Gate Agent Problems

[c-wood75]

I have had enough of these gate agents denying jumpseats to people who are legally qualified to fill them, every time i have to commute i dread dealing with these people, Every time I go, I have a new story about these people treating pilots like garbage, especially regional pilots. They look at me and treat me like im a rotten piece of garbage.. IM so sick of kissing their a**es....We had one on the other day who the gate agent wasnt going to let him jumpseat because he wasnt in uniform!! they come up with these rules out of nowhere all while closing the door in my face.

Who controls the jumpseat? these gate agents or the Captains? IM sick of begging them for a ride and if they dont feel like it, i dont get on the flight.

We have to retailiate against these people. Every Captain or FO, one of you please before every flight go up to the gate and survey the situation for a fellow pilot just trying to get to work or go home after a long 4 day, and the gate agent is harrassing.

 

[Mysteryofflight]

I'm sure we've all had a similar situation c-wood. Be wary of US Airways Ticket agent Lisa in IAH. She tried to pull some crap with me while I was jumpseating to PHL. She now has a permanent letter of disciplinary action againt her thanks to her own big mouth. Any time I have a problem with a gate agent I send off a complaint letter to HQ and hopefully if enough of us do the same we can make a difference.

 

[PapaGiorgio]

Lisa at IAH? Is that the fossil of a women that has been there for like 40 yrs? If so I know exactly what you mean. I whore myself out to United now so I get deal them in IAH. With the exception of a couple of women there they are much nicer than US.
I actually overheard a gate agent in PIT say she "owned" the airplane while it was at the gate. I don't see there name on the release.

Come to think of it, it seems like the men gate agents are much better than the grandmothers. Every crazy story I have encountered has been with some old worn out hag that is 15 yrs past her usefullness and really does'nt even deserve the job she has in the first place. And every one of them could stand to re-read there manuals because they like to make up rules as they go. I'm particularly fond of the ones that hover in the cockpit and ask "Are you ready to board?" like 10000 times while your trying to preflight. And if you say no and are one second late they put the delay on crew.........old hags.

 

[EDUC8-or]

Quite a few gate agents don't really understand the whole jumpseat deal and I've even been bumped out of the JS by pilots who are below me on the JS priority list. I always try to remain calm, be polite, and I have a copy of the JS priority list with me at all times. Sometimes if I have my flight bag I'll pull out my FOM and try to show the gate agent. If they aren't having that and are getting pi$$y I'll ask to speak with a supervisor, but I never lose my cool as much as I'd like.

If you're riding the jumpseat on an offline carrier you're sort of at their mercy, but if you can get the attention of the FO or Captain it usually helps.

 

[flyjumpseat]

Almost sounds like the same problems we Dispatchers have, even on our own airline.

Agent: "I dont think Dispatchers are allowed to jumpseat"
Me: "Yes we are. In fact we are required to jumpseat by the FAA"
Agent: "You need to get approval from Dispatch"
Me: "Umm... I am Dispatch"

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Try getting some NWA gate agents love out of DTW and then you can talk about bad experiences.

 

[sleddriver77]

I think a lot of gate agents almost resent the fact that we are allowed to offline jumpseat, and do in fact make it difficult. A privelege that we get, that they don't. My wife is a former ticket/gate agent, and while she didn't have this mindset, she knew a few who did, or just don't care. It creates a TINY bit of extra work for the agent; and the airline, as the agent sees it, has nothing to gain by letting the JS'er on, nothing to lose by not. I think the first scenario is a lot more prevalent in the "difficult" ones, though.

 

[belchfire]

Try getting some NWA gate agents love out of DTW and then you can talk about bad experiences.

Never had any grief from NWA in DTW or MEM, in fact they were all pretty good to me. Heck, if five online guys show up you're getting bumped, that's not their fault.

AA is a different story...especially if you were working for an "American Connection" carrier...

 

[rjacobs]

My favorite was trying to get back to STL from DEN. Me and a buddy go to the gate to get on a TSA airplane, we work for TSA. The gate agent tells us that if a mainline or eagle guy comes up one of us will get bumped since they only allow 2 jumpseaters. My response, its a TSA airplane, we are unlimited since we work for the company. Her response, its an american airplane when you operate it for us so its our rules. My response, that doesnt matter. We go back and forth with this lady for like 10 mins, then the plane pulls up and the captain was one of the first off. I stopped him and had him explain to her what the deal was and that we were correct. Next thing we know she is being all nice and asks if we want to stash our bags somewhere to go get some food. What a two faced beotch.

 

[ATTCS]

When TSA did the Delta Connection thing some years ago we had the same problem. The Delta gate agents would tell us that since it was a 'Delta' flight Delta pilots had priority over us.....

 

[CrownandCoke]

Try getting some NWA gate agents love out of DTW and then you can talk about bad experiences.

MEM is even worse!

 

[PA31Driver]

I think SWA gate agents are the best in the business. So far I have never had a problem with any of them and they are really friendly with everyone.

 

[belchfire]

I think SWA gate agents are the best in the business. So far I have never had a problem with any of them and they are really friendly with everyone.

Yeah, the agents at the legacy type carriers have a lot to learn from the SWA people! My only gripe with SWA is that they have shot a few friends down in interviews...and that has nothing to do with the agents.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

I think SWA gate agents are the best in the business. So far I have never had a problem with any of them and they are really friendly with everyone.

Hmmm, happy employees. Interesting concept. They may be on to something over there.

 

[Exskydiverdrivr]

CAL IAH used to have some of the worst when we were down there. (SKW) Really gave us the red-headed step child treatment. When we finally got the actual (pre-CASS) it took months to get some some of those jerks to read their memos. I do remember a couple of their Red Coats (mgmt.) who were pretty cool and helped out alot.

Not that we're perfect. Heard one of our agents complaining about the "non-rev circle of death" that looms closer and closer to her as the close out time approaches.

We're losing bennies every day in this business, and we need to remind these people that a JS is a privilege and a right and it's by the airlines good graces (not theirs) that we get to use it.

 

[PooPooPants]

Becareful of the Jamaican lady at ATL...she won't even activate you if there is another person at "her" gate!

 

[XJohXJ]

The jumpseat is just plain a NECESSITY when it comes down to it. We're using it to get to work after all, so we can carry all sorts of revenue pax all around the g*dd*mn system. Lord knows I'm not going to DTW for pleasure. What happens if we don't get the jumpseat? Passengers elsewhere get stranded all around the system, 'cause flights are cancelled or delayed. It's just plain common sense to maximize the amount of commuting pilots let on to flights.

 

[SoberIrishman]

Becareful of the Jamaican lady at ATL...she won't even activate you if there is another person at "her" gate!


Is that the one who dresses in civvies....she is some sort of supervisor or something?

 

[comrcap]

I always go to the gate and give the agent an "outbound" and add the words "Plus a jumpseat" We get the same sh** from a few of our "more bitter agents" This is a problem in CVG only, that I know of. I agree with one guy, ALWAYS check for a jumpseat!

 

[Prop2Jet]

Look out for the US AIR AM B...ITCH at CLT located in the C concourse. She will say "I have not had my coffee so i am in a bad mood" She treats pilots and their families like trash.

Well buck up 8$ hr hag, it could be worse. Next time I hope you burn your tongue on your "o so needed coffee" and then you will not need another cup of "shut the buck up".

Just my 2 cents

 

[labbats]

I don't argue with them. I smile, walk away and phone the manager on duty. Problem solved.

 

[A-V-8]

Flashlight

Hard to belive that this hasn't come up yet. Just get out your flashlight and blink it through the window at the cockpit. Someone will be in the terminal to help you shortly. Also if you see it it means that someone is having trouble with your flight. I had a captian just have a seat next to the jumpseater in the terminal in LGA and refuse to depart. Manager arrived shortly and he made it on board. AA mainline agents are the best. They treat me better than any code share partner.

 

[rjacobs]

First ive ever heard of AA mainline agents treating Non-Rev/jumpseaters well. My experience with them has ALWAYS been piss poor. I asked an agent in ORD once, there were 4 standing around chatting, where a flight was coming in so I could meet my dad, who was flying it, and her attitude about that was, why should I tell you. Hey, id like to see my dad since we are both airline pilots and never see each other.

 

[Prop2Jet]

99% of all gate agents can suck my chocks

 

[Captainzero1]

Regarding whining about gate agents denying you the JS. How about the lazy ass captain put down the WSJ or USA Today and come up to the gate to see who needs a ride. Problem solved.

 

[acaTerry]

I haven't been in the airline mess for a couple yrs now that I am a frac pilot, but I sure did like the AWA agents. I don't know how it is with the US Air merger now, but man, those AWA people from crew to agents were the best.