Why do airlines let gate agents control the J/S

[CitationUltra]

I was standing in line at the ticket counter trying to get on the J/S to commute back to work. As I walked up, the agent sighed and pounded the keys very hard as she typed, in an effort to let me know she was pi$$ed off about something. As she was printing my boarding pass, she looked at me and said "Ya know, I've worked here for 23 years and I've never been able to fly free on this AAirline. It is not fair that all you pilots are able to fly wherever you want, whenever you want, on the jumpseat for free, but we have to pay for a pass!" She continues by saying that some of the ground people and gate agents are trying to get this "policy" changed, so that they can fly free like pilots. She then said that you pilots don't need to waste your time fighting this because mgmt is on their side, and if we all can't fly free, then nobody will be able to fly free.
So my jaw dropped, and I'm left there standing, not really believing what I just heard. Not wanting to get into an argument and put my company's J/S agreement in jeopardy, I politely smiled and thanked her, took my boarding pass and humbly walked away. I've ridden on this AAirline regularly, and never ran across anybody like this.
If I only lived at my base.

The agents have too much control over the pilot J/S.

Some years ago, a certain AAirline started everyone down this slippery slope as part of a concerted effort to diminish the authority, prestige and privileges of pilots in general and Captains in particular. This extended to much added authority given to everyone outside the cockpit, from crew scheduling to ramp agents. It worked, unfortunately.

Some forget that riding on the jumpseat is a professional courtesy extended by pilots to other pilots. They also forget that one must be qualified to be up there, and virtually none of the gate agents are so qualified.

 

[lionflyer]

Similar thing happened to me.

I was DELT A bad hand trying to get home from Atlanta when the pist off agent cleared the flight with about 20 open seats, saying there was no time to handle the standby list!

There's a NWA agent in PHL that does the exact same thing. I've seen her do it twice to get her "On Time". Btch left me stranded both times.

 

[CitationUltra]

I got that from US Air the other day riding on a revenue ticket for Netjets... checked in for my flight online, and went to the Dividend Preferred line to check my bag, as I have Silver status with them.

She repeatedly said, "You really shouldn't check your bag, it's a full flight." And, "if you check this bag and you don't get on, I'm not going to be able to get it back off for you." (Well, TSA might have something to say about that one!)

So finally I asked, "Why wouldn't I make it on the flight? I still have a seat assignment, don't I?"

"Well, I show you as revenue standby, and it's checked in full."

"I believe I'm just standing by for First; I should still be confirmed in coach, right?"

A pause.... a look at the screen.... "Aaaaah, yeah. Sorry. :0 "

The uniform just seems to imply "freeloader" to the agents, I guess...

I'll tell you that a lot of us take offense at the suggestion that a commuting pilot or JSR is a "freeloader" at all. Many stay in this business only because they can commute, and maybe use some non-rev travel on what few days off we still have. It is, in a way, a part of a remuneration system, most of which we have long ago lost.

Just more evidence of the degradation of the profession.

 

[CA1900]

I'll tell you that a lot of us take offense at the suggestion that a commuting pilot or JSR is a "freeloader" at all.

As you should. It's an earned benefit of the job, and something these agents can't seem to wrap their heads around. They have the option of eventually transferring to a city they actually want to live in. A pilot rarely does, so commuting becomes a way of life.

(Or, if you work for CommutAir, commuting becomes a way of life because they close domiciles one after another; it's like playing whack-a-mole trying to find a place to live!)

Just more evidence of the degradation of the profession.

Absolutely.

 

[Checknsix]

I had a mainline United gate agent try to deny me the jumpseat, because I didn't have my passport (it was in the process of being renewed). It wasn't necessary anyway, as I was a flying for a United regional partner at the time. I explained to her that not only did I not need the passport to jumpseat, but that technically, I did not even have to be verified in CASS (that was the way the policy read at the time anyway). She argued with me, even though I kept a calm demeanor...and refused to list me for a non-rev or jumpseat.

I found the supervisors office in ORD and explained my dilemma to somebody that understood the policy well. She escorted me back out to the gate and explained to the gate agent that she did not know what she was talking about and that her attitude was a problem. The gate agent was instructed to give me a seat and offer me an apology. I humbly accepted it, shooting for a little empathy...however, it was nice to see a supervisor set the gate agent straight. This job is hard enough without letting this nonsense take over.

Whenever I do get that whiny gate agent that complains about my free travel privileges, I always try to go that empathy route and explain to them that I would gladly give up my free travel privileges, if my job allowed me to go home every night and be with my family...that that benefit would be of much more value to me. They generally lose the attitude pretty quickly and actually agree with me.

- Six

 

[jonjuan]

Believe me, if I wasn't required by company policy to travel in uniform on the flights to work, I wouldn't. On my home, I generally change into plain clothes. Makes for less hassle from the airline agents and from TSA.

Can you drink in uniform on the way home from your frac flight? Just curious as you don't work for the airlines.

 

[Checknsix]

Yep....great policy. I tried to do that myself when I was a captain. Rescued quite a few guys from buying hotels by doing that.

I also sorted out a couple of problems where mainline gate agents were giving jumpseats to mainline pilots, over pilots from my regional partner airline. That was fun, calling my dispatch in within earshot of the gate clown, explaining to them that the flight was going to be delayed because the gate agent did not want to respect the jumpseat hierarchy and that I was not leaving until the problem was resolved....and to code the flight late specifically because of gate agent so and so.

- Six

I always find that I have a need to use a lavatory in the terminal about five minutes prior to push. I always look for jumpseaters, and rev and non-rev pax.

I have had gate agents try and refuse revenue passengers because they want the flight to push early.

All it takes to solve this problem is a short walk before every flight. Exercise is good for you.

 

[SonicPig]

Believe me, if I wasn't required by company policy to travel in uniform on the flights to work, I wouldn't. On my home, I generally change into plain clothes. Makes for less hassle from the airline agents and from TSA.

What's the reasoning for that policy?

The Pig

 

[say again]

True conversation from about 10 years ago when I was at a regional:

Me: Is the jumseat available?
Grouchy gate agent: (Sigh) Let me look.
(Long pause)
Agent: (while typing) Why don't you pilots just live where you work instead of taking our valuable seat space?
Me (very calmly): I was going to, but a couple months after I was hired, they closed all the outstation bases and consolidated to three hub bases.
Agent: So? Move there.
Me (smiling through gritted teeth): That was six months ago, and now our Director of Operations says we'll probably go back to outstation basing in a couple months.
Agent (clueless): So?
Me: Would you and your spouse enjoy moving three times in nine months? (She had a rock on her ring finger) Only a tiny handful of our pilots have been able to fly without commuting for at least part of their careers because of base closures, no matter how long or short they've been with the company. Sometimes, it just can't be helped.
Agent: You f***ing pilots complain about everything! (and she stormed off to get my jumpseat form signed).
Me (silently): Sigh.

HAL

I believe it, but why would you waste your breath with such a long, pointless conversation??!!

JK. Typical waste agent trying to prove her/him self importance. :laugh:

 

[AWACoff]

For all the guys that are getting attitude from gate agents while traveling but on a revenue pass...did you happen to get the gate agents name and complain to the airline? You are a revenue passenger. Get these gate agents fired. All of us would appreciate it as these agents seem to always have a bad attitude.