Would YOU sit in the FA jumpseat if you had to?

SmoothLanderJ

Well-Known Member
....So yesterday was my last day of my 2 day trip that ended in MSP (Im based in MEM). Well, scheduling had me deadheading back to MEM but since I was off, I just wanted to commute back to MCO. So I find the NWA flight going to MCO and its completely full, just great. As I look around I notice that I'm the only pilot (so far) thats trying to get on (BTW it was a 757 so only 1 jumpseat).

A couple minutes roll by and a NWA captain strolls up to the gate and fills out a jumpseat form as well. So at this point I'm thinking to myself that If there aren't any open seats, I'm not going to make this flight. What I didn't know was that the NWA pilots can sit in the FA jumpseat if the flight is full. I can't because I work for Mesaba.

Time passed by and as expected to the flight is completely full. Now once everyone boarded, the gate agent calls over the NWA captain and kindly explains and points out to him that I was trying to get on that flight also, and that if he were to sit in the FA jumpseat that I would be able to get on as well.

Guess it wasn't my day because the captain said that the FA jumpseat wasn't comfortable and that he didn't want to sit back there (and I'm standing right there!). Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed (and pissed). Now, I know that I'm a low timer newbie regional FO :whatever:. BUT if it were me I would have sit in the FA jumpseat if I had to if there were another pilot trying to get home KNOWING that the next flight doesn't get there till midnight, without a doubt. I know that MSP to MCO is around 2hrs 45 mins but I would have made the sacrifice for my fellow pilot. To me, any seat is a good seat as long as you're going home.

....So I end up having to go through MEM and the connecting flight was 2 hours late leaving MEM to MCO. So instead of getting home at 7:30pm I got home at 1:00 am, fantastic!......I remembered his name BTW :rolleyes:. So that brings me to the question, in the same situation what you guys do?
 
No brainer!

I've had this happen twice in the past two months, where I was the one who could take the galley jumpseat to get the other pilot on board in the cockpit jumpseat.

The flight was a similar length to yours, less than two hours.

Of course I took the F/A galley jumpseat.

Because even if there weren't any other reasons to do so (like just being nice and it's not even a long flight), if I see either of those two pilots again in the next few months or years, and the same thing happens the other way around, I think they'll be happy to return the favor.

Karma is a female dog and it's a small group of pilots out there in the grand scheme of things. :)
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

....So yesterday was my last day of my 2 day trip that ended in MSP (Im based in MEM). Well, scheduling had me deadheading back to MEM but since I was off, I just wanted to commute back to MCO. So I find the NWA flight going to MCO and its completely full, just great. As I look around I notice that I'm the only pilot (so far) thats trying to get on (BTW it was a 757 so only 1 jumpseat).

A couple minutes roll by and a NWA captain strolls up to the gate and fills out a jumpseat form as well. So at this point I'm thinking to myself that If there aren't any open seats, I'm not going to make this flight. What I didn't know was that the NWA pilots can sit in the FA jumpseat if the flight is full. I can't because I work for Mesaba.

Time passed by and as expected to the flight is completely full. Now once everyone boarded, the gate agent calls over the NWA captain and kindly explains and points out to him that I was trying to get on that flight also, and that if he were to sit in the FA jumpseat that I would be able to get on as well.

Guess it wasn't my day because the captain said that the FA jumpseat wasn't comfortable and that he didn't want to sit back there (and I'm standing right there!). Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed (and pissed). Now, I know that I'm a low timer newbie regional FO :whatever:. BUT if it were me I would have sit in the FA jumpseat if I had to if there were another pilot trying to get home KNOWING that the next flight doesn't get there till midnight, without a doubt. I know that MSP to MCO is around 2hrs 45 mins but I would have made the sacrifice for my fellow pilot. To me, any seat is a good seat as long as you're going home.

....So I end up having to go through MEM and the connecting flight was 2 hours late leaving MEM to MCO. So instead of getting home at 7:30pm I got home at 1:00 am, fantastic!......I remembered his name BTW :rolleyes:. So that brings me to the question, in the same situation what you guys do?


I'd sit in the FA jumpseat.
I flew MDW- ONT on a 752 and sat in the fa jumpseat the whole way. it wasnt too uncomfortable. and sitting at 3R staring at the passengers on ATA's good 'ol 75's on take off was fun, especally during the power reductions when you grab the seat and look around ass scared and see their reactions. hahaha

now, the business class seats are much nicer but i would gladly give up my seat, or if jump seating in the cockpit, give mine up for a FA's to get a fellow pilot home.... as long as he doesn't work for go jet :sarcasm: (i would)
 
Re: No brainer!

I've had this happen twice in the past two months, where I was the one who could take the galley jumpseat to get the other pilot on board in the cockpit jumpseat.

The flight was a similar length to yours, less than two hours.

Of course I took the F/A galley jumpseat.

Because even if there weren't any other reasons to do so (like just being nice and it's not even a long flight), if I see either of those two pilots again in the next few months or years, and the same thing happens the other way around, I think they'll be happy to return the favor.

Karma is a female dog and it's a small group of pilots out there in the grand scheme of things. :)

You've got that right, it sure is. When I make it to the left seat and if this particular captain was trying to get on my flight, I wouldn't deny him....but I sure as HELL would let him know who I was and that particular day.
 
Re: No brainer!

