Commuting - standby travel
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Join Date: Oct 1998
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Commuting - standby travel
Will be starting a commuting job soon - from mainland Europe to London. Just looking for some good advice or practical tips from those who do it regularly.
Is travelling with a suitcase a big problem (last minute loading etc)?
How is priority determined? Obviously those working for the specific airline go first, but what about the rest? First come first serve? Date of joining?
When do you decide to get a confirmed ticket?
Any answers are welcome as well as any other tips or observations.
Many many thanks.
Is travelling with a suitcase a big problem (last minute loading etc)?
How is priority determined? Obviously those working for the specific airline go first, but what about the rest? First come first serve? Date of joining?
When do you decide to get a confirmed ticket?
Any answers are welcome as well as any other tips or observations.
Many many thanks.
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: London
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Lots of staff commute from/to London to/from mainland Europe. It's usually no problem putting bags on last-minute at the gate. That's usually how it's done if you don't get a seat at staff check-in, unless you have sharps. We also often have crew running to the gate directly from their inbound operating flights and there is really no problem.
It also depends where you will be commuting from. Some places have a large number of commuting staff, such as BCN, so that it can be difficult at peak times to get on unless your seniority/DOJ is really good.
Priorities are usually worked as follows: First, airline staff of the airline in question with onload priority based strictly on (a) ticket category and then (b) date of joining. Cabin and flight crew (with ID) may be the only ones to request a jump seat. Second, are affiliated staff categories of their airlines, e.g. parents of staff of airline, etc. Thirdly, staff of alliance partner airlines on alliance tickets, e.g. oneworld ticket category. Lastly, it's all other staff, by date of joining. The check-in system arranges all staff strictly on that basis. The only discretion is where only a jump seat is available, in which case crew of the airline get priority over other staff who may have a higher category/earlier DOJ and would otherwise have got on first, based officially on date of joining, unless the operating captain has determined otherwise and designated a particular staff (flight/ cabin crew!) member...
Cannot really answer your question regarding the firm ticket. That cannot be pre-determined, really. It really depends where you will be commuting from and to which London airport (i.e. this determines the frequency).
I am not sure how last-minute baggage loading and staff bags will be affected by new rules to be introduced by the BAA shortly re strict limits on the size of bags to go airside. This can only be answered in time.
By the way, I am not commuting myself and can only offer advice based on helping crew get back home, so if any crew on this site can add to my comments and/or correct points, I would love to know!
It also depends where you will be commuting from. Some places have a large number of commuting staff, such as BCN, so that it can be difficult at peak times to get on unless your seniority/DOJ is really good.
Priorities are usually worked as follows: First, airline staff of the airline in question with onload priority based strictly on (a) ticket category and then (b) date of joining. Cabin and flight crew (with ID) may be the only ones to request a jump seat. Second, are affiliated staff categories of their airlines, e.g. parents of staff of airline, etc. Thirdly, staff of alliance partner airlines on alliance tickets, e.g. oneworld ticket category. Lastly, it's all other staff, by date of joining. The check-in system arranges all staff strictly on that basis. The only discretion is where only a jump seat is available, in which case crew of the airline get priority over other staff who may have a higher category/earlier DOJ and would otherwise have got on first, based officially on date of joining, unless the operating captain has determined otherwise and designated a particular staff (flight/ cabin crew!) member...
Cannot really answer your question regarding the firm ticket. That cannot be pre-determined, really. It really depends where you will be commuting from and to which London airport (i.e. this determines the frequency).
I am not sure how last-minute baggage loading and staff bags will be affected by new rules to be introduced by the BAA shortly re strict limits on the size of bags to go airside. This can only be answered in time.
By the way, I am not commuting myself and can only offer advice based on helping crew get back home, so if any crew on this site can add to my comments and/or correct points, I would love to know!
