Request to all ALPA Members

[jetaviator]

To all of those who would like to get jumpseating back on all airlines sometime within the next decade, please write ALPA about it. If you are tired of sitting in the terminal all day while flight after flight leaves with an empty jumpseat then this is your chance to get your point out. Don't forget to mention restoring cargo airline jumpseats too. When you have to spend that extra night in a hotel, or when you have to commute up to work 1-day early, think about where your ALPA dues are going.

If ALPA had put as much emphasis on restoring jumpseats as they did on guns in the cockpit, then we would probably have jumpseating back. And I think jumpseating is much more important. No more talk about "trying" or "working on it" from ALPA. Even if the TSA or FAA is making it difficult, they need to find out what it will take. Even if they have to spend the money to set up a new system. Make it happen!

 

[pilotyip]

Jumpseat

USA Jet has been authorized by the FAA in guidelines defined in FSAT 06-02 (?) to carry other Part 119 certificated crewmembers in the cockpit jumpseat. There are some employment vertification hoops to jump through, but this same authority should be available to all other air carriers.

 

[Freight Dog]

According to Dan Gradwohl, ALPA's on it... however, in my opinion they're just not nearly as loud about it as they should be. My whole thing is that if they don't restore it anytime soon, we should be given a higher boarding priority simply because pilots and F/A's traditionally use jumpseat to commute to/from work. Other employee groups use it for pleasure... Just my .02 cents.

 

[LimoDriver]

OK. My $.02. Why should pilots and F/A's have any priority over empty seats? Why do pilots think they have a "right" to ride the jumpseat? Traditionally, pilots have been able to live anywhere they wish, as long as they can commute to work. The jumpseat has been a great benefit to pilots who choose to commute, as well as a great pleasure travel benefit. I fly under Part 91, and my company demands that I live in the local area - a condition of employment. Why do airline pilots get to commute to work for free?

I am furloughed from a major airline, and have certainly taken advantage of jumpseating in the past - in fact I was a commuter. But, even then, I never really understood why I deserved that benefit that other employee groups did not share. I'm sure somebody out there will enlighten me!!

 

[enigma]

Limodriver, This was discussed last week, but here's the condensed version. There are a whole lot of us that commute because the business forces us to. From your profile, I'll guess that you went straight from the military to a major and never expected to change employers during your second career. I can understand your view if that is your perspective, but for those who are looking at numerous moves, both voluntary and forced, before they ever get to the dream job; commuting is a must. One more point, airlines usually use our ability to commute in their own favor as they adjust base staffing levels for efficiency and therefore I believe that commuters do in fact, deserve boarding priority.
regards,
8N

 

[Freight Dog]

As a matter of fact, employees traveling to/from work SHOULD definitely get the boarding priority. Traditionally, it's pilots and F/A's, although mostly pilots. Besides, how many jumpseaters do you usually get per flight? 1? 2? I can bet you it's not anywhere near the amount of other non-revs who take up the empty space, and they're definitely not commuting to/from work. For 1 guy/gal, it's worth bumping a pleasure-traveling nonrev.

 

[Draginass]

The problem isn't lack of effort by ALPA or the APA, or the companies for that matter. Our VP for Flight Ops has been pushing this issue very hard, mainly because the sick rate and missed trip rate has gone up dramatically . . . . and you can imagine why.

The problem is the same one as before . . . . the GUBMENT, and more specifically the TSA. Word I have is something happening in the next month or two. Cross your fingers . . . but don't hold your breath.

 

[LimoDriver]

Enigma - I don't think any pilot is "forced" to commute. They may choose to commute for for very valid reasons (I did), but they are not forced. And I agree, although some airlines dissuade pilots from commuting, the airlines take advantage of it, as well.

But, people in other professions have to move around to get ahead as well, not just pilots. They suck it up and move the family - sometimes at the company's expense, sometimes at their own expense. Why do pilot's feel they have the right to a free ride, and/or boarding priority just because they work for the airline?

