Well duh.......... It's not like your going to stick your finger out and hitch a ride home or sell cookies to earn airfare.

Seriously! Why should the poor sick crew member have to suffer through trying to fly, and maintain safety, when he is not at, or possibly, anywhere near, 100%. Also, let's say some incident/accident happens, and it comes out in the hearing, that you knowingly let, or even encouraged, a sick crew member operate a trip, just "to help him work his way home". I imagine that you would have time to ponder that decision during your time off without pay.

There are procedures in place for crew members who get sick in the field. I would suggest using them.

Question for the experts...

If a fellow pilot is sick in the field would you be OK letting them ride your JS to get home vice taking the company paid ticket?

I think we have a failure to communicate, JJ. I mistakenly assumed you meant "work" (as a crewmember) to get home - I see now you just meant make his way home.

A few hours back to MEM with minimal contact and a seat in back - I'd be okay with it (not that I have the hammer yet). International? NFW.

You can NOT jumpseat home on the company if you are sick in the field. The company is supposed to buy you a ticket home. I had this happen to me. I talked to the DO about jumpseating home when I was sick on a trip. He said it was OK. I then called CP Jeff K and he said no. He said the company didn't want to have the crew have to worry about evacuating a guy off the jet in an emergency. I know, there are lots of scenarios of why being sick wouldn't be a hinderance to the crew. He said the company will buy you a ticket back. They bought me a ticket. I called the CP because I knew a guy that got in deep s%$# for jumpseating sick. The company's issue was if he was ok to jumpseat, why wasn't he ok to fly? Just sayin' what I heard.

It's been a long time, but isn't there something in the FOM that addresses this issue.

Who knows - it changes so fast, no one can keep up with what is current guidance :( :eek:

I know of a number of times this has been "waived" by management - I know first hand of a Capt that fell on the ice in ANC then flew to AFW, by the time he got to AFW both wrists were swollen and in pain. One was broken. He jump seated back to ANC the next day with both wrists in splints.


Also, the Capt that got beat up in Paris a few yrs ago while "just walking by a subway station at night" jump seated back to Memphis a few hrs after getting released from the hospital. His arm was in a sling, he had visible sutures and staples on his face and head, one eye was so swollen it looked like half an egg plant and who knows what meds were still in his system. I saw and talked to him myself in CDG ops as I was revised to operate his flight to MEM (we went 18 hrs late as I went fatigue in the field - that's another story ;) ) and he jump seated back on the other MEM flight. An ambulance met that plane in MEM and he was carried off on a gurney.

You are right. I just wouldn't book a jumpseat while sick without getting someone's approval.