Narrative:

This flight was a charter for a major league baseball team (operated by a scheduled part 121 carrier). Just prior to pushback a team member who recognized the captain from a previous charter, entered the cockpit and began a conversation. It became evident that the player and captain both had children of the same age, both attended the same church, both liked sports, and the player was taking flying lessons. The ground crew indicated they were ready for push back and the captain invited the player to ride the jumpseat. The player was delighted and asked if it was alright to which I said 'not really.' the captain stated that there was an unspoken laxity on charters and it would be fine. The flight was operated normally despite the non-stop talking from pushback to shutdown. I probably should have asserted myself more but it happened quickly and I felt vetoed by the captain's discussion about charter 'laxity.' I've seen capts' deviate from procedures and policies before but always for a justifiable reason and always after consulting with the first officer and so, when able. I'd welcome a jumpseat rider as much or more than the next guy if it were permitted, I'm not happy about doing it when it could cost me trouble or when it's allowed to distract a crew member as it did this captain (and first officer and so).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER WAS INVITED TO RIDE IN THE JUMPSEAT DURING FLT BY AN ACR CAPT.

Narrative: THIS FLT WAS A CHARTER FOR A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM (OPERATED BY A SCHEDULED PART 121 CARRIER). JUST PRIOR TO PUSHBACK A TEAM MEMBER WHO RECOGNIZED THE CAPT FROM A PREVIOUS CHARTER, ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND BEGAN A CONVERSATION. IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE PLAYER AND CAPT BOTH HAD CHILDREN OF THE SAME AGE, BOTH ATTENDED THE SAME CHURCH, BOTH LIKED SPORTS, AND THE PLAYER WAS TAKING FLYING LESSONS. THE GND CREW INDICATED THEY WERE READY FOR PUSH BACK AND THE CAPT INVITED THE PLAYER TO RIDE THE JUMPSEAT. THE PLAYER WAS DELIGHTED AND ASKED IF IT WAS ALRIGHT TO WHICH I SAID 'NOT REALLY.' THE CAPT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNSPOKEN LAXITY ON CHARTERS AND IT WOULD BE FINE. THE FLT WAS OPERATED NORMALLY DESPITE THE NON-STOP TALKING FROM PUSHBACK TO SHUTDOWN. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASSERTED MYSELF MORE BUT IT HAPPENED QUICKLY AND I FELT VETOED BY THE CAPT'S DISCUSSION ABOUT CHARTER 'LAXITY.' I'VE SEEN CAPTS' DEVIATE FROM PROCS AND POLICIES BEFORE BUT ALWAYS FOR A JUSTIFIABLE REASON AND ALWAYS AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE FO AND SO, WHEN ABLE. I'D WELCOME A JUMPSEAT RIDER AS MUCH OR MORE THAN THE NEXT GUY IF IT WERE PERMITTED, I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT DOING IT WHEN IT COULD COST ME TROUBLE OR WHEN IT'S ALLOWED TO DISTRACT A CREW MEMBER AS IT DID THIS CAPT (AND FO AND SO).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.