Don't worry. ARINC (misspelled in another post) has zero connection with Kit Darby's Air Inc. and it sure as heck isn't Darby that's administering CASS.

Good because if Kit was in charge of CASS there would be a severe shortage of pilots in every cockpit! ;)

I knew the two had nothing to do with each other; I just wanted to pick on Kit that's all... :D

No but they said I smelled like cheese

This is a common misunderstanding. Passports aren't required for CASS, haven't been for about 2 years. Many airlines that had CASS prior to the changeover didn't want to change their systems (time and $), but it's not required anymore, and all CASS systems coming on-line now (what airline doesn't have CASS these days?) are required to meet the new, 'without a passport' requirements (all current CASS airlines meet them too, they just have an additional field, passport #, that carried over from the 'old days' of 2005). The passport was just so that gate agents could verify a photo ID that matches your face, your ID, and is easy to check for security. That was back when an agents computer terminal didn't have to display a photo. Now, all CASS verification has to be done @ a terminal that displays a full color photo - no more 'green screens'. That's why some smaller stations still can't verify pilots in CASS - they don't have color screens for the agents to use.

If you've got the valid ID, I don't see why you need to be in uniform or carrying a second ID for CrewPass - just like you don't need to be in uniform or carrying a second ID for CASS. I wonder if TSA asks for a 2nd ID simply b/c they're trained to ask for a government ID for all regular passengers - it keeps the policy uniform.

WN, NW, and AA all had CASS prior to the color photo and non-passport requirement (as did UPS). They likely didn't revamp their systems to get rid of the passport field, nor were they required to (or, they did revamp their systems but the gate agents ask out of habit or b/c they were never trained on the lack requirement for a passport). They are required to display a color photo, which they weren't prior to the change. Asking for passports isn't prohibited, but it's not a required part of the system anymore. The change happened Sept. 23rd, 2006. Fed Ex, I believe, was the first to go to the color photos. Many airlines didn't have the ability to send color photos @ the time though, which meant no access to Fed Ex, even if your carrier was CASS. Now every CASS carrier is required to be able to send a color photo to be in CASS.

If you know of an airport that has really old computers (green screens), go try to use CASS there - you can't. Doesn't matter if your passport # and name comes up on the screen. Color photo or CASS can't verify you.

If it makes you feel any better I recently got asked for my passport while deadheading (positive space) on my own airline by one of my own company's gate agents, while in uniform with company ID. There's no consistency - which is why I'm glad to see the crewpass system finally.
Now they need to mandate a similar database of all LEO's who carry weapons onboard flights. As it stands right now there is no way for the TSA to tell if a guy bringing a weapon on board has a real or a fake badge...

And some former ASA agents..now DAL working ASA flights........the girl wouldn't list me until I tore my bag apart looking for my passport.

The entire system is ridiculous. I have/had a sec clearance in the USAF, yet I had to get a frickin' FAA background check? Wasted $. Then....when I went back after furlough...my fingerprints were rejected. Why? Well the person I spoke with asked if I was in the military and had a Sec Clrc and asked some more questions. Turns out my prints with DAL were not high enough quality and didn't match my former DOD prints.....had to redo them.
All this CASS, Crew PASS...is CRAP for guys in the US Mil. We should be easy and free with regards to this..yet the FAA feels they need to do their own checks!

Who's to say that, even with a security clearance from the military, one hasn't done anything that was questionable since obtaining the clearance? Military personnel aren't above wrongdoing. Look at it this way. Suppose a pilot was hired and then furloughed from an airline in fairly short order. That pilot had just undergone a background check. Then said pilot gets hired by another airline. Guess what? He or she will have to do it again. In the context of going from one job to another, it is no different from the military.

Hello everybody,

I'm first-officer in a Brazilian airline, and I'm going to the US on October for English classes.

Does anyone know if we can get crew pass or jumpseat pass?

Thanks,

Gabriel.