Are passengers allowed to fly in the jump seat?

The view of the clouds from the window beckons, the quick access to the restroom in the aisle, and the generous legroom at the emergency exit—for frequent flyers, choosing your seat is almost a ritual. Those who book early or pay a few extra francs even have a say.

And yet, there’s one seat on board that defies all choice—a spot absent from the seating chart, though it plays a pivotal role. It's located where no one else sits: near the doors, behind curtains: the jump seat.

While passenger seats offer at least a certain degree of comfort, depending on the class, the jump seat is the opposite: hard and functional—a workstation, not a place of well-being. Yet, it still exudes an air of exclusivity.

Some airline fans dream of experiencing the flight from the crew's perspective, while others see the jump seat as their last hope for a ticket when all regular seats are taken. But how realistic is it to fly in the jump seat as a passenger?

A seat with special status

In short, the jump seat is generally off-limits to passengers. It is an integral part of the on-board safety concept and is intended exclusively for cabin crew. Flight attendants sit there, for example, during takeoff, landing, or during turbulence. The cockpit crew also uses dedicated jump seats—typically when pilots are repositioning to another location or preparing for a check flight.

Nevertheless, there are reports of travelers who, upon request, were allowed to fly in the jump seat—on smaller airlines or on overbooked flights. In rare cases, the seat is awarded when all regular seats are occupied. Such exceptions, however, are rare.

In practice, the jump seat is occupied by either active crew members or so-called «deadheads»—airline employees who are not currently on duty but are being transferred to another location. These internal flights are part of the crew planning process and are carried out with the approval of the cockpit team.

The fascination remains. Those sitting in a jump seat experience the crew's work up close and often have a perfect view of the cabin operations—or even the cockpit. But with a few exceptions, this isn't a place for passengers; it's a place for professionals.