A typical "week" for me is 4,4,4,6,4,6 - though I have had 3 6's in a row. First 3 earlies, then 3 lates.
A couple of points, building on what has been said:
Breaks:
On our 6 sector days, you cannot eat and comply with SOP's. There simply isn't enough time to eat and do everything else in the cruise. So you either don't eat, or break SOP's. Most pilots decide which is least dangerous and take that route. You simply do not stop for 10 hours.
Fatigue:
The worst part is day 4. For days 1-3 you have been getting up at 0330 and going to bed at 1930. On day 4 you are working up to 2300... And normally both of us are on the same pattern, so the "yawn factor" is high for the last couple of sectors. Our FLIDRAS man has identified a trend of significantly more errors on day 4, but the conclusion was that this was the day that "tiredness had caught up with us, but we hadn't yet realised it".
6/3 or 5/3:
Many bases work long 4 sector days (so should eat well!). They run out of hours on day 5, so don't work a day 6. So they are working 5/4 and so are likely to resist 5/3 change....
Staff travel:
The few times I have tried to use it, I have had to pay full price. The loads have varied from 80 to 135 (I always ask, as it always annoys me!!)
Lifestyle:
I hate this word. To me, workers who want to "improve lifestyle" want a bigger car for working fewer hours. If only it was known as "safe working practices" or "work pattern", or even "fatigue management".
People leaving:
Why should eJ worry about people leaving - when they make such a huge profit on each TRSS new entry?
How to make it better (IMO):
5/3, where all 5 are earlies or all 5 are lates.
Staff travel standby option.
Mandatory meal/rest break on days where all 6 sectors are less than 50 minutes. And not after the last sector!
Just reporting what I do and see. eJ is very nearly a great company - good business model and good people. Shame they're all worn out!
Stu