altimaklr
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2002
- Posts
- 467
I'm pretty sure this applies to AE as well:
Several years ago American Airlines revised all of their Jumpseat agreements. Basically, they intended to revise their agreement to mirror the airline they were reciprocating with (Pinnacle is unlimited, so they would offer unlimited Jumpseats to Pinnacle pilots on AA). Pinnacle was one of the first airlines to solicit the new change by submitting a paper request to AA’s Director of Operations. Shortly after AA started the program, they decided not to include Pinnacle Airlines in their revised policy. They felt that we did not have enough to offer and we would be utilizing them more than they would us. Furthermore, it was determined that if one of our pilots wished to travel on AA, they could buy a pass, thus generating income for the AA seat.
Years have passed and our requests have fallen on deaf ears at AA. Your Jumpseat Committee has been contacted numerous times by frustrated Pinnacle pilots left behind at an AA gate while a flight departs with multiple open seats. These calls have been as frequent as once every two days. Recently, our pilots have not been calling because they have all but given up on depending on AA for a ride. AA is unreliable because of their limited Jumpseat policy and misinformed gate agents.
AA pilots compound the problem. One of the common mistakes is denying a Pinnacle Jumpseater when any unlimited Jumpseat pilots show up for a ride. We have even had reports of AA Captains accepting numerous unlimited Jumpseat pilots who show up AFTER our pilot, then bumping our pilot because they reason they are able to accommodate more pilots this way.
We have come a long way with our Jumpseat program at Pinnacle over the last ten years. We had a program that initially allowed only one Jumpseater, that we were able to increase to three, then to unlimited after several years. We have agreements with other airlines that have Jumpseat restrictions and we still haul them unlimited. American however has morphed into an airline that picks and chooses who will ride on them for free and who they can force to buy a ticket. They have turned out to be an airline that is simply not reliable. Because of this, we have advised AA that our agreement with them is in peril.
One last step that we feel would be fair before cancelling our Jumpseat agreement with AA altogether is to limit our Jumpseats in the same fashion as they limit Pinnacle pilots on their Jumpseats. We will try this in an attempt to renegotiate with AA to get unlimited Jumpseat status with them.
If you are operating a flight and you have an AA Jumpseater, they MAY ride our Jumpseat as long as there are no other Jumpseaters already present. As an example of our revised AA Jumpseat policy, if an AA pilot is FIRST to request a Jumpseat and subsequently more Jumpseaters show up to the gate, the AA pilot MAY still ride since he/she was first in line. However, if there is already an OAL Jumpseater and then the AA pilot shows up to the gate, he/she WILL NOT be given a ride regardless of how many seats are empty and available on the aircraft. An AA pilot CANNOT under any circumstance, Jumpseat internationally.
If you have an AA pilot who wishes to Jumpseat on one of our flights, please kindly remind them why we have this revised program in place, regardless of whether or not they are accommodated on board.
In November 2009, your Jumpseat Committee will meet to discuss this agreement further. Until then, please notify us of ANY AA Jumpseaters, regardless of whether or not they are left behind. We will take the total number in November to AA as an indication of just how many of their pilots we carry.
We are asking for your cooperation in implementing this revised Jumpseat policy as it applies to American Airlines Jumpseaters. Please note that both ALPA National and Pinnacle Airlines Management are aware of and are supportive of this revised policy.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our revised American Airlines Reciprocal Jumpseat policy and/or its application, please contact your Jumpseat Committee representatives:
Several years ago American Airlines revised all of their Jumpseat agreements. Basically, they intended to revise their agreement to mirror the airline they were reciprocating with (Pinnacle is unlimited, so they would offer unlimited Jumpseats to Pinnacle pilots on AA). Pinnacle was one of the first airlines to solicit the new change by submitting a paper request to AA’s Director of Operations. Shortly after AA started the program, they decided not to include Pinnacle Airlines in their revised policy. They felt that we did not have enough to offer and we would be utilizing them more than they would us. Furthermore, it was determined that if one of our pilots wished to travel on AA, they could buy a pass, thus generating income for the AA seat.
Years have passed and our requests have fallen on deaf ears at AA. Your Jumpseat Committee has been contacted numerous times by frustrated Pinnacle pilots left behind at an AA gate while a flight departs with multiple open seats. These calls have been as frequent as once every two days. Recently, our pilots have not been calling because they have all but given up on depending on AA for a ride. AA is unreliable because of their limited Jumpseat policy and misinformed gate agents.
AA pilots compound the problem. One of the common mistakes is denying a Pinnacle Jumpseater when any unlimited Jumpseat pilots show up for a ride. We have even had reports of AA Captains accepting numerous unlimited Jumpseat pilots who show up AFTER our pilot, then bumping our pilot because they reason they are able to accommodate more pilots this way.
We have come a long way with our Jumpseat program at Pinnacle over the last ten years. We had a program that initially allowed only one Jumpseater, that we were able to increase to three, then to unlimited after several years. We have agreements with other airlines that have Jumpseat restrictions and we still haul them unlimited. American however has morphed into an airline that picks and chooses who will ride on them for free and who they can force to buy a ticket. They have turned out to be an airline that is simply not reliable. Because of this, we have advised AA that our agreement with them is in peril.
One last step that we feel would be fair before cancelling our Jumpseat agreement with AA altogether is to limit our Jumpseats in the same fashion as they limit Pinnacle pilots on their Jumpseats. We will try this in an attempt to renegotiate with AA to get unlimited Jumpseat status with them.
If you are operating a flight and you have an AA Jumpseater, they MAY ride our Jumpseat as long as there are no other Jumpseaters already present. As an example of our revised AA Jumpseat policy, if an AA pilot is FIRST to request a Jumpseat and subsequently more Jumpseaters show up to the gate, the AA pilot MAY still ride since he/she was first in line. However, if there is already an OAL Jumpseater and then the AA pilot shows up to the gate, he/she WILL NOT be given a ride regardless of how many seats are empty and available on the aircraft. An AA pilot CANNOT under any circumstance, Jumpseat internationally.
If you have an AA pilot who wishes to Jumpseat on one of our flights, please kindly remind them why we have this revised program in place, regardless of whether or not they are accommodated on board.
In November 2009, your Jumpseat Committee will meet to discuss this agreement further. Until then, please notify us of ANY AA Jumpseaters, regardless of whether or not they are left behind. We will take the total number in November to AA as an indication of just how many of their pilots we carry.
We are asking for your cooperation in implementing this revised Jumpseat policy as it applies to American Airlines Jumpseaters. Please note that both ALPA National and Pinnacle Airlines Management are aware of and are supportive of this revised policy.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our revised American Airlines Reciprocal Jumpseat policy and/or its application, please contact your Jumpseat Committee representatives:
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uke:
