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Jumpseats

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BILL LUMBERG

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Posts
2,074
As a commuter, I usually end up on my airline to go to work but sometimes have to rely on others to get to and from. That being said, I appreciate any and all free rides I receive and always encourage those to reciprocate with us when able. It's the last bit of class left in this industry....being a good host to visitors.

It seems lately that all kinds of airlines make you jump through hoops to get that jumpseat ride. What gets me is how my airline (Throttle back SWA boys, this aint about my airline is better than yours) has it pretty simple for those who request our jumpseat and we have to almost provide blood samples of our second born and a vintage Honus Wagner card to get signed up for others. Where's a standard and why won't other Pilot groups try to cut the red tape?

Delta....ID at gate

Southwest....Call a number for listing and sometimes at gate.

Airtran.....fill out form, get at gate.

Jetblue....Sit on hold for 5-10 minutes, get an agent that MAY or MAY NOT really ticket you, you never know until you show up, then check in at "Just ask" desk, fill out form and get Cass approved maybe at the gate, maybe not....depends on the city.

American...ONLINE ONLY....what if your phone is dead or the reception is bad or it's last minute switch in cities as you run from one gate to another?

United.....paper form and ID filled out at gate.

UsAirways.......Paper form and ID filled out at gate.

Any others I may have missed, please list the procedures. My point of this is why all the hassles? I know, I know, Shut up, it's a free ride...but in today's world of Cass and Passport carrying, why all the mess to get a ride.

Thanks to all who grant the jumpseaters a ride....we appreciate it.
 
Spirit:

List up to 72 hours prior to departure via phone number (you may be on hold for a while) and the jumpseat is yours subject only to being bumped by a Spirit pilot. Our FA jumpseat is also open to offline pilots for both domestic and international travel (available only on A319s and A321s).

One hour or less prior to departure you must list at the gate.

In both cases, you must fill out a paper form and be checked in CASS by the gate agent. Many of our agents are new and/or third party vendors. Please be patient and do everything you can to speak to a crew member. We are very pro pilot and will do everything to make sure you get on.

Also, two of our A319s and ALL A320s only have 1 cockpit jumpseat.
 
I agree bill. And easy too- delta treats us great everytime I've used them- very grateful for those that do have easy processes
I've had some experiences lately that were less than professional. The employees were all very nice and trying- mgmt tied their hands with complicated processes-

The line I've heard so many times is that SWA treats other employees better than their own company. I hope that's still the case as we implement so many changes-

I share the inconsistency experience with listing on JetBlue- crews are great- but I've had one agent deny me before out of ft Myers aggressively saying that since I did not fly for JetBlue I couldn't get on(new guy) until a supervisor ran up, chastised him and ran me on as the door was closing
One problem I had this fall was flying from Ottawa to OHare on a united express/ Skywest -
There was no way to list legitimately without paying an outsourced Indian call center $25. The computers at the gate could only list for mainline flights, not Skywest.
That same trip had us trying to jumpseat within Canada on air Canada- which we have an agreement for - and the ONLY way to list was to be on hold for 93 average minutes- I gave up 71 minutes and made other plans

So let me ask those of you with complicated listing issues- and I understand it's not the pilots fault- but how is it a "RECIPROCAL AGREEMENT" if you can show up at our gate 10 minutes prior and if there's room get on and we'll treat you like family, when we get denied at the gate because we haven't spent $25 or an hour and a half on hold?

These are extreme examples- but even those who make it a little more complicated, like bill said- it is very frustrating and if our two really big majors can make it easy with a listing at the gate- why can't everybody? And are there people working on it at your carrier?

As we approach the holidays, I KNOW crewmembers are all trying to take care of each other, some against not so enlightened or talented management -
I'm grateful for every ride you all have provided and don't want this comment to overshadow that.
 
See Wavey....

I unblocked you and you have redeemed yourself! =)

All you said is true. Especially the JB peeps.....once you get on the plane, the work is over, crews make up for it.

Kudos to the Spirit group also.
 
Last edited:
That's bc you're smart and deep down you know I'm right on the whole sellout thing!
;-)
Haha

Happy thanksgiving all
Grateful for health and family
 
For Virgin America just show up to the gate to list. You can also try the check in counter if you want to but at the gate is good.
 
Reminds me of a j/s question I'd been wanting to ask for a long time.

Why can you NOT j/s internationally as OAL on FedEx or UPS but on Atlas and Polar?
 
As a commuter, I usually end up on my airline to go to work but sometimes have to rely on others to get to and from. That being said, I appreciate any and all free rides I receive and always encourage those to reciprocate with us when able. It's the last bit of class left in this industry....being a good host to visitors.

It seems lately that all kinds of airlines make you jump through hoops to get that jumpseat ride. What gets me is how my airline (Throttle back SWA boys, this aint about my airline is better than yours) has it pretty simple for those who request our jumpseat and we have to almost provide blood samples of our second born and a vintage Honus Wagner card to get signed up for others. Where's a standard and why won't other Pilot groups try to cut the red tape?

Delta....ID at gate

Southwest....Call a number for listing and sometimes at gate.

Airtran.....fill out form, get at gate.

Jetblue....Sit on hold for 5-10 minutes, get an agent that MAY or MAY NOT really ticket you, you never know until you show up, then check in at "Just ask" desk, fill out form and get Cass approved maybe at the gate, maybe not....depends on the city.

American...ONLINE ONLY....what if your phone is dead or the reception is bad or it's last minute switch in cities as you run from one gate to another?

United.....paper form and ID filled out at gate.

UsAirways.......Paper form and ID filled out at gate.

Any others I may have missed, please list the procedures. My point of this is why all the hassles? I know, I know, Shut up, it's a free ride...but in today's world of Cass and Passport carrying, why all the mess to get a ride.

Thanks to all who grant the jumpseaters a ride....we appreciate it.

You've got to be kidding? You're asked to show an ID for CASS approval for a free ride on an airplane?

Get real...
 
You've got to be kidding? You're asked to show an ID for CASS approval for a free ride on an airplane?

Get real...

Thats the best scenario....unlike others Deuce.

Reality is there is no standard. So I'm keepin it real!
 
what's so bad/hard about jumpseating on SWA? Serious question. How long have you been on hold at SWA (phone)? TELL ME OF ONE INSTANCE where you got someone that was on the "subcontinent" and didn't know what jumpseat meant? NONE. They're all real SWA res employees.

You've been turned away while not being listed (when you simply present you delta id)?
 

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