Nark
Macho Superpilot
True, very true. But remember Milwaukee, is no Stockton!
RIP US Airways jumpseat procedures
- Thread starter ian
- Start date
I'm going to go ahead and say that I absolutely love Wisconsin.
It's Canadian-level friendly and it's not hard to find a bar to belly up to and have a beer.
FL350
Well-Known Member
Wow.. I'm glad I haven't dealt with anyone of that caliber
j4seymor
Well-Known Member
Anywhere that specializes in production of beer, cheese, and motorcycles is alright in my book.
jtrain609
Antisocial Monster
Keep, or start, commuting and it won't take long.
poser765
Well-Known Member
Hmm, I've never had any personal issues with gate agents...Just general funk.
Lol, there was this time a flight came in about 30 minutes late (fairly late at night too...like 2200). The deplaned then the captain came up and said they were ready to start boarding. The agent made the we are about to start boarding PA, looked down and saw what time it was, said out loud "oh hell, I'm off," gathered up her things and just left.
I waited about 20 minutes before just saying screw it and walking the mile from B20 to G17.
Luigi
Well-Known Member
At least I got on.
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
My only run in with an agent happened with a redcoat in ATL. Refused to let me jumpseat because the flight was payload restricted, even though the JS is not part of that. Never raise your voice during an argument you are going to win. Just called skeds who listed me must ride PS. She was infuriated that she now had to remove a revenue pax, until I pointed out that all she had to do was put me on the JS and everyone would be happy. Except her, apparently.
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
My one gate agent horror story.
First, I pulled my bid back for the CRJ as it was obvious my Guard unit would be mobilized and I would probably deploy before finishing IOE. Also the class would fall in the middle of my vacation over the summer and the wife wanted us to go to the beach as a family before I deployed.
A few months later I get word that I've been awarded the CRJ. Obviously a mistake. I call the CP and tell him I pulled my bid back several months ago. He agrees and says he will take care of it.
Next day he calls- company says I have to go to class in the middle of my old vacation- which I now lose. I explain to him about my deployment, that the company will be wasting money on me. He calls back a little later- company does not care.
I call the union. Explain the situation, the vacation, how I will probably deploy during IOE or soon after, so it's a waste of money. They say that's wrong and they will get it fixed.
Next day they call me back. We are in contract negotiations and the company is playing hardball. I have to go to the course, but if I grieve it I will most likely win. Unfortunately with the grievance process it won't work through the system until after I have finished IOE. Then the company will let me go back to the ATR, but I would have to go through a refresher course.
Great. So I can only be with my family for the vacation Friday after class to Sunday night. Only one flight to the beach from ATL, but it's on our metal. The day prior I list for the JS.
Friday the instructor takes pity on me and releases me early. I get to the gate 45 minutes prior to check in. Gate agent says there is already a JS'er. I point out that I have the JS reserved so unless the guy has priority over me per the FOM the JS is mine. The other pilot is mainline, so it's mine. Lady says to come back 15 prior and she will take care of it. Twenty prior I see the mainline pilot board. I go to the agent and ask about it. She says I was not at the gate so she gave the JS to him. I point out that we are 20 minutes prior and she can't give it away until 15 prior as I had it reserved. Also I was in the gate areas the entire time and already checked in. She tells me too bad. I have a SIDA badge, so I start to go down the jet way to talk to the captain. Gate agent shouts at me that if I go down the jet way she will call the airport police and have me arrested. I figure fine, I'll go down a different gate and tell the captain. She sees me walking away and tells me if she sees me anywhere close to the airplane she will call the police.
I try calling JS coordinator, no response. I call CP. No response. Airplane pushes back. Now my predeployment 7 day vacation that was cut down to 2 1/2 days is now less than two days. Great. Wife is... upset.
I finally find a red coat and explain what happened. She is dumbfounded. Surely I'm exaggerating. She confronts the gate agent who pretty much corroborates what I said. Now red coat is pissed. CP calls me and I explain what happened. He is really, really po'ed. He was the type of CP who would chew out pilots, but heaven help someone who messed with HIS pilots. Also did an unusual occurrence report.
Bottom line. I found out a few days later that the gate agent was fired. It was not the first time something like this happened.
Oh, a week after I finished IOE I was mobilized and was gone for 18 months. When I returned I had to go through the entire CRJ course all over again.
First, I pulled my bid back for the CRJ as it was obvious my Guard unit would be mobilized and I would probably deploy before finishing IOE. Also the class would fall in the middle of my vacation over the summer and the wife wanted us to go to the beach as a family before I deployed.
A few months later I get word that I've been awarded the CRJ. Obviously a mistake. I call the CP and tell him I pulled my bid back several months ago. He agrees and says he will take care of it.
Next day he calls- company says I have to go to class in the middle of my old vacation- which I now lose. I explain to him about my deployment, that the company will be wasting money on me. He calls back a little later- company does not care.
I call the union. Explain the situation, the vacation, how I will probably deploy during IOE or soon after, so it's a waste of money. They say that's wrong and they will get it fixed.
Next day they call me back. We are in contract negotiations and the company is playing hardball. I have to go to the course, but if I grieve it I will most likely win. Unfortunately with the grievance process it won't work through the system until after I have finished IOE. Then the company will let me go back to the ATR, but I would have to go through a refresher course.
Great. So I can only be with my family for the vacation Friday after class to Sunday night. Only one flight to the beach from ATL, but it's on our metal. The day prior I list for the JS.
