I can definitely appreciate the affects this pandemic has had on all carriers worldwide. I understand, as unfortunate as it is, the need to layoff employees and force salary reductions. I don’t however believe this should be an excuse to skirt all the laws that are on the books. As far as I know every Civil Aviation Authority has similar rules regarding max flight times of approximately 1000 hours per year or 100 per month (with some small exemptions.)
I find it absurd that a certain airline is able to schedule it's pilots far above the limits by simply inventing new formulas to log flight hours. Reference the document below ( note 3 referring to 4 pilot crews) the hours logged, paid and counted toward flight time limits are 37.5% of actual hours flown. A relief crew completing a 12 hour flight would only log 4.5 hours of flight time. Even the time required to be on a flight deck jumpseat during takeoff and landing is now magically not counted? In theory someone could be rostered as relief crew on every flight and “legally” fly more than 2000 hours per year. This airline claims safety is paramount yet seems to ignore dangers of extreme fatigue amongst the crew.
I was curious what other countries allow? Under My countries regulations a required crew member logs and counts total flight time towards monthly/ yearly limits. Even during war times military pilots have limits. I may be naive but just surprised other countries like Australia and Those under EASA turn a blind eye?
