Al Czervik

You have NO idea 80. "That's the wAAy we've alwAAys done it." I'm surprised some of these guys actually use cell phones and the Internet. Impossible to even try to educate some of the AA guys on the benefits of new ways of doing things. It's literally the fingers in the ears and "LA LA LA LA"

EMBFlyer

And the ones complaining the most about keeping their system have seniority numbers less than 1500 and all live in base.

A321

Thread bump.

Just wanted to confirm... UAL jump is still seniority based? A senior guy can bump a junior guy at the last minute?

Also, can any Delta guys chime in the on specifics of when the jump can be reserved for:
1) going to work
2) coming back from work
3) pleasure

Legacy AA's "we've always done it that way" mentality is rearing it's ugly head and trying to send the JS policy back decades.

Omar 111

At Delta you can reserve the jumpseat: 5 1/2 days prior going to work, 3 1/2 prior returning from work, and 1 1/2 prior for pleasure. Once it's reserved, it's yours (with a few exceptions). If a higher priority takes your jumpseat when you are going to work, you are authorized a positive space seat.

Omar

Curveball

A "higher priority" usually means FAA, new hire Jumpseat flights, company business, etc. seniority plays no part. Also, as has been stated, you're mostly covered if you plan for at least 2 reasonable non-rev flights (need to have some seats 24 hours out) that are at least 2 hours apart, or you had a Jumpseat booked that was taken away by a higher priority.

If you've followed the policy, they will either positive space you, tell you to show up when you can, or take the trip away....no pay of course. ;-)

EMBFlyer

This would be awesome, but since it can't be quantified on a spreadsheet, it'll never happen here. But at least we got those pay rates!

iceman49

I could be quantified if they could show how many trips are delayed or cnx due to no pilots, or the resulting sick leave.

Timbo

Back in the day...

Delta pilots were not allowed to ride on their own jumpseats up until Sept. of 1996. The reasoning we were told for that was, it was a 'non-rev benefit' available only to the pilots, and not available to the rest of the employees. Now, you have to remember, this line of thinking (what's good for one is good for all) came out of the 1930's, and was supported by the CEO's of yesterday, not the robber barons money grubbers of today.

Also, Delta had many more pilot bases prior to 1996, (BOS, MIA, ORD, MSY, IAH, DFW) so there really was no need to commute very far unless you wanted to live out west. When I was a new hire, I was based in MIA and commuted to BOS on Eastern's jumpseats to fly with the Guard. I spent a lot of time in their cockpits apologizing for Delta's No Jumpseat policy.

Only a few guys would commute long term, and then usually only in their final 3 years, to fly International out of ATL, to boost their FAE for retirement, and they would be senior enough to non-rev to ATL to do it easily as our average load factors were in the 65-70% range back then.

In 1996, Delta decided to close all those bases (listed above). The way the pilots were able to convince Mgt to let us use the jumpseat was, it would save the company millions in moving costs if they allowed us to commute, rather than pay each displaced pilot an average of $25,000 in moving expenses if we were NOT allowed to use it, and we all had to move to ATL. I took the paid moving expenses, went from NH to FL, and have been commuting to ATL ever since.

The FA's were later allowed to use theirs to commute too, although they kept several of those bases open as FA bases. MIA, BOS and I think ORD all still have FA bases there, as well as MCO.

Glenntilton

UA is seniority. BUt it is up to the Captain, and the Captain could say it is too close to departure to kick the junior guy off. Or the other jumps seater is a Scab, etc. we had a Senior guy on my commute that would never list and sometimes show up last minute, glad he retired. If he would have at least listed, other pilots could look into other airlines to ride on before it is too late.

freezingflyboy

This is exactly why, IMO, the reservation system is better. By making everyone list and leveling the playing field you help take some of the guess work put of getting to/from work. If I go to list and the jumps eat is already booked and the flight is full, I can plan on another option rather than having to scramble across the airport when some senior a-hole decides to mosey up to the gate 15 mins before departure.

In addition, can you imagine being a junior guy trying to commute out of a senior city?! You'd never know until 15 prior if you're getting to work/home. Sounds like a nightmare to me.