Jumpseaters on WS

[SkyBlazer]

Hey guys i am a huge fan of reciprocal jumpseat agreements and use them frequently.

When i use any other airline jumpseat I make a point to speak to the captain and thank him/her for the ride. I find it a professional courtesy.

While here at WestJet we have no direct requirement for the captain to be notified ( something i feel should be in place) and i believe we are looking at - i can't help but think that it would be a nice gesture to expect a hello or thank you from a reciprocal jump pilot.

Am i off base here - i see too many pilots get up and leave without so much as a smile.

Maybe i am old school - but just throwing it out there for discussion...what do you guys think.

Sb.

[Seeker]

Hey guys i am a huge fan of reciprocal jumpseat agreements and use them frequently.

When i use any other airline jumpseat I make a point to speak to the captain and thank him/her for the ride. I find it a professional courtesy.

While here at WestJet we have no direct requirement for the captain to be notified ( something i feel should be in place) and i believe we are looking at - i can't help but think that it would be a nice gesture to expect a hello or thank you from a reciprocal jump pilot.

Am i off base here - i see too many pilots get up and leave without so much as a smile.

Maybe i am old school - but just throwing it out there for discussion...what do you guys think.

Sb.

SB, this has been brought up here on the forum before, maybe by you? I use the reciprocal jumpseat on Westjet from time to time and I rarely speak directly to the pilots. During boarding I don't want to slow the process or be the cause of a distraction/interruption in the preflight preparations and during deplaning the crew is often out of the flight deck and/or I don't want to slow the guests behind me from getting out of the plane. Basically, I try to be as low impact as possible. Causing people behind me to stop and wait while I trade pleasantries with the crew is "impact". From the other side, when I'm flying, I find the same to true - rarely do any jumpseaters, Westjet or otherwise, come up front to identify themselves.

[flybye]

Easily solved - get some business cards (we can all afford those), or a napkin if you don't have any cards, write a little thank you note, saying you didn't want to bother anyone but you appreciate the J/S, pass it to the F/A to pass to the pilot.

As seeker says, that'd probably be better than stopping the entire boarding/deplaning process.

[Kip Powick]

Hmnmmmmm.... I used to think the "jumpseat" was in the flight deck....where did they move it..or are we talking about an FA seat??

[Seeker]

Hmnmmmmm.... I used to think the "jumpseat" was in the flight deck....where did they move it..or are we talking about an FA seat??

It's called the "Reciprocal Jumpseat" but it's actually just a regular passenger seat for an eligible pilot from another airline. I think waaaay back in the dark ages of aviation pilots from other airlines could actually ride in the cockpit jumpseat for free as a professional courtesy but when that was changed for security reasons the "jumpseat" became any open passenger seat.

[Kip Powick]

............... I think waaaay back in the dark ages of aviation pilots........................................

"dark ages"????? oh... I get it now..it's an euphemism for "when pilots were really pilots" ....not the present day "situation monitors"

[Seeker]

"dark ages"????? oh... I get it now..it's an euphemism for "when pilots were really pilots" ....not the present day "situation monitors"

Kip, maybe sometime you could tell me again about the first time you did an aural null approach - I really love when you tell that story.

[Kip Powick]

Kip, maybe sometime you could tell me again about the first time you did an aural null approach - I really love when you tell that story.

Suffice to say it was a difficult approach, hard to listen for the "null", what with the wind singing through the wires, and the throaty roar of the single reciprocating engine.

[Seeker]

Suffice to say it was a difficult approach, hard to listen for the "null", what with the wind singing through the wires, and the throaty roar of the single reciprocating engine.

...but surely it was no problem for you since you had been trained by Orville and Wilbur, right?

Anyway, to be clear, my "dark days of aviation" comment was referring to the fact that our "new" security procedures have been with us for so long that I can hardly remember what it was like before - wasn't a comment on your illustrious career at all.

[SkyBlazer]

Seeker,

I have not started this thread before, but wanted to start the discussion not a pissing match.

I think you raise a good point regarding impact but I think it can be done at least on the exit.

I brought it up to see what people thought.

I appreciate your input - and promise to say hello and thanks for the lift as I always have next time I ride on big red.

I for one don't wish to see politeness and professionalism go the wayside just because of otp.

Sb