Jumpseat Committee members recently attended the National Jumpseat Conference. Jumpseat committees from nearly every US carrier, and several Canadian airlines, were represented.

The main theme of the conference was jumpseat security. The more senior among us may remember that after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the government stopped and sought to permanently end, jumpseat privileges for airline pilots. These privileges were restored only after heavy lobbying by pilot unions in conjunction with airline management, who realized that when pilots can’t use the jumpseat it severely affects their operation.

The Jumpseat Conference’s main focus was on aviation security. There have been several threats that have been mitigated or stopped by alert flight crews and law enforcement in recent months. It is important to remain vigilant and to ensure that the person presenting him or herself as a pilot, asking to ride your jumpseat or even use a seat in the cabin, has the appropriate credentials proving that he or she is current and qualified to “operate a flight across a route.” Credential verification is important even if the jumpseater has been assigned a cabin seat. The Captain is responsible for all crew, including ACMs (additional crew members), who are considered crew members regardless of their location on the aircraft. Document verification is always required.

The secondary focus of the conferece was maintaining and protecting jumpseat privileges and agreements, which both pilots and management have realized are vital to the aviation profession. In order for us to maintain our reciprocal agreements with other carriers we need to ensure that OAL (Other Air Line) pilots are not left behind. To ensure that this does not happen, we must get into the habit of checking the gate area every flight. If a gate agent has problems listing, or refuses to list a jumpseating pilot, call customer ops to ask for help. We have received several reports of pilots who have taken the initiative to assist pilots having difficulty with gate agents or listing. Polite and friendly insistence that a jumpseater be placed on the aircraft does not go unnoticed. Most commuting pilots at other airlines will tell you that Allegiant is their first choice because of the efforts made by this pilot group and the welcoming nature of our crews.

Etiquette, as always, was an additional topic of discussion. When jumpseating on another carrier, always present your credentials to the cockpit crew and *ask* for a ride. Many crews won’t ask for your ID if you are assigned a seat in the cabin, but you should always be prepared

to present them. Beards are still prohibited on the flight decks of most US carriers. If you have a beard, don’t expect another airline’s crew to disregard their procedures to allow you ride the jumpseat. Business casual attire or your uniform is still standard for a person riding the actual jumpseat. Be sure to check the Directory for all specifics on attire and requirements before attempting to jumpseat.

As a general reminder, OAL jumpseats are not to be used for company business. They are intended to only be used for personal business and commuting, and all reciprocal agreements strictly prohibit the use of other company’s jumpseats for any company business.

In closing, we are happy to announce two new reciprocal jumpseat partners: 21Air and Ryan Air Alaska. Both agreements and their listing directions have been added to the Jumpseat Directory on the 2118 website.

Please reach out to your Jumpseat Committee with any issues or questions. We are always happy to help!