Gate Agents & FA Jumpseaters from O/A

[YVINTERN]

We need to get something similar to CASS for FA's. How do we know that FA hasn't been fired or quit and kept their badge. We could end up with this pax onboard.

Compass firebug

They hire 19 year olds to be Flight Attendants? I thought you had to be 21+ Since you are serving Alcohol to customers? Wow. I've worked in Inflight at Mesa and Crew Scheduling and the youngest FA I knew was 21 Years old and 3 Days

 

[N965VJ]

Compass hires at the age of 18. Historically, US was always 21, but PI was 19. That’s how I ended up with a few people younger than me that were senior to me. GRRRRR. j/k

Anyway, I’m not sure what a CASS system for FAs would’ve done in this circumstance.

 

[YVINTERN]

Not a thing to be honest...Although this 19 year old sounded like he worked for some company 30+ years that's gone through BKs, Base closures, junior assigned 22222 times...

but noo...

He was pissed working an extra trip and he sets the wastebasket on fire...what a fricking moron...he needs to grow the F*** UP!

 

[FlyOnWall]

Compass hires at the age of 18. Historically, US was always 21, but PI was 19. That’s how I ended up with a few people younger than me that were senior to me. GRRRRR. j/k

Anyway, I’m not sure what a CASS system for FAs would’ve done in this circumstance.

Actually in later years US hired at 20. I have a friend who was 20 when hired in 99. In 2001 they lowered it to 19 because UA was 19. That was only briefly then they laid them all off and haven't hired a flight attendant since. Not sure about west but most airlines are 18 or 19 since the job has become less desirable and less sustainable.

 

[TheNewUSAirways]

They hire 19 year olds to be Flight Attendants? I thought you had to be 21+ Since you are serving Alcohol to customers? Wow. I've worked in Inflight at Mesa and Crew Scheduling and the youngest FA I knew was 21 Years old and 3 Days

In most states, you only have to be 18 or 19 to serve alcohol.

 

[usabusdriver]

Just to clear a few things up. Yes, the gate agent CAN clear this up. But the option for clearing these SSSS's is only reserved for our OWN airline employees, and for special circumstances such as when we have rebooked a misconnecting passenger only to have the SSSS's appear knowing they already went through their screening at the airport of origin.

That is not entirely correct. OAL pilots jumpseating are exempt if they are approved in CASS. Most airlines have been given authority for this exemption. Ask a supervisor.

 

[Toothy Grin]

With the exception of the discussion about the minimum serving age of f/a's is for this airline and other airlines this thread has remained on topic. Is there a way to delete page four?

PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC!

Anyway, I've spoken with several gate agents and sups and most say they remove the "Quad S" and cite the initiation of this process from the TSA. So it appears fm and 700 are correct in saying that it is possible to receive a personal fine and perhaps termination. Most gate agents said they speak with a supervisor before removing any "Qaud S", however.

Everyone else is also correct in smaller ways in citing the pure insanity of this redundant proceedure. I'm new and in a hurry, but someone posed implementing a system similar to CASS. Is this (CASS) a shared expense by the pilot unions?

Lastly, I think in my own case I will list roundtrip flights instead of one-way trips to and from LAX. I'm not a PIT commuter, but with all of the people moving through those gates I couldn't imagine having to put up with one more thing like this. No, this is not whining as someone state earlier in the thread...it is an issue that needs to be addressed in order to streamline airport services as a whole. Sending work groups through TSA lines twice is costly, unproductive and hugely inconvenient to passengers.

Thank you for your replies...I'll have more on this in a couple of weeks.

 

[hp-csr-phx]

I was going to post where to find this in the Customer Service Manual, but it mentions that this info is of SSI. Only to be discussed by those in a need to know. To bad we can't have an employee site to discuss these type of questions.

 

[Atlantic]

Pilots and/or the union pay nothing into the system. However, the union, then ALPA, spent alot of time, therefore money, to get CASS up and running. It would be hard for the F/A's could get something like CASS since they do not hold a Federal license. That license, plus current passport, and a lot of company paperwork and it still took a couple of years. TSA, H/S were against it from the start. What CASS does is that it allows Part.FAA 121 pilots from off line to sit in the cockpit jump seat if no seats are open in back. CASS has no relationship to non-rev travel or security checkpoints.

 

[hpflygirl]

I worked a LAS-LAX flight the other night and we had a WN f/a come up asking to use the reciprocal jumpseat agreement. She was not listed. Gate agent listed her and her boarding pass comes out with the SSSS on it. F/A knows she has to go back thru security. When you back thru the TSA agent has a hole punch he uses on your boarding pass. This is how they know you went back to security. I asked the gate agent about it and she said it was something new and they were told they had to follow this procedure. Seems stupid to me because the WN f/a had been working all day and came directly from the C gates to our gate. The gate agent was very apologetic but the WN f/a says it happens when she doesn't list ahead of time. I jumpseat on WN a lot and have never had this come up, but I usually list RT instead of OW even if I'm not coming back on that return flight.

 

[Atlantic]

In case it never occurred to you, some of us spend as much time (if not more) than flight crew (particularly reserves) on planes and at airports. It's not jealously, it's stupidity to exempt the crews.

Learn to deal with what the rest of us have had to deal with--watching the crying on here is _hilarious_​

​

It begs the question. "Why would we?"

 

[EastUS]

In case it never occurred to you, some of us spend as much time (if not more) than flight crew (particularly reserves) on planes and at airports. It's not jealously, it's stupidity to exempt the crews. Learn to deal with what the rest of us have had to deal with--watching the crying on here is _hilarious_

Gosh!..That's brilliant! By that same "logic"..I suppose that all crews should have to go through the exact same security lines as the public...regardless of how long it takes..or whether or not that delays your flight for any ridiculously protracted time period. I mean really, the people flying the aircraft are only armed with at least a crash axe by law, and are clearly a "threat" to security, as demonstrated by all the times flight crews have hijacked or sabotaged their own planes!!!???? They certainly should NOT/NEVER/NO-HOW be "exempt" from any security issues directed at the general public.....While we're at it, and in the spirit of ensuring mutual, and universal human distress, so as to suit your apparent purposes; let's also consider just having the crews pay for tickets for each leg they fly. OK...perhaps having to pay for tickets is a bit much just to have the pleasure of working a flight. Let's at least make all the flight crews go back through security for each and every leg flown, and especially, for any/all deadheading, or just commuting home legs. It's ridiculous to have to "clear" anyone once they've previously cleared, and remain the "secured" enviornment in any case. Sheesh!...Talk about "stupidity" and "hilarious"