United Jumpseaters

[xjlifer]

Had 2 UAL Jumpseaters in the last two weeks just get on the plane and not come up and at least say hi.

Told F. A. to ask them to come up...The first was a 30 year Captain who I asked how he would respond if I got on his A/C and did not ask first.

He said "happens all the time"

Second guy was a new hire. I told him it is required to talk to Capt. before sitting down.

Odd they were both UAl as I have had a good experience both riding on and taking UAL guy's/gal's before.

Sign of the times?

 

[SpauldingSmails]

I've had that happen with a UAL jumpseater between EWR and MSP once. After the flight we spoke and he was extremely apologetic.

Also, had an AA jumpseater grab a seat right at 1B without so much as a hello. I played stupid with "Oh, are you nonreving or deadheading?" He said, "No, I'm jumpseating." I just said, "That's strange, usually jumpseaters introduce themselves to the Captain." Again, very apologetic - but I can only imagine I would have been booted from an AA flight for a similar transgression.

Regardless, I wouldn't dream of just grabbing a seat as a jumpseater without saying a word. 30 year captain, huh? Maybe these guys were ummm... "listed" elsewhere.

 

[DCAA320]

I always go up and say HI. The only pilots who looked at me like "why are you bothering us, get the fu(k outa here" were AA pilots, twice.

 

[densoo]

Shouldn't have happened.

 

[jball2]

i had a UAL guy come running up to me on our concourse a few months back waving and Airtran jumpseat form at me. When I stopped he went straight into lecturing me about how he shouldn't have to go to three different gates to get a jumpseat form (I agreed) and was a complete ******************************. I told him I'm not in charge of anything on the Airtran side blah blah blah. He kept firing back at me, in the middle of the concourse, with no answer being acceptable. I told him that yelling at me in the concourse is not a good way to get any help and I didn't have the time to deal with his attitude. In addition to all of this, he had his pilot shirt with epaulets still on but unbuttoned with no tie and a two day shadow. I have always been taught to look professional and this guy obviously either doesn't get it or doesn't care. Either way, I had to leave him standing there in his own fury as I had a flight to catch.

 

[Flopgut]

Had a SWA guy sweating out riding my JS about 5 years ago. He did some weird jetway trade sort of thing with another CA and really needed to get to CLE. Agent didn't know how to get him signed up, so I went to the podium and did it myself. Strapped in with 30 sec to spare for on time and went to CLE. He played with his iPhone the entire time. Not much of a thanks out of him and that was fine with me. Off he went. Glad to help him and I would have done the same for any fellow pilot. Judge a guy by how you ride their js, not how they ride yours. Act the same way yourself. Handle this stuff before the flight, don't clown them on it later. That's my advice.

 

[jball2]

Thanks for taking care of him Flop. I know several of our CLE commuters there are a couple that well , you know. ?

 

[Flopgut]

I really don't think I'm part if the problem (as far as JS) but making some pilot prostrate themselves to me, is a distant second to getting someone on and where they need to go. That being said, I always introduce myself, even when pass riding if time permits.

*one of the funniest things I ever over heard*: got a SWA guy getting on last sec during a hectic boarding, waiting til the last sec to see if there's a seat. A somewhat overwhelmed FA (who really needed a little dose of levity at that moment) called at him loudly "I think I have a spot for your bag, what does it look like?" He said: "well, I've got a hatbox, a gaucho and a set of golf clubs... Seriously? What do you think my bag looks like?!" It was hysterical, everyone laughed

 

[densoo]

At least the pilots know they should be asking. New UAL FA jumpseat policy: The Captain is not part of the approval process for jumpseating flight attendants and receives notification of their presence via the Final Weights Message [usually after the door is closed]. LCAL required FA to ask the captain, LUAL required FA to inform the captain. So this was the best practice from both--to eliminate the captain from the process altogether? I guess this is what happens when flight ops goes toe to toe with inflight. Thanks for having our back!

 

[pilotgolfer]

Had 2 UAL Jumpseaters in the last two weeks just get on the plane and not come up and at least say hi.

Told F. A. to ask them to come up...The first was a 30 year Captain who I asked how he would respond if I got on his A/C and did not ask first.

He said "happens all the time"

Second guy was a new hire. I told him it is required to talk to Capt. before sitting down.

Odd they were both UAl as I have had a good experience both riding on and taking UAL guy's/gal's before.

Sign of the times?

Who do you work for? Is it possible that these guys were listed in the back and given seats by the gate?