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Question To Capts. About JS Dispatchers

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WalterSobchak

WalterSobchak

Am I wrong?
Joined
Jan 24, 2007
Posts
1,436
Question To Crews About Dispatch Jumpseaters

Just wondering what your thoughts/personal policies are on OAL jumpseating dispatchers.

I am in CASS and have been burned a few times in the last few weeks by crews for airlines that are on our reciprocal agreement list...claiming that their airline has no agreement for dispatchers. Been left behind a couple times because there were no other seats except the actual.

I've called the dispatch offices of these airlines just to confirm that there hasn't been a change in their wording of their FOM...just to make sure that their FOM will still allow our dispatchers to fly and, each time, nothing has changed.

Several of my coworkers and I have also run into several SWA gate agents that swear that they called dispatch and that dispatch said we couldn't ride...and, because it is a quick turn, we can't talk to the captain about it...yet if you call SWA dispatch, they say they never got a call about this. (most of us keep the sup's desk number in our cell phones now for just this reason).

So, I'm left to wonder...and I say this as respectfully as possible...was I (and several of my coworkers) left behind just because I was a dispatcher?



*Just to avoid the obvious questions/comments...each time I was dressed appropriately, clean shaven, and completely respected the captain's decision to not take me.
 
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For us (ASA), I believe we can only let our own jumpseaters ride (I'm not 100% on this, I'd have to look). The dispatch access to the jumpseat, at least here, is for dispatcher familiarization. They're required to do so many rides every so often. Not a lot of familiarization to be done if you're riding an offline carrier. Personally, I have no heartburn with letting an offline dispatcher on the jumpseat, but I'm pretty sure it's against the rules.
 
I thought ASA allowed CASS approved Dispatchers in the actual. At least other DCI and mainline. I have been on both in the actual.
 
WalterSobchak said:
My latest issue was with UAX Mesa (I'm with another UAX carrier) into ORD if thay helps any.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately then you were told correctly. Mesa doesn't allow dispatchers on the jumpseat - just pilots from other carriers. If you called Mesa to confirm you were allowed I'd be interested in who you spoke to, because we need a GOM change if you really are allowed on the seat.

Sorry.
 
If you showed up, I'd start scratching my head. This is something us pilots don't know much about. And yes, if it was a quick turn, we wouldn't have time for me to scratch my head. On top of that it's the whole thing about letting someone other than a "brother" pilot sit there and observe our careers on the line. (that's one of the reasons why we don't let offline flight attendants us it or company flight attendants deemed as "narcs" ride there on repos)

Most of us are pretty accommodating, but you have to come prepared. I would have as much documentation as possible to prove it. What would be golden is get your Jumpseat Coordinator to write a note explaining it, along with a phone number to call to confirm.

hope this helps.
Sooo...home every night & you still get the same flight bennies as us? Punk:)
 
I bet those Mesa guys wouldn't let you on cuz they spent all that money for flight hours and college to be able to work for mesa, and even the captains make less money than dispatchers at more reputable regionals.
 
relief tube said:
On top of that it's the whole thing about letting someone other than a "brother" pilot sit there and observe our careers on the line. (that's one of the reasons why we don't let offline flight attendants us it or company flight attendants deemed as "narcs" ride there on repos)
Click to expand...
While I understand this feeling, dispatch is almost just as much as your "brother" as another pilot. OK, maybe not your "brother"...but we're kinda like that cousin you had growing up that was a little out there, but cool nonetheless. We may not have the flight experience (though some of us do), but most of us know our stuff and could be useful if needed...otherwise, just like the rest of you, we're just happy to have a ride and see no need to nitpick or be a "NARC", especially on a carrier where we don't know the company SOP's the way we know our own...

Crew schedulers...now they're a completely different story.

relief tube said:
Most of us are pretty accommodating, but you have to come prepared. I would have as much documentation as possible to prove it. What would be golden is get your Jumpseat Coordinator to write a note explaining it, along with a phone number to call to confirm.
Click to expand...
Most of the crews I've dealt with were just this...very accomodating. Even when they couldn't take me...they were very cool about it. And, I do come prepared...company ID, my little green card, passport for CASS, copy of our jumpseat agreement list, deed to the naming rights of my firstborn, etc. Problem is, our jumpseat list doesn't really differentiate between pilots and dispatchers except for the names of a few carriers that say "NO DISPATCHERS" next to them. Apparently, we need to double check some of these agreements.

relief tube said:
Sooo...home every night & you still get the same flight bennies as us? Punk:)
Click to expand...
We are a bunch of punks, aren't we?
 
