Hi Folks,
Let’s go back to the basis.
Duty time limitation it is imposed “ and negotiated” by Airlines.
As example look what happened to the JAA proposed duty time limitations, based on a scientifically research.
It was removed!
Why, because it was inconvenient for the airlines, they should hire more crew:
Therefore, airlines lobbied with ministers and PMs to have it removed.
Now, using a real example:
The next day this happened QR who had “legally adopted JAA rules” began with a new duty time “interpretation” .
Crew arriving from a long haul flight early in the morning, were rostered to proceed in another long haul departing exactly ten to eleven hours after chocks time.
In other words, if they have already spent a sleepless night, they had to spend another sleepless night in the cockpit.
To make it more clear:
Some people arriving from Europe early in the morning and after a long sleepless night , were rostered to fly on the same night to South East Asia!
Moreover, rostered to fly the next day early morning local time to another much East destination, without time to adapt his Cicardian cycle, or even rest properly.
In addition, some crew used to fly the other way around.
And not enough, their “days off” in the hotel room, not at home base.
I think this is a good example.
It is obvious that who pays bills and salaries are passengers.
If they keep flying, airlines keep cashing more and more.
Now, let us make few questions:
a- Do passengers have any knowledge about the nature and stresses imposed in our profession?
b- Are passengers aware about the danger whenever flying with tired and stressed crew?
It is obvious that the answer is NO; eventually only very few people within millions who fly daily are aware, or have a minor awareness about the aspects of this profession, and their repercussion on air safety.
It is normal people taking things for granted.
The airline media it is so massive and well tailored, that whenever passengers board the aircraft they do believe everything is fine with the equipment, crew are well trained, happy, making a good salary, etc.
The reality is that, they do not have a real idea of what it is going in this industry.
To finalize, it is my view that Airline Pilot Associations, Unions, should start enlightening programs to allow the public to have access to several safety concerns we all are expressing on this thread.
As Airlines produce documentaries about their history, or the “fantastic maintenance” installations, catering and how much they “care” for their passengers, the same Pilots organizations could do, the same showing how is the real life of an aviator, and cabin crew.
Mercurius