Airtran's $25 jumpseat policy

[Salty Pirate]

Is there anything you guys can do to get rid of that $25 dollar jumpseat charge for multiple jumpseaters. The crews are great and I usually don't have a problem at all but a few times the gate agents can be NAZIs and hit us with the fee. I know most carriers, ASA included allow multiple JS, It would be nice if we got the same in return.

Help a brother out if you can.

 

[B6Guy]

Reality Check

While I certainly wouldn't LIKE to fork over $25, it is a heck of a lot better than not getting a ride home or to work. If NWA would adopt this instead of giving LCC pilots a hard time or refusing us the jumpseat, I'd gladly pay the $25 just to get to or from work.

It's not like it is a day's pay or even an hour's pay. I envy you having a way to work on Airtran, they are great guys and gals, but a few gate agents need to be sent flowers or ??? Of course ALL carriers have a few tough grumpy gate agents. Can't blame them; they have one of if not the toughest customer service jobs there is.

This subject has been on this forum several times, the Airtran pilots hate the $25 policy as much or more than anyone else.

B6Guy

 

[Jim Smyth]

Charging for the jumpseat should be done away with period. Its a benefit that Pilots get to enjoy from each other to help the guys/gals out there so they have a way to get back and forth from home or work. If the Airtran Pilots want it to go away, it would be. Its a negotiated item at contract time. Anytime you have an Airtran Pilot asking in return for a free jumpseat there should be a discussion about this topic so the message gets back to whoever needs to get this stopped.

 

[twepilot]

Jim,

Just so we're clear...The first jumpseat rider is free (seat available in the back for OAL guys). Additional Jumpseaters are 25 bucks. Do the pilots like the policy...hell no..but its not our jumpseat...its the companys aircraft they make the rules as to how their aircraft are operated. I do hope that in our contract negotiations this "walk-up pass" goes away.

RV

 

[FL717]

Charging for the jumpseat should be done away with period. Its a benefit that Pilots get to enjoy from each other to help the guys/gals out there so they have a way to get back and forth from home or work. If the Airtran Pilots want it to go away, it would be. Its a negotiated item at contract time. Anytime you have an Airtran Pilot asking in return for a free jumpseat there should be a discussion about this topic so the message gets back to whoever needs to get this stopped.

I had quit responding to these ridiculous threads that people start up for the sole purpose of getting their rocks off starting sh!t on the internet. I am responding to you Jim because I have read many of your posts and find you of all people to reasonable in your posting.

So read up... and read CLOSELY:

1.) AirTran DOES NOT charge for the jumpseat. There is ONE jumpseat rider allowed.... PERIOD. If that jumpseat is taken, you can non-rev for $25.00.

2.) The jumpseat belongs to the company.... NOT the AirTran Pilots. While we are NOT happy about no longer offering unlimited free jumpseats.... the old "if the AirTran Pilots wanted it changed, they would" mantra that Jim Smyth posted is complete and utter bullsh!t.

We DON'T like it, but the company won't budge, and we will try and get it in our next contract..... so my advice is if the jumpseat is taken when you show up at the gate, and then don't pay the $25 and walk away.

 

[Jim Smyth]

Sorry, I didnt know that. I thought you charged $25 for all jumpseaters. I live in base and dont jumpseat so I am not up on your rules. I read into it has a $25 fee for everyoine, my bad. SWA has always stuffed the plane full, as long as there is seats in back. We even took alot of Pilots over the years whose airlines also didnt reciprocate, even though we had alot of guys that really could have used there services. Once again, sorry.

 

[ultrarunner]

FINALLY SOMEONE communicates good intel. Yep, you don't want to non-rev for 25 bucks, head to the next airline.

IMO, it's the next best thing to unlimitedes.

Think about it...how many times have you been turned away when the airline you have chosen is a Single JS airline. Then ask yourself how many times you have forked over 25 bucks to get home.

Lets say you have to bum a ride to get to 4 sequences a month. That's 200 a month....2 grand a year +/-.

Not a big deal considering the alternative.

 

[Salty Pirate]

$50 bucks per trip when you work for a regional is a big deal. All I was asking for was a reciprocal agreement that we give to all pilots. If there is a seat in the back than It is yours, the more the better. I had two Airtran guys jump on ASA more than once. It kind of sucks when you have to pay for the same thing in return. And the attitude if you don't like it go to the next carrier sucks. I guarentee that more Airtran guys ride through the Delta system than vice versa. I'll take the high road and welcome all jumpseaters but it would suck for you guys if that attitude was given in return. Also please explain how charging for a ticket is non-rev??????

