Preboarding Jumpseaters on SWA

[ferlo]

As a general rule, is it okay to preboard or do you wait for your letter to come up? I can see preboarding in case the capt., for whatever reason, deny's the jumpseater, but then again I can see why on a full flight they'd like the freeloader to sit in the middle club seat. Can any SWA guys shed light on this? It's always a little awkward to preboard.

 

[:-)]

Good topic

I don't care whether I board first or last. I don't care where I sit, exit or middle of the last row. All I want is a seat!!!!!!


bUT Wait, There's more. I would also like for the agents to give me enough info on your procedures so that I won't embarass myself in the process. If you guys (SWA) don't allow preboarding jumpseaters to select an exit seat, then your agent should explain that upon check in. If you want jumpseaters to wait until last to board, fine, but please have that explained at the counter. Finally, take some pity on the poor offline jumpseater. We are not privy to your inside info and not all of your ops agents/stations are consistent in their procedures, a fact that leaves us swaying in the wind about half the time.

I grovel well, and don't mind kissing buttt to get a seat, but sometimes you people attach meanings to our actions that just are not justifiable. For example, for years I jumped on SWA and was almost always asked by the Captain to take an exit seat so as to help the FA's. So, to the crew who took offense to my exit seat selection, I WASNT TRYING TO STEAL THE BEST SEAT FROM YOUR CUSTOMERS, I was just doing what once was standard procedure. There was no need to act as if the act was criminal. Geez.

For the record, I luv you boys and appreciate the ride. I prefer to just fade into the background & truly don't wish to EVER be the cause of any trouble when begging for a ride. Thanks for listening.

 

[ferlo]

amen.

 

[Pilotbob3]

OK im confused......Do OAL jumpseater preboard or not? seem expected to in FLL and STL seems surprised at me asking about it. whats the program? i can follow any rule as long as i know what it is....CLE preboarded me a while ago too.

 

[kc81900]

You are getting a free ride and it is a company policy that we sit toward the rear of the aircraft. We often have two if not three bags so being able to preboard helps in order to store our bags. If we continually abuse the preboard priviledge it will be taken away then we will be forced to board last forcing us very often to check or bags. Sitting in the aft portion of the aircraft is a courtesy to our paying passengers.

 

[oldxfr8dog]

On this topic, I am cursed with seeing both sides!
For many years, I have pre-boarded and of course, took the exit row. Also saw a few wrinkled brows from paying passengers that I had jumped in front of.
I got the word, I no longer take those great seats. (Glad to take ANY seat! And SWA has always been one of the BEST!) Completely fair and I sit NEAR an exit, now.

But, on the other side. In an emergency, wouldn't you want a crewmember at the exit? I nearly ALWAYS watch the exit row people read their mags and ignore the briefings. I even saw a BLIND passenger throw a ********************-fit over "discrimination" when he tried to sit in the exit row! Total condition "White", if you're read Cooper. JB had this policy, also. Even with assigned seats, paying pax got the exits, NEVER a non-rev or jumpseater.
That seems to have fallen by the wayside. Thank goodness, because that was STUPID!
Bottom line: Exit row pax= good business, diminished safety.
Non-rev or JS= bad PR, perhaps safer.
Gee whiz, historically, which will the companies choose?

 

[Lear70]

I said "FAA Supervision" because when SWA changed the rule it went into the manuals and when it goes in the manuals it is enforcable by the FAA and they do enforce it, ON SWA, which has the rule. Notice I didn't say FAR.

AH, gotcha... I read it within a few seconds of reading the OTHER post where the poor guy thought it was an FAR and thought you were agreeing with that.

Absolutely if it's in the manuals it becomes regulatory.

Again, thanks for all the great rides back and forth to DTW; an easy commute is about the ONLY thing I'm going to miss about not working for a Northwest feeder anymore...

(p.s. Personally, I like the last row in the aircraft on the aisle - almost NO ONE will take that middle seat unless it's the last one on the aircraft, plus the "sway" rocks me to sleep, making me oblivious to the reduced leg room. )

 

[RadioClash]

Whatever the case, thanks SWA guys/gals for all of the rides to and from work.

