C.a.s.s.

[otisA300f]

Any info on dispatchers in CASS? Our company was recently signed off ,but our POI says dispatchers aren't allowed.

 

[shooter]

Any info on dispatchers in CASS? Our company was recently signed off ,but our POI says dispatchers aren't allowed.

does your POI allow you to do your fam rides? Maybe you can ask him what the diff is if you ride up front on your company a/c or another company that allows Dispatchers. These guys are real jag-offs.

I know you not be allowed up front in most if not all cases, but without cass I do not know how you will get cleared to ride in back.

 

[WalterSobchak]

I'm in CASS. So, yeah, we're "allowed". Having cockpit access on other airlines in addition to my own has saved my butt many times on full weekend flights.

Unfortunately for many dispatchers, most airlines are requiring CASS for access to both the front and the back of the bus. I've got coworkers that are not in the system that have been left behind by some airlines that used to not require CASS for a seat in the back...but now they do.

What was the context of "dispatchers not allowed" comment? Was he trying to say that dispatchers aren't allowed in CASS at all? If so, it sounds to me that your POS, er...I mean POI is an idiot. Or, was it just in reference to your airline hanging you and your fellow dispatchers out to dry when filing the necessary paperwork to be a CASS participant?

 

[gooseman13]

Another dispatcher in CASS here too.
Walter, what airlines aren't letting you in the back of the bus without CASS?
I've flown airtran, jetblue, southwest, expressjet, without being check in CASS. I know CO is looking you up in their system...any other airlines that you know of?

 

[propsarebest]

Dispatchers have ALWAYS been included in CASS, from day one. If you POI says no, that is a bunch of bullcrap. Look in your ops specs at A048 or something in that region. There should be a small paragraph that explains what CASS is and who is in it. Your POI needs to talk to some of his buddies and change your approval.

The jumpseat is one of the FEW bennies that are around still for us common folk.


BTW, any CASS dispatchers are allowed in our jumpseats- we have 5 per airplane, except for UPS and fedex cause they dont like dispatchers.

 

[WalterSobchak]

Another dispatcher in CASS here too.
Walter, what airlines aren't letting you in the back of the bus without CASS?
I've flown airtran, jetblue, southwest, expressjet, without being check in CASS. I know CO is looking you up in their system...any other airlines that you know of?

I jumped on AirTran out of ATL a a couple months or so ago and asked the agent that was listing me if non-CASS dispatchers were allowed. She said CASS for both front and back...that they were using it as employment verification. They were quite nice about the whole thing, though...gave me a seat assignment on the spot.

I was denied a seat in the back by Southwest in MCI before I was in CASS (after hitching a ride per our jumpseat agreement to get there...needless to say, I got my stuff together and into CASS before my next flight) and a co-worker recently had the same problem out of SLC. Southwest Dispatch says no CASS required for the back, but many Southwest CS agents seem to think otherwise. Last 2 agents told me CASS for front and back.

I have had no problems with any carrier since getting my stuff into CASS...except Mesa (that flight was a desperation move out of SBN...wound up getting a seat in the back when someone didn't show up).

Both are probably just cases of confusion on customer service's part. CS agents don't really seem to understand dispatchers are part of most agreements and are allowed the actual in most cases.

Hey, props, what freight carriers allow dirty dispatchers? I like knowing all my options when it comes to getting home to any Dallas/Fort Worth area airport.

 

[propsarebest]

All freight companies that are in CASS allow dispatchers. Kitty Hawk comes to mind if u are in the DFW area. The only problem with hitching a ride on a freighter is the total lack of a schedule. Most flights here in the US are sold as one off charters, so there really isn't any set schedule. Better seats, better food, and better people on freighters. Most of the "big" airplanes also have beds that you can snooze in.


Other than the scheduled freighters, like ABX, FEDEX, UPS, etc., you are welcome aboard.

 

[propsarebest]

Ohh, I forgot to add...

Some of the smaller freight companies, like Air Cargo Carriers are also in CASS.

 

[flyjumpseat]

I believe for Alaska/Horizon you must be in CASS to jumpseat (front or back). It's been a while since I've heard of anyone making an attempt on them.

I have not had any problems jumpseating on Southwest. And last weekend I offered my passport so the agent could check me in CASS, and she said "no need, if we were full enough to need you up front I'd bother, but there is lots of room."

Another dispatcher here at OO was denied on Southwest --- NOT a CASS issue though... big sign taped to the counter said "NO SKYWEST JUMPSEAT" and would have let her in the back with a non-rev ticket, but she didn't have any. I now carry a couple of the non-rev tickets, just in case this comes up again.

 

[propsarebest]

ohh, SKYWEST is the ONLY airline that is in CASS that isn't allowed in our jumpseats.


Nobody knows why.

 

[SKC]

I never had to use them, but had called UPS's ops for a jumpseat, and they didn't have any issues about letting a CASS dispatcher ride.

 

[DX Jake]

I believe for Alaska/Horizon you must be in CASS to jumpseat (front or back). It's been a while since I've heard of anyone making an attempt on them.

I have not had any problems jumpseating on Southwest. And last weekend I offered my passport so the agent could check me in CASS, and she said "no need, if we were full enough to need you up front I'd bother, but there is lots of room."

Another dispatcher here at OO was denied on Southwest --- NOT a CASS issue though... big sign taped to the counter said "NO SKYWEST JUMPSEAT" and would have let her in the back with a non-rev ticket, but she didn't have any. I now carry a couple of the non-rev tickets, just in case this comes up again.

that's ridiculous... how about some details... I find your post hard to believe......what city? terminal? etc?

 

[flyjumpseat]

DX Jake,

KLAS. I've jumpseated out of KLAS many times on Southwest with no problems as many of our dispatchers have also.

When our dispatcher got denied, a call was made to Southwest dispatch office AND to the Southwest Jumpseat Coordinator to verify if a policy had changed or something else. Nothing changed. And we were advised if it happened again, politely step away from the counter and make a phone call.

As I said, I was ready with my non-rev ticket if not allowed the jumpseat pass. And I would have made the phone call to Southwest Dispatch and the Southwest Jumpseat Coordinator if I had been denied. But I wasn't. I had no problems. I did not see the sign that said "NO SKYWEST JUMPSEAT".

We just assumed that some bonehead SkyWest jumpseater did some no-no in KLAS to upset the gate agents. And I'm guessing it got cleared up by the time I flew last weekend.

Oh well. Always have a second plan is my motto for traveling.

 

[otisA300f]

Thanks, guys...! I'll have to check with our POI again. Another question; Do all CASS particiating airlines show up in each others system or just specific ones. I been trying to hitch rides with NWA out of DTW, but everytime I check in they say they can't find our company on their list. They just sit me in the back but if the flight is full then i'm f*cked. I will agree that most CS agents aren't up to speed on dispatchers. One lady insisted that I wasn't able to ride since I wasn't a pilot and not in uniform. I didn't know a company polo shirt and khaki pants wasn't in uniform. We had to get a supervisor involved just so I could get on the flight. What a bimbo!

 

[propsarebest]

The identifier thingee is somewhat of a pain. Most airlines have a two letter identifier, but some, like Ameriflight, don't. They have a 3 letter one, so sometimes it is hard for them to get employment verified. It all depends on what system the airline is using. For instance, we created a web page that uses the airline's entire name,not the identifier.

 

[SKC]

OTIS, just because you and NWA are both CASS carriers doesn't automatically mean you can ride. Your airline still has to have a reciprocal agreement with NWA.