Cockpit Jumpseat- Boarding Pass?
 

On a recent flight on a MD80 I boarded with my wife and took a glance into the cockpit upon entering the plane. I could have sworn I saw the 3rd person in the cockpit was holding onto a boarding pass that had the seat assignment as something like "1G". Does anyone know if they provide a boarding pass to those that get the cockpit jumpseat, or was it perhaps for another flight?

This was undoubtedly a pilot, albeit perhaps not in uniform, or other cockpit-qualified personnel (think "FAA"). I have seen an occasional jump seat rider who wanted to spend some time with colleagues, or even have given up an assigned seat to the airline could carry one more paid passenger.

Yes, jump-seaters can be issued boarding passes. I have seen off-duty FAs boarding to sit in jump seats with boarding passes showing a seat number of "6X" or something like that.

I suspect it is just for security purposes....the airline and TSA need to be sure that every person on the aircraft is identified on the manifest, either as a working crewmember or as a passenger with a seat number.

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It varies amongst airlines and situations (IE company employee vs Gov't employee), but it's not uncommon for jumpseaters to be issued a boarding pass. Even if a boarding pass is not issused, these folks still would be included on the manifest.

Safe Travels

My hearty thanks went out to the GA who went aboard and directed a FedEx pilot to the jump seat so I could - as a standby - have 2A.

Every person on the plane must be on the flight manifest (as per FARs).

All airlines have gate control automation (which issues boarding passes), and which, upon closing the flight, automatically generates the manifest based on all the people (boarding passes) that have been indicated to be "ON" the flight (e.g. through scanning the boarding pass or through manual input).

Hence one of the easiest way to easily ensure that the jumpseaters are on the manifest is to issue them boarding passes with a seat assignment corresponding to a jumpseat.

All jumpseaters are issued boarding passes.

The cockpit jumpseats (available to pilots of any airline) are numbered 1W and 2W. Cabin jumpseats (issued only to AA and AE employees with flight attendants qualifications) are numbered 4X and higher depending on equipment type and minimum staffing levels.

Yep, I've seen the same. And it definitely does have to be a pilot to be in the cockpit, I know it is a regulation but I saw it in actuality today, some poor guy from DL tried to get on one of my flights, but it was completely full (not very full, actually completely full), and he wasn't a pilot so he couldn't stay in there and got offloaded as there was no other space available.

That is how the system should work and is nice to hear that a GA took the time to look out for a customer.

DL uses "1P".

FAA inspectors are permitted to ride jumpseat. Although they have pilot experience, they are acting in the role of inspector and are therefore permitted to ride jumpseat. Federal law enforcement officials, including secret service are also permitted in the cockpit jumpseat. Obviously FAMs generally do not sit in the cockpit. Air Traffic Controllers used to be allowed but not since 9/11.

And, of course, dispatchers can ride in the cockpit.

They have since opened up the jumpseat to air traffic controllers. CEO's are allowed on their airlines' jumpseat as well.

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Do the CEOs have to be licensed pilots? I'm sure they all are (at least single-engine hobbyists), but I wonder if it is a regulation.

Do controllers have to be licensed pilots?

CEOs upfront? I was told by someone that Robert Crandall days and prior that if you were on AA's board of directors you and your entire family received "positive space" in First Class for life. True?