (NR 900) REPT: 1814L
MO 4195 ROC-LGA 1859 2030 131 DH8
MO 4576 LGA-ALB 2059 2201 102 DH8

6854 D-END: 2216L (NR 1000) REPT: 0909L
TU 4531 ALB-LGA 0954 1053 59 DH8
TU 4481 LGA-PHL 1125 1246 121 DH8
TU 4515 PHL-HPN 1334 1433 59 DH8
TU 4315 HPN-PHL 1505 1609 104 DH8
TU 4585 PHL-SBY 1646 1734 48 DH8
TU 4592 SBY-PHL 1800 1844 44 DH8
TU 4453 PHL-SBY 1915 2003 48 DH8
D-END: 2018L
TOTALS BLOCK 1936 DHD 41 CREDIT 2017 T.A.F.B. 8603

So as far as commuting is concerned, go up the day before the first day and go home the day after the last. Even our most senior of captains, of which most are commuters, have to deal with these crap schedules. They fact that crew planning can even get away with this is beyond me, especially in this day in age.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
Eh, I never do. The FO is usually busy programming the box or doing the preflight, so I don't bother him. It's the captain's airplane, so if he says I can ride up at the gate, I usually just go to my seat. I might stop and say hi to the FO on the way out when I thank the captain for the ride again, but that's about it.

Oh, and if at all possible, follow Seggy's advice. I commuted for over five years, but I'm based at home now, and you couldn't pay me enough to commute again. That one little change improved by quality of life ten fold. I could live in a hell hole and be much happier than living in paradise and having to commute to work.
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I'm with ya there. I absolutely introduce myself to the FO if I stick my head up in the cockpit, but if I've already talked to Bossman at the gate and he says it's alright, I'll just go to my seat. Not to say the FO is unimportant, rather, I've already spoken to the person who makes the call.

When I was an FO, I'd have probably looked at someone funny if they poked their head up front if I knew he'd already talked to the captain.
 
dasleben said:
I'm with ya there. I absolutely introduce myself to the FO if I stick my head up in the cockpit, but if I've already talked to Bossman at the gate and he says it's alright, I'll just go to my seat. Not to say the FO is unimportant, rather, I've already spoken to the person who makes the call.

When I was an FO, I'd have probably looked at someone funny if they poked their head up front if I knew he'd already talked to the captain.
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On Mainline - no way I go up front if I already talked to the CAptain, as I'm busting my butt just to find space for my bag..... I thank them both on the way out.

RJ's - I normally stop by and say hi to the FO, as I don't have to worry about the bin space issue. I commute on Expressjet a ton, and have never once had an unfriendly crew, all really great guys. I don't like the flight attendants that take my badge and form from me and hand it to the guys and kinda block me from making my way up front. I'm sure somewhere along the line they were taught that.
 
L-16B said:
I commute on Expressjet a ton, and have never once had an unfriendly crew, all really great guys. I don't like the flight attendants that take my badge and form from me and hand it to the guys and kinda block me from making my way up front. I'm sure somewhere along the line they were taught that.
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I think it's always a good idea to introduce yourself to the FA as a courtesy before heading into the cockpit. He or she isn't making the decision but it'd be good for the FA to know there is an additional pilot onboard--just in case word isn't passed along.

Also, I like that FAs block access to the cockpit. Not everyone belongs up here, esp when we're busy dealing with something--and if you're not in uniform how are they to know you're a jumpseater.
 
stultus said:
I think it's always a good idea to introduce yourself to the FA as a courtesy before heading into the cockpit. He or she isn't making the decision but it'd be good for the FA to know there is an additional pilot onboard--just in case word isn't passed along.

Also, I like that FAs block access to the cockpit. Not everyone belongs up here, esp when we're busy dealing with something--and if you're not in uniform how are they to know you're a jumpseater.
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I always ask the A-line/purser if I can speak to the captain- it would be ridiculous if they said no. Haven't had that happen.
 
Seggy said:
. I did it strictly for personal reasons. I hope to stay in Austin the rest of my life because it is what I want. I'm not going to move for this career.
.

Best decision of my life moving.
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Because there will always be new classes of underage naive freshman going to college.
 
stultus said:
I think it's always a good idea to introduce yourself to the FA as a courtesy before heading into the cockpit. He or she isn't making the decision but it'd be good for the FA to know there is an additional pilot onboard--just in case word isn't passed along.

Also, I like that FAs block access to the cockpit. Not everyone belongs up here, esp when we're busy dealing with something--and if you're not in uniform how are they to know you're a jumpseater.
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First off, I totally see your point, but I always commute in uniform, and I'm talking about the flight attendants that block you from the cockpit when you are trying to see the captain. I see this mainly on RJ's, especially Expressjet, where I say hi I'm jumpseating I'd like to go say hi, they take my ID badge and the next thing you know it's "ok you can go take your seat", like I don't need to talk to the guys (or girls) up front. I Always make sure I go up front and talk, just don't like the FA's that try to prevent you from doing that.

And Austin sucks cuz University of Texas sucks.
 
While we're talking about the rules here, can you all do me a favor? Please let the pilots at your respective airlines know that even though the agent at Delta gave you a seat in the back, you are still REQUIRED to speak with the captain.

Case in point, last Wednesday, all flights delayed to ATL. For us, it's the freedom flight. An Airtran FO gets on, and as she passes the captain, says, "They gave me a seat in the back," and continues to keep walking. The captain turns to me and asks, "Isn't she supposed to show me her ID and paperwork?"

Final upshot, since it was our last leg, we were late, and she wasn't sitting up front, the boss decided to let it slide, otherwise he would have pulled her off and "explained" the rules. And trust me, there are a lot of guys here who will happily wave goodbye to you as you stand in the jetway as we push if you diss them.

Just sayin.....
 
Cptnchia said:
While we're talking about the rules here, can you all do me a favor? Please let the pilots at your respective airlines know that even though the agent at Delta gave you a seat in the back, you are still REQUIRED to speak with the captain.
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In the FO's defense, I've had more than a few DAL Captains tell me that I don't need to come to the cockpit when I'm given a seat in the back. I always do, but some of your guys seem to think it's not required.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
In the FO's defense, I've had more than a few DAL Captains tell me that I don't need to come to the cockpit when I'm given a seat in the back. I always do, but some of your guys seem to think it's not required.
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While that may be true, don't you agree it's better to ask and be told that, then to just assume it and get kicked off?
 
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