Friday the instructor takes pity on me and releases me early. I get to the gate 45 minutes prior to check in. Gate agent says there is already a JS'er. I point out that I have the JS reserved so unless the guy has priority over me per the FOM the JS is mine. The other pilot is mainline, so it's mine. Lady says to come back 15 prior and she will take care of it. Twenty prior I see the mainline pilot board. I go to the agent and ask about it. She says I was not at the gate so she gave the JS to him. I point out that we are 20 minutes prior and she can't give it away until 15 prior as I had it reserved. Also I was in the gate areas the entire time and already checked in. She tells me too bad. I have a SIDA badge, so I start to go down the jet way to talk to the captain. Gate agent shouts at me that if I go down the jet way she will call the airport police and have me arrested. I figure fine, I'll go down a different gate and tell the captain. She sees me walking away and tells me if she sees me anywhere close to the airplane she will call the police.
I try calling JS coordinator, no response. I call CP. No response. Airplane pushes back. Now my predeployment 7 day vacation that was cut down to 2 1/2 days is now less than two days. Great. Wife is... upset.
I finally find a red coat and explain what happened. She is dumbfounded. Surely I'm exaggerating. She confronts the gate agent who pretty much corroborates what I said. Now red coat is pissed. CP calls me and I explain what happened. He is really, really po'ed. He was the type of CP who would chew out pilots, but heaven help someone who messed with HIS pilots. Also did an unusual occurrence report.
Bottom line. I found out a few days later that the gate agent was fired. It was not the first time something like this happened.
Oh, a week after I finished IOE I was mobilized and was gone for 18 months. When I returned I had to go through the entire CRJ course all over again.
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Luigi
Well-Known Member
When I was brand new I had something similar. I was trying to get to Tennessee, and after arriving late into CLT I only had about 20 minutes till departure, so I sprint through CLT, get to E gates, ask the gate agent to list me (previous flight cancelled and this flight is oversold by 10), and gate agent says "no there is already a jumpseater on board. Now I can see into the cockpit, and there isn't anyone in there other than the Captain and FO, so I said "seriously?"
Gate agents smiles and says "yes"
Watched the plane push back with a empty Jumpseat.
Ended up sleeping in the airport.
It's good to be king.
"You don't have to be happy with it, or even agree with it, but here is the policy (dot dot dot)"
Autothrust Blue
“If you jump on my shift, that’s just rude, man.”
October 7, 2015
American Airlines and US Airways Jumpseat Details Revised
American Airlines
We have confirmed, there is no embargo from American Airlines for jumpseats Oct 16 – Oct 20.
However, other airline pilots (OAL) should jumpseat on American ONLY as a last resort during that time period. You must be pre-listed for the flight. Listing procedures can be found at:https://dal.alpa.org/jumpseat.
There is an embargo on non–rev and pass travel on American Airlines during Oct. 16 – Oct. 20.
Please disregard the previous letter from Jumpseat Committee regarding the jumpseat embargo. We apologize for any confusion it may have caused.
US Airways
The listing procedure will change for US Airways as of October 16 to align to American procedures as of October 16.
American Airlines and US Airways Jumpseat Details Revised
American Airlines
We have confirmed, there is no embargo from American Airlines for jumpseats Oct 16 – Oct 20.
However, other airline pilots (OAL) should jumpseat on American ONLY as a last resort during that time period. You must be pre-listed for the flight. Listing procedures can be found at:https://dal.alpa.org/jumpseat.
There is an embargo on non–rev and pass travel on American Airlines during Oct. 16 – Oct. 20.
Please disregard the previous letter from Jumpseat Committee regarding the jumpseat embargo. We apologize for any confusion it may have caused.
US Airways
The listing procedure will change for US Airways as of October 16 to align to American procedures as of October 16.
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
Funniest thing I've heard so far during school was the instructor explaining to my OTS new hire how SJA worked in regards to messing up. He is straight Navy Air and was worried about not getting in trouble. We were explaining what it took to get fired. and how SJA will go to great lengths to keep a pilot. The instructor, (DGS guy,) told him, "He, (meaning me,) could literally kill me right now, and as long as he apologizes for it, all is forgiven. Lie or steal, and you're ass is gone."
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
That's a pretty bad example actually. Using the website you could book via your phone without having to talk to anyone. AA used to be call-in only, that was a PITA.
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
They are boarding, there is 5+ people in line, by the time you get to the front they don't have time to deal with listing you, or the agent just walks away looking right at you and closes the door (yes that last one actually happened to me in DCA).
This way you can go to another gate and say "hey, I listed as a D6U (not sure what it is now), can you check me in for this flight?"
They do, and presto you're good to go. Walk over to your boarding gate and walk on...
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
Then you don't understand my example. My point is that SWA, while encouraging the use of the reservation system, will still let you walk up to the gate and, gate agent workload permitting, list for the jump seat.
Again, using the website may or may not work. I've had times (such as today), where for some reason my phone won't let me use data. It always seems to happen at the worst time- such as the last time I tried to list for the AA Jumpseat. I finally had to ask my FO, who happen to be walking in the same direction for his flight home, to do it for me.
That's exactly it.
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
One more time, this assumes you can do so. Technology does not always work and it's nice to have a human being who is willing to step in and take care of things when it doesn't. I'm reminded of an incident I had many years ago when bar code readers first came out. After the check out person scanned my box of paint, "Sorry sir, but the computer says we don't have any paint left." Me- "Ummm.... you have the box in your hand that you just scanned." "Yes sir, but the computer says we don't have any left so I can't let you purchase the paint."