 

[TV9Driver]

Jim Smyth,
I used to jumpseat on SWA all the time going from STL to CLE when I worked at COEX. SWA was always very good to me, BUT, if both jumpseats were taken, I would have to pay $25 for a non-rev pass to get to work. This is EXACTLY what we do here at AirTran. If there are 40 jumpseaters and 39 are AirTran pilots and one is an other airline - he/she does not have to pay anything.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Salty Pirate
You say you have unlimited jumpseats in the Delta system. That is not true, on ASA it is unlimited, but not on mainline it is one jumpseat. They also do not offer a $25 non-rev. All take the non rev over not going at all. The jump seat is open at AirTran, they just offer one jump just like Delta.

 

[Jim Smyth]

Jim Smyth,
I used to jumpseat on SWA all the time going from STL to CLE when I worked at COEX. SWA was always very good to me, BUT, if both jumpseats were taken, I would have to pay $25 for a non-rev pass to get to work. This is EXACTLY what we do here at AirTran. If there are 40 jumpseaters and 39 are AirTran pilots and one is an other airline - he/she does not have to pay anything.

If this is true it would also be news to me. I know that for the last 14 years I have never refused a pilot a free ride ( I have had alot more than 2 jumpseaters on at a time more than once ) and also they have never been charged a penny that I know of. But I have been wrong before, as this post shows and I dont jumpseat since I live in base. I believe we always fill the plane with jumpseaters if theres any empty seats in back. I go in tomorrow for a 3 day and I am going to ask around about us charging any monies for the jumpseat.

You may be right but I just havent heard of it before and if it is true I will be bringing it up to our elected union officals to get an answer as to why. I think we all need to make sure there is no charge to any pilot wanting a jumpseat to go to or from work/home. If this isnt in place you can negociate for it. Years ago Delta was one of the last legacy holdouts on this jumpseat issue. We kept giving them our jumpseat with "nothing" in return for many years. Then times got bad and they didnt get much money in a contract and they ended up getting a jumpseat agreement in place. Maybe that will be the trend in the future.

On a different note 2 weeks ago I had my first American Airlines Flight Attendant on our 4th jumpseat . She got a seat in the cabin because we werent full but we now have an agreement with AA to allow the Flight Attendants a free 4th jumpseat on each airline. Progress!

 

[Ty Webb]

I guarentee that more Airtran guys ride through the Delta system than vice versa.

Not since you closed DFW . . . . .

I'll take the high road and welcome all jumpseaters but it would suck for you guys if that attitude was given in return. Also please explain how charging for a ticket is non-rev??????

I take the high road when I load up my plane with Delta pilots after being turned away from a Delta flight because some other OAL pilot got there first.

I would gladly pay $25 bucks to get home rather than pay $40. to the Wellesley to spend the night after being turned away at Delta, Chief. And the $25. is a non-rev pass available only to OAL pilots. If I use a Delta buddy pass, it costs money . . . yet is still considered non-revving.

Maybe you ought to think these things through before you make these assinine posts.

 

[Jim Smyth]

What is OAL pilots? Other Airline Pilots?

 

[TV9Driver]

Jim Smyth, i'll add a disclaimer to my previous statement. This was pre-9/11 times, so things might have changed since then. I haven't jumpseated on SWA since '99.

 

[Captjiggles]

I'm with ya on that one Ty!

p.s. what ever happened to Snake?

 

[capt. megadeth]

2.) The jumpseat belongs to the company.... NOT the AirTran Pilots. .

That's f-ed up. I thought jumpseats were the captains

 

[FL717]

I wish it were that simple...

That's f-ed up. I thought jumpseats were the captains

If that were true, there wouldn't be this thing known as an Ops Specs that all companies have, and we could all allow ANYONE access to the jumpseat ANYTIME we feel like it.

Surely being at UPS..... you know thats simply not true...... at ANY airline.... especially the cargo companies. Does UPS allow ANY 121 or 135 Pilot to ride the actual jumpseat? If not.... then I guess UPS Captains don't "own" their jumpseat either.

Don't fool yourself..... the sad fact is the jumpseat belongs to the company. I'm allowed to borrow it when I sign for the aircraft and will push my weight around as far as I can, but there are limits that I have to observe... so there isn't a Captain ANYWHERE that "owns" their jumpseat. If anyone thinks they do.... they aren't too sharp.

 

[seahorse]

I had quit responding to these ridiculous threads that people start up for the sole purpose of getting their rocks off starting sh!t on the internet. I am responding to you Jim because I have read many of your posts and find you of all people to reasonable in your posting.

So read up... and read CLOSELY:

1.) AirTran DOES NOT charge for the jumpseat. There is ONE jumpseat rider allowed.... PERIOD. If that jumpseat is taken, you can non-rev for $25.00.

After you pay the $25 for the "nonrev" make sure that you DO NOT stop by the flight deck. Just get on the airplane and take your seat. If you get any shi.t about it from the Captain or anyone else, ask for a refund. Treat it just like a nonrev. End of discussion.

