Jumpseating International?
- Thread starter brewpilot
- Start date
Nick
Well-Known Member
You can go anywhere, just not in the cockpit.
Continental, Delta, US Airways you can list on the phone or at the ticket counter.
Be careful with US Airways though. At least one station in Europe has the procedure of requiring that you paid the departure tax in PHL or CLT and have a receipt with you when you want to leave Europe. This is not how it is done anywhere else at all.
On Delta, make sure you are at the ticket counter to list as a jumpseater two hours prior to departure or earlier. They close it out to jumpseaters and others at that time so get there early. They will have you pay the departure tax there.
On United it is unpredictable sometimes and I no longer use them as a primary means of getting anywhere. They have, or used to have, a rule that said they can only take one offline pilot jumpseater on an international flight. As many United pilots could get on but if there were to be a Southwest pilot and a Delta pilot trying to jumpseat, one of them would not get on. Now, depending on which captain and which gate agent you talk to, this rule no longer exists (and I don't mean they stand there and tell you that with a wink and let you on, I mean that they literally explain how the rule no longer exists). Because it is impossible to predict which of these two types the captain or gate agent will be, you just have to assume that they will only take one offline jumpseater. So, don't make it your primary flight to get home for work on time.
Continental occasionally upgrades a jumpseater to first class internationally if there are seats but it is hit or miss.
Delta seems to be pretty good about it but the JFK cabin crews seem to have a different mentality than the ATL crews and I think that your chance of getting first class are better with a JFK crew as silly as that may sound.
US Airways has been nice to me as a jumpseater every time internationally, which is nice because the seat pitch on the A-330 is insane. You cannot move at all if you are 5'10" or taller. Knees touching the seat in front of you and everything.
The culture at United is very upgrade-friendly for jumpseaters, I've found.
United's number is 1-800-UAL-LIST. The term you want to use is list as an "OMC." You'll speak to someone far away.
Continental, not sure. I've only listed at the ticket counter or the gate. Same with Delta.
US Airways, the number is 1-800-325-9999.
Most US airlines also probably have a jumpseating agreement with Air Canada, which is great because they go to many cities in Europe, Asia, and they also do serve Sydney.
United has never charged me a departure tax yet at all. This even includes a time in Frankfurt where I actually walked up to the Lufthansa/United ticket counter and asked them how much it was and where I could pay it. They had no idea, so we kept our mouths shut and went to the gate!
The rest have charged it every time.
Nick
Well-Known Member
That does start in June or July but as always there is United from LAX and SFO, to Sydney from both and also to Melbourne from LAX (now nonstop again). Also Air Canada from Vancouver and Hawaiian through HNL.
Atlas Air (or maybe Polar by now [Polar742 will know]) goes to SYD from LAX with a brief stop for fuel in HNL. That would be the best way to go.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Nick
Here is a question. I would like to j/s on Delta / NWA to home(haven't been home for 12 years). How do you list yourself for returning flights, especially multiple legs?Do you go to counter and set it up in the US for both outbound and returning flights?
Thanks
That should do it. As Nick said, if there's any taxes, go ahead and pay them up front BEFORE you leave and get a receipt. That way, if any issues come up in the other country, you've got it taken care of with proof behind it. We've had guys almost get stranded in Europe in more than one place for that. Not sure how it works in Asia, though.
JoelT
Well-Known Member
Nick
Here is a question. I would like to j/s on Delta / NWA to home(haven't been home for 12 years). How do you list yourself for returning flights, especially multiple legs?
Thanks
As an offline jumpseater you can not list for a jumpseat at Delta. Just show up at the ticket counter on the day of the flight. BTW, where's home?
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
Nick
Here is a question. I would like to j/s on Delta / NWA to home(haven't been home for 12 years). How do you list yourself for returning flights, especially multiple legs?
Thanks
Like CC said, you cannot list in advance or on the phone if you are an OAL on Delta. You have to go to the ticket counter/gate the day of travel. On internatioal flights, be at the TC at least 2 hours prior and be prepared to pay any departure taxes/fees. You cannot sit on the actual jumpseat either, there must be a seat in the cabin. Good luck and welcome aboard!
SpiceWeasel
Tre Kronor
Be aware - Delta gate agents think that jumpseating internationally is NOT allowed because you can't sit in the seat. I was "forced" to use up one of my 3 "trans-oceanic" non-rev passes because the gate agent gave me a seat assignment.
Cav
Former Maddog Whisperer
As a reminder, many countries require that you pay the departure tax in local currency rather than having you use a credit card. If memory serves, I remember paying a departure tax with a credit card in most of Europe but in Asia cash was required. Perhaps someone else can comment with a more recent experience.
Nick
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't be surprised if an offline jumpseater can't do this though.
USAirways is the only one so far that has ever said anything like this so maybe they are on a level of their own.
But Delta and Northwest in any station overseas will take the departure tax at the ticket counter. How they accept the payment can vary from station to station and that is something that I try to check before I leave the airport upon arrival, if it is not going to use up too much time for me at that point. Or just make sure you still have enough cash left when you go to the airport to leave, or know where the ATM is. Credit card usually works though, adreamer.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
True. All the guys I know worked for 9E and were jumping on either NWA or DAL. They still haven't said what kind of non-rev benefits we're going to get once the merger's gone. If you're based in MEM, MSP or DTW, you get ZERO Delta benefits right now. So, if my wife and kid wanted to fly on Delta, I'd have to ZED fare it. On the flip side, we don't have to pay the huge fee the ATL based guys do.....yet.
Nick
Well-Known Member
For whatever reason, the wholly owned airlines plus NWA mainline now have a way to list on Delta flights by creating a "shell" and they do not yet pay the annual non-rev fee. It's actually a better deal than what they will have when they are really under the Delta system.
But yeah, I know what you mean otherwise. I guess that'll all be merged sometime this year at least.
moocowtex
Well-Known Member
The biggest problem I've run into jumpseating out of foreign countries is that a lot of the ticket counter/ gate agent personnel don't know their own airlines jumpseat policy. It's maddening! I haven't found a way to explain to them what their policy is without coming across as a complete tool.
JaceTheAce
Well-Known Member
I have found this in Paris. Their incompetence actually made me miss my flight! Oh well, another day spent in Paris... oh darn!
It was nice to stay an extra day. Munich had EXCELLENT agents who knew what they were doing. It must be because it's Germany - Germans are always doing things precise and correct (just take a look at their cars).
SpiraMirabilis
Possible Subversive
I have found this in Paris. Their incompetence actually made me miss my flight! Oh well, another day spent in Paris... oh darn!
I guess you've never driven a Trabant.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
LIDO charts have me questioning the long standing opinion of German efficiency.