Jump seat question
 

We were on a Qatar Air flight from KUL to DOH and seated in the exit row. The flight steward jump seat was occupied by a FA during take off and landing.

After we took off, a passenger was allowed to sit in the jump seat during the flight, is this OK, legal whatever. It was kind of distracting to have someone looking at you for the whole flight (7 hours). Since it was late night and I slept most of it, it was not a major problem but I wondered what was going on?

The only jump seat with restriction is in the cockpit.

It depends on the airline (and the crew). Whereas some carriers will allow passengers to occupy the jump seats during the flight, some frown upon this and it is forbidden with others. As to why a passenger would want to sit there I can not imagine, and he or she would have to leave the seat anyway as soon as there is a "cabin crew be seated" order.

It is possible that it was a jumpseating crewmember in civvies, who got moved to a jumpseat out of the service area during the flight.

Cheer up, the industry is considering new seating plans in which 1/2 the plane will be looking at the other 1/2:

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/...ds-444546.html

No way. There is no way they're gonna put me in a backward-facing seat. I already have enough trouble keeping myself from puking even when I face sideways (perpendicular to the direction of travel) on the subway. Backwards, traveling at 600mph? Never :td: