Jumpseat

In the United States, jumpseat authorization and admission to the flight deck is governed by federal aviation regulations (FARs), TSA security directives, and company policies. The captain is, and shall always be, the final authority over matters relating to admission to the flight deck.

FAR 91.3 (a) states, "The pilot-in-command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft."

FAR 121.535 (d) states, "Each pilot-in-command of an aircraft is, during flight time, in command of the aircraft and crew and is responsible for the safety of the passengers, crewmembers, cargo, and airplane."

FAR 121.547 and 121.583 specify who may be admitted to the flight deck and set forth requirements for occupying a flight deck jumpseat.

The pilot-in-command (PIC) of the aircraft also serves as the in-flight security coordinator, per TSA regulations. As a critical link in the security chain, captains have the responsibility to verify each jumpseater's identity and authority to occupy a flight deck jumpseat. When a jumpseat request is made, whether for a seat in the cabin or in the flight deck of U.S. carriers, the PIC is responsible for performing the following procedures:

1. Verifying company ID by means of face/name match

2. Verifying FAA pilot's license and medical certificates

3. Verifying Cockpit Access Security System (CASS) approval—if questions arise regarding an individual's CASS approval, it is recommended that the gate agent recheck CASS while the PIC observes. CASS serves only to meet the employment and identity verification requirement necessary to occupy a flight deck jumpseat.

4. Briefing the jumpseater on any relevant items. If a jumpseat rider is to remain on the flight deck, the captain should ensure that he or she is properly briefed on safety, security, communication, and evacuation procedures. Security procedures, as they are very fluid, should always be briefed verbally. Other procedures may be done verbally or by means of a printed, aircraft-specific briefing card in accordance with applicable government regulations and company procedures.

Canadian pilots may use their RAIC and pilot's license for verification.

A jumpseater who will be occupying a cabin seat does not need to be CASS approved. If the CASS request is denied—and there may be many reasons—that denial should be used as a way to ask a few relevant questions to determine the individual's actual status. A few simple questions about the airline or union affiliation that only someone on the inside of a company would know work well for this purpose. We must be proactive to keep unauthorized, and potentially dangerous, individuals off the flight deck.

A fraudulent jumpseat rider is an individual who attempts to gain access to the aircraft by intentional deception, such as through use of counterfeit IDs, inadequate or nonexistent medical certificates, or after dismissal by an employer; these acts constitute fraudulent representation. Off-line jumpseat rider abuse includes, but is not limited to, individuals who occupy a jumpseat at their company's request (or on a ticket) and for reasons other than commuting to or from work or on personal travel. In addition to denying access to the jumpseat, you should immediately report suspected or known instances of jumpseat fraud to your MEC Jumpseat chair, as appropriate. You should report jumpseat abuse to the MEC Jumpseat chair as soon as practical.

While exercising the privileges of FAR 121.547 as a jumpseater, whether you are seated in the flight deck or in the cabin, you are considered an additional crewmember and should conduct yourself accordingly.

Keep your eyes and ears open if you are sitting on the flight deck; an additional crewmember can be a valuable safety asset. Wear a headset and observe sterile cockpit rules but speak up when necessary. Jumpseaters may also serve as a security asset by helping with flight deck door openings and, in an extreme case, protecting the flight crew from an assault on the flight deck.

Don't forget to turn off your phone as soon as you enter the cockpit. Remember, 10,000 feet and below is a sterile cockpit environment (in some cases, above 10,000 feet also). Reading, talking, and other nonpertinent activities are prohibited when jumpseating.

Your best behavior ensures maintaining jumpseat agreements in the future.

In 2012, TSA lifted the restriction on off-line pilots occupying the jumpseat on international flights. As of June 2021, we have been working to address a number of logistical hurdles and anticipate that international jumpseating will again be a reality in the future. Until then, an off-line pilot may only occupy a seat in the passenger cabin when traveling internationally. Some airlines may offer you a first- or business-class seat. Keep in mind that most airlines that allow jumpseating in the cabin internationally require check-in 75 to 90 minutes prior to departure to satisfy TSA requirements. Individual airline requirements are listed in each airline's procedures, which are available on the ALPA mobile app's Jumpseat tab.

Current U.S. rules prohibit any foreign-certificated pilot access to the flight deck. Again, this does not prohibit a foreign-certificated pilot from sitting in the cabin. ALPA is aggressively offering assistance to international airlines to establish a jumpseat system. Canadian carriers reciprocate jumpseat travel by offering available cabin seats. At this time, no system like CASS exists in Canada for Canadian or U.S. pilots. ASO Aviation Jumpseat is currently working to develop a program that would mirror CASS in the United States. Although there is no timeline on when this will occur, the goal of CASS in Canada is being continuously pursued.

Certain individuals, such as government or company officials in the performance of their duties, may require higher priority to the flight deck in accordance with government regulations (i.e., FARs 121.547 and 121.583) or company policy. Seniority, first-come/first-served, or a reservation system may be used for company and off-line pilots. Extending preferential boarding to specific carriers will be addressed by the Jumpseat chair/coordinator, the MEC, and the company, as appropriate.

Within boarding priority, most airlines accommodate off-line jumpseat riders on a first-come/first-served basis. Some airlines give priority to pilots of code-share partners ahead of other off-line pilots. Keep in mind that reciprocal jumpseat agreements are in place primarily to assist pilots commuting to work. This should be considered when determining priority for flight deck access. Any problems that arise should be quickly referred to the captain to resolve. Also, carriers may have different policies regarding priority for access to the flight deck than they do for cabin seating.

The FAA has reinstated a jumpseat program—called the Flight Deck Training program—for air traffic controllers which allows them to ride in the flight deck. ATC personnel are not FAA inspectors. They must be verified for flight deck eligibility through CASS, and they do not share the same priority as FAA inspectors. An air traffic controller does not have priority over any pilot for the flight deck jumpseat.

The Cockpit Access Security System (CASS) satisfies the electronic employment and identity verification requirement to allow pilots of a participating airline to ride in the cockpit jumpseat of another CASS airline (domestic U.S. only). Just because a carrier is in CASS, it may not necessarily be authorized for a reciprocal jumpseat agreement with your airline. If you would like ALPA to look into adding a specific carrier that you would like to use, please contact your airline's Jumpseat Committee or submit at DART with comments and inquiries.

The TSA no longer requires passports when using CASS, but individual airline policy may require them.