Preboarding Jumpseaters on SWA

[DH2WN]

Pilots don't feel that they have the right to ride for free. Pilots KNOW, that as a part of negotiated agreements with management and between differing airlines union groups, they have jumpseat privileges. You're showing your lack of industry knowledge here my friend. I agree that the jumpseat isn't a guarantee, and I'll certainly agree that paying customers get dibs on the best seats, period. But you need to get off of your high horse and have a little empathy for the thousands of your fellow pilots who commute. BTW, most don't commute because of a desire to live out of base, most commute because they've been based in ten different places, with five different airlines, in the last eleven years. You were good enough to get on at SWA, congrats. Others were good enought to get hired by other first rate carriers but now find themselves "underemployed" and commuting to another new base, etc. Please don't assume that jumpseaters are just cheap freeloaders out to take advantage of your company.
regards,
engima

Your assumptions are wrong. It's a free ticket given by the generosity of the company who owns the aircraft. You don't deserve it by right of some higher authority.

Commuting or vacationing doesn't matter. Don't take the coveted seats and stay out of the way. Period.

 

[Lear70]

And what kind of training do you have to recognize a bogus license? In all of my years, I dont recall any training on this.

Thank you for making my point.

Gate agents aren't given ANY training on knowing the difference between the real thing, a fake, or just someone with a dispatcher's license or an AGI/IGI certificate - they all look the same unless you read them.

As a commercial pilot, you've obtained at least 2 or 3 of the things if not an even dozen and can recognize when some 135 newbie who really shouldn't be jumpseating is trying to hop around the system whereas a gate agent normally wouldn't. Yes, I've seen them try.

The Captain should ALWAYS be in direct control of the jumpseat. Having a gate agent tell you not to check in with the Captain is just plain wrong.

Your assumptions are wrong. It's a free ticket given by the generosity of the company who owns the aircraft. You don't deserve it by right of some higher authority.

Commuting or vacationing doesn't matter. Don't take the coveted seats and stay out of the way. Period.

You're avoiding the question of whether you commute or not.

You've also neglected to notice that many companies haven't given the jumpseat out of any "generosity", rather it's a NEGOTIATED BENEFIT that some pilot groups have in their contract because their company didn't WANT to give jumpseat agreements. In some cases, pilots have been known to give concessions in one area to guarantee jumpseat rights. Don't argue "company generosity"; your company may be the only one that really fits that mold to be completely truthful about it.

You've also carefully side-stepped the entire point you were arguing against earlier. As an off-line jumpseater who may or may not take Southwest on a regular basis, it's not fair to ASSume that everyone knows your policies and procedures.

They DO vary from airline to airline in case you haven't noticed.

The original point made a page or two back was that, if Southwest is going to have a policy for handling jumpseaters that's different than standard (especially when the seats are unassigned), then let them publish it in writing on the back of the jumpseat form and ask the jumpseater to read it. ASSuming we somehow automatically know the policy is assinine.

 

[SWA GUY]

I'll make this really simple:

Dear Jumpseater:

When you come to a WN jet and need a ride, please board the jet with the operations agent (read pre-board).

Don't sit in an emergency exit row. (Company policy)

Sit anywhere you want to. There is NO policy to sit towards the back of the jet. If there were a policy, it'd be in the book.

Please take us up on our open invitation for a free ride.

Please have a good time when you ride with us.

Please feel free to ask us to help you with any connection information, change the A/C temperature, refill your drink, get you more snacks, etc.

Please treat me the same way when I need a ride.

If you come across a Kernal that gives you a bad time about some rediculous BS, please report his/her ass to our jumpseat committee chairman.

Have a nice day!

 

[JP4user]

Dear Jumpseater:


Don't sit in an emergency exit row. (Company policy)

!

Why is this a policy? Just curious since it seems it would be better to have a qualified pilot or airline personnel in that row.

 

[skiandsurf]

Thank you for making my point.


As a commercial pilot, you've obtained at least 2 or 3 of the things if not an even dozen and can recognize when some 135 newbie who really shouldn't be jumpseating is trying to hop around the system whereas a gate agent normally wouldn't. Yes, I've seen them try.

I had a guy try to jumpseat that had a license that looked like a credit card. It was green and had two other guys pictures on it. I asked my FO if he had ever seen anything like this and he said "no". We showed him what a "real" license looked like.....just paper with no pictures. I was going to call the airport police, but the "jumpseater" left. Has anyone else ran into this guy with this "bogus" license.

 

[SWA GUY]

Why is this a policy? Just curious since it seems it would be better to have a qualified pilot or airline personnel in that row.

We had a lot of people that would preboard due to a "condition" that required them to do so, and they would go take the emergency exit row seats. Those seats have more legroom, so generally people would rather have those seats.

The non preboarding customers complained loudly enough so that management decided make this policy.

Incidentally, due to the liberal's lobbying efforts while writing ADA (American's with Disabilities Act) the gate agents/ops. agents cannot even ASK what the condition that requires them to preboard is. Yes, it's against the law to ask....ya gotta love them liberals. So much for your 1st Amendment rights.

 

[JP4user]

We had a lot of people that would preboard due to a "condition" that required them to do so, and they would go take the emergency exit row seats. Those seats have more legroom, so generally people would rather have those seats.

The non preboarding customers complained loudly enough so that management decided make this policy.

Incidentally, due to the liberal's lobbying efforts while writing ADA (American's with Disabilities Act) the gate agents/ops. agents cannot even ASK what the condition that requires them to preboard is. Yes, it's against the law to ask....ya gotta love them liberals. So much for your 1st Amendment rights.

It figures the slimy lawyers would be involved in some way shape or form. Thanks for the answer.

By the way, I had to reposition on you guys the other day (first time using or ever flown SWA). After some of the miserable experiences on Delta lately we are not booking on them any longer and using SWA and CAL exclusively.

 

[TR4A]

I had a guy try to jumpseat that had a license that looked like a credit card. It was green and had two other guys pictures on it. I asked my FO if he had ever seen anything like this and he said "no". We showed him what a "real" license looked like.....just paper with no pictures. I was going to call the airport police, but the "jumpseater" left. Has anyone else ran into this guy with this "bogus" license.

It wasn't one of the new licenses with a picture of Wilbur and Orville was it?

 

[blingair]

Thanks to all the Southwest Captains, First Officers, Flight Attendants and CSA's for the first class treatment I've received over the years. Everyone has bent over backwards for a perfect stranger looking for a ride to/from work. Always a class act and thanks again.

 

[jhill]

I was jumpseating the other day and was preboarded. After taking the exit row seat a/c right( lots of leg room), flight attendant told me I could not sit there since I preboarded. I acknowledged her and took another seat, no problem. Just curious though, I know the briefing card does reiterate what she said but that was the first time I was asked to move in 9 yrs of commuting. Is this just an isolated request or are they enforcing this rule? Seems they would like to have crewmembers in the emergency exit row. Any thoughts?

Only an a$$ like yourself would ask. Do what you are told when taking a free ride. Pre-boarding is a privilege we are glad to have. Shut-up and do what the fa's ask or don't ask to ride