My company managed to get me a seat on a 1Time flight from JHB to Cape Town the other night to urgently fetch an aircraft that had to be brought to JHB for maintenance.
On boarding the 1 Time flight, I noticed that another pilot, in uniform, was standing in the front galley talking to the hosties. The cabin crew were all crammed up in the front galley. They obviously had a lot to talk about.
The Captain & FO was in their seats.
Before take off, the Captain announced that the FO would be flying us to Cape Town, and that he (the FO) would give us info and wx updates as the flight progressed.
About 10 minutes after levelling off, the FO climbed out of his seat, and started chatting to the hosties in the front galley for about 20 minutes. He then used the toilet and after emerging from the loo remained in the galley chatting to the hosties.
The next minute the "silver haired" captain (N.S.) of the failed coup Boeing 727 strolled down the isle, stuck his head into the cockpit and started chatting to the captain. This continued for about 15 minutes, all whilst the FO was still standing in the front galley chatting to the hosties.
The FO then climbed back into his seat, and the jump seat was offered to the ex 727 Captain. The ex 727 captain was obviously very interested in how a MD 82 functioned, as he had his head right in there, and the 1 Time Captain obviously proceeded to brief him extensively on the doings of a MD
82 with hands being pointed to the ceiling panel & switches, switches being touched etc.
Needless to say, the pax received no update on anything during the flight, as the crew was so busy briefing the ex 727 captain who stayed in the jump seat for the landing, and remained there once the aircraft parked at the gate.
So what is the 1 Time policy?
Do they allow anyone to occupy the jump seat during the flight?
Do they make exceptions for other pilots, or do they allow any crew member to occupy the jump seat, or is it Captain discretion?
If the FO was suppose to fly us to FACT, why did he spend approximately 35 minutes in the galley chatting to the hosties?
At one stage it looked like a major gathering up front with rear end hosties coming and going, the chief hostie sticking her head in and out the cockpit, chatting to the captain and the captain briefing his jump seat pax, and all this with the FO out of his seat.
I must admit it did not look very professional to me, and I wondered what the reaction would have been if there was a sudden emergency?
Maybe the Captain (G.S.) can explain his filosophy of professional cockpit procedures. I can just add that our Chief Pilot would not have condoned such actions.
Whadya say?