 

[capt. megadeth]

If that were true, there wouldn't be this thing known as an Ops Specs that all companies have, and we could all allow ANYONE access to the jumpseat ANYTIME we feel like it.

Surely being at UPS..... you know thats simply not true...... at ANY airline.... especially the cargo companies. Does UPS allow ANY 121 or 135 Pilot to ride the actual jumpseat? If not.... then I guess UPS Captains don't "own" their jumpseat either.

Don't fool yourself..... the sad fact is the jumpseat belongs to the company. I'm allowed to borrow it when I sign for the aircraft and will push my weight around as far as I can, but there are limits that I have to observe... so there isn't a Captain ANYWHERE that "owns" their jumpseat. If anyone thinks they do.... they aren't too sharp.

My comment wasn't quite that "deep". BTW, what are ops specs? Never heard of them.

 

[FL717]

.....

 

[Phaedrus]

Pilots are the cheapest sunsabeeches on the planet. My pockets actually squeak when I put my hands in 'em.
Oh yeah, we like to argue a lot too. Because we're always right.
Seahorse...fine dude. If you want to roll that way then go, there's nothing stopping you. All you're doing then is dissing the capt. who, like FL717 has so eloquently and repeatedly said, has nothing to do with this policy.

 

[SWA/FO]

I thought this topic was covered..... I guess everyones getting tired of picking on poor, old, little Southwest.

Hang in there AirTran guys!!!!! It will pass:beer: .

 

[XRMEFLYER]

After you pay the $25 for the "nonrev" make sure that you DO NOT stop by the flight deck. Just get on the airplane and take your seat. If you get any shi.t about it from the Captain or anyone else, ask for a refund. Treat it just like a nonrev. End of discussion.

Yeah! That will show them!

 

[Phaedrus]

I thought this topic was covered

And this is surprising? Maybe there should be another forum like: The Forum of Redundant Threads Forum.

 

[Capn Mike]

I thought this topic was covered..... I guess everyones getting tired of picking on poor, old, little Southwest.

Hang in there AirTran guys!!!!! It will pass:beer: .

Oh, I thought it was the JB guys getting picked on all the time.

FYI: JB has unlimited jumpseats for pilots and F/A's, including the two extra F/A jumpseats in the cabin. (And no you are not required to clean the cabin afterwards)

 

[scarlet]

I wrote in to ASA and ask that they too change our policy to bring in money to charge after the first jumpseat is gone to off line guys. Sorry, we need to make money too!! And we only take cash, like Airtran did at one time,?? wonder where alot of the money ended up? Since Airtran pilots don't mind us paying 25.00 bucks and that is fine with me--good deal--but be really to do the same to our airline!!! FLY SAFE!!

 

[mnboyev]

You cant be serious..?

Scarlet.... You should pay 50 bucks with a post like that .....

 

[Champ42272]

1.) AirTran DOES NOT charge for the jumpseat. There is ONE jumpseat rider allowed.... PERIOD. If that jumpseat is taken, you can non-rev for $25.00.

Question for FL717: I tried to get a $25 non-rev on AirTran out of MKE after Osh Kosh this summer and the ticket agent said there was no such program. I was totally confused since I had traveled on you before, both on the jumpseat and as a non-rev, and never had any problem. Was my mistake asking at the ticket counter out front? Should I have just gone to the gate? Any help would be appreciated.

Champ42272

 

[Phaedrus]

but be really to do the same to our airline!!!

I agree!!! I think...

 

[mnboyev]

The gate agent didnt know... apparently... Yeah... should have gone to the gate and tried to JS. Always ask for the seat.. Most times the agents wont charge. At least it has been my experience. ie Memphis-ATL.

I helped a fellow 'other airline' pilot out by listing non-rev. That left the JS open for a off line pilot without the pass fee. Northwest fellas did this for me lots back in the day commuting between DTW and MSP.

Part of the problem with the program is ... The Captain does not sign the form for the off line jumpseater at AirTran. So... If the agent gives the rider a seat assignment, the front office may not know what went on... We need to get that changed.. if we can?

I will contact the Jumpseat Committee and inquire. This has been a 'thorn' for a while. The pilots are not down for the charge.. but management didnt ask us? So, we do what we can to make it work correctly and in a fair manner.

Bout a two years back we tried to give United Captain back his 25 bucks because the agent charged by mistake. Ahhh Shiessss... Still sorry bout the mistake... He didnt care... was happy to get out of LGA.

Bottom line... Ask the crew.. They are good folks.. They will do what they can to help. Alot of commuters at FL and sincerely want to help folks get home to their families.



However, Most folks stop up and say Hi anyway and check in with the Crew.