 

[DH2WN]

\I would also like for the agents to give me enough info on your procedures so that I won't embarass myself in the process. If you guys (SWA) don't allow preboarding jumpseaters to select an exit seat, then your agent should explain that upon check in.

Why should the gate agents have to explain to you that you shouldn't be a selfish freeloader? Why should the gate agent have to treat you like a child instead of a professional who is getting a FREE RIDE?

Every airline with a union has taught it's new hires the aspects of jump seating. Talk to the captain, dress properly, sit in the back, get off last, say thank you.

It's really not that hard if you think about other people before yourself.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Why should the gate agents have to explain to you that you shouldn't be a selfish freeloader? Why should the gate agent have to treat you like a child instead of a professional who is getting a FREE RIDE?

Every airline with a union has taught it's new hires the aspects of jump seating. Talk to the captain, dress properly, sit in the back, get off last, say thank you.

It's really not that hard if you think about other people before yourself.

In spite of all the valid questions/confusion based on changing practices/priorities, there's always some gashole to come along and prove he has poor reading comprehension. Congratulations, DH2WN.

Gate agents aren't consistent. Captains aren't consistent. Company policies/procedures change. Some airlines don't provide any training on jumpseat practices. But apparently you always live in a black and white world. Must be nice to always know just the right thing to do.

 

[DH2WN]

In spite of all the valid questions/confusion based on changing practices/priorities, there's always some gashole to come along and prove he has poor reading comprehension. Congratulations, DH2WN.

Gate agents aren't consistent. Captains aren't consistent. Company policies/procedures change. Some airlines don't provide any training on jumpseat practices. But apparently you always live in a black and white world. Must be nice to always know just the right thing to do.

Yeah, I know. It's really tough to put others in front of you and read your union documentation on jumpseating. It's just crazy anyone would expect that for a free ride. Just funny I've never had a problem in the many years I've jumpseated. Maybe it's because I have taken the time to read all the ALPA and SWAPA materials carefully laid out for me.

Shocking, I know.

 

[TR4A]

OK im confused......Do OAL jumpseater preboard or not? seem expected to in FLL and STL seems surprised at me asking about it. whats the program? i can follow any rule as long as i know what it is....CLE preboarded me a while ago too.

As a captain for this airline we are confused also. The policy keeps changing and I do not have anything in writing. I would prefer you preboard but it all depends on the ops agent. Some want you to preboard some do not. I would check with the ops agent at the gate before the aircraft gets there. The CSA (customer service agent), the one who checked you in, might not have a correct answer. I will try and ask our jumpseat coordinator what the current policy is.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Yeah, I know. It's really tough to put others in front of you and read your union documentation on jumpseating. It's just crazy anyone would expect that for a free ride. Just funny I've never had a problem in the many years I've jumpseated. Maybe it's because I have taken the time to read all the ALPA and SWAPA materials carefully laid out for me.

Shocking, I know.

Once again, you are living in a black and white world that doesn't match everyone's reality.

I'll give you an example: During new-hire orientation, an ACP specifically told our class that my new airline's policy concerning jumpseating in the back on Air Group flights was NOT to pay our respects to the Captain, either before or after the ride. I knew enough to know that this was wrong-headed, and I always pay my respects if riding on jumpseat authority, but none of the other new-hires had enough experience to realize what a crock they were being fed.

Another example: My airline's FOM specifically says that jumpseaters riding in the back on my airline are to be directed, by the FA to their seat, and are not to pay their respects to the crew either before or after the ride. Bunch of crap, if you ask me, and goes against everything I thought I understood about jumpseat protocol.

So please don't try to sell me your blanket "it only takes common sense" notions. It isn't always that clear cut -- except apparently to you, who worked at all the right airlines, with all the right unions, who distributed plenty of unequivocal, unambiguous instructional material on jumpseat protocol.

 

[Kelly]

Funny...this topic just came up yesterday as I was on SWA from SJC to LAX. However, in my case my company purchases tickets and I'm in uniform when I travel. It has been my experience that some stations allows crewmembers in uniform and jumpseaters in biz-casual to go ahead and talk to the crew to not have them interfere with the boarding process. In my case, I always end up with a C priority because my company books my travel last minute, but it never hurts to be nice and ask the gate agent if you can preboard. I have to also agree with Lear70...I usually head for that exact seat in the back and in the 100 or so times that I have been on SWA, I have never had someone pick that middle seat. Now that the secret is out...happy commuting everybody!

