AN EMB120 FLC CLBS TO FL240 WHEN ONLY CLRED TO FL180. THEY HAD FORGOTTEN TO CHANGE THEIR ALT ALERTER TO THE LOWER; NEWLY CLRED REQUESTED ALT. THE ACFT; ON AUTOPLT; CLBED IN CONCERT WITH THE ALT SELECTED

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AFTER ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT WITH ZLC; THE CAPT ASKED THAT I REQUEST DIRECT FMG AND THAT WE BE GIVEN FL180 INSTEAD OF FL240 WHICH WE RECEIVED IN OUR INITIAL CLRNC. CTR STATED THAT NO SHORTCUTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE AND TO STAND BY FOR FL180. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; CTR CLRED US TO FL180. AT THE SAME TIME I WAS RESPONDING TO CTR; WE ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB AND THE CAPT TOLD ME TO CALL THE FLT ATTENDANT AND HAVE HER BE SEATED. BECAUSE OF THIS DISTR THE CAPT DID NOT SET THE ALT ALERTER AND I DID NOT CONFIRM THAT IT HAD BEEN CHANGED FROM FL240 TO FL180. AT APPROX FL195; CTR CALLED AND ASKED US TO STATE TO WHICH ALT WE HAD BEEN CLRED. THE CAPT SAID 'FL240.' I CONFIRMED BY LOOKING AT THE ALT ALERTER AND RESPONDED 'FL240.' THIS; CTR REPLIED 'ROGER.' BECAUSE CTR HAD INQUIRED AS TO OUR ALT; BOTH THE CAPT AND I RETRACED THE EVENTS OF THE LAST SEVERAL MINS AND BOTH REALIZED WHAT WE HAD DONE. BY THE TIME WE HAD SORTED OUT THESE EVENTS; WE WERE AT FL240. SINCE CTR HAD STATED 'ROGER' TO OUR RESPONSE OF FL240; WE REMAINED AT THAT ALT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS DEV WERE: ENCOUNTERING TURB JUST AS OUR CLRNC WAS BEING CHANGED; CONCERN FOR AND ACTIONS TO ASSURE THE FLT ATTENDANT'S SAFETY; RELIANCE THAT WHAT IS IN THE ALT ALERTER IS ALWAYS CORRECT; AND VISUAL RESPONSE (MOST LIKELY TO BE NICE) FROM ATC WHICH ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE THE DEV. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 419370: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: RADIO TFC ON OTHER FREQS WE ARE REQUIRED TO MONITOR; IE; COMPANY.