Kem, it is true we had a thread about breaks before, that you might be interested on reading, although I don't agree with WCF on the conclusion.WCF has made griping a profession and what he was blamed for was the attitude not the subject.
I fully agree with fishbed, and I think what he states is shared by any flying crew.
I have worked for years (in the previous companies I worked for)with poor respect on rest and crew meals, and I know how they can affect safety, security and ultimately the pax care.
It is not all about money: it is also a culture of considering employees like donkeys, who just have to bear the burden and be silent. This is not how human beings work. Insufficient rest and hypoglicemia lower our performances and judgement.
To answer your question, where I work now we rest if flight time is > 5 hours. From 5 hours to 5.59 the rest time is 30 min, from 6 to 6.59 it is 45 min, and so on up to from 14 to 14.59 where the rest is 4 hours.
Half of the crew rests while the other half is on duty. Rest starts after first resting shift has had their meal, and the others have their meal after them.
Rest is made in lower or upper (depending on the A/C types) crew rest bunks.
Don't know about shorthaul.
Hope it helps.
Edited for spelling
[ 09 October 2001: Message edited by: flyblue ]