Denied Jump Seating

[Brick Head]

Hi guys,

I have jump seated on WJ a few times. Always been great.

Yesterday however, I was denied at check in, in YYC. It wasn't just me by the way. Your own employees were being denied standby on a large scale as well.

The problem seemed to stem from the standby line also being the ticket sale line. Got in the standby line 1 1/2 hours before departure. A large group was purchasing tickets. Got to the front of the line 35 min before departure. Was scolded, as others prior to me where, and told it was too late. I should already be at the gate. Should have arrived earlier.

Since I don't work at WJ. What is the recommended airport arrival time to make sure this doesn't happen again?

On a side note. Although the agent handling the standby/ticket sales line was very pleasant with guests, IMO was very harsh with her fellow employee's. I assume most everyone else was a WJ employee. I had seen enough by the time I got to the front of the line to know I shouldn't utter a peep.

I had a back up on AC so it worked out fine.

[Bugz]

Brick Head,

I'm sorry you had this experience. I don't know why some of these CSA's feel they can treat fellow employees or other standbys with such disrepect. The reciprocal agreement is great, and it would be a shame if it were ruined because of a CSA on a power trip. I've used it a few times and had great experiences. Hopefully, you'll have a better experince next time.

[jjj]

Brick Head,

You got hooped.

A CSA does not have the right to scold anyone! There is no guidance on when one must take a run at a check in line it only says that you should check ina hour prior. At some bases it is acceptable to merely get in line at the one hour mark and you are OK. The intent of the rule as I understand it is to avoid people sauntering into the terminal 35 minutes before departure and having the expectation of getting on a flight. Unless there is a major delay at security - you could have made that flight.

Hopefully she tried to scold the wrong person that day and will have a nasty write up to account for.

I don't think there is anything you can do except take this one on the chin.

Some people seem to forget that we are supposed to look after our peers which include people from other airlines.

My sincerest apologies.

[Rotten Apple #1]

An hour in the standby line on a Saturday...that standby line has generally worked well for me, a commuter. I'll echo the above responses, that sucks.

Kudos for you for if you graciously accepted the scolding. With my limited breeding and bad upbringing I might first of all got turned on by the scolding (I prefer a gentle 'paddling' on the bottom), but then I might have 'unloaded' in an understated way, after waiting 1 hour in line.

They might have been shortstaffed on a long weekend and been venting their frustration.

Y'all come back now.

JD

[auxtransfer]

Hey Brickhead, I too have used WJ for a jumpseat on a number of occasions. They want you to be at checkin a minimum of 1 hr prior to departure. Now having said that, I have a few time called the standby travel line with in the hour trying to get on a flight in YVR, YWG and YYZ with out any problems. I have always been met with courtesy and professionalism from the agents booking the flight, the csa's and the gate checkin agents. You probably encountered an isolated incident. I think the jump seat agreement is brilliant, and I hope it works out just as well for you as it does for me. Cheers

[CanadaEH]

That standby line in YYC is hit or miss. I got in line one day with 3 people ahead of me and it ended up taking 45 minutes to process 3 people (they ended up buying tickets) which put me 35 minutes before my flight was to depart. Our guidelines state that you need to be checked in at minimum 1hr before your flight so get there with enough time to do so. Exceptions can always be made but don't ever count on it, especially in YYC.

[Brick Head]

Canada EH,

Thank You,

That was the info I was seeking. I agree it is difficult to predict the YYC standby/ticket purchase line. Never had the problem in YVR or YYZ.

Thanks again.

By the way. Not complaining. Just trying to make an educated decision next time.

Love the options the agreement provides.

[Four1oh]

That standby line in YYC is hit or miss. I got in line one day with 3 people ahead of me and it ended up taking 45 minutes to process 3 people (they ended up buying tickets) which put me 35 minutes before my flight was to depart. Our guidelines state that you need to be checked in at minimum 1hr before your flight so get there with enough time to do so. Exceptions can always be made but don't ever count on it, especially in YYC.

I cringe when I see the person in front of me pull out cash... instant 20 minute check-in.

[double-j]

It looks like they have reverted back to the old way of stand-by check in i.e. the regular check in line and not the stand-by. This should solve this problem.

I do appreciate how they do try to fix their errors..

[vanscorp]

I hear you about the standby line. i have had some quick service days and long waits. However as per communication send out recently they are now telling standby's to go in the regular check in line again as of Sept.15 so hopefully with more agents to serve at that line it should be quicker.
Question i have for you is if you are not a WJ employee how on earth have you been allowed to fly in the jump seat???? If you are a reciprical pilot this should not happen. As an employee you do not have that privilege. If i was ever bumped from jump seat due to a recip pilot in there i would lose it more so than being scolded by a csa.

[Clint23]

I hear you about the standby line. i have had some quick service days and long waits. However as per communication send out recently they are now telling standby's to go in the regular check in line again as of Sept.15 so hopefully with more agents to serve at that line it should be quicker.
Question i have for you is if you are not a WJ employee how on earth have you been allowed to fly in the jump seat???? If you are a reciprical pilot this should not happen. As an employee you do not have that privilege. If i was ever bumped from jump seat due to a recip pilot in there i would lose it more so than being scolded by a csa.

Settle down there, don't get your knickers in a knot over something you don't know about. It is a "reciprocal jumpseat" agreement in name only. The only way any recip pilot can get on a WestJet aircraft is if EVERY other stby/travel companion/buddy pass holder/parent/early show guest is already accommodated in the aircraft, then the recip pilot gets a seat in the back of the aircraft. In other words the only way they get on is if that seat was going empty in the first place. It is the same with us on other airlines. And BTW as an employee you do have the privilege of flying jumpseat anywhere in Canada, as long as all the seats in the back are taken, at the discretion of the flight deck crew.

Cheers

[vanscorp]

Clint23,
I am fully aware of the standby process with WJ as i have worked in airports for almost 5yrs now. I was just commenting on brickheads statement that he has flown jump seat many times. That is all. I know that a recip pilot is the lowest on the totem pole and even if there is a seat in the back he can still be denied. Recipricol standby states that the pilot in command has the final say on whether the recip pilot gets a seat even if there is 20 seats open.
maybe i am just reading his statement wrong and jump seating is another term for flying standby. If so i apologize. Just wanted to inform of new standby line procedure coming and just questioning.

[Clint23]

OK, sorry, I read your post wrong as well. Serves me right for trying to read beyond my grade three level!

Cheers

Clint