Ok, feeling a little guilt today... Not sure if I should but here's the scenario.
I get in from TLV this morning about 0600. I run over to "Airline A", sign up for a jumpseat on an oversold flight where I'm told I'll probably not get on. Hey, no big deal as it's a free ride and I'm just happy for the opportunity to get home a few hours earlier than I would by connecting on Southernjets through one of the hubs.
They call my name, I head down the jetway and about halfway down, the agent calls my name and says that a pilot from "Airline A" showed up last minute and there won't be a jumpseat for me.
Not a problem, I'll try another flight.
I thank the agent for trying to get me on and head to "Airline B" to give that jumpseat a shot. The pilot said "sorry!" and I replied with "Hey! It's not a problem, you've got priority!"
I go to "Airline B"'s gate about 70 minutes prior to departure and the place is a ghost town. Not even a person in the area at all and the agents haven't arrived yet. So I head down to McDonalds and get a cup of coffee, walk back to the gate and stand in line -- now we're about 60 minutes prior to departure.
About ten minutes later, while standing in line, a couple of guys from "Airline A" and "Airline C" (not employees of "Airline B") approach me and ask if I'm trying to get to PHX and introduce themselves. More or less that they're trying to get to PHX too.
That's cool. Hopefully they'll have seats for us all I say. One of the two says that they've been waiting over there in the corner (where a few minutes earlier, there was no one seated when I got in line) and that they think I should relinquish my spot in the OAL priority because they were there before me, but around the corner, seated.
There was no one there when I got into line.
"Airline C" guy advises me to "do the right thing".
I pretty much said that was there a bit earlier as well, grabbed some coffee and came and stood in line. I've had a long day as well as I was over at "Airline A", almost had a jumpseat and literally got pulled out of the jetway for an "Airline A" pilot.
"Airline A" guy says, "Yeah, I work for 'Airline A', checked loads and didn't bother even trying." -- even though he would have gotten a ride if he did.
I don't think they liked my answer, but I'm from the tradition that if you'd like to get a ride on another airline's jumpseat, stand in line, sign up for it at the counter and let the agent figure out the priority through the booking computer or OAL jumpseat guidance.
So it looks like there are only two seats left on the airplane, both cockpit jumpseats. The agent gives myself and "Airline C" pilot clearance to get on the aircraft and "Airline A" guy screams, "Doug, you're letting the gate agent screw me?!" pretty loudly.
The agent looks a little angry and says, "He was the first in line, sir" and I think (can't really confirm) that the other pilot said, "but we were seated over there" and points.
Now that was awkward because I had the impression that he was trying to escalate the situation.
Personally, from my perspective, as far as I know, all jumpseaters should get in line as early as possible, get their name on the list, and the agent will determine out the priority when you're not an employee of that particular airline.
I always try to be in line 60 minutes prior to departure, sign up and largely disappear, but stay without easy earshot of the boarding agent.
Logically, I shouldn't feel an ounce of guilt, but I do to a certain extent. But then, considering if I was wearing civilian clothes, they wouldn't have known to approach me.
I don't know, thoughts?
I'm not asking for a net.flogging of these guys, or myself if you feel I acted like a bunghole, but does anyone have a different perspective on the situation? What aren't I seeing?
I get in from TLV this morning about 0600. I run over to "Airline A", sign up for a jumpseat on an oversold flight where I'm told I'll probably not get on. Hey, no big deal as it's a free ride and I'm just happy for the opportunity to get home a few hours earlier than I would by connecting on Southernjets through one of the hubs.
They call my name, I head down the jetway and about halfway down, the agent calls my name and says that a pilot from "Airline A" showed up last minute and there won't be a jumpseat for me.
Not a problem, I'll try another flight.
I thank the agent for trying to get me on and head to "Airline B" to give that jumpseat a shot. The pilot said "sorry!" and I replied with "Hey! It's not a problem, you've got priority!"
I go to "Airline B"'s gate about 70 minutes prior to departure and the place is a ghost town. Not even a person in the area at all and the agents haven't arrived yet. So I head down to McDonalds and get a cup of coffee, walk back to the gate and stand in line -- now we're about 60 minutes prior to departure.
About ten minutes later, while standing in line, a couple of guys from "Airline A" and "Airline C" (not employees of "Airline B") approach me and ask if I'm trying to get to PHX and introduce themselves. More or less that they're trying to get to PHX too.
That's cool. Hopefully they'll have seats for us all I say. One of the two says that they've been waiting over there in the corner (where a few minutes earlier, there was no one seated when I got in line) and that they think I should relinquish my spot in the OAL priority because they were there before me, but around the corner, seated.
There was no one there when I got into line.
"Airline C" guy advises me to "do the right thing".
I pretty much said that was there a bit earlier as well, grabbed some coffee and came and stood in line. I've had a long day as well as I was over at "Airline A", almost had a jumpseat and literally got pulled out of the jetway for an "Airline A" pilot.
"Airline A" guy says, "Yeah, I work for 'Airline A', checked loads and didn't bother even trying." -- even though he would have gotten a ride if he did.
I don't think they liked my answer, but I'm from the tradition that if you'd like to get a ride on another airline's jumpseat, stand in line, sign up for it at the counter and let the agent figure out the priority through the booking computer or OAL jumpseat guidance.
So it looks like there are only two seats left on the airplane, both cockpit jumpseats. The agent gives myself and "Airline C" pilot clearance to get on the aircraft and "Airline A" guy screams, "Doug, you're letting the gate agent screw me?!" pretty loudly.
The agent looks a little angry and says, "He was the first in line, sir" and I think (can't really confirm) that the other pilot said, "but we were seated over there" and points.
Now that was awkward because I had the impression that he was trying to escalate the situation.
Personally, from my perspective, as far as I know, all jumpseaters should get in line as early as possible, get their name on the list, and the agent will determine out the priority when you're not an employee of that particular airline.
I always try to be in line 60 minutes prior to departure, sign up and largely disappear, but stay without easy earshot of the boarding agent.
Logically, I shouldn't feel an ounce of guilt, but I do to a certain extent. But then, considering if I was wearing civilian clothes, they wouldn't have known to approach me.
I don't know, thoughts?
I'm not asking for a net.flogging of these guys, or myself if you feel I acted like a bunghole, but does anyone have a different perspective on the situation? What aren't I seeing?
