Abuse of Jumpseat Privileges

[A Squared]

It seems like it is generally understood that jumpseating (on other carriers) is not to be used by companies to move aircrew to duty assignments, however, from time to time, I have heard of operators who do this. Is this common? Do these operators lose jumpseat privileges? I heard that Kalitta went through this a few years back; moved cews around by jumpseating, other carriers finally got fed up and cancelled thier jumpseat privileges. Any truth to that (note: I'm not trying to smear Kalitta, just trying to determine if stories I've heard are true or not.) Have any other carriers lost jumpseat priveliges because of abuse by the copmpany?

Another thing, while it seems to be generally understood that moving crews on somene else's jumpseat is taboo, I can't seem to find anything which states that explicitly (no, I am *not* looking for loopholes) is it spelled out anywhere? Or is it just one of thoose things which is understood to be understood?

One related question, sometime before 9/11 there was a website, (maintained by an individual, if I recall correctly) which had a wealth of information on jumpseating, hows, whys, etiquette, tips and hints, etc. The site disappeared shortly after 9/11, as Jumpseating was suspended and obviously, we were entering a whole new era where the old rules didn't apply. I lost the URL and don't know if the owner ever put it back up, anyone know of any simillar sites with jumpseating information? Does ALPA maintain informational pages in their general access area?

 

[cougar6903]

Is it legal if a pilot jumpseats to get home after doing a ferry flight for payment outside of his airline flying? For example, flying a 206 from Florida to Texas during his vacation time and getting paid for it then jumpseating home.

 

[414Flyer]

The ticket back is part of the expenses for ferrying an aircraft. If whoever you are ferrying an aircraft does not want to pay to get you back, then dont ferry it. Its not the airlines job to save money for who had their plane ferried.

 

[cougar6903]

The ferry job was a contract to bid for, not a pay rate on a daily basis. Pretty much offering to get the plane from A to B for X amount, all expenses included in the amount except fuel/oil.

 

[PropsForward]

I am not up on the whole jumpseat thing, but it would seem that the abuse would occur at the pilot level when the pilot bids/accepts a run outside of their home base and then need to get to work and back.

Are the airlines actually worried about the jumpseat, it sounds more like a pilot perk than than a revenue seat anyways and if it is first come, first serve, and available, then does anybody even really care?

 

[PropsForward]

Also, would it not be the pilots responsibility to get where he/she needs to be if the jumpseat has already been taken?

 

[Freight Dog]

Jumpseat is used for PERSONAL reasons, not business or business-related.

For example:

A pilot is based at LAX, but lives in PHX. He would commute to LAX to start his trip. When he is done with his trip at LAX, he would then jumpseat back to PHX. That is normally what jumpseat is used for.

Another example of "GOOD" jumpseat - you are going to visit your family somewhere, or you travel somewhere for vacation, or something along those lines. Personal reasons..

Now, say if you are working for Podunk Flying Service, and you are based at Podunk, but they want to reposition you to Beaverville so you can fly a plane from Beaverville to Podunk for them, and they ask you to jumpseat on some other airline to get to Beaverville. That is abusing the jumpseat, and that will get you and your company booted off the list. In this case, the company needs to buy you a ticket to Beaverville.

In a nutshell, jumpseat is for your personal use only.

 

[A Squared]

I am not up on the whole jumpseat thing, but it would seem that the abuse would occur at the pilot level when the pilot bids/accepts a run outside of their home base and then need to get to work and back.

Are the airlines actually worried about the jumpseat, it sounds more like a pilot perk than than a revenue seat anyways and if it is first come, first serve, and available, then does anybody even really care?

I'm not sure that you're following my question. I'm not talking about a carrier moving its own pilots around on its own jumpseat for operational purposes. I'm talking about this situation: Bottom feeder airways tells its pilots to jumpseat on XYZ airline to get from their crew base to a duty assignment.

Airline management doesn't like this, as they lose revenue, and jumpseating is a perk which doesn't benefit the management so they are ambivalent about it at best. Pilots don't like this, as those who are abusing the system are jepordizing the system of everyone.

 

[keatts]

attire?

Is it better to wear my uniform when jumpseating OA?

keatts

 

[NoahWerka]

Freight Dog has it right. The use of the jumpseat is a privilege. One carrier grants the use of the jumpseat to another carrier as a courtesy, for return in kind. Pilots use this privilege to get from home (say ATL) to work(say ORD) or vice versa. Vacation or personal travel is acceptable. What is not, is the use of the jumpseat for company business of any kind. The big carriers don't even put their own pilots in the jumpseat for company business. They put them in the cabin, non-revenue, positive space. The quickest way in the world for a carrier to lose that privilege is for one of its' pilots to get caught abusing the privilege. Since 9-11, only pilots that work for the host carrier, or one of its affiliates, can ride in the cockpit. All others must ride in the cabin even though they are listed as a jumpseater. Been doing it for 20 years, always wear my uniform, and never have or had a problem.