My DAL Jumpseat Experience

[debo007]

Let me first say that I have been jumping on Delta forever and the guys are always awesome. I can't say the same for the gate agents but the crews always go out of their way. Then this happened.

I show up at the gate last week at 7:30 for a 8:30 flt from SAV to ATL. I had been to an unexpected funeral and was headed back towards home. The flight is delayed until 9 am due to crew rest. No big deal. The crew shows up and boarding begins. I am standing out of the way with two other j/seaters when the agent tells us to "go on down and board".

I wasn't sure how many people were left to board but the agent said for us to go down do we did. I stuck my head in and the F/A said the CA was in the jetway. As I go to leave, I see him and he says " Hey Blue Shirt...Get out here and wait!" OK, he's pissed because I was blocking the line and there were several others still boarding. So I stay out of the way til everyone is on.

So I ease into the cockpit where this guy is and apologize for being in the way and told him I didn't realize there was still boarding going on and the agent had told us to come down. He replies angrily "DON'T BLAME IT ON THE AGENT...YOU'RE SMARTER THAN THAT AREN'T YOU?" I am stunned and just look at him. then he says "WELL, AREN'T YOU? WELL MAYBE YOU AREN'T"

I had to be at a wedding and I ABSOLUTELY HAD TO BE on this flight so I silently went and sat down. If that wasn't the case, I would have walked right off after telling him to "$@#@ himself". I have his name, base and employee number and a letter to the chief is forthcoming.

I know it won't do any good, but I have to do it. I have never been chastised that way for no reason. My Delta friends are furious about it. O well, I simply can't take SWA everywhere I need to go, but hopefully this is isolated. And no I wasn't dressed inapproprately and he had not seen my ID yet when he started yelling at me so even if he was a WN hater, that wasn't it either.

MD88 CA, CVG based. Thats all I will say.

 

[BVT94]

10 pages...min.

 

[PCL_128]

I have his name, base and employee number and a letter to the chief is forthcoming.

Letter to the chief? Don't be a d&$^ just because this guy was. Going to his CP isn't right. Go through your jumpseat coordinator and he'll have someone at DALPA talk to the jerk and set him straight. These things should be handled without involvement from management.

 

[pianoman]

Agreed. Going to mgmt just puts these agreements in jeopardy. If his jumpseat coordinator is anything like the one at XJT when I was there, he'll get a much better bit&^-slap from him than he would the CP.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Screw the CP and Jumpseat Coordinator route. Just post his name and let's get him that way.

Seriously, I bet he's not a commuter. It's always those a-holes that stir ******************** up for the rest of us.

 

[BoilerUP]

Talk to his JSC, not his chief pilot...

 

[~~~^~~~]

Deboo7:

I was also JS out of SAV this weekend and there was a lot going on that you might not have been aware of resulting in multiple cancellations. When I finally got out I was impressed enough to consider writing a complimentary letter and I always appreciate a free ride.

Unless you know what was going on down there, I would not be so quick to criticize over hurt feelings. It was a lousy enough set of circumstances to make frustrate anyone.

Instead of talking to anyone, why not just focus on the fact you got a free ride? The Capt. probably had a full day after min rest, was getting a late start and you were blocking his doorway. Could he have been nicer, sure. But at the same time, you can understand that 148 passengers have to fit through that door so they can get out of there.

I'm sure with your times you have jumpseated a lot, but the technique that seems to work is to ask to go down early - get the greet and paperwork check done before things get crowded with pax, offer to buy coffee, then get out of the way, (or help with the pax - ladies with kids & strollers, etc).

 

[On Your Six]

I've heard through friends about deteriorating jumpseat ettiquette most recently and this situation is not atypical. I assume that summer weather/flight delays, pay cuts, competitive pressures, familial stress, etc. have contributed but we have to keep it PROFESSIONAL. That said, we also need to report unprofessional pilots - I completely agree with that.

I no longer jumpseat since I am on the Part 91 side of the fence, but I remember the anxiety every time I got into that situation while working for UAL. Terrible feeling when you absolutely have to be somewhere and you have to put up with that crap.........

 

[RedDogC130]

It was was General....

 

[imacdog]

Deboo7:

I was also JS out of SAV this weekend and there was a lot going on that you might not have been aware of resulting in multiple cancellations. When I finally got out I was impressed enough to consider writing a complimentary letter and I always appreciate a free ride.

Unless you know what was going on down there, I would not be so quick to criticize over hurt feelings. It was a lousy enough set of circumstances to make frustrate anyone.

Instead of talking to anyone, why not just focus on the fact you got a free ride? The Capt. probably had a full day after min rest, was getting a late start and you were blocking his doorway. Could he have been nicer, sure. But at the same time, you can understand that 148 passengers have to fit through that door so they can get out of there.

I'm sure with your times you have jumpseated a lot, but the technique that seems to work is to ask to go down early - get the greet and paperwork check done before things get crowded with pax, offer to buy coffee, then get out of the way, (or help with the pax - ladies with kids & strollers, etc).

You're f-ing kidding right? No matter what the circumstances at your job that day, there's no reason to be unprofessional towards your fellow pilots. If your job is so bad that you become miserable to the point of taking it out on your jumpseaters then quit for everyone's sake.