Thanks AA

[joekrish]

I had a chance to fly on AA out of Paris last week...I was stranded and walked up to the counter and asked if the jumpseat was available...From the first person I came in contact to the onboard staff and the 3 AA pilots I have to say I was treated with such courtesy.. I just thought I would say thanks in this kind of forum...It was great to talk to the AA pilots and get their perspective on what is happening there. I'm with Delta so I gave them what insight I had about our latest agreement.

It was a great experience!!! I hope that I can return the favor someday...

Thanks again to all the American professionals...

 

[hatetoadmitit]

I had a chance to fly on AA out of Paris last week...I was stranded and walked up to the counter and asked if the jumpseat was available...From the first person I came in contact to the onboard staff and the 3 AA pilots I have to say I was treated with such courtesy.. I just thought I would say thanks in this kind of forum...It was great to talk to the AA pilots and get their perspective on what is happening there. I'm with Delta so I gave them what insight I had about our latest agreement.

It was a great experience!!! I hope that I can return the favor someday...

Thanks again to all the American professionals...

I second that thought. I work for JetBlue and have always been treated great by the crewmembers at American Airlines.

 

[Flythis]

Thats great. Now just hope they never buy you because then the true feelings come out.

 

[Dangerkitty]

I had a chance to fly on AA out of Paris last week...I was stranded and walked up to the counter and asked if the jumpseat was available...From the first person I came in contact to the onboard staff and the 3 AA pilots I have to say I was treated with such courtesy.. I just thought I would say thanks in this kind of forum...It was great to talk to the AA pilots and get their perspective on what is happening there. I'm with Delta so I gave them what insight I had about our latest agreement.

It was a great experience!!! I hope that I can return the favor someday...

Thanks again to all the American professionals...

Thanks man. I will pass your message along.

 

[JumpJetter]

Thats great. Now just hope they never buy you because then the true feelings come out.

You meant rescue you from bankruptcy....again...right?

 

[aa73]

Our pleasure, Mr Joekrish! 99% of us go out of our way to make sure our jumpseaters are treated professionally and courteously. You may find that our gate agents can be lacking in this dep't, but we try and smooth things over once you are onboard.

Always welcome on our j/s.

73

p.s. thanks for all the rides you've given me on DL.

 

[Guitar rocker]

AA is always cool to JS on. Although I saw the biggest fight between FA and cptn on AA all becasue of me. I asked the cptan to JS and he was really nice....he leaned over and yelled out to the lead FA, hey XXXX is gonna be riding with us and he is going to have a seat in 1st. Well, that just didnt go over so well with the lead...she went up there and told him, hey, Ive been here for 23 yrs and I say whose gonna ride in the back. He replied, well, seeing that I own the plane, he rides in 1st. I was in the galley and heard the whole thing. When the door was closed, I introduced myself to the lead FA and asked if it was OK to sit out back...she said, you can sit anywhere. Off to coach I went. She eventually came back to me and apologized. Nothing to aplogize for as I was just happy to get a ride. But that few minutes where I heard the lead FA and cptn going at it was something else........

 

[aa73]

That has been a culture problem for years, because our FAs our taught at "Flagship U" that they own the cabin... and then you have the captains who obviously own the whole aircraft. It's been my experience that when you are non confrontational and kindly inform the FA that "I'd like to seat this j/seater in first, OK?".... there is no problem.

AA has never been very non-rev friendly. I envy all those who work for airlines which automatically seat every non rev in first if there's space. (USAir, Delta, United, etc.) We could learn from those, unfortunately it is not in our culture. (I always try, though.)

73

 

[Wowjack]

And we always welcome J/S at SKYW...oh, I think I should be posting this in the regional forum

 

[canyonblue]

But that few minutes where I heard the lead FA and cptn going at it was something else........

Don't dip your pen in the company ink.

Also I would add that the times I used AA to get home, the Pilots were awesome. The FA's are hit and miss, but I wonder if that might change since they now have a reciprocal J/S agreement with our F/A's, and might now see the joys of commuting offline and treat some of the offline pilots better. I had a "discussion" on the crew van with one of our F/A's who was talking about the high loads and commuting to work. She complained that an offline pilot could get on a SWA flight in the cockpit when it was full, and she was left at the gate. She felt that it wasn't right and I tried to explain the whole reciprocal process but it was a losing battle.

