Originally Posted by
CloudSailor
I thought we had been using CASS internationally all these years, just without access to the flight deck jumpseat except for on one's own carrier. So, did that change now?
CASS is (currently) only for use for domestic, off-line, flight deck jumpseat access. If you sit in anything not considered 'the flight deck', you are not accessing the aircraft using CASS. It's just that most gate agents, ops agents, or whomever is charged with supporting the PIC don't know the difference, so they call all jumpseat access requests "CASS". It's not - though, with the unique set-up of some cargo aircraft, this line is blurred further. If you're accessing your own company's aircraft - that is "on-linę", and not CASS. Otherwise, a Fed Ex pilot would never be able to jumpseat internationally on a Fed Ex aircraft, since you can't use CASS for that.
Most pilots don't know the difference, and think "no CASS = no jumpseat". A lot of wrongfully denied jumpseats these days because the PIC abdicates control of their aircraft to someone else.
Originally Posted by
CloudSailor
The email also mentions United and Alaska as the first two airlines to update their manuals. But, it never really says whether or not we can now ride in the cockpit, off-line, on international flights.
International CASS is in a testing phase. For now, it still isn't approved for the average 'Joe Pilot'. We've been hearing about international CASS being right around the corner for the past 10 years. Still waiting .... CASS is approved by the FAA. The FAA doesn't control security outside the US, and, outside the US, the concept of off-line cockpit access is not normal.
Originally Posted by
CloudSailor
I appreciate any info on this, and hope that we will also be allowing off-line guys international jumpseat reciprocity as they have done for us for years (my captain and I were recently quite embarrassed having to turn down a jumpseat request in Tel Aviv, from a guy who really needed it, and who happens to take FDX'ers home and to work all the time - internationally).
Fed Ex is unique in that, in some aspects, they are an industry leader in Jumpseats (more work on the protection of PIC authority has happened at FedEx since 9/11 than any other carrier.) in other ways, Fed Ex is an anchor on the industry - Fed Ex doesn't reciprocate access internationally (nor does UPS).
RO may have had a lot to do with international CASS finally getting close to fruition, but FedEx still doesn't reciprocate with everyone else - that has NOTHING to do with CASS, and everything to do with FedEx.