Whoa whoa whoa, your saying FDX dispatchers have never been in CASS until April? How were they ever allowed to meet their 5 hour requirements, assuming that each dispatcher didn't have to go get specific approval from their DO/CP each time they needed to ride?From the ADF, as of April 2012 FedEx dispatchers are finally in CASS and will start allowing OAL dispatchers. They started implementing this earlier in the summer and it's carrier specific.
They were still able to do their FAM rides as McCrosky stated. ..As of right now no offline jumpseater can go international only domestic.Whoa whoa whoa, your saying FDX dispatchers have never been in CASS until April? How were they ever allowed to meet their 5 hour requirements, assuming that each dispatcher didn't have to go get specific approval from their DO/CP each time they needed to ride?
Is FDX allowing international or only domestic?
I am surprised the pilot groups have been ok with it. Not talking about FAM rides but being in CASS which puts you guys in competition with them for offline commuting. I think as I have said before being such a small group they most likely feel that it does not pose a problem.Yea, don't ever let a gate agent tell you otherwise. You are ALWAYS authorized to sit up front on your OWN metal regardless of being in CASS or not.... obviously still with just PIC permission. Now as far as why airlines still put us in CASS. I mean I guess it's just a courtesy. After all the airline already paid their fee to be in CASS so they can add as many people as they want. In addition, we do as much of a big job in the Flight Ops department as our crews.
I would imagine union pressure has something to do with it. Since dispatchers are authorized to be in CASS, a company refusing to list dispatchers would have to give a reason why - and since there is no expense involved in doing so for them if they already have the system set up for pilots, they probably just go along with it. And, the number of dispatchers compared to the number of pilots is so small that it really isn't a big deal for the pilot group - most dispatchers don't commute to their jobs anyhow.So why does for the most part every airline put their dispatchers in CASS?
If you're an employee, I've found most TSA agents are helpful. Recently in SFO I had one tell me where to go for a dedicated line for employees. There have been a couple of times where they weren't helpful or clueless, I must admit. A lot of pilots commute without being in uniform too, of course, if they are flying in somewhere the day before their shift starts.Most gate agents understand that. TSA on the other hand, doesn't. "Where's yo uniform?"