 

[Guitar rocker]

Yes, everytime I have JS'ed, all the pilots at AA have been more than nice. And so have the FA for the most part....but you do see some of that I own the cabin part here and there from the FA's. But thats so at other airlines as well.

 

[Kugelblitz]

You meant rescue you from bankruptcy....again...right?

Rescue? Bizzare way to define the term. How many guys did you end up 'rescuing'? I am glad the thread starter got home okay, but getting nice treatment from AA employees is an anomoly.

I am a furloughee who needs to commute to/from EWR and I can tell you that if those people smile, they think they are going above and beyond.

 

[pkober]

Kugel,

There you go again. Screw being called a furloughee you're now a new hire without a "special" employee number to tag you for the rest of your career.

How bout them Cards? Whatz up wit dat?

CLAMBAKE

 

[aa73]

Rescue? Bizzare way to define the term. How many guys did you end up 'rescuing'? I am glad the thread starter got home okay, but getting nice treatment from AA employees is an anomoly.

I am a furloughee who needs to commute to/from EWR and I can tell you that if those people smile, they think they are going above and beyond.

Well, there you go... I guess I have been going "above and beyond" every day for the past six and a half years.

I must be something of "an anomoly", too!

I guess some people always gets irritated when someone commends AA employees.

Anyways, glad to have you folks on board.... you'll always be welcome.

73

 

[AA717driver]

That's great that they treated you well.

Now, they owe you one. Just try getting on that half-empty 757 (the last flight that can get you home) out of EWR on Christmas Eve this year... HAHAHAHAHA!!!

"I'm sorry, we've already closed out the flight" (5 min. early).

"It seems you're not on our jumpseat list" (Delta?).

"I'm too busy working the next flight" (one hour from now).

"We've already got a jumpseater" (who can't be found AND this aircraft has two jumpseats, a fact that seems to always escape AAgents when you REALLY need to get on).

Yeah, AA did you right THIS time... TC

 

[Fliteidol]

Do AA allow some airlines to jumpseat internationally these days? Who is on that list? Thanks and I have to say I have had great treatment from gate agents and crews at AA over the years. I cannot think of single exception. Thanks y`all, just wish I could go international but maybe thats just being greedy!

 

[aa73]

Do AA allow some airlines to jumpseat internationally these days? Who is on that list? Thanks and I have to say I have had great treatment from gate agents and crews at AA over the years. I cannot think of single exception. Thanks y`all, just wish I could go international but maybe thats just being greedy!

Pretty much limited to other international carriers that reciprocate - with the exception of a couple of USAir Express carriers and SWA:

Alaska
Aloha
CO
DL
Fedex
NWA
Piedmont
PSA
SWA
UAL
USAirways

 

[lowlycfi]

AA Rocks. I've been commuting on them to Chicago for about two months now and have always felt welcome from both the pilots and the flight attendants. Thanks again for the rides!

 

[NAA Pilot]

Funny, I am not feeling rescued?!

You meant rescue you from bankruptcy....again...right?

 

[C77MD80]

I like jumpseating on AA if you can get past the agents;

agent- "Did you meal list?"

me- Oh, no thanks, it's a short flight, I am ok.

agent- " I am sorry, you're going to have to call this 800 # to meal list"

me- Ma'am, I only need a ride, I'm not interested in food for this flight, I really appreciate it but no thanks.

Finally I called the 800 number to meal list. I asked what kind of meal it would be. Is it kind of like a crew meal or something? Silence... "your all set sir" Can I have Kosher? Hello?

I told the agent I wasn't hungry but that wasn't entirely truthful. I just wanted a ride. I was going to get a sandwhich before boarding but since I had a meal coming now I decided to hold off. Captain was nice, FA's were ok. Cruising along I wondered if everyone was going to get a meal. I assumed so, but the FA's were Super busy on their Super80. I didn't get to see what the outside of the aircraft looked like. It had the "look" of an MD80. I almost thought they might of been the same aircraft. Anyhow, after the Fa's were through with the beverage service; I rang the call button and asked about my "meal". She gave me a funny look and said they don't serve any meals. I said maybe it was a crewmeal or something. She gave me a dirty look and walked away.

It was a decent ride all around but I still don't know what happened with the meal!?

 

[nimtz]

I like jumpseating on AA if you can get past the agents;

agent- "Did you meal list?"

me- Oh, no thanks, it's a short flight, I am ok.

agent- " I am sorry, you're going to have to call this 800 # to meal list"

me- Ma'am, I only need a ride, I'm not interested in food for this flight, I really appreciate it but no thanks.

