Stiggles, I am sure it is, but common sense is not another phrase for disregarding and violating the conditions that you have contracted to or are legally bound by, simply because it suits you to do so. I have no idea what the rules are in South Africa, and it may be that your jumpseat ride wasn't in violation of anything. On the other hand if that were not the case the comment "who's going to know" can be answered simply as the Captain, his First Officer, The cabin crew, anybody who saw you entering and remaining, you, and of course everybody now reading this thread.
That is the problem here you see. What nobody knows may well be irrelevant, but the fact is other people do know, and in the subject case it was unlawful and placed other people under an individuals command, as being complicit in that offence. If you believe that is common sense, then I am not sure you understand the concept as you seem to be applying it in this arena. I appreciate you benefited from a treat and have therefore signed up to this forum to lend your applause, but it isn't really relevant to the debate.
Some of the support for this action seems to come from people who can lend little credible argument other than chanting a few old mantras and cliches they have read on the internet. The complaint is often levelled that this forum should only be available to professional pilots and other aviation related occupations. Obviously that isn't the case, but it doesn't mean we should simply capitulate the debate to the level of the ill informed, adolescents or those with the intelligence quotient of a budgerigar.
There again, maybe it does ?
Dunbar, thanks for the comment. I own teenagers, so I am well practiced!
