Is that the 18 hour rule that says the company should plan 18 hours between duty at Chicago and Denver, but if off schedule the cc will reduce to the usual minimum of 12 hours?
Or is the 18 hour rule that says the company should plan a minimum of 18 hours off if there is no local night, because a day rest is more draining than a night rest, but can be reduced to 14 hours?
I don't know another 18 hour rule...but maybe you are more familiar with my working agreements that I am.
This is shorthaul nightstops after disruption.
last year we had an aircraft arriving at 1800 every day. The cabin crew got off to operate the 0915 the next day. They had a 3 sector day in. If the aircraft arrived about 90 mins late, the 18 hr rule meant the morning departure went late due cabin crew rest.
It is always cabin crew rest that delays outstation departures, never flight deck.
I suppose it is because the flight deck do a 3 sector day ex LHR and transit LHR in 45mins, while the poor cabin crew are forced to get off at LHR for a couple of hours, which means their working day is longer.
Anyway, nowadays the crew get off the 1500 arrival, to keep the first wave on time.