Just wondering if?
Over the years of J/S ing the one consistent problem has been dealing with the gate agents. They seem to take the stance of” these are my seats and I will allow who I want on them based on my interpretation of the agreements”.
I find myself and others getting to the gate Early to meet the crews and ask them first before the gate agents have a chance to shoot us down. I see very little consistency between agents, the crews however seem to have a better handle on the current recip agreements. I hate to feel like I am groveling to get to work or home in front of a cround of people and this seems to be the M.O. we must take to gain any sympathy from the gate agents....just bad situation.
Just as a suggestion to think about, and I regress to acknowledge that the arriving crews get busy real fastto get the flight ready to go, but if you could just hear me out here, maybe I am all wet, but this is my suggestion.
There are 2 situations where the Captain or the F/O could address the “who is and who is not coming” on the flight and could then tell the gate agent who that person or persons are. 1) When the crew arrives to pick up the Dispatch release while at the podium. 2) The pilot that does the aircraft walk around could come back to the gate area and spend a few minutes with the folks trying to J/S and with the gate agent to organize the effort.
I realized the actual pax loads and priority listing status will dictate who ultimately gets on in the back or the cockpit, but if the gate agent already has the crews blessing for those people, then it might go smoother for all of us. I know this would take lots of time to change this process, the thinking of management; also the gate agents will take exception to this change as well. But these agreements are something the PILOTS have worked hard for between carriers and are part of there contracts, I appreciate the consideration we get as dispatchers.
As a airline dispatcher, I'm always very appreciative of getting a ride to work or home, I am very thankful to many crews from allot of airlines. I always thank them and give them my work number to call me if they are having trouble getting somewhere. If I can I will get them listed on our release or in the system.
I would only ask the pilots to please not forget us down here on terra firma, the dispatchers. We are truly the red-headed step children of the jumpseating world. We are very small in number and most gate agent’s don’t even know what a flight dispatcher is and why we would have access to a J/S...SO please don’t forget to think about us when you talk about changes or additions to agreements.
I know I speak for hundreds of dispatchers that go through Hell every week just trying to get home or to work.
Thanks for all the rides!
