Difference between Jumpseating and non reving!

[KLB]

Originally Posted by Firebird2XC

Not to mention: Jumpseat Ettiquette...


I tried jumpseating on a few different carriers a week or so ago on a trip to IAH and back taken for personal reasons. It was.. enlightening.

First off- read the article on ettiquette on jumpseating on AirlinePilotCentral. I tried it and was more or less unawares and probably made an ass out of myself. I know better now. There's unofficial protocol to be followed, unless you want to make a name for yourself as being 'that guy'.

Non-rev travel aside, if you want to jumpseat, ask the gate agent if you can ask the captain for a ride. Once the agent verifies you clear in the system, venture on down when it's convenient for them and the crew. Ask the lead flight attendant if you can ask the captain for a ride. This, of course, assumes there is at a minimum an open cockpit jumpseat that the airline in question will let you occupy by policy.

Then, politely introduce yourself to the captain and f.o. and present your credentials (airline ID, passport, forms, etc..) and ask for a ride.

It's still the captain's discretion. If there are seats available in the back, he might ask you to be there. Otherwise you'll wind up in the cockpit jumpseat. If you do, do your best impersonation of a flight engineer and watch everything. Don't attempt to assist or involve yourself unless asked to do so by the captain.

If, as happened to me the other day- they overseat the flight and you suddenly find yourself the odd man out- politely thank all involved for trying and try to get on something else. Everyone involved doesn't owe you anything and just went out of their way to help you out. They'll remember how you act.

This stuff pays off in spades with your colleagues in the regionals, and is a definite must with your more seasoned counterparts at a major. They notice. It's up to all of us to maintain and uphold the dignity of our profession and not be 'that guy'.

Hope this helps.

Thats how I do it. Sometimes you can't get up front to ask permission to ride along. If the lead Flight attendant tells me to go sit down in the back., I go sit in the back. Theres no point in insisting to go see the captain. IMHO I make sure to go up front and thank them for the ride after the flight.

If I am jumpseating, I always thank them for the ride and tell them how much I enjoyed watching them work after the flight.

I'm am fairly new to the whole jumpseating thing and still fine tuning my etiquette. The only airline that we have a reciprocating agreement is SWA and like Lloyd said...They are a bunch of stand up people over there. I've never not made a flight with them.

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by mtsu_av8er

Easiest way? Go to the Southwest counter, and they will get you on the flight.

Period.

Just another reason that they are teh bomb.

Unless your in vegas...

[av8sean]

Originally Posted by Kristie

Unless your in vegas...

Ditto. I got stuck in Vegas once because the gate agents didn't have time to deal with nonrevs.

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by av8sean

Ditto. I got stuck in Vegas once because the gate agents didn't have time to deal with nonrevs.

Oh, that'll happen at a LOT of airlines!

Even mine, watch 'em like a hawk!

"Hey toots, hows that jumpseat lookin'?"

[BobDDuck]

Also Vegas doesn't have CASS access which makes it sort of a pain as well.