Fatigue: EK V Short Haul
I have been involved in a discussion on the D & G forum re relative fatigue between EK pilots and DJ pilots. The starting premise being that DJ pilots flying high intensity short haul are significantly more fatigued than Emirates pilots.
Whilst I have flown domestically in Oz, I have never operated the tight schedules and roster patterns of DJ, but I have lived the EK lifestyle. My personal feeling is that the EK deal is substantially more fatiguing because it is a true 24/7 operation with constant and massive time zone and circadian rhythm challenges that generate chronic fatigue. Whilst on the other hand, the short haul domestic type operation probably generates significant acute fatigue, but that is short lived and easily corrected.
I would appreciate some feedback from some of the ex DJ (or Ansett) guys, who are at EK and have lived both lifestyles, as to which lifestyle is more fatiguing in so far as it impacts your ability to operate to your best ability.
No doubt the EU short haul ops will also have similarities