Narrative:

Arrival at the airplane (gate) we had an A321 which needs 4 flight attendants. Our crew had 3; so we had to wait for the 4TH before we could board. A flight attendant in the waiting area who was trying to get on our flight said she would help board until the flight attendant who was scheduled for it showed up. About 1/2 way through the boarding; the scheduled flight attendant showed up. The helping flight attendant was still in the back of the airplane. After the boarding process was complete; we had every seat plus all the flight attendant jumpseats full. The captain got up and left the cockpit to talk to the flight attendants; as we were still at the gate with the door open. After he came back; I asked him what he was doing; he said that he was going to put the extra flight attendant in the cockpit jumpseat. (While this was happening; the aircraft door was shut and the jetway was being pulled away.) I told the captain over and over that I did not want any flight attendant in the cockpit jumpseat. That her getting home was not worth my job; and he was putting me on the spot. He asked me; if a male flight attendant was up there would it look better. I said it might look better; but it was still wrong; and I did not want any flight attendant in the cockpit. He put the male in the cockpit jumpseat. Fearing that the animosity would make the flight unsafe. Ground knowing the captain has complete command of the aircraft and has authority/authorized over all assigned crew members. I did not say anything more.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A321 FO CITES CONCERNS ABOUT CAPT USING AUTH TO ALLOW FLT ATTENDANT ON COCKPIT JUMPSEAT.

Narrative: ARR AT THE AIRPLANE (GATE) WE HAD AN A321 WHICH NEEDS 4 FLT ATTENDANTS. OUR CREW HAD 3; SO WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE 4TH BEFORE WE COULD BOARD. A FLT ATTENDANT IN THE WAITING AREA WHO WAS TRYING TO GET ON OUR FLT SAID SHE WOULD HELP BOARD UNTIL THE FLT ATTENDANT WHO WAS SCHEDULED FOR IT SHOWED UP. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE BOARDING; THE SCHEDULED FLT ATTENDANT SHOWED UP. THE HELPING FLT ATTENDANT WAS STILL IN THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE. AFTER THE BOARDING PROCESS WAS COMPLETE; WE HAD EVERY SEAT PLUS ALL THE FLT ATTENDANT JUMPSEATS FULL. THE CAPT GOT UP AND LEFT THE COCKPIT TO TALK TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS; AS WE WERE STILL AT THE GATE WITH THE DOOR OPEN. AFTER HE CAME BACK; I ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING; HE SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO PUT THE EXTRA FLT ATTENDANT IN THE COCKPIT JUMPSEAT. (WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING; THE ACFT DOOR WAS SHUT AND THE JETWAY WAS BEING PULLED AWAY.) I TOLD THE CAPT OVER AND OVER THAT I DID NOT WANT ANY FLT ATTENDANT IN THE COCKPIT JUMPSEAT. THAT HER GETTING HOME WAS NOT WORTH MY JOB; AND HE WAS PUTTING ME ON THE SPOT. HE ASKED ME; IF A MALE FLT ATTENDANT WAS UP THERE WOULD IT LOOK BETTER. I SAID IT MIGHT LOOK BETTER; BUT IT WAS STILL WRONG; AND I DID NOT WANT ANY FLT ATTENDANT IN THE COCKPIT. HE PUT THE MALE IN THE COCKPIT JUMPSEAT. FEARING THAT THE ANIMOSITY WOULD MAKE THE FLT UNSAFE. GND KNOWING THE CAPT HAS COMPLETE COMMAND OF THE ACFT AND HAS AUTH OVER ALL ASSIGNED CREW MEMBERS. I DID NOT SAY ANYTHING MORE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.