 

[DH2WN]

Once again, you are living in a black and white world that doesn't match everyone's reality.

I'll give you an example: During new-hire orientation, an ACP specifically told our class that my new airline's policy concerning jumpseating in the back on Air Group flights was NOT to pay our respects to the Captain, either before or after the ride. I knew enough to know that this was wrong-headed, and I always pay my respects if riding on jumpseat authority, but none of the other new-hires had enough experience to realize what a crock they were being fed.

Another example: My airline's FOM specifically says that jumpseaters riding in the back on my airline are to be directed, by the FA to their seat, and are not to pay their respects to the crew either before or after the ride. Bunch of crap, if you ask me, and goes against everything I thought I understood about jumpseat protocol.

So please don't try to sell me your blanket "it only takes common sense" notions. It isn't always that clear cut -- except apparently to you, who worked at all the right airlines, with all the right unions, who distributed plenty of unequivocal, unambiguous instructional material on jumpseat protocol.

If it's in your FOM then it's for employee riders. Duh...

Is it too much to ask to put the passengers ahead of yourself and not sit in an exit row? Do you need someone to smack you over the head and say, "Hey, selfish pilot, who is helping degrade the view of pilots world wide, stop being a fark head and realize you are on free ticket?"

Why is that so difficult?

 

[scoreboard]

So the answer is: Boarding for jumpseaters should occur during preboard, but only after all the revenue paying pre-board pax are past the gate agent, then your next, right in front of all the "A's" , follow the preboard folks down the jetway, check ijn with the Capt, if your going to be in the cockpit, establish a holding pattern in the jetway out of the way until the jet is loaded, then make your way to the cockpit and strap in. If your riding in back, make your way to the back, behind the exit row seats, don't sit on the isle seat nor any exit row seat. Maybe offer to move to another middle seat when a couple come down the isle and they have to split up. Easy. Have fun.

 

[T1bubba]

Is it too much to ask to put the passengers ahead of yourself and not sit in an exit row? Do you need someone to smack you over the head and say, "Hey, selfish pilot, who is helping degrade the view of pilots world wide, stop being a fark head and realize you are on free ticket?"

Why is that so difficult?

Because in the past many of our captains/FA's asked jumpseaters to sit in the exit row.

Why do you expect offline jumpseaters to be familiar with our internal company communications? If all of this was common sense we wouldn't have had to come out with our new rules for exit rows last year.

 

[skiandsurf]

One of our pilots was in Uniform and sat in the emergency exit seat. Some passenger wanted that seat and went off on him for taking the seat as a jumpseater. The pilot (pax) told the other passenger that he wasnt a jumpseater but a paying passenger.

If I was a little old lady or mother traveling with kids, I would like to see a uniformed employee sitting in the exit row.

Me personally, I always go to the back of the plane. I was getting on a SWA plane. As I was walking past row 3, this guy in the middle seat asked me how full the flight was going to be....yeah I was in uniform, therefore I know everything. I told him it looks like a light load, maybe 50%. I went to the back and had a row to myself, while he was squished in the middle seat up front.

Next time maybe I will sit in the exit row just to see if anyone complains.

 

[TR4A]

So the answer is: Boarding for jumpseaters should occur during preboard, but only after all the revenue paying pre-board pax are past the gate agent, then your next, right in front of all the "A's"

I have been emailing the SWA Jumpseat coordinator about our current policy. He said OAL jumpseaters board last as in DEAD last after all passengers. I was shocked. Maybe we can get this changed. I would just wait and see what the ops agent does.

 

[DH2WN]

I have been emailing the SWA Jumpseat coordinator about our current policy. He said OAL jumpseaters board last as in DEAD last after all passengers.

That's what all airlines want and have dictated for years. Why is it pilots feel they have the right to ride for free? It's a privilege and in the fight for every single paying customer it's proper for free riding jumpseaters to get the worst seat, in the back, next to the toilet, getting on last, getting off last, checking your bag if you have to, staying out of the way of the FAs, be happy you have it, and say thank you to the captain when you leave.

Otherwise, pay for a ticket.