Originally Posted by Tring

EXACTLY!! Which is why it’s weird that you are so invested in this. I don’t believe you when you say the only reason you are involved in this is because you have friends there and you feel it’s your duty to protect AA from us “malcontents”. Give me a break


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Originally Posted by Cujo665

I do have many friends still there. I don’t want them screwed over by you guys setting the stage so that AAG is going to chip away at the jumpseat. I was on the MEC when this crap happened long ago, and I remember how it went back then too. Ask anybody that knows me. I’ll fight tooth and nail for what’s right, even when it makes me a target. Why else? because if one company gets to interject corporate interests and wins in arbitration, it effects the entire industry!!
or haven’t you guys figured that out yet?

thankfully, APA smartly walked away. Without their consent/agreement, issue is dead.

Originally Posted by greatmovieistar

Who is getting screwed over?

Originally Posted by Cujo665

of course AA management reached out. They know the door your opening for them.

If you make it about a corporate business interest; management will too.

Originally Posted by Cujo665

I do have many friends still there. I don’t want them screwed over by you guys setting the stage so that AAG is going to chip away at the jumpseat. I was on the MEC when this crap happened long ago, and I remember how it went back then too. Ask anybody that knows me. I’ll fight tooth and nail for what’s right, even when it makes me a target. Why else? because if one company gets to interject corporate interests and wins in arbitration, it effects the entire industry!!
or haven’t you guys figured that out yet?

thankfully, APA smartly walked away. Without their consent/agreement, issue is dead.

Originally Posted by Cujo665

Them first, then the entire industry.... you guys just don’t get it.

It’s not relevant any longer. APA walked away. It’s over.

Originally Posted by Gone Flying

If you have a halfway decent union this would not be an issue. UA and DL figured out how to prioritize DCI/UAX without ever having an issue with the JS being used for biz travel. This is an invalid argument unless you think APA is so incompetent as to be the only major to allow biz travel in the jumpseat.

Originally Posted by Da Magic

(APA) Jumpseat Priority

Letter Q of the JCBA states that “APA and AA will work together to establish and review reciprocal jumpseat agreements with other carriers. The parties will meet promptly to resolve any issues that may arise from said agreements.”

Recently, and for the third time in six years, the union representatives for the pilots of Republic Airways, one of the non-wholly owned contract regional carriers, are seeking to gain priority status for the flight deck jumpseat on American Airlines (AA), PSA, Piedmont, and Envoy jets. To be clear, APA opposes any change to the current jumpseat priority system, whether those changes elevate the priority of the Republic Airways pilots or the pilots of any other contract carrier. It appears that the union representatives of the Republic pilots approached AA management directly to effect this proposed change.

During both previous attempts by Republic pilots to establish jumpseat priority, numerous AA, PSA, Piedmont, and Envoy pilots were harmed by being denied travel on Republic Airways aircraft operating American Eagle-branded flights. APA – along with the ALPA MECs of PSA, Piedmont, and Envoy – remain committed to protecting our pilots as well as our current flight deck jumpseat policy.

Because higher priority for Republic pilots necessitates lower priority for the pilots of other carriers, numerous other MECs and independent unions have filed letters of protest to this change being sought by the Republic pilots. A significant percentage of our pilots commute to their respective domiciles. Our pre-pandemic data in particular indicates that thousands of jumpseats each week are used by AA pilots aboard other airlines’ (OAL) metal – and the reverse is true of OAL pilots on AA metal. In 2019, more than 28,000 jumpseats were logged by AA pilots on Southwest Airlines jets alone. We have received multiple letters of protest from labor leaders – representing pilots from Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Hawaiian, and others – stating that they will consider proposing a change to their priority if this AA jumpseat priority change is made.

AA’s jumpseat policies have been in place for decades and are mutually beneficial to all pilots at all carriers. As we’ve made clear, AA pilots rely heavily on jumpseat travel on many other airlines and under procedures that are mutually agreed upon. The current industry standard is “First Come First Served” (FCFS) jumpseat priority. The jumpseat contracts between American Airlines and some 76 other airlines establish mutually agreed-to policies and commit all 77 airlines to agree to promote standards that include embracing FCFS pilot jumpseat travel.

Over the years, some pilot leaders at Republic Airways have chosen to ignore their responsibilities to their contracts by encouraging their pilots to deny AA pilots travel on their jets. They engaged in the same approach against United pilots in 2019, but were unsuccessful in achieving their demands. The current attempt to alter AA policy has both Republic management and the Republic pilots’ union leaders engaging our management team directly. This is evinced by literature published to the Republic pilots and reviewed by APA. These tactics are unacceptable and should not be entertained by AA management.

The potential harm to the APA pilot membership, the AA operation, and to our passengers would be significant. The policy sought by the pilots of Republic Airways would also allow every Republic pilot priority on AA jumpseats over all pilots of our codeshare and international alliance partners at Hawaiian, JetBlue and Alaska. This policy would place a Republic pilot commuting to fly for Delta Connection, for instance, at a higher priority on AA metal above all OAL pilots who might be commuting to fly passengers feeding the AA operation at various network departure points (i.e., JFK, SEA, BOS, ORD, etc.).

The importance of AA’s jumpseat policies and Captain’s authority are also codified in Letter Q of our JCBA: “The Captain’s authority regarding accommodation of other airline jump seat riders is mandated by the FARs and supported by senior management of the Company.” The FARs give the Captain authority and responsibility for all OAL travelers, regardless of where they’re seated, and require the Captain to verify eligibility by reviewing the company ID, FAA license, and medical certificate. Please review and ensure you are familiar with both Letter Qand the FARs regarding Captain’s authority. This knowledge will be critical should Republic pilots, for the third time, engage in wrongful jumpseat denials of AA pilots.

While AA, APA, and ALPA work on this issue, we ask that you remain professional and continue to welcome Republic pilots seeking jumpseat travel on our jets until this ill-advised effort is resolved and the controversy subsides. If you are affected by a jumpseat denial on a Republic Airways aircraft, whether you get a cabin seat or not, or if a Republic pilot engages with you regarding this jumpseat issue, please file a Jumpseat Debrief. Your APA leadership will take swift action to respond to any behavior or policy that harms AA pilots.

Additional information and guidance will be forthcoming as we work through this issue.

Originally Posted by pangolin

OK - this is a "thing" with any of the 3 regionals that fly for multiple carriers. Skywest, Republic and Mesa. The JS priority is NOT truly reciprocal for these carriers. They are treated as if they are "offline" and mostly because it cannot be determined on any given day (until recently true for Mesa - no longer) which carrier they fly for. So these pilots are the same JS priority as "offline" carriers like SWA and JB. Simply making them higher than the offline carriers would help. How about JB while we are talking about it. With the Joint Venture with AA should their JS priority increase? If it does - shouldn't republics?



What about this situation -



Mesa pilot flying exclusively for AA

Republic Pilot - flying either AA, Delta or UA



Who should get priority on AA metal assuming no AA or AA WO is involved?



NOTE: I'm not arguing for any change and I think the carriers both mainline and regional need to stick with existing agreements and not try to change things by taking matters into their own hands.



Right now it is all equal and it is all equal because that is easier. That's the only real reason.

Originally Posted by magnus0322

Why do AAG pilots believe they should receive priority on the YX JS while YX pilots are OAL on AAG metal? D6U for YX and a higher priority for AAG pilots?