Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - kids in the cockpit?

I'm sitting here in F waiting to depart on AS 136 and while boarding, several kids have been going in the cockpit to look around,talk to the pilot and even speak over the intercom... Now I remember when I was that age I did that kind of thing all the time, but I figured this day in age, this would be strictly prohibited. Thoughts?

In flight, yes. On the ground YMMV.

Not AS-specific, but as an adult (as a college student, I still have trouble accepting that fact) I've been to the cockpit several times. Even had my photo taken in the left seat of a UA 744.

Some pilots welcome and encourage this. However, the cockpit may be more receptive post-arrival than pre-departure, depending on how busy they may be with pre-departure duties.

I have NEVER, not once, had a pilot refuse to allow a child to come into the cockpit while at the gate. Either before or after the flight. What happens up there varies from pilot to pilot. Some say hi, let them look and they're in and out in 30 seconds. Others spend more time. Yesterday I had a pilot spend a good 5-10 minutes with 3 brothers/sisters who had never flown before and were flying alone. They ranged in age from about 6-10 or so. Very sweet kids. He let them welcome the customers over the PA, sit in the left and right seat, showed them a lot of the buttons. They LOVED it. It was probably something they'll remember for a long time. The Captain patiently waited in the jetway while this took place. Nothing prohibits it while on the ground and it's good PR.

My son, aspiring pilot, routinely gets into the cockpit before and after the flight and chats up the crew. They've never been less than welcoming and generous, not just on AS but all carriers.

Pilots are very social creatures. They love showing off their toys to anyone, including kids.

^ to the pilots.

Some pilots welcome and encourage this. However, the cockpit may be more receptive post-arrival than pre-departure, depending on how busy they may be with pre-departure duties.

The pilots over on the UA Pilot Q&A thread suggest that pre-departure is better (especially midway through the boarding process or later), since the pilots have typically finished most of their pre-departure checks and are just sitting around waiting for the self-loading freight to finish boarding. After arrival, the pilots are anxious to get everyone off the plane as quickly as possible and get their stuff packed up because they're not being paid at that point and are just waiting for the SLF to offload so they can go home (or to the hotel).

All of the pilots on that thread univerally say they are always happy to visit with folks of any age, though.

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As a 20somethings I stick my head in on occasion to say 'hi' ;) Always a friendly bunch :cool:

Agree pre-flight seems to work best ;)

but I figured this day in age, this would be strictly prohibited. Thoughts? Don't give the totalitarians at TSA any ideas. :mad:

I saw a young boy and his grandfather walk up the aisle pre-departure and spend a couple of minutes in the cockpit two weeks ago.

There is one pilot who comes out and introduces himself individually to everyone in F before departure. He doesn't have the loudest voice - so you have to listen carefully to hear what he is saying.

I have NEVER, not once, had a pilot refuse to allow a child to come into the cockpit while at the gate.

I've never, ever, seen a child go in the cockpit, and I usually sit in 1D - I'm happy to hear that though. I used to do it all the time (in the air) when I was a kid - so I'm really glad to hear that. I'm guessing it's that Canadian children are a lot more shy and withdrawn than their U.S. counterparts and that's why I never see it!!

BTW, when you say "child" does that include grown men? I wouldn't mind taking another look but I don't want to end up on a no fly list :D

I've never, ever, seen a child go in the cockpit, and I usually sit in 1D - I'm happy to hear that though. I used to do it all the time (in the air) when I was a kid - so I'm really glad to hear that. I'm guessing it's that Canadian children are a lot more shy and withdrawn than their U.S. counterparts and that's why I never see it!!

BTW, when you say "child" does that include grown men? I wouldn't mind taking another look but I don't want to end up on a no fly list :D

Outwardly I appear to be a 20-something man, but inside I'm just a child. So I think that counts.

Outwardly I appear to be a 20-something man, but inside I'm just a child. So I think that counts.
I still call myself a 20-something kid. You're not grown up until you're 40, I think.

(It'd better not happen at 30, though--I'm approaching that number faster than I like!)

Last month, I finally got to see the cockpit of a 777. Always wanted to see it (the first big jet with a glass panel cockpit), and so I asked the FA if I could pop my head in on a recent HNL-SFO flight. She said, "Of course!" The captain was incredibly friendly--welcomed me up, told me to sit down, and chatted me up for a couple minutes. (I also asked about Channel 9--yes, guess which airline that was :p--and he said "Of course it'll be on!") Biggest flight deck I'd seen--bigger than the 747's, I think, since that's narrower and on the smaller upper deck of the aircraft.

Several people over on the Channel 9 thread on the UA forum mention always saying hi to the pilots and asking if Channel 9 will be on, so visits to the cockpit are certainly not prohibited for people of any age.

Biggest flight deck I'd seen--bigger than the 747's, I think, since that's narrower and on the smaller upper deck of the aircraft.


The biggest flight deck I've seen the MD-11. You could stick a hot tub in the back and still have plenty of room left over. The A330 has a large flight deck as well.

I try to always pop my head in and say a quick thanks to the pilots after every flight if the door is open. They seem to appreciate it.

I still call myself a 20-something kid. You're not grown up until you're 40, I think.

(It'd better not happen at 30, though--I'm approaching that number faster than I like!)

Last month, I finally got to see the cockpit of a 777. Always wanted to see it (the first big jet with a glass panel cockpit), and so I asked the FA if I could pop my head in on a recent HNL-SFO flight. She said, "Of course!" The captain was incredibly friendly--welcomed me up, told me to sit down, and chatted me up for a couple minutes. (I also asked about Channel 9--yes, guess which airline that was :p--and he said "Of course it'll be on!") Biggest flight deck I'd seen--bigger than the 747's, I think, since that's narrower and on the smaller upper deck of the aircraft.


Did this UA 777 have the crew rest above the forward cabin? Sometimes they'll let you wonder up there and take a peak at the real nicest seats on the plane. The 767 also has a relatively large flight deck, but, I'm a sucker for the 747 flight deck mostly for how high off the ground it is. If you find yourself in a 47 flight deck look at the ceiling near the rear of the cockpit and you'll see a hatch used to evacuate in an emergency, also ask the pilots if they ever had a chance to try it.

As a GA pilot and aviation enthusiast I always enjoying exchanging a few words with the guys up front. Big highlight was about a year ago on a DL 752 when the captain let me start the apu, it's just flipping a switch, but memorable.

Did this UA 777 have the crew rest above the forward cabin? Sometimes they'll let you wonder up there and take a peak at the real nicest seats on the plane.

It was a UA domestic config 772. Not sure what the crew rest config (if any, given its usual shorthaul routes) on that plane is.