tacommuter

Is there ever an occasion when it is considered an acceptable or normal practice to have a passenger seated in a flight attendant jump seat for the majority of a flight?

On a recent vacation trip with the whole (large) family, I had for the MUC-BCN connecting flight on LH intentionally chosen the exit row seat, not only for its comfort, but also so as to have easy access to the aisle to be able to check frequently on the others in our group.

However, shortly after take-off a very large older Germanic man plopped down in the flight attendant's jump seat in our row which when down completely blocks access to the aisle (and in fact would completely block access to the exit for everyone else in case of emergency). I was just about to point out to the passenger (who from his demeanor certainly appeared to be a regular tourist passenger on holiday, not an off-duty pilot, FA, etc.) that he could not use that seat when my wife informed me (I had not been paying attention) that it was actually a flight attendant who had moved the man there. He remained in that spot until we began the descent into Barcelona, and the flight attendants even served him his sandwich and drink there - even though there was no table for him (he held his lunch in his lap and kept looking longingly back at our tray tables, as if waiting for us to volunteer to share).

I should note that that flight was far from full, so I can't imagine what would have led the flight attendants to do this. But beyond that, I kept thinking that surely this must be a violation of safety regulations, no? Are LH FA's really allowed to use their jump seats as simply a more comfy place for an occasional oversized passenger - even if that puts a person of very questionable fitness not only seated in an exit row but in an odd forward, obstructive position in an exit row?

Snoopy

AFAIK, use of crew jump seats is at the discretion of the captain...at least that is how it was when I was a station manager (years ago in another life )

Non-NonRev

Strictly a guess: Maybe he was a non-cabin-staff non-revenue flyer - such as a ground crew worker, baggage handler, mechanic, etc?

As to the location of the jump seat, maybe it was a weight-and-balance issue?

Fendant

Maybe strong body odour?

weero

I was once tugged into the jump seat on ZRH-FRA when LH bungled my ticket and hence checked the flight in full even though was there early. They decided to IDB me first until they came to the insight that I caused too much trouble.
Their sense of sway and possession that the plane and all its goodies are theirs. Including the lives of the passengers. It is hence an integral part of FA eduction by any good pax to insult them on a regular base to remind them that this is not true.

andre1970

Good to know you're back in full battle rattle! ^

weero

My fight against the FAs is not an awarding one andre1970 - unlike airing trivial demands a la Lady Di - not burying fragmentation mines in sandboxes and not decapitating minors for being vocal - the supporting group for rude FAs is huge (it comprises a vast majority of the adult males driven entirely by mating hormones) and hence they constitute a target as hard and resilient as Stalingrad .

vbroucek

Note, very large in OP - perhaps the reason was to give him more comfort than he would ever get in normal cattle class seat...

volta

Last year March during a big snow storm, there was a serious overbooking from BOS to FRA (one flight did not make it to BOS from ZRH), so they were putting people on FRA flight. The 747 was completely full and there were passengers on the jump seats (all jump seats were full), which after take off were taken to the crew quarters for the duration of the flight. Passengers returned back to jump seats for landing.

Longlegs

So you mean the FA's were not on their station right at their doors for takeoff and landing? Where were they?

senzur

Just a couple of days ago I had a friend flying from YYZ to ZRH (booked in C on AC) that ended up on a FA jump seat for the whole flight. First (having checked in very early) he was supposed to be left behind due to overbooking (in Y and C) but was allowed on board after emphasizing his need to be back to Europe in time. Obviously, the respective FA was not at all pleased to give away her seat (don't know where she was during take off and landing but for sure not at her "station").

Anyhow, seemed strange to me that a C pax is not even given a Y seat but has to sit at the door (freezing, uncomfortable, noisy, etc.) instead of enjoying his nice AC single cabin C seat.

Longlegs

So who would or could have initiated an emergency evacuation through that door then, your friend?
AFAIK FAs are free to give their seats to PAX during the flight but not during takeoffs or landings as this is their primary mission, in case of an emergency to decide if the exit is usable and initiate/supervise/assist the evac.

aviaction

No, it was no violation of any kind, as he was sitting there during cruise only. Until now no emergency evacution has ever happened during the flight.
Occacionaly you find "regular (i.e. fare paying)" passengers occupying jump seats, this is only possible as normally there are more jumps seats than cabin crew members. Hence it is considered safer to have an "able bodied" passenger sitting there than nobody at all. This, however, is solely at the discretion of the captain.

Longlegs

The claims up here had been different:

volta

Sorry, wasn't completely clear. On 747 there are two jump seats paired at emergency exit rows. On one was FA and the other one occupied by passenger.