please respond to a swap request

[littlejet]

It is already hard and frustrating to find a legal swap at EK. When you wait for days for the other party to respond is depressing. Reject, accept or don't advertise please!

[White Knight]

Sometimes Littlejet I get a swap request in my EK inbox on my 'phone downroute. I'm not always in a position to reply immediately - and with a busy home life quite often forget about it once I get back... I'm sure it's the same with others!

[yardman]

I'm always more inclined to help if someone takes the time to send me an SMS or an email rather than a random swap request from a person I may not even know. Maybe it's just me but I just think it's a bit more polite and also if I know the person is in a bind rather than just wanting a change of scenery I'm much more likely to help if I can.

[JAARule]

Littlejet seems to be referring to people who advertise a trip for swap then don't respond to the replies. Maybe they're waiting for a better offer and don't mind keeping the other person hanging.
I agree that's a bit selfish.

[littlejet]

I agree with you if it is a random swap. But when you advertise that you are giving or wanting a flight that means you also want a change in scenery or you are in a bind.
You will get a automatic swap request email. Are you selling/buying or not?

[glofish]

Agree with littlejet.

Swapping can be a lifesaver and we should try to keep it alive, useful and fast.

The swap group was initially the more personal and polite way to swap, unfortunately it is more and more spammed up by the usual suspects advertising their same flights every second day ..... many have therefore quit that forum.

The swap medium on the portal would be a handy tool ,if ....

- the company would provide it with sensible and comprehensible rules, but no hope there.
- we would use it respectfully with quick replies, you might need this one day as well!

[jidder]

Had someone advertise, I sent the swap and a text to be polite. Never heard from them. A couple of months later the same person wanted a trip from me, unlucky for her I didn't swap but had the decency to reply.

What goes around comes around :E

J:suspect:

[GoreTex]

yardman,

we have the swap system so that we don't have to send SMSs or emails, just be polite accept or reject as the cabin crew does it.

I get emails all the time and then I check and its not even legal, just send a swap request, I don't need a reason to accept or reject.

[Curry Goat]

Agree with Yardman on this. I certainly don't model my behaviour on what the cabin crew deem to be polite or not. Check the legality, send the guy a txt asking for his kind consideration, and not send a ridiculous request (your PEK in winter for his MRU). Do it vary rarely, but works most of the time.

[yardman]

I understand both sides of the coin. Here's the way I see it using for example a PEK for MRU swap. If someone sends me a random swap request for my MRU in this case then obviously I'll reject it. However, if he contacts me and gives me some hard luck story that's reasonable, then I would be much more likely to consider helping out. The bottom line is if they can't be bothered then neither can I.

[Kammel]

I prefer a sms or email as well before I'll action a swap...unless you want to swap your Vienna for my midnight Bangalore :E

[CaptainChipotle]

Haha. It actually happened to me!

I advertised a night turn for a layover and another pilot sent me an sms a few days later. He had a highly sought after Europe layover he wanted to trade me for my night turn. I told him I'd accept it if he could put it through because I was out for dinner(the swap was legal)

I got home, checked the loads, they were open so the wife called her boss to get a few days off to go with. I sent the guy a text the next day and asked if he had a chance to send in the swap.

"Sorry mate, a better swap came through for me"

Total ******.

[alwayzinit]

There are those of us who also don't log onto the portal on days off ................................
An SMS is always a nice touch IMHO.

[Emma Royds]

I hardly ever go onto eSwap now as there is so much rubbish posted that only applies to a very small number of people. Destination A on offer for Destination B or C only etc. It only wastes my time trawling through the pages with such requests.

If you want to swap onto a specic destination then contact the guy or guys that are going there when you want to. Simple.