Sussex2,
of course flying takes it's toll. No shift work is good for you, alas that is what airport work is all about.
Engineers can work four twelve hour night shifts in a row, flying staff don't.
Remember the CAA deems 900 hours to be a safe limit per year, shorthaul pilots are well below at about 750, why do the cc only do about 500?
Back to backs are horrible but crew WANT them for the money. Remember that the original BASSA proposal offered middle east back to backs.
Why would they do that if it results in an early grave?
Because of the free hotel at Heathrow, the extra days worth of UK meal allowances and of course the £196 back to back payment!!!
You can't justify the inefficient practices and refuse to make savings by using the "we work in an aluminium tube at altitude" excuse all the time.
The best quote I ever saw was a crew member saying an hour in the air was worth four on the ground, "imagine working a 44 hour shift every time you go to work" she said.
Yeah right!!!