Sorry I missed last week's discussion on this. And I'm really NOT trying to stir the pot!! Please no flames!!!

 

[PCL Flt-ops]

LimoDriver, I'm going to base you in Detroit and make you live there. It's dirty, nasty, expensive, and colder than cold. After that, your attitude will change... in a hurry.

To answer your question about pilots wanting a free ride: We don't want a free ride in the back over anyone else. We want the da.mn jumpseat back!

 

[nonstop]

LimoDriver,

I understand your confusion since you have very limited experience. It is very easy to get forced to commute. I'm sitting on the bottom of a senority list right now, with a company I've been at for 3 years. Everytime the wind blows they release a new perm bid and the base staffings change. That means the base I can hold often changes every 3 to 6 months. Do you really think it's realistic to move everytime that happens? Not only is the jumpseat a necessary priviledge for many of us, it can also be a valuable asset for the flight crew. It's very common for a pilot jumpseater to catch minor errors, and they've even been significant help in serious emergencies.

 

[LimoDriver]

LimoDriver, I'm going to base you in Detroit and make you live there. It's dirty, nasty, expensive, and colder than cold. After that, your attitude will change... in a hurry.

Hey, don't disparage my hometown!!!! JUST KIDDING

 

[enigma]

Enigma - I don't think any pilot is "forced" to commute. They may choose to commute for for very valid reasons (I did), but they are not forced. And I agree, although some airlines dissuade pilots from commuting, the airlines take advantage of it, as well.

But, people in other professions have to move around to get ahead as well, not just pilots. They suck it up and move the family - sometimes at the company's expense, sometimes at their own expense. Why do pilot's feel they have the right to a free ride, and/or boarding priority just because they work for the airline?

Sorry I missed last week's discussion on this. And I'm really NOT trying to stir the pot!! Please no flames!!!

Limodriver, what would you consider an acceptable number of moves per year? How many school changes per year are you going to put your kids through? How many times can your spouse change jobs in one year without affecting his/her career?

I am not arguing for the boarding priority with you, although I do think that we should have it, I only want to show you that commuting is not always a choice. In my own case, I have been bumped out of my base four times in three years and have been assigned a different base two additional times due to the fall out from Sept11, 2001. I do not choose to commute. Had my company not closed the base that I bid into as a new hire I would live there today. The company changes their structure on a continual basis, and the employees are moved around as if were just another "resource" like a bag cart. If I luck into a job with a stable major (SWA,FedEx, UPS), JetBlue or maybe AirTran, I will move to the base. Until then the company I work for, Spirit, is forcing me to commute. Others, I'm sure can tell you comparable stories.

regards,
8N

 

[Draginass]

Limodriver:

1. The industry is furloughing many, many pilots which drives pilots getting bumped from domicile to domicile, sometimes quite often. If pilots were to move at every bump, then the cost to the companies would soar. The companies save a ton of money by allowing commuting.

2. Junior bases are places like Detroit, NY etc. They are VERY high cost of living bases. If I were to live in the NY area, I'd have to make a heck of a lot more than I can make as an F/O to have a decent standard of living, send the kids to a decent school, etc. Garbagemen and city employees in NY make more than a lot of pilots based there.

Commuting is essential for the airline industry. Without it I think you would see a lot of the best talent either not start on an airline career or abandon the aviation profession altogether. I know I would. This job ain't that great, nor pays enough to put up with living poorly in a high crime and low quality-of-life city.

 

[NEDude]

Commuting

My company has closed five bases in less than two years. I know of one pilot who was displaced four times. It is not reasonable to expect him to move every time, even if the company is willing to pay the moving expenses. In my case, my wife makes more than I do in a much more stable industry. Is it realistic for me to ask her to quit her job and move from one of the least expensive areas in the country to live in one of the most expensive on less than half the income? I don't believe it is reasonable.

I don't think any of us are asking for the world, we just want to get back what we once had. Something that was taken away from us for no reason, only due to baseless rumors and paranoia.