Fatigue is not an issue EK likes to talk about. Try the SYD-CHC or MEL-AKl pattern and tell me how you sleep for that? The sector across the Ditch is silly as the pilots have got about two hours sleep each. A five day flight with only three nights in a hotel, only one of which counts as a 'local night'. Go figure.
Tried talking to our esteemed VP-Safety about it, but got fobbed off. He has only done the DXB-SYD/MEL turns and reckon SLR is piece of cake. Dug around a bit and figured out that
none of the Office Boys ever go across the Tasman. That's left to us coolies in bottom bid.
The ULR experts are SIA. They did some extensive research with an Aussie University on the SIN-LAX/EWR routes. SIA pilots get two local nights at the destination and a week off after the flight - overkill perhaps but safe. Funny how EK never mentions their research.
Going to change my handle to Despairing Dubayan.
