SWA Jumpseat?

[nwaf16dude]

Is there any way to Pre-list for a SWA jumpseat, or is it walk up only for off-line guys? Any way to find out if someone has reserved it? Also, if you get the jumpseat for one of your one-stop trips (ex. DAL-LBB-LAS), are you on for the whole trip or do you risk getting booted off in LBB? (even if you're not GL)

Thanks in advance,

 

[redflyer65]

I'm not sure about listing ahead of time. I guess you could list maybe as a non-rev early but it doesn't change much at the gate.

We don't 'reserve' jumpseats like Delta can.

Typically guys are listed all the way through, but I'm not sure that carries over to off line guys. If concerned about SW pilots coming through..the only way I know to check is when you are listing at the gate. They can pull up the crew list that's inbound. I wish we could know earlier.

99% of the planes have two jumpseats. The company can put a company pilot up front if needed (DH pilot), but they can't do that with BOTH seats. I haven't seen that scenerio ever play out in the end. Plus, company pilots can occupy the FA 4th jumpseat to help free up space for off line guys in the cockpit. I've seen this happen frequently when things get tight.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

It's been a while since I've commuted on swa. A few years ago, the gate appreciated it if you listed ahead of time. When you call (866) fly-swnr, just tell them you're other airline and want to list for a flight. Sometimes they'll give you actual numbers, other times they'll give the "looks good" or "looks bad."

My understanding as an OAL pilot is, on through flights, you can only be bumped by a swa pilot. So, be on the lookout through a SWA domicile.

 

[Lear70]

Is there any way to Pre-list for a SWA jumpseat, or is it walk up only for off-line guys?

It's walk-up only for everyone.

You can create a non-rev record locator which helps the gate agent, but that's about it. Call the 866-FLY-SWNR number to list. SWA pilots can list on SWALife, AirTran pilots have to use the 866 number also to list - if they use SWALife they'll get a CASS denied (long story about the tech reasons why).

Any way to find out if someone has reserved it?

No, because they don't "reserve" the jumpseat. Ever. The gate agent keeps an envelope for each flight at the gate podium. There are three lines on it for jumpseaters, two for the cockpit and one for the back. The priority (currently) is:

SWA pilots on a first-come, first-served basis.
AirTran pilots on a first-come, first-served basis.
Everyone else on a first-come, first-served basis.

Also, if you get the jumpseat for one of your one-stop trips (ex. DAL-LBB-LAS), are you on for the whole trip or do you risk getting booted off in LBB? (even if you're not GL)

Thanks in advance,

LOL - nice...

If you're offline (which it sounds like), at any intermediate stop you risk getting bumped by a SWA or AAI pilot.

The SWA pilot can take the F/A J/S to help you out if they're cool. The AAI pilots can't, even those of us rated on the plane. It's a long story why.

Good luck!

 

[Flying the Line]

Better post by Lear than the 10+(?) SWA guy. Can only get booted off at an intermediate stop by a must ride and there can only be one of those per flight.

 

[Lear70]

Better post by Lear than the 10+(?) SWA guy.

I try to be helpful, working on it anyway without any commentary. (and I probably have more time to type than the other guys do).

Can only get booted off at an intermediate stop by a must ride and there can only be one of those per flight.

That just for SWA folks, correct?

Pretty sure at an intermediate stop if you're OAL a SWA pilot can bump you, but I may be wrong, haven't run into that problem before, I just to BNA-MCO every week and there's like 5 nonstops a day. Easiest commute in my life... :beer:

 

[737tanker]

Lear
You are correct a person with a higher priority can bump a lower priority at an intermediate stop. So a SWA or AAI pilot can bump an OAL pilot. Also you left out 2 categories for the jumpseat. After SWA pilots and before AAI pilots are authorized SWA employees (such as Dispatchers and Flight Instructors), also AAI Dispatchers are after AAI pilots and before OAL Pilots.

 

[nwaf16dude]

Thanks for all the help guys...tried to get to LBB, got through the hoops and got the seat but the flight ended up canceling for a dirt storm. +1 for the anti-LBB crowd.

 

[BuckMurdock1]

One question that's semi-related for the SWA folks; it's been a yr or so since I last jumped on you (and every time it was out of SFO), and I recall that more often than not it went something like this with the gate agent:
Me: "Hi- I'm a pilot with Virgin America and would like to hitch a ride via our jumpseat agreement please. I have already called an listed myself".

