Leaves and removal from CASS
 

I know this has been a big question for us looking at our company's offer for a voluntary leaves ...Please let me know what your experience has been with your company. My company didnt have an exact answer but claims that we should be removed. Also please let me know how fast or slow your company took in getting the CASS removed or reinstated.Thanks!PS- Private messages will be accepted if you are concerned ...

I took March & April TOWOP (time off without pay) from Mesaba and have been in CASS the whole time. I jumpseated last week on Hawaiian. When I asked one of our CPs about it the first day I started TOWOP, he said I would stay in CASS while on TOWOP.

Cass should be removed the day you're not an active pilot. You can't access the cockpit if you're not an active pilot. The ID should be taken as well if you're inactive. You're just back to standard mom and dad travel benefits.

While I agree and disagree with you. Im leaning more towards the disagree side since I'm thinking about taking a TOWOP myself. ;) But since CASS is a reciprocal agreement between airlines, if you can't reciprocate that agreement (since you're inactive) It shouldn't be allowed. However, if the inactive pilot can be responsible and of course let other active pilots on first especially ones that are going to work or home then I can't see it harming anyone. It might make everyone actually a little happy and give a little bit of an incentive for pilots to take a TOWOP especially, if the company really needs it.

I believe it depends on the length of the TOWOP. A month is not a long time but if you take a year off then you most likely would be taken out of CASS. So I believe at a certain time period you would have to be taken out of CASS. Getting back in the system is as easy as a few hours. When I was furloughed I was immediately taken out of the system. But, a furlough is different than a TOWOP....

It seems as if each company is treating this differently as if it is a "bonus" or privledge or some sort and I don't agree with that either. I agree that there is a point that you should not be listed in CASS but I strongly disagree that the point is when you take a, company requested ,TOWOP.

If it were a medical leave or military, etc. where the company did not come to the pilot and request them to leave, then cass removal should happen. If the company opened the door to voluntary leaves, then CASS should not be altered one bit.

You don't get taken out when you are on vacation so why should it be any different on a company requested TOWOP?

CASS has nothing whatsoever to do with airline reciprocal agreements. It is a government system used to verify your legal (TSA) eligibility for cockpit access.

There is some time limit where the company must take you out of CASS (one year?). Many companies do it sooner than that, ie ANY time you go on leave.

But in in this environment, it is to EVERYONE's benefit for those who are able to take voluntary leave to do so. Companies should allow those folks as much travel access as the law (TSA) allows. It might keep some junior FO with three kids and a stay-at-home spouse employed.

Hopefully any pilot on recreational travel, regardless of employment status, would defer the jumpseat to someone going to work.

If the company allows jumpseat access (or any other benefit) to non-military leave takers, they are legally required to offer it to those on military leave.

I believe you have to be a working pilot as far as the FAA is considered to access the cockpit. Riding in back would be at the discretion of each company and the agreements they have with others.

Am I missing something? You are still employed as a pilot while on a TOWOP. Why alter CASS when you haven't lost the job yet?

As someone mentioned above, look at it as when you're on vacation time. You still travel, even jumpseat, don't you? You're still employed as a pilot during vacation aren't you?

No need to make things complicated. (I realize some companies do)