Jumpseats (temporarily?) cancelled

[Fokker28]

FAA has announced today that off-line jumpseats are temporarily disallowed.
Hopefully we pilots will rally in support of the safety-enhancing aspects of the jumpseat.

[kazumichik]

What I know:

Immediately after the attacks UPS and FedEx stopped all off-line jumpseats. I was able to jumpseat from Tokyo to Anchorage on a Northwest freighter on Thursday.

I talked to the Alaska Airlines folks at the terminal in Barrow. They said that they were waiting for the official paperwork to come down but they were still taking off-line jumpseats as of this evening.

Does anyone have any more info? The big questions are "For how long?" and "How can they take away something that the industry depends on?"

[Gladiator]

Alaska Airlines has not suspended jumpseats. However additional identification is required, i.e., medical along with DL and or passport.

[Fokker28]

Now my union has revealed that they jumped the gun on the announcement that I passed on (FAA bans jumpseats). Very sorry for propogating the misinformation. The union does say now, though, that changes to the jumpseat are in the pipeline and we should be prepared.

[TR4A]

September 17, 2001
1800 Central Time

At the present time SWA, DAL, AWA and Jet Blue all still have their off-line JS's open. Southwest Airlines has suspended jumpseat access for all non-FAR 121 carriers temporarily.

[TR4A]

JUMPSEAT STATUS UPDATE
(Latest as of 09/18/01 0100CDT)

**NOT** ACCEPTING OFFLINE JUMPSEATERS:

Air Canada
Air Net Express
Air Tran
Air Transport Intl (ATI)
Allegheny
Aloha
American Airlines
American Eagle
ASA
Comair (accepting DL, ASA, Comair)
Evergreen
Express Airlines I
FedEx
Frontier
Gemini
Hawaiian
Mesaba
Northwest
Piedmont
Polar
Spirit (but will carry unlimited offline pilots in the cabin!)
United
UPS

Accepting offline jumpseaters:

Air Wisconsin
Alaska
America West
American Trans Air
Atlantic Coast
Atlas
Big Sky
Continental
Delta
DHL
Express One Intl.
Horizon
JetBlue
Midwest Express
Peninsula Airways
Ryan International
Skywest
Southwest, FAR 121 only
Sun Country
TransStates
USAirways
Vanguard
World

[Intruder]

Lists here are NOT current any more, and should not be relied upon.

Contact your union or company representatives for the latest updates.

[BJBATMAN]

I only fly for a small regional but I while still except all jumpseaters on my airplane, anytime, no matter what your companies current policies are!

[TR4A]

September 18, 2001

*** 2100 Central Time

SWAPA just received word that per FAA directive, all offline cockpit jumpseat riders are no longer authorized by any air carrier. The only personnel authorized to occupy the cockpit jumpseat are FAA Inspectors, NTSB personnel on official business, and the air carrier's employees or subsidiary's employees.

Southwest Airlines has agreed to allow offline jumpseat riders to occupy the cabin on a space available basis. Once details of this policy are worked out, it will be distributed.

[TR4A]

If you are outraged at the loss of off-line jumpseats send a message to the FAA.

[email protected]

[Irondriver]

The directive only applies to the carriage of OAL jumpseaters on the jumpseat itself. Most carriers are interpreting this to mean that cabin seats are OK. Sould still be a problem if flights become full again.

[TikkiRo]

What's the situation with UK domestic carriers regarding jumpseats?? I've been priviliged to have had quite a few on BE, BMA, and even BA flights as a PAX (well, PPL student with 10 hours to go in reality), but is this going to be clamped down on for anyone other than those known to the flightdeck/crew etc?? As much as I adore sitting up front, I can appreciate the gravity of the situation, in that although I'm female and disabled, that doesn't count me out for being a problem up front if I was so inclined (which I'm most definitely not, and those who know me know that!).

Up until this, I'd actually wanted to fly jumpseat on as many different carriers as possible, - unfortunately looks unlikely now. Can someone just clarify any new situation regarding PAX during flight for this purpose.
Thanks
TR

[bagpuss lives]

All of our familiarisation jumpseat rides with a whole host of UK airlines have been cancelled UFN :(

[Hoverman]

What a barmy over-reaction, just like banning overflying London.
As far as I know, there has never been a ase of a hijack by anyone who asked for the jumpseat or a pax asking to visit the flight deck.
:rolleyes:

[Matt Vinyl]

TikkiRo - UK CAA have just issued amendment to ANO which prohibits any passenger from sitting in jumpseat or even visiting flight deck. Only exceptions are immediate family of crew or company personnel. Maybe you could contact them to arrange special dispensation.

