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Unlimited Jumpseaters

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Frank Bama

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 22, 2001
Posts
101
Why is it that most majors only allow as many jumpseaters as there are jumpseats? What is the point of an airplane leaving with 100 open seats, yet one is denied a ride because the jumpseat had already been given away, when that guy is sitting in the cabin anyways? This is nothing new to me as a commuter, but I do have to finally ask, what is the harm of an open seat on the airplane being considered available to all jumpseaters? I know jumpseating is a union organized venture, so why wouldn't they want to help out their fellow pilots who are trying to get to and from work. The other thing is that most regionals, including the one I work for, will take unlimited jumpseaters. This includes unlimited jumpseats for the pilots at the majors as well. We open up our cabin for them, but they don't do it for us? Some reciprocal agreement. I am just trying to vent a little. But seriously any thoughts to the matter?
Fly Safe.
 
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It's a Gate Agent thing. They did'nt like pilots getting to go when they could'nt. This mostly uneducated group yeilds the power to make life suck for the professionals responsible for their employment, and they do so far to often. Corruption among gate agents is so rampant at every airline it would blow you away.
 
FrankB,


I totally agree with your sentiments. My airline had a written policy in the FOM that the number of JS's would not exceed the number of jumpseats installed in the cockpit. I had to turn away fellow aviators when there were plenty of open seats in the cabin because someone had taken the only jumpseat in the cockpit but would be sitting in the cabin.

I disagree with Crashpad, the gate agents DO NOT make this policy. But, you can bet they enforce it with great pleasure...and for the reasons Crashpad mentioned.

This whole JS thing has been an ongoing pi$$ing contest between the pencil monkeys and the pilots for as long as I can remember. When I came to work in 1973, there was NO personal use of the JS by company pilots, much less other pilots. The issue went back and forth and we have what exists today but with the aforementioned restriction.

Welcome to the airline business. The JS is a management vs pilot think. The gate agents merely enjoy the fallout.
 
My thanks to US Air. They have never turned me away as long as they have open seats in the back. The FA's usually give me first class too.

However, I am discusted that my airline will turn away these same US Air pilots and send a half empty airplane to its destination because of the one jumpseater rule.
 
I agree that jump seaters should get on IF there are seats available...but after all the non-rev passengers from my own airline get on.

Like every regional, I get paid dog crap...and flying non-rev on my airline is a great benefit.
 
I say after all the paying customers, fill it up. Doesn't really do any good to have empty seats when they could be used to get crewmembers home. A lot of people will deny the extra seats to the pilots that only allow jumpseaters in proportion to the number of jumpseats the ac has, but how is this going to solve the problem?
 
I too ask the same question as to why fellow pilots are being turned away because of this ridiculous rule. I fly a 1900 with no jumpseats at all. I have 19 seats in the back that are open to anyone who would like a ride. I take 3-4 jumpseaters sometimes but when I ask for a ride on carriers like American, Delta and especially United I get turned away because the jumpseat is already taken and there are 50+ seats open in the cabin.

If I had to follow this rule I would not be able to take anyone. In fact our airline has agreements with airlines allowing us to take flight attendants as well. Where is the reciprocity in our agreements when majors have this lame @ss rule and we commuters don't?
 
I miss Reno Air when it came to jumpseating. Of course, this was pre-9/11, but I recall a
time I was trying to get out of ANC to SEA, and wanted to jump with Reno. I asked for a
jumpseat slip, and the one I got said "#17" on it. Turned out there were 26 JS'ers that night.
Only had space for 18, though. They filled the cockpit, filled the cabin, and put the last
two of us in empty FA jumpseats. I got asked for coffee 5 times that night. :)
Didn't matter who you worked for, if ya had a COMM and an ID, you were on!!
I saw one guy get on who was a single pilot operator. Betcha we'll never see those days again.
 
Bring 'em on

Skyway has unlimited JS. Heck, I've even ridden up front on a deadhead to get one more JS. It's the way it should be everywhere.
 
Unlimited on SkyWest.

I also thought Reno Air was a cool operation...tried to go LAX-SJC once, full load in the back. Another guy had the cockpit jumpseat, but the capt told me to stick around, he'd get me on somehow. I rode in the aft FA jumpseat next to a rather attractive brunette. Given that, I didn't even mind moving my knees out of the way every time someone needed to use the lav.
 
Unlimited on ATA Airlines and Chicago Express/ATA Connection. 135 jumpseaters as well.
 
US Airways and all of the Express carriers take unlimited. My record is 6 JetBlue guys and 2 American on a Saab (ORF-LGA).
 
I believe the following have unlimited JS along with the aforementioned:


Air Tran
Southwest
Jet Blue
America West
 
Keeping Track:

Unlimited Jumpseats on

ACA/INDY Air
AIRTRAN
ASA
ATA
AMERICA WEST
CHICAGO EXPRESS
COEX
COMAIR
JETBLUE
SKYWAY
SKYWEST
SOUTHWEST
US AIR + EXPRESS CARRIERS
 
Well, almost...AirTran will take em all, but the second and on
will as far as I know pay $25 each...which is cheaper than a
missed trip or a motel room.

AA killed the good times at Reno. In the day they bailed me out
more than once, and they were fun to ride with.

My understanding is tha the AA policy is management driven.
More fuel to the question of how they got to be the worlds
biggest airline, another tick in the "ways they are dysfunctional"
row. Seems to be a management thing at most large airlines.

Bless the clarity of US going open js. Hope that they can pull
through and not be destroyed by JO or AMR.
 
Well, not quite unlimited at Aloha, but SWA pilots own the first class on our OAK-LAS flight just about every night. It's kinda unusual when it's only 1 or 2 guys.
 
Nice to see that so many airlines have unlimited policies. It should be at the discretion of the pilot as to how many get on board, not a stupid gate agent.
 
Unlimited on Chautauqua as well.

I have heard that the government is at least one step closer to a airline wide
ID policy. It will use passports for positive ID. (not a bad idea)
This is what I have heard. I have not read it anywhere yet, but it makes
sence.
 
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