For All Frac Pilots

[NJAPLT]

Glasspilot, I agreed with you that some frac companies (along with current companies that have jumpseats, see my personal example with GLA in my post above) would take advantage of any jumpseat system.

 

[glasspilot]

I know you were agreeing with my point. I was refering to the two posts above yours.

 

[Wiggums]

Does anyone understand the fractional business?

There is no possible way a company like FlexJet or NetJets would try to encourage you to jumpseat when you should be on a paid ticket. This isn't like Great Lakes where if the crew member doesn't make it then you just send the customer on the 5:40 instead of the 3:40. If a trip is missed then along with a pissed off owner are out $50k for a charter. You'd have to save many $300 airline tickets to make up for that. Same on the end of your trip, if you get home one minute past midnight then it's an overtime day.

I think you would probably encounter the opposite problem. Crew members could cancel their full fare tickets, keep the credit, and then jumpseat to the aircraft. However, I know that if you missed a trip for doing something like that you'd probably be looking for new employment.

Full fare one way tickets when positioning aren't going away. Your airline miles are safe.

 

[glasspilot]

Now those are good points. I've changed positions.

 

[cush]

I think you would probably encounter the opposite problem. Crew members could cancel their full fare tickets, keep the credit, and then jumpseat to the aircraft. However, I know that if you missed a trip for doing something like that you'd probably be looking for new employment.

Makes no sense. Keep what credit? We wouldn't benefit whatsoever. You don't expense airline ticket fares. They are paid for by a third party and direct billed to the company. Leaves me wondering if you understand the fractional business.

 

[bailey3083]

I am waiting for the OK from some for me to start contacting airlines to see if a JS is possible. Just simple "chatting" with different people I honestly think JetBlue, AirTran, and other LCC's will agree to JS.
I am interested in this for 1) Allows people to actually commute to work 2) Makes all of us alittle more attractive to possible new hires.

Bailey

P.S. I am looking to do this for all fractional pilots as if we at Flex are successfully ( or another fractional) it gives the other guys leverage with management to follow the lead.

 

[CFIse]

Wel since we do not have a jumpseat..it would be tough..but, I am all for allowing my fellow pilots a ride on any repositioning flight. Not the best way to get around and a tad risky in actually getting to your destination...but why not.

It's not very likely. You can't really offer a reciprocal agreement. Jumpseating is really used by pilots to commute to work, other uses are just additional perks. Airlines can offer reciprocal agreements, you can jumpseat on mine if I can jumpseat on yours. An agreement with a group of fractionals based on the "if we're going and we're empty and we don't cancel or change our destination mid-flight and...." isn't all that useful.

It doesn't matter to me - I'll carry anybody in the jumpseat, but unless you can resolve the reciprocity thing then I think your priority would have to be pretty low which begs the question how useful it would be for you.

But hey - get together, ask the jumpseat coordinators, who knows what you can pull off.

 

[CFIse]

Yes commuting sucks, but so does a 5 hour drive to work because you don't live in domicile.

If I could commute I'd have my paperwork in with the fractionals in a heartbeat - because that's a decision I would make for my life choices. But I can't commute and so.....

Crew re-positioning (deadheads) aren't going to use the jumpseat, and the first fractional pilot found using the jumpseat for a re-position instead of a paid ticket would destroy the idea for everybody else. So I wouldn't even think about that option.

 

[FLYLOW22]

The ability to get a JS agreement at NJA is/was very real.

Management shot down the approved JS protocol a few years ago.

They didn't want "non NJA pilots on Owner aircraft".

Whatever.

P.S. This topic comes up every once in a while. Reciprocity or not, the JS protocol WAS approved by all other airlines out there (don't know the details.. lower priotity JS??). The complete package was offered up to the NJA Gods and it was rejected after management promised to support it.

P.P.S. The issue of in-flight diversions was also dealt with to the satisfaction of all involved. IBT 1108 would foot the bill of getting the offline JSer to their destination by plane, train or automobile (and sometimes boat) at our cost.