Fellow Pilots:
On Thursday, July 10, 2008, members of United Airlines' (UAL) Flight Operations Department, their ALPA MEC, and Jumpseat Committee held a conference call with both the Union leadership and Jumpseat Committees (JSC) of the United Express (UAX) affiliates. The call was in response to UAX publicizing to the UAL pilot group that UAX pilots are being bumped from the cockpit jumpseat on flights operated by their own certificate!
UAL has agreed to work with us towards a solution to remedy the prioritization issue for UAX.
To that end, the Republic Airways Holdings (RAH) JSC, with authorization from the RAH Pilots' Executive Council, requests that all RAH pilots NO LONGER DISTRIBUTE the "Letter for Jumpseating United Pilots" on our RAH aircraft. All other UAX carriers are also ceasing the letter distribution, so there is unity with this decision.
The JSC would like to stress that the problems have not been fixed, only that a solution has been agreed on and will be implemented. In the meantime, we continue to need your help. We encourage that a crewmember, when feasible, make a presence in the boarding area to assess the presence/prioritization of any and all jumpseaters and accommodate them in accordance with our company policy.
reference: S5 GOM: rev. 11 pg 2-88; CHQ GOM: rev. 15 pg 2-88; RW FOM rev. 1 pg 4-42
Please remember that your JSC and Union are composed of line pilots, just like yourself. We understand that "making the walk" to the gate is not always practical, particularly if remote parking is utilized. In those instances, relaying a message through Operations, or to the gate agent meeting your flight, may accomplish the same positive result.
It will come as no surprise that there may be lingering resentment between pilot groups. There was unanimous acknowledgement on the conference call that the next few weeks will be a period of transition. There may be some who transition faster than others and consequently, we mutually agreed to follow-up on any instances of pilots denying/hassling/using the cockpit as a bully pulpit, etc. If you find yourself subjected to the aforementioned, notify us ASAP with specifics (flight number, date, city pair). Conversely, please welcome our United brethren with the same hospitality you've extended in the past.
On behalf of the RAH Jumpseat Committee and EXCO, as well as the JSCs and various Union representations at the UAX carriers, we thank those of you who supported us and educated others. This show of unity will work to achieve results. For those of you who chose not to participate in our program, we thank you for taking the time to read our posts on this very important topic.
Fraternally,
The Republic Airways Holdings Jumpseat Committee
