FDX MD-11 Jumpseat to HNL

[ehoulli]

Hey everyone - just have a few questions about taking FedEx from MEM to HNL, flight 901 I believe, in mid-April. It's an MD-11 and I'm wondering how many jumpseats are available on it. I've taken FedEx several times in the past but only on shorter flights, and only on the MD-10 and A300 (thanks to the awesome crews of those flights by the way!).

Myself and two friends all fly for the same CASS-participating airline and I want to see if there would be enough jumpseats to accomodate the 3 of us. We really don't want to have to worry about nonrevs and overbooked passenger airline flights. All the -10's I've been on had 4 seats in the back and another 3 up front. Is there any restriction on the number of jumpseat riders being that the flight is a longer one too? Are there any relief crewmembers - they'd probably occupy a jumpseat if so? For any FedEx crewmembers out there that have done this flight, is there high demand for the seats?

Thanks to anyone who can provide some information!!!

 

[BOYCAPTAIN]

who knows??? you just have to call jumpseats and see if the seats are available...it should be an MD-11 but it may have a sleeper on that flight...it might be easier to jump to LAX and then to HNL...good luck!

 

[727flier]

I just did that flight last week. I flew from MEM to HNL direct, absolutely painless. Really nice bunch of guys to go with. It was an MD-11 sleeper and it had the two chairs in the back. Getting back, I had to go through LAX because the direct flights to MEM are not plentiful. There was a heavy crew on it so you'll have to get the Capt.'s permission to have more than one jumpseater on board. This wasn't any problem, but three of you will be tight.
good luck

 

[FDXer]

It was an MD-11 sleeper and it had the two chairs in the back.

There are no seats on the back if it has sleep facilities. This is a flight that requires a RFO so there is already an extra pilot on board that will occupy a seat (assuming no sleep facilities) in the back after they are airborne. I doubt our jumpseat admin will allow three offline guys on this flight but I've been wrong before. As a FedEx pilot, I would need captain's permission to ride on this and I'm not sure how an offline pilot could get this before hand. We don't allow walk-up jumpseating on any of our flights.

I would suggest looking at LAX or OAK since the flights are under 8 hours. Some of these flights are MD-10s with 4 seats in the back--enough to accomodate all 3 of you on one flight.

I don't want to discourage you since we welcome offline guys with open arms but it's good to have a back-up plan.

 

[capt_zman]

Do you work for Mesa? For those FDX guys who don't know what I'm referring to, Mesa apparently is trying to use airline jumpseats to position crews in HNL instead of buying tickets for their crew. With the demise of Aloha, this is bad juju.

 

[ehoulli]

Nope, I can happily say we don't work for Mesa! I would have thought the MD-11 had as many jumpseats as the -10 but it would make sense that if there are bunks they take up more room so that = less jumpseats. On the FedEx jumpseat finder it looks like all the flights, either from Memphis or the west coast to HNL are MD-11's, but those west coast flights are more like 5.5 hr flights as opposed to 9-hr flights. Any chance they'll not have a sleeper and possibly have 3 seats available? Thanks again!

 

[Birddog]

Kalitta has daily runs to HNL out of LA. 4 trip seats and 2 jump seats. If FedEx doesnt work out, that might help

 

[Midnight Flyer]

Mesa apparently is trying to use airline jumpseats to position crews in HNL instead of buying tickets for their crew.

You have GOT to be kidding.

First, Mesa destroys Aloha and now they could possibly be abusing the jumpseat privilege?!!?

Why don't these Mesa pilots take up for themselves and force the company to buy them tickets? kids nowadays.

 

[dojetdriver]

You have GOT to be kidding.

First, Mesa destroys Aloha and now they could possibly be abusing the jumpseat privilege?!!?

Why don't these Mesa pilots take up for themselves and force the company to buy them tickets? kids nowadays.

If I remember correctly, they were using that BEFORE they started GO! to get crews into position instead of DH'ing them.

 

[Midnight Flyer]

If I remember correctly, they were using that BEFORE they started GO! to get crews into position instead of DH'ing them.

Airline mgmt would love to be able to position crews via j/s instead of having to buy their pilots a ticket. That's not very surprising, as we expect that behavior from mgmt.
What's disheartening is how those pilots accept that travel instead of demanding a ticket. I would quit on the spot if I was a mesa pilot and mgmt tried to make me ride a FDX j/s to get me into position instead of buying a ticket.