What Does Deadhead Mean on a Cabin Crew Roster?
A deadhead sector moves a crew member to or from an assignment. Follow a positioning flight and a working return sector to see what to check before updating a roster.
A deadhead entry can look like an ordinary flight number on a roster. Family may mistake it for a holiday, while a crew member may leave it out of a personal calendar because there is no cabin service on that leg. The term usually describes company-arranged travel to reach another assignment or return from one. It is a different role from working the flight.
Position on one sector, work the next
Imagine travelling from base to another airport in the morning, then operating the return flight in the afternoon. On the outbound leg, the crew member is being moved. On the return leg, the same person performs cabin duties. Both sectors affect when the person gets home, but they should not be merged into two working sectors without checking the airline's record.
- Confirm the date, airports and times of the deadhead in the original roster.
- Mark which sector is positioning and which is a working assignment; a flight number alone does not explain the role.
- When sharing a return plan with family, include the onward sector and check again if the assignment changes.
Video transcript
The first leg moves a crew member to another airport in a passenger seat. The second leg is a working cabin assignment. Dates and destinations matter for both, while the roles remain distinct.
Why keep the positioning leg on your calendar?
- It explains why the next duty begins at a different airport.
- It prevents family from reading the outward trip as the end of a workday.
- It helps separate travel arranged for duty from a sector where cabin duties are performed.
Common questions
Is deadheading always by air?
Some arrangements also involve ground transport. Codes and terminology vary, so check the actual assignment and the airline's explanation.
Should deadhead time be added to working flight hours?
Do not add it by assumption. Duty records, credit and pay may use different definitions. Compare the source roster with the employer's records.
Read other roster codesStart with days off, standby, flights and layovers before checking company-specific entries.Flight attendant union: Deadheading guidance — An example of crew positioning terminology; arrangements differ by employer.