Hoverman - you perhaps never heard about Fedex flight engineer who attacked crew with a hammer while taking jumpseat ride. Heard his plan was to fly into fedex HQ to pay them back for sacking him. Not sure about all the details. :confused:

[ 21 September 2001: Message edited by: Matt Vinyl ]

[Airbubba]

>>Hoverman - you perhaps never heard about Fedex flight engineer who attacked crew with a hammer while taking jumpseat ride. Heard his plan was to fly into fedex HQ to pay them back for sacking him. Not sure about all the details.<<

That was the infamous case of Auburn Calloway. Of course, Auburn claimed that he was a victim of "racial profiling" and that the crew actually attacked him in a racist assault. He also complained that he was not properly evacutated from the aircraft - he was tossed down the slide after trying to kill the crew rather than being carried down on a stretcher. He apparently intended to crash the DC-10 into the FedEx afternoon sort in MEM. He had the usual suicide note, recent insurance policy etc.

Here's one of many accounts of the incident that may be found online:

"The FAA document and news reports on the incident paint the following picture if this April 7, 1994 event. Auburn Calloway, an off duty Federal Express second officer, was riding in a courier seat outside the cockpit of a Federal Express DC-10. Calloway was the lone passenger on this Memphis to San Jose flight. Shortly after takeoff, Calloway entered the flight deck and attacked the crew with a pair of hammers. During the ensuing bloody struggle, the first officer and flight engineer were able to force Calloway out of the cockpit while the captain put the aircraft through a series of extreme dives and turns in an effort to knock Calloway off balance. For a short time, the aircraft was on autopilot as the crew attempted to get Calloway out of the cockpit. The captain was able to return the aircraft safely to Memphis while the other two crew members continued the struggle all the way to the ground. All of the occupants were injured, and only the captain escaped serious injury.

The attack was apparently planned. Calloway also had other weapons - a spear gun, a hunting knife, and two other hammers - on the aircraft. There was also a note that indicated that Calloway intended to commit suicide. Calloway's attack also occurred one day before a scheduled personnel hearing with his superiors, reportedly concerning allegations of false information on his job application. Calloway is currently a long term resident of a federal corrections facility. "

http://airsafe.com/journal/issue4.htm

[kazumichik]

Results of my phone calls to airlines in the past 24 hours:

UPS - no offline jumpseaters
Alaska - no offline jumpseaters (though was told by a crew that they were trying to make arrangements to allow them in the back)
Northwest - no offline jumpseaters on the freighters - no word on pax planes

Does anyone know of where we can get definitive answers on who is allowing what?

[TR4A]

JUMPSEAT UPDATE
September 24, 2001

The following are the only airlines that we are aware of that ARE allowing offline Jumpseat riders to occupy cabin only jumpseats.

AirNet Express
Air Tran
American Trans Air
America West
Atlas
Atlantic Coast
Atlantic Southeast
Big Sky
Corporate
Evergreen
Express Airlines I
Express One International
Horizion
JetBlue
Midwest Express
National
Piedmont
Peninsula
Ryan International
Sun Country
Skywest
Spirit
Southwest
Trans States
USAirways
Vanguard

[A and C]

Perhaps i should point out to the europeans that in the USA the jumpseat is used by all FAR121 crews to get around it is not uncommon to be based in say detroit and have your home in atlanta because you just show up at the gate with your airline ID and ride at no cost ,the system was good for all airline crew on almost all airlines.

So perhaps now you can see why this is a big issue to the americans ,and perhaps as we further intigrate and become the united states of europe we should look at such a system to enable european crews the freedom of movment that pilots in the USA have.

[kazumichik]

TR4A,

Where are you getting this info? Is it just what has been passed on to you? Thanks alot. It helps alot.

[TR4A]

kazumichik

This is from my union.

SWAPA - Southwest Airlines Pilot Association

[kazumichik]

Sounds like Alaska will soon be allowing "jumpseaters" to ride in the back on a stand-by basis. Was told by some gate agents that they were waiting on the official word on paper. That's where we prefer to sit anyway, right? And, anyway, sadly, it appears that there are going to be alot of empty seats back there for awhile.

TR4A - can anyone get this info from SWAPA's site? Any other source you can think of?

Anyone heard about United, Northwest (pax AND freighter), UPS or FedEx?

[Taildragger67]

As CLF, I've been privileged to be in the jump-seat on many BA (main and Chippy Fryer) sectors over the past few years. I would like to thank any BA, IB, AF, LG, SQ, VS, SA or QF pilot who has allowed an Aussie up for t/o and/or landing - I've found you all very friendly, hospitable and above all, professional. I was politely told on Friday last that it's a non-starter now. Flying regularly for business is not fun and this really relieved the tedium for me; guess I'll just get stuck into a book now.
What surprises me is that the chaps on 11 Sep killed cabin crew to get the techies to open the door - having a punter in the jump seat would have made little (if any) difference to the outcome; might have even been a positive, having an extra pair of hands to combat the intruders.
Anyway... thanks guys (and a couple of girls), I enjoyed the trips and will miss my rides up-front.