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it is always within the captains discretion to deny a jumpseater [except the FAA], but it is within the Reg's, and if a dispatcher has been verified in CASS then they meet the TSA security issues as well.

I can see where it is a little questionable to allow offline dispatchers in the cockpit. There reason for being allowed in the reg's in the first place is to accomplish annual requirements, which would not apply on an offline carrier. However, many airlines do allow dispatchers in their CASS database [my airline for example], and should be allowed if they have an agreement IMO.
 
I have been left behind by Mesa, so I feel your pain. They didn't take the time to go through the motions to verify that I was approved for their jumpseat through USAir Express Codeshare. So, as Tube already said take as much documenatation and credentials as you can. I know that Trans States won't take jumpseaters unless you are affiliated with that specific Codeshare even if you are in CASS, so do your homework and good luck.
 
I haven't had any personal experience with jumpseating dispatchers, so what is your priority? If we are both offline and you show up first, would you bump a pilot from the jumpseat? If so, stay away from my commute, it sucks enough already.
 
stooge said:
I haven't had any personal experience with jumpseating dispatchers, so what is your priority? If we are both offline and you show up first, would you bump a pilot from the jumpseat? If so, stay away from my commute, it sucks enough already.
Click to expand...
The way I understand it, pilot first...always. That's the way it should be.
 
Never had an OAL dispatcher in the jumpseat, but it wouldn't have bothered me. I always enjoy talking to the guys from the outside.

We had an ATC guy in the jumpseat once. An approach controller was giving us grief over something dumb, and this guy recognized his voice. He gave us some good stuff to say to the controller that no pilot would have known. Poor approach controller is probably still wondering how the hell we knew that stuff about him. :)
 
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Look you guys, pull the term "post 9-11" out of your asses. Remember the days of "pre 9-11?" I do, I remember being greeted with a smile and a handshake as a dispatcher on another carrier's flight deck. There was no interrogation, no 'let me call dispatch', 'sorry, but I don't think we allow dispatchers and I'm too busy to look it up to help you out.' So why has everything changed? Now, I have to bring proof that I paid over $100 bucks for a passport and that now makes everything hunky-dorey?

By the way, us dispatchers would rather not sit actual, we just want to be able to take an open seat in the back. I've been denied that, too. What the hell are we doing in CASS if it's useless? The only reason we want to sit actual is when there are no seats in the back.

We can be Americans and start be nice to our fellow man, or we can start being rude by reporting violations to the reciprical agreements and see how your company feels after they get that nice little phone call from our company. It's a matter of scratch my back, I scratch yours. Not scratch my back and go fu<k yourself.
 
homerjdispatch said:
I thought ASA allowed CASS approved Dispatchers in the actual. At least other DCI and mainline. I have been on both in the actual.
Click to expand...
ASA only allows ASA, DL, and DCI dispatchers on the jumpseat. Feel free to check it out yourself on www.ourasa.com ......that is, if you can find it! Actually, it's a pretty easy one. It only takes about 3 links to get there.

-Blucher
 
ASA FOM

Company dispatchers are C if completing familiarization flights or H for other flights.

The only other dispatchers mentioned are DL or DCC only if no seats in the cabin under category K.

Offline dispatchers are not approved other than DL or DCC. Cat L is used for CASS and mentions Pilots only.

Having said all that I think that if you can get throught the gate agents and get a seat in the back no pilot would question it.
 
Blucher said:
ASA only allows ASA, DL, and DCI dispatchers on the jumpseat. Feel free to check it out yourself on www.ourasa.com ......that is, if you can find it! Actually, it's a pretty easy one. It only takes about 3 links to get there.

-Blucher
Click to expand...

I stand corrected. Homer and XPOO are welcome on mine. XPOO, it's not about not trusting you guys. It's about having manuals that don't allow for particularly quick reference and having a management that will throw you under the bus for an honest mistake. As a rule of thumb, anybody who's allowed to ride the jumpseat is welcome on mine, GoJets excepted of course.
 
As it is no surprise, I do work at SkyWest. I'm sure we're allowed to jump on ASA. The problems most dispatchers are having is with Mesa (imagine that), how many of those Mesa pilots would like to lose their privledges on SkyWest out in ORD? Not a one of them, I'm sure. Another problem I have seen are dispatchers that are not CASS yet being denied a cabin seat on Southwest. Before CASS was implemented the cabin seats were fair game. Now we have to be in CASS just to sit with the PAX? That's ridiculous and I would love to see if Southwest actually has that written in their FOM.

By the way, FmrFreightDog, your reply has made me seriously think about dropping my signature quote. As soon as I find a new one, consider it gone!
 

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