Finally I called the 800 number to meal list. I asked what kind of meal it would be. Is it kind of like a crew meal or something? Silence... "your all set sir" Can I have Kosher? Hello?

I told the agent I wasn't hungry but that wasn't entirely truthful. I just wanted a ride. I was going to get a sandwhich before boarding but since I had a meal coming now I decided to hold off. Captain was nice, FA's were ok. Cruising along I wondered if everyone was going to get a meal. I assumed so, but the FA's were Super busy on their Super80. I didn't get to see what the outside of the aircraft looked like. It had the "look" of an MD80. I almost thought they might of been the same aircraft. Anyhow, after the Fa's were through with the beverage service; I rang the call button and asked about my "meal". She gave me a funny look and said they don't serve any meals. I said maybe it was a crewmeal or something. She gave me a dirty look and walked away.

It was a decent ride all around but I still don't know what happened with the meal!?

The ride was free right? Does any form of carpet dance that leads up to it really matter. Some of you guys have way too much expectation for a bottom of the ring non-rev...

 

[AA717driver]

The ride was free right? Does any form of carpet dance that leads up to it really matter. Some of you guys have way too much expectation for a bottom of the ring non-rev...

I think the point was to emphasize how F'ed up AA's jumpseat system is. The ground-pounders at AA have resented jumpseaters since the program was implemented in the early '90's. "If the pilots can ride in the jumpseat, why can't agents?" DUH!

If you ever spend time commuting on SWA and then have to commute on AA, the difference in corporate cultures will hit you like a lightning bolt.

TC

 

[canyonblue]

Does any form of carpet dance that leads up to it really matter. ..

Yes it does. The Cockpit Jumpseat is a privilege afforded to us by the various pilot groups that participate in this program that allow myself and the thousands of other commuters that utilize it's service. There is no need for any other work group, be it jealousy or disdain for the system, to attempt to make it anymore difficult than it needs to be. That is why I pay attention when I am working a flight or commuting, to observe the gate area for any possible jumpseaters. We all need to take care of one another, since we can't always expect our fellow workgroups to do that for us.

 

[Dangerkitty]

I like jumpseating on AA if you can get past the agents;

agent- "Did you meal list?"

me- Oh, no thanks, it's a short flight, I am ok.

agent- " I am sorry, you're going to have to call this 800 # to meal list"

me- Ma'am, I only need a ride, I'm not interested in food for this flight, I really appreciate it but no thanks.

Finally I called the 800 number to meal list. I asked what kind of meal it would be. Is it kind of like a crew meal or something? Silence... "your all set sir" Can I have Kosher? Hello?

I told the agent I wasn't hungry but that wasn't entirely truthful. I just wanted a ride. I was going to get a sandwhich before boarding but since I had a meal coming now I decided to hold off. Captain was nice, FA's were ok. Cruising along I wondered if everyone was going to get a meal. I assumed so, but the FA's were Super busy on their Super80. I didn't get to see what the outside of the aircraft looked like. It had the "look" of an MD80. I almost thought they might of been the same aircraft. Anyhow, after the Fa's were through with the beverage service; I rang the call button and asked about my "meal". She gave me a funny look and said they don't serve any meals. I said maybe it was a crewmeal or something. She gave me a dirty look and walked away.

It was a decent ride all around but I still don't know what happened with the meal!?

You are arguing over semantics. Meal listing is a term that AA Gate agents as well as AA employees use. Meal listing only means you have been put on this list for the flight. It really has nothing to do with a meal.

 

[BoilerUP]

Yes it does. The Cockpit Jumpseat is a privilege afforded to us by the various pilot groups that participate in this program that allow myself and the thousands of other commuters that utilize it's service. There is no need for any other work group, be it jealousy or disdain for the system, to attempt to make it anymore difficult than it needs to be. That is why I pay attention when I am working a flight or commuting, to observe the gate area for any possible jumpseaters. We all need to take care of one another, since we can't always expect our fellow workgroups to do that for us.

Agreed 100%.

Thanks to the PSA, CHQ, SWA, PNCL, UAL & Frontier crews that have graciously allowed me a ride. Almost always after a leg the CA or I walk up to the gate agents and ask if we have a jumpseater, especially this summer with many full flights.

 

[Gorilla]

Meal listing - I don't doubt your experience but I haven't heard that term in a few years. Now it's just "listing" for a flight.