Agent: "Okay- it looks pretty tight, but we'll call you near departure time (doesn't run me in CASS and gives me a slip that indicates 'cabin only')."

Me: "Well, if it's that tight-should you maybe run me in CASS..just in case?"

Agent: "We only do that if you'll be sitting in the cockpit"

--They are about to close the doors and haven't called me yet; so I query. Response: "(panicked/annoyed) Oh--you need to be in the cockpit; run down there!"
So I politely remind (same person) that they never ran me in CASS. They basically tell me that they may now go late because of this (as though it's my fault).
One common denominator is that in SFO it seemed to be the same guy like 90% of the time- dark hair, thin, goatee- I think his name may be Eric.

I guess my question is; Is this truly policy (not vetting a pilot in CASS if you'll be trying to give him an open seat 1st..& cockpit = last resort)? If so, I guess I don't understand it..it seems like it leads to an unnecessary panic & aggravation (on part of agent and jumpseater alike) more often than not.

BTW-- I need to say that all the crews have been great and most of the time the agents are very friendly--just this strange recurring thing about not running pilots in CASS when they should.

Thx

 

[scoreboardII]

Please forward this through your jumpseat guy to ours, his name is Boobas or something.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

How many of your airplanes have one flightdeck jumpseat?

 

[freightdogfred]

One question that's semi-related for the SWA folks; it's been a yr or so since I last jumped on you (and every time it was out of SFO), and I recall that more often than not it went something like this with the gate agent:
Me: "Hi- I'm a pilot with Virgin America and would like to hitch a ride via our jumpseat agreement please. I have already called an listed myself".

Agent: "Okay- it looks pretty tight, but we'll call you near departure time (doesn't run me in CASS and gives me a slip that indicates 'cabin only')."

Me: "Well, if it's that tight-should you maybe run me in CASS..just in case?"

Agent: "We only do that if you'll be sitting in the cockpit"

--They are about to close the doors and haven't called me yet; so I query. Response: "(panicked/annoyed) Oh--you need to be in the cockpit; run down there!"
So I politely remind (same person) that they never ran me in CASS. They basically tell me that they may now go late because of this (as though it's my fault).
One common denominator is that in SFO it seemed to be the same guy like 90% of the time- dark hair, thin, goatee- I think his name may be Eric.

I guess my question is; Is this truly policy (not vetting a pilot in CASS if you'll be trying to give him an open seat 1st..& cockpit = last resort)? If so, I guess I don't understand it..it seems like it leads to an unnecessary panic & aggravation (on part of agent and jumpseater alike) more often than not.

BTW-- I need to say that all the crews have been great and most of the time the agents are very friendly--just this strange recurring thing about not running pilots in CASS when they should.

Thx

Don't question the thin man with a goatee. Don't question anything related to unicorns and stardust, they have their own way of doing things and it doesn't make a lot of sense to us mere mortals. He's got a reason for wanting that flight to go out late, you just don't have the big picture. Might be a dust storm in Amarillo or something

 

[Lear70]

How many of your airplanes have one flightdeck jumpseat?

That's a good question.

They've taken some of our non-GECAS hulls across, and I haven't heard if they've retrofitted them with the 2nd jumpseat or not? Our non-GECAS planes only had one jumpseat.

Otherwise, as far as I know, ALL SWA 737's had two jumpseats.

 

[StopNTSing]

Can't give you exact numbers, but...

...if it's a -500 there's two jumpseats.

...if it's a -300 with winglets, there's only a very few that don't have the second jumpseat.

...if it's a -300 without winglets, there is probably a 50% chance it has only one jumpseat. Many of the hand-me-downs we've picked up from other airlines over the years did not have the 2nd jumpseat, but their numbers are dwindling as they get retired this year and next.

...if it's a -700, there's only a few that don't have the second jumpseat, but their numbers are increasing slightly because as Lear70 mentioned, many of the ATN -700s did not have the 2nd jumpseat....and the company is NOT adding it as part of the conversion program (as if I needed another reason to hate this whole deal!)

...if it's an -800 there's two jumpseats.

Big picture, your chances of getting a plane with two jumpseats are excellent. Out of an almost 700 aircraft fleet, I'd estimate we're only talking about maybe 20 airplanes without the second jumpseat.

 

[FIREMAN]

The company can put a company pilot up front if needed (DH pilot


They can make a DH ride the jump seat?