International jumpseating, offline pilots
 

Hello, I regularly fly between the States and Europe. I normally buy tickets as they have been relatively cheap through Air France and KLM. A few weeks ago I decided to try my hand at jumpseating to Europe and it was a great experience, you folks know how to take care of jumpseaters and it is greatly appreciated. I had a ticket through CDG coming back to the States, and as I was waiting to board, a deadheading Delta pilot saw my other airline crew tag on my carry on bag and asked if I was trying to jumpseat. I told him not that time, but I do occasionally. He told me that Delta is not taking offline jumpseaters internationally right now. I told him about my trip a few weeks earlier, and he insisted it was a mistake and should not have gotten on. So can anyone shed any light on this, is he correct or mistaken? Delta gives me the best options for getting back and forth, and may have to rely on it a bit more in the future. Thanks for the insight!

Lots of things changed with COVID, but from what I can tell not international jumpseating. The airline has a robust electronic system that goes through a lot of steps behind the scenes before allowing someone to jumpseat, so I doubt that it was a "mistake" that you were let on weeks ago. I suspect that pilot heard something and thought it applied to international jumpseating when it did not.

You can jumpseat but you can’t ride in the cockpit. There must be a seat in the back. The seat in the back applies to all US passenger airlines. The seat in the back on Delta is further complicated by blocking all the middle seats. Seat blocking goes away 1 May. You also have to be listed at least 75 minutes before the flight departs per TSA rules.