An air carrier PIC boards his 2 standby daughters on the flight despite the fact that there were no ...

Attributes
ACN	580915
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : egll.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	580915
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying my captain's retirement flight from london to chicago on air carrier X. The flight was booked full with many standbys, and I was traveling with my wife and 2 daughters for this celebration. My wife had a confirmed seat, but my daughters were at the bottom of the list. On the way through the boarding lounge to the aircraft, the gate agent pulled me aside and asked if I would release 1 crew rest seat for my wife, freeing up her seat for another standby. I said I would like to release those 2 crew rest seats for my daughters, because it was my retirement flight, plus I did not want them stranded in london on their first trip to europe. The agent emphatically said she couldn't board them prior to the other standbys even if the crew rest seats were the only seats left open. I then proceeded to board my daughters. As we neared departure time, the agents said they had 2 seats for my daughters. I was not forthright with the agent. They closed the door and we departed with all the passenger, standbys, my 2 daughters (who remained on the passenger manifest), and 4 open seats. I displayed an inadvertent lapse in judgement initially, and then forced the issue, showing disrespect to the gate agents who were performing their duties according to the rules of air carrier X. I had thought about my 'retirement flight' for 30 yrs, a flight with all my family on board. I apologize for causing this situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PIC BOARDS HIS 2 STANDBY DAUGHTERS ON THE FLT DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE WERE NO SEATS AVAILABLE FOR THEM EXCEPT THE 2 CREW REST SEATS IN THE FIRST CLASS CABIN.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING MY CAPT'S RETIREMENT FLT FROM LONDON TO CHICAGO ON ACR X. THE FLT WAS BOOKED FULL WITH MANY STANDBYS, AND I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY WIFE AND 2 DAUGHTERS FOR THIS CELEBRATION. MY WIFE HAD A CONFIRMED SEAT, BUT MY DAUGHTERS WERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST. ON THE WAY THROUGH THE BOARDING LOUNGE TO THE ACFT, THE GATE AGENT PULLED ME ASIDE AND ASKED IF I WOULD RELEASE 1 CREW REST SEAT FOR MY WIFE, FREEING UP HER SEAT FOR ANOTHER STANDBY. I SAID I WOULD LIKE TO RELEASE THOSE 2 CREW REST SEATS FOR MY DAUGHTERS, BECAUSE IT WAS MY RETIREMENT FLT, PLUS I DID NOT WANT THEM STRANDED IN LONDON ON THEIR FIRST TRIP TO EUROPE. THE AGENT EMPHATICALLY SAID SHE COULDN'T BOARD THEM PRIOR TO THE OTHER STANDBYS EVEN IF THE CREW REST SEATS WERE THE ONLY SEATS LEFT OPEN. I THEN PROCEEDED TO BOARD MY DAUGHTERS. AS WE NEARED DEP TIME, THE AGENTS SAID THEY HAD 2 SEATS FOR MY DAUGHTERS. I WAS NOT FORTHRIGHT WITH THE AGENT. THEY CLOSED THE DOOR AND WE DEPARTED WITH ALL THE PAX, STANDBYS, MY 2 DAUGHTERS (WHO REMAINED ON THE PAX MANIFEST), AND 4 OPEN SEATS. I DISPLAYED AN INADVERTENT LAPSE IN JUDGEMENT INITIALLY, AND THEN FORCED THE ISSUE, SHOWING DISRESPECT TO THE GATE AGENTS WHO WERE PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF ACR X. I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT MY 'RETIREMENT FLT' FOR 30 YRS, A FLT WITH ALL MY FAMILY ON BOARD. I APOLOGIZE FOR CAUSING THIS SIT.

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.

An air carrier PIC boards his 2 standby daughters on the flight despite the fact that there were no seats available for them except the 2 crew rest seats in the first class cabin.