Forum Attendees Discuss Offline International Jumpseat Access

Thursday, August 6, 2009 - On the final day of the 2009 ALPA Jumpseat Forum, National Jumpseat Committee member Capt. Craig Stephens (DAL) moderated an informal group discussion about international jumpseating and the norms for pilots from other countries. Stephens noted that “an extra person—an extra set of eyes—is always an asset to us in the cockpit,” but added that establishing international, offline jumpseating has been a slow and arduous process. “We’re not there yet,” he noted.

Lufthansa Capt. Joachim “Jo” Puff said that, in Germany, pilots riding the jumpseat must be ticketed. He talked about some of the difficulties Lufthansa pilots have experienced flying to the U.S. on Lufthansa jumpseats.

Pilot Piet-Hein Eldering indicated that jumpseating on KLM cargo flights is prohibited. Miguel Marin described captain’s authority aboard Mexicana flights and pilot Paul Murdock of Air Jamaica mentioned that his airline offers jumpseat access to pilots from a number of U.S.-based airlines.

“There are numerous security measures for coming into and going out of the U.S. that require crew members to be vetted by the TSA,” said Bob Vogt, TSA principal security inspector. Vogt gave a presentation to the group on Tuesday about CrewPASS, but this morning fielded questions about the cockpit access security system (CASS) and international jumpseating from a screening and regulatory perspective.

Vogt said that TSA had drafted policy language authorizing international offline jumpseating, but that the timeline for implementation remains uncertain. He added, “CASS has worked extremely well. I haven’t seen a jumpseat issue in a very long time.”

Together with Vogt, the attendees discussed the sometimes-fine regulatory line between the FAA and TSA when resolving jumpseat issues, and the frustration felt by many airline pilots about delays in approving international offline jumpseating authority.

In his closing comments before the Jumpseat Forum adjourned, F/O Rich Odbert (FDX), National Jumpseat Committee chairman, iterated “the electronic overtake of the authority we have” that has occurred since 9/11, and the work that still needs to be accomplished. Odbert solicited a list of priorities for his committee from Forum attendees, which includes promotion of the “No Pilot Left Behind” initiative at all U.S.-based airlines; the setting of goals to be accomplished at future annual meetings; greater pressure from the Association for full CrewPASS implementation; the promotion of IFALPA goals regarding jumpseating and CASS access; and the circulation of Association communications about pilots going above and beyond the call of duty to appropriately and effectively demonstrate PIC authority.