A380 cockpit visit
 

Hi,
Im a new member to this forumn, been a long time reader though.
I have a question about cockpit visits on EK. I will be flying to DXB from JFK on the EK 204, the A380 next month :):). I would really love to have a peek into the cockpit and and shake hands with the great men who fly these beauties. What would you suggest is a good way to secure a chance to step foot in the cockpit? Given that this is a flight from the US, are there different policies that govern such visits? Thanks for any response in advance.

Cheers.

beauties??? Are you blind?

A380 Cockpit Visit
 

The best way to try and hand have a look inside is just to ask..... Pretty simple.

If you just say that you would like to have a look in the flight deck on arrival and if they would mind if you did. We used to get plenty of people asking to come and visit during the flight but due to security etc it was never allowed, so we used to say that they could come up at the end of the flight for a look. But it also depends on the crew, some can be really stroppy and say no, or sometimes they can be sound and show you through everything. I was of the latter by the way.

Ask if you can visit the flight deck after landing while boarding the airplane. Remind the same flight attendant during cruise and suggest you will wait for all other passengers to disembark first. If you don't ask, you may not get the opportunity. If the flight attendent says no, show her the receipt for your ticket and tell her you will find other ways to get to DXB in the future. :}:cool:

ten letters... really?

Sorry buddy. I'd love to show it but I always say no. Those days have gone. Some nicer guy might let you peek in after landing. Here is one from a google search.....New EK uniform manager? L1120660.JPG | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Payscale, if you'd love to show it why do you always say no? If you are having a bad hair day and don't want to end up on the internet you can always say no to photographs but otherwise I don't understand your reasoning.

A380 cockpit visit
 

I could never really see the point in declining! Normally flight deck crew have to wait for Cabin crew to finish before they left. So you were sat there for 15 minutes doing nothing anyway. You might as well be showing people than sitting doing jack.

Anyway, people get the bug when you show them, so the more you show, the better chance you have at early retirement :D

jobinvk, I do dispare ! Since the time that aircraft were hijacked, blown up, flown into buildings etc,very tight secirity procedures were evolved. Most airlines have a very strict Flight Deck Access policy. Certainly, passenger visits to the Flight Deck at ANY stage would be strictly forbidden. Nice Captains, cosy chats with cabin crew...........good grief ! I too, used (retired)to say " no " everytime because I could do without the visit to the Fleet Office or final warning letter !

Flightdeck Visit
 

OMAAbound: Who do you work for?

I agree with OMAAbound, what's wrong with showing someone aslong as everything is completed. I've done the odd one every now and again, mostly kids that are excited, why say no? Common sense is required!

Landflap, I think you misunderstood. He wants to visit on ground. Which has been up to the skipper's discretion at every airline I have worked for... certainly at EK, they don't seem to have a problem with it. Good PR, I guess....

But what would I know, I only take people up there for visits (on ground) almost every day!!

Edit: For those who don't translate, 'every day' was meant as a smart-arse comment. It's not that often. Adjusted for the 'fun police'... ;)

If have been here long enough to know not to invite trouble in. There is no policy that allows you to show the flight deck on the ground, so why take the risk. Some guest does something silly and you can kiss your job bye bye.
Is it worth the risk...?

BigG - I wish I could say it was a bad hair day. Fact is I am bald as an egg :8

Wings...do tell me how and where you feel that EK encourages cockpit visits on the ground??

Wings, would you be so kind as to tell the Head of Security at EK what you have just told all of us on Pprune. Well, on second thoughts, best not !

Thanks for the input everyone. Had no intention to start a visit vs no visit thread. However, from a pax bitten by the bug at 5, I really would appreciate if all the pilots said yes :). Its understandable if some pilots were to decline, cos there could be many reasons that a regular pax may not know about.

I have only seen the sophisticated A380 cockpits on Airliners.net, drooling of the day I could see it in person and take a few snaps.

I will heed the advice of many here to sweet talk the purser/ CC to let me have a go at it.

Eye off the ball- Remember the saying "Never judge a book by its cover"

Givemewings and OMAAbound - thanks for the advices.

I would also like to take this opportunity to salute all the pilots, whatever their ride might be :), cos you guys are doing something that many of us dreamed and couldn't achieve.

jobinvk, just ask, there is no hurt in doing so. I can tell you though is the answer will definitely be no before the flight. Our little beast is a nightmare to get set up and we simply won't have the time. However, by all means ask the purser or a cabin crew member to have a chat with the guys up front and see if they would care. I can tell you that probably 98 percent of guys will be more than welcoming! The other 2 percent have their reasons and those must be respected as well. I do find it a real shame that our industry has guys running so scared that they won't even allow somebody to take a quick look after a flight, but that is where things have gone. EK certainly don't help here, although I can tell you there is nothing in our books that prevent us from allowing folks to take a look (there is also nothing that says we can, hence some of the comments on this board) The one thing you must know though is there is a lot of training going on the JFK sectors, probably not the 204, but you never know. If this is the case, they will be busy debriefing and decline. However, by all means ASK! And ask on the way back as well. Most guys including myself would be happy to show her off (although I do agree with "eye off the ball", she certainly will not win any beauty contests!) Have a great flight!

I said they "seem to", not that they officially do... but

1) I have never been told it is a no-no
2) CC are told it is allowed, according to the captain's discretion and after the flight
3) I asked the question in security training and they said provided it is not during the flight and the captain gives permission, it is fine
4) there is nothing in the manual specifically banning on-ground cockpit visits.
5) It is often suggested by flight deck crew and pursers for anyone who seems 'keen'on the aircraft, I would assume if it was a definite no-no then they would not offer...?

Nothing I said is any huge secret, my comment was "ask and ye may receive"... no need to get one's knickers in a twist! :8 Plenty more been said on here that is probably best left off public fora but no-one seems to mind about that....

Give me wings.... If you ask the purser or a security trainer (they are also pursers) I am sure they will say it OK. Its really only the Captain that can say yes or no. After all he is the Boss, contrary to some peoples believe.

You are correct the OMA does talk about pax in the flight deck during ground ops. Nor does it talk about CC sitting in the engines and taking pics. We all know how that went..

747 - Nice post, except the part where you suggest am scared. No Sir. I just dont like pax on the flight deck before, after or during a flight.

I you wrote EVP and asked him, what do you think he would answer. Ideally that it is up to you, but realistically he would probably say No.

Do as you please and enjoy the flight.

I am gonna ask right after the first service. Hopefully will get one who's in the 98%.

I know the 380 looks bulky and beluga like on the outside, but the sight of it lifting its own weight upto level 430 is what makes it a real beauty, let alone the almost dead silence :D

Funny how that quote seems to directly conflict with paragraph "a" in that same section.....

Kap

Best thing to do is ask Cabin crew and they will ask the pilots.