sioux8ships

So you’ve made it to Spirit! A pretty darn good accomplishment! Do we really need to teach you proper jumpseat etiquette?

Handing your CASS form to the CA and saying, “I’m in back” doesn’t cut it.

I get it, we work at the same company, but that doesn’t let you off the hook for being polite or respectful. Hopefully you’re not pulling this crap with other airlines. Losing jumpseat privileges would suck. We already had a certain Dutch fellow try to do that for us with SWA.

Sadly you ran off before we could go over properly asking for a “ride”.

Cyio

Just to clarify, if a fellow Spirit pilot gets a seat in the back of a Spirit aircraft, they are still required to check in with the CA? This is good info, as at my current outfit that isnt the case and I may have, assuming there wasnt any training on it, done that myself one day.

Obviously other airlines you always check in, I just wasnt aware that Spirit wants you checking in even if on own metal.

And no, this wasnt me lol.

TrojanCMH

Technically if they’re a spirit employee and have a seat in the back they could have just non-revved and wouldn’t have to talk to you so unless the guy was blatantly rude to you, I don’t really see what the big deal is. Maybe you just want to chat or need your ego massaged but I think most are a lot more relaxed on their own airplanes compared to some other airline where they are asking for a ride. Some guys make this job much harder than it needs to be.

Powderkeg

NK is not my airline but JS etiquette affects all commuters. Even if the gate agent gave the person a seat in the back they still used their credentials to gain access via CASS/Jumpseat privileges. My airline, your airline, other airline doesn’t matter, the CA has authority over the jumpseat and those asking to occupy it (even if the gate agent slides them to the back).

TrojanCMH is right, some guys make this job harder than it is. Making a brief introduction and asking a polite question is not hard.

Try this strategy next time...works like a charm. Have an FA tell the offending JS’er the Captain would like a word with them after they land. Give the JS’er a good couple hours to sweat over it. After the flight if they don’t come up with an adjusted attitude then commence education.

TrojanCMH

Spirit is a quirky airline. The gate agents run you through CASS even if you have a seat in the back and are an employee of the company. If you really want to blow their mind show up in uniform but list as a non-rev, most likely they’ll still make you fill out the form. But if you fill out the jump seat request form, you need to check in with the captain and hand the jumpseat request to him or her. If it’s me flying just hand it to me and say hi and show me your id. Apparently some other captains want the full on “I’m asking permission for a ride” spiel.

RonnyK320

I was non revving out of uniform once after having a few drinks and the agent tried to get me to fill out a jumpseat form. I flat out refused, as I wish everyone else would. The jumpseat committee sent out an email after that saying we shouldn't fill out the form if we listed as a non-rev. So maybe that pilot listed as a non-rev and was made to fill out the form, so instead of arguing he just did it and handed it to you. But I agree, he should have at least told you that if it was the case.

CincoDeMayo

You realize you are taking 2 examples, and both are the result of an untrained pilot catching a ride.

1) If he listed non rev, he should not be filling out a CASS form. If you fill out a CASS form, you are under the rules of the CASS certificate you just signed. So if he was non revving, he needs to be trained to not fill out a CASS Form, as Ronny said, refuse it.

2) If he was jumpseating, and filled out his CASS and received a cabin seat, he is to still check in with the crew. Does not matter if you think this CA needs his ego massaged. If the CA says "no worries, I dont need to see it," cool. But the CA has the right..you know this. So as far as making this job much harder that it needs to be, who is really doing that? The guy who is posting about proper procedure being followed or the guy telling people to just "chill out"?

Because I think you telling newhires to not worry about the correct way, only causes more issues for them when they get confronted by a CA who wants it done the correct way? See my point?

In the end, another example how we fail our new hires by even teaching them the simplest of policies. Guys figure "well my regional was this way, must be this way everywhere else"

TrojanCMH

I’m saying if we’re on the same team I’m not going to give you a bunch of crap and expect you to do the whole “My I have a ride captain” song and dance. Our jump seat/non-rev system is stupid as it is. If you have a seat in the back I could care less if you just walk on and let me know you’ll be sitting back there. Especially when you could have just as easily non-reved. Now on that note, as a commuter I always stop by the cockpit, say hi, and introduce myself, and show the captain and FO my ID or anything else they want and so should everyone else. It’s common etiquette. But if you think I need to ask you for a ride while sitting in the back on my own company metal then you’re delusional. On other airlines 100% you need to ask...

I’m not saying don’t stop by the cockpit and introduce yourself as a common courtesy but the original post seemed a little egotistical and like the guy expected to be asked permission to sit in back when they are on the same team. Also they should train the gate agents better and not make any spirit pilot who shows up to list as a jumpseater. It often turns into a argument when you try to explain you’re just a non-rev and don’t want to jumpseat, especially if you’re in uniform.

RemoveB4Flight

To answer the question, yes. I do think every airline needs to, and many times doesn't, teach or at least mention jumpseat etiquette.
I highly doubt this individual meant to be rude to you. More than likely they simply didn't know the protocol. Maybe they have never jumpseated before? Who knows.

In that 10 minute "jumpseat protocol rundown" that every airline should have, they should also make sure to mention to captains that not everyone boarding the aircraft in a uniform is a jumpseater. I've had more than one captain in the past make themselves sound a bit silly when they press me about proper jumpseat protocol when I was not actually a jumpseater, but a non rev.

Cyio

Out of curiosity, why are the gate agents so eager to have you list in CASS? Does it really change much for then if you non-rev vs JS?