You've got that right, it sure is. When I make it to the left seat and this particular captain was trying to get on my flight, I wouldn't deny him....but I sure as HELL would let him know who I was and that particular day.


i think he'd rather have you deny him hahaha
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

I'd sit in the FA jumpseat.
I flew MDW- ONT on a 752 and sat in the fa jumpseat the whole way. it wasnt too uncomfortable. and sitting at 3R staring at the passengers on ATA's good 'ol 75's on take off was fun, especally during the power reductions when you grab the seat and look around ass scared and see their reactions. hahaha
How'd you get the opportunity to sit in the FA jumpseat, considering you're a minor? Not doubting you, just wondering how it happened!
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

Oh man. That is HARSH and so rude....

I would and HAVE taken a F/A js before to get another non-rev on. I was in RNO the day of the gold races coming back to ORD. There was one cabin seat left and I was the next person on the standby list to get on. There was one person left behind me, who would not get on. The agent asked if I'd be willing to take the j/s and I said "of course".

The agent and the pax thanked me, and the other non-rev pax kept thanking me all the way down the jetbridge :) I said it was no big deal, really. And truth be told, I was MUCH happier in my nice j/s in the spacious aft galley of the 737. I had tons of room, nobody asking me questions like "So what route do you fly?".....

It was a win-win for both of us. He got on the plane, and I had a nice comfy ride :)
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

How'd you get the opportunity to sit in the FA jumpseat, considering you're a minor? Not doubting you, just wondering how it happened!

mom was a F/A. i knew a crapload of gate agents haha
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

What a selfish jerk. Why is it that some people think once they've "made it" in this career (i.e. major airline captain), they think they're more important than everybody else?
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

I would yes, but maybe he's an old guy with back problems. Don't judge lest you be judged! The FA jumpseats are very uncomfortable.
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

I ALWAYS take the cockpit jumpseat if there is a flight attendant below me on the list who isn't eligible for the F/A jumpseat (and obviously the cockpit jumpseat), just to let them on. Just think that that person might be desperate to get somewhere (funeral? baby being born? etc) and it's just the right thing to do.

Someday it will happen to you and it will bring you good karma that will help you in the future.
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

....So yesterday was my last day of my 2 day trip that ended in MSP (Im based in MEM). Well, scheduling had me deadheading back to MEM but since I was off, I just wanted to commute back to MCO. So I find the NWA flight going to MCO and its completely full, just great. As I look around I notice that I'm the only pilot (so far) thats trying to get on (BTW it was a 757 so only 1 jumpseat).

A couple minutes roll by and a NWA captain strolls up to the gate and fills out a jumpseat form as well. So at this point I'm thinking to myself that If there aren't any open seats, I'm not going to make this flight. What I didn't know was that the NWA pilots can sit in the FA jumpseat if the flight is full. I can't because I work for Mesaba.

Time passed by and as expected to the flight is completely full. Now once everyone boarded, the gate agent calls over the NWA captain and kindly explains and points out to him that I was trying to get on that flight also, and that if he were to sit in the FA jumpseat that I would be able to get on as well.

Guess it wasn't my day because the captain said that the FA jumpseat wasn't comfortable and that he didn't want to sit back there (and I'm standing right there!). Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed (and pissed). Now, I know that I'm a low timer newbie regional FO :whatever:. BUT if it were me I would have sit in the FA jumpseat if I had to if there were another pilot trying to get home KNOWING that the next flight doesn't get there till midnight, without a doubt. I know that MSP to MCO is around 2hrs 45 mins but I would have made the sacrifice for my fellow pilot. To me, any seat is a good seat as long as you're going home.

....So I end up having to go through MEM and the connecting flight was 2 hours late leaving MEM to MCO. So instead of getting home at 7:30pm I got home at 1:00 am, fantastic!......I remembered his name BTW :rolleyes:. So that brings me to the question, in the same situation what you guys do?
Oh man, I can understand your situation. I would have been furious to see that attitude.
 
I would yes, but maybe he's an old guy with back problems. Don't judge lest you be judged! The FA jumpseats are very uncomfortable.

Honestly if he has back problems, he most likely better off standing in the galley or standing in the cockpit because the left jumpseat on a 757 is really not ideal if you had back problems. Not that back problems would be much of an excuse on a flight that is 90 minutes long though.
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

I observed a pilot on a flight demand that non-revs be moved around so that he could have better seat that move give him more room to do his paperwork:banghead:
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

The FA jumpseats absolutely blow, but it really all depends on how you address it.

Talk to the guy, plead your case, he might lend you an ear. If you do it through the gate agent, chances are if you're an offline jumpseat rider, they REALLY don't want to deal with you and would probably say something like, "Hey, do you mind riding the FA jumpseat?" where a lot of guys would automatically say, "Hell no!" and that's it.

Now, if you walk up to the guy and say, "Hey, I'm really trying to get home and I'm not going to make the flight. Would you please mind flowing back to the FA jumpseat so I can get home? I know it's an inconvenience." I'd presume most guys would totally understand.
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

I would ride in the overhead bin if I knew it would help someone get home.

Seriously.


I've been there done that (tho not ridden in the overhead lol), and nothing in this world makes someone want to go postal more than watching their ride home push off the gate without them.
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

I sat on the F/A jumpseat coming back to ORD from MUC on Lufthansa. Luckily the lead F/A offered use of the crew rest area on the A340-300 for the first three hours of the flight! A ride is a ride.
 
Re: Would YOU sit in the FA jumpsat if you had to?

A seat is a seat.

To choose a 'better' seat which results in bumping another crewmember trying to get home to their life and family is just rude.

I can't say I wouldn't wish I got the more choice seat, but in the end if we don't look out for each other, who will?
 
Back
Top