United goes out of their way

[skykid]

Crosscut, I have sat up front in the right seat for many years and observed dozens of United captains deal with United Express jumpseaters. Since I commute on and off and jumpseat extensively, I am very sensitive to the way jumpseaters are treated. I have to tell you I don't see any difference in the way we treat jumpseaters and the way anybody else does it. I have sat jumpseat with American, Delta, Southwest, Northwest, Airtrain, Continental, US Airways, ASA, and everyone under the banner of United Express. I've always treated the crews with respect, they have always treated me with respect. I've taken alot of good natured kidding from some of the rival crews I jumpseated with and have seen alot of pilots with zero personality. So what? I'm convinced that if you go out looking to be treated poorly, you'll find just that. When your back is turned almost every United crew says this about United Express - " I don't see why we can't fill every empty seat with those guys like they do for us." Sorry you have had some bad experiences.

DANCFI/CFII, I would love to hear your story, and then hear the other side of the story. Alot of folks don't want to hear that United led in on time arrivals for majors in 2002, and Jan & Feb this year so far, while improving in other catagories such as complaints, intent to repurchase, and mishandled bags. I'm not saying it is true in your case because I have no clue, but I can't tell you the number of times I've listened with empathy to a customer complain only to find out later... the rest of the story, i different. I have observed 3 pesky truths that seem to hurt all airlines - you can't control weather, people make mistakes, and machines break. I have heard several airline employees (not just United - I jumpseat alot!) tell customers "there is nothing else we can do." In EVERY case I've wondered how the gate agent kept their temper and said that instead of something rude right back at cha. I hope you get your problem resolved and are treated fairly.

FearlessFreep, you must be flying United alot more than me - I'm not observing the low morale. I'm averaging 15 flights a week. I come in contact with 100s of employees every week - cleaners, pilots, gate agents, flight attendants, crew desk, mechanics, and baggage handlers. 2 weeks ago, United set 4 internal records in on time performance, in a stretch where we already led the industry for 14 months. Is the low morale driving that? I'm thinking it might be pulling together to survive and laughing about it. I would bet the farm I speak for thousands of pilots at United when I say I would work for free to cram it up Gordon Bafoon and teflon Don Carty's backside for lobbying against us. And that is nothing against American and Continental employees - I know dozens of them and repect all. We finally have ememies outside the company, and that is good for morale.

 

[FearlessFreep]

skykid,

I don't fly United that often though I have noticed on a number of flights recently that the morale seems alot lower. Prior to the industry downturn it was a bit more upbeat. It is not that I have had bad service, it is just that I can see that the whole situation has a very negative effect on the people. I know that with that low morale and someone having a bad day that some people may end up coming up a bit short on service, hence the complaint that initiated this thread. For me I have noticed that the cabin service, and not that I require more than a glass of water has become a bit brusk. I can see the frustration and stress in the peoples faces, I know that it must be very hard on them.

If anything I rather fly United and have paid a bit of a premium for that.

 

[FearlessFreep]

To everyone on this thread:

Today has marked the first time anyone has had the audacity to private message me because they took offense to what has been posted. I am absolutely appalled by this action.

I have gotten into heated exchanges with people previously on other occasions and have never had this happen. In these previous exchanges with people we may have had contradictory opinions or feelings but I always felt that we were all compatriots and could learn from each other in the open exchange of ideas and opinions be them dissenting or not.

Chas has seen fit to PM me and I would assume others as well. As I see that he has posted his rhetoric here publicly which was what was PM'ed to myself.

A single suggestion to Chas:

If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.

Take Care, Good Luck To Us All & Fly Safe! (This includes you too Chas)

 

[typhoonpilot]

AWAcoff:

I'm glad you had a good experience on the jumpseat at United, but in the few times that I have jumpseated United over the years they have been less than spectacular. I think Crosscut has hit the nail on the head. Since they are bankrupt it has changed their holier than thou attitude.

During the United/USAirways merger talks I was denied a jumpseast by United soley for being a USAirways pilot. Politics should never enter into who gets the jumpseat, yet this 747-400 captain decided that I ( a lowely 737 F.O. ) was some kind of a threat to his wonderful job and lifestyle. Hey, news flash, it wasn't my decision to have United buy USAirways. Why penalize me ?

Another time in the mid 90s when I was commuting to San Francisco a senior captain at United offered me his jumpseat if I would pay his cost to ride in back. It was something like $10.00. Now I don't know about you people, but I thought that was real cheap, especially coming from a senior captain that was making four times as much money as I at the time.

United did have a good jumpseat policy well before some of the other majors. It took American and Delta sometime into the 90s to open their jumpseats. For that reason I had always thought United pilots were a step ahead, but over the years they have gone out of their way to disprove that thought. Hopefully they survive this bankruptcy. Hopefully we all survive these difficult economic times and remember that we are all in this together and should treat each other with courtesy and respect.

Typhoonpilot

 

[Chas]

Hey fearless

Fearless So what I PM 'd you .Since you decided to be a BABY and tell everyone Why dont you show everyone the "Offending Message" Where does the word Audacity correlate to that message I sent you?If I still had the message I would post it for all to see. Post a copy of the message and let everyone decide what is the big deal. You need to grow up Its apparent your post is an attempt to blackball me from this site You owe it to everyone to post my PM now that you made these statements .. By the way In the interest of full disclosure WHAT ARE YOUR FLYING CREDENTIALS Why is it a big secret??? As far as cant stand the heat what heat are you talking about . In my post I simply said a pilot landed long I was explaining to you how long touching down on JFK 31R at delta intersection anyone with a brain and eyeballs can see its long ! I guess when someone has my life in his hands it should not concern me ??If YOU or any other pilot here on this board was on that plane they too would have thouight the same thinhg. FEARLESS or not .
I admit I am only a commercial pilot with about 380 hours who owns his own plane but again I ask WHAT ARE YOUR CREDENTIALS??? Chas

 

[skykid]

typhoonpilot, sorry you had some bad experiences trying to jumpseat. I've heard about bad experiences on other airlines jumpseats too. I think you can chalk it up to a few bad apples everywhere, and not one group as a whole. I'm one of the guys who comes up and meets you if you are sitting in uniform in the gate area. I can't tell one uniform from another, frankly because I don't care who's who.

 

[crosscut]

Crosscut, I have sat up front in the right seat for many years and observed dozens of United captains deal with United Express jumpseaters. Since I commute on and off and jumpseat extensively, I am very sensitive to the way jumpseaters are treated. I have to tell you I don't see any difference in the way we treat jumpseaters and the way anybody else does it. I have sat jumpseat with American, Delta, Southwest, Northwest, Airtrain, Continental, US Airways, ASA, and everyone under the banner of United Express. I've always treated the crews with respect, they have always treated me with respect. I've taken alot of good natured kidding from some of the rival crews I jumpseated with and have seen alot of pilots with zero personality. So what? I'm convinced that if you go out looking to be treated poorly, you'll find just that. When your back is turned almost every United crew says this about United Express - " I don't see why we can't fill every empty seat with those guys like they do for us." Sorry you have had some bad experiences.

Hey man, it takes to be respectFUL to be respectED & your cabin crews’ hospitality stood out (ice-cold coffee mochas by Starbucks? um um good) but it’s those FEW unreasonable instances of friction w/flight crews for no apparent reason (details excluded) that I felt I had to dilute the overwhelming “out of their way” response as the credit was not given where it was due. As for the rest of the several years of jumpseating, " I don't see any difference in the way you treat jumpseaters and the way anybody else does it" either. As for other airlines – it’s just that one expected better treatment from a “parent” airline than just another reciprocating airline (be it American, ASA, etc). Good luck!

 

[Jetsnake]

I also had a rather nice experience with UAL
jumpseating last month, I had introduced myself
with the Captain prior to him going down the jetway.
I informed him that I would only take the jumpseat
if my wife could get on (SA). And if she couldn't I would
wait for the next flight. He was even polite enough
to want to meet my wife, very polite in every manner
mentionable.

As it looked as if we were not going to get on board
because they were full. We were called to the podium
at the last minute. The CSR had one seat available and
the jumpseat. There was another couple waiting to get
on board also. The CSR told the other couple the same
thing. Asked the gentleman if he was jumpseat qualified
and he responed "Why Yes." (Turns out he wasn't)

The other couple had priority over us, no big deal,
It's SPACE AVAILABLE. But he had told the CSR they didn't
want to split up.

When the CSR found out he wasn't qualified to jumpseat,
and they weren't going on this flight, she FLAT out refused
to get us on. The CSR said I had checked into to late and
this would make the flight late. It was now 12:45PM and
we had been trying to get out of PHX since 6:00AM.
When I introduced the Captain to my wife, we told him how
long we had been here attempting to get out.

As we waited in the terminal, I'm checking on other ways to
get out of PHX on my cell, The Captain, came out about 5
minutes later, looked at us and shook his head in disgust.
He headed to the podium and what he said I have know idea.

What I do know is this, This Captain came over and handed
my wife a ticket for First Class and ask me if we were ready to
go. He also apologized for the CSR's piss poor performance.
And said that this would be dealt with accordingly.
All said, this was one of the most enjoyable jumpseat rides
I have had in, well; ever actually.

While we left the gate 20 minutes late, we still arrived 5
minutes early.

For that, my hat goes off to this Captain, I'll do the same
thing shortly, except for the First Class ticket.
I take that back, everbody is First Class and should treated
as such. No matter what there seat assignment.

Jetsnake