We're not machines....our rosters have reached saturation....they have been manipulated over time so that, these days, all we do is fly, min-rest, fly, min-rest, fly!
Having 48 hours off duty following a long haul pattern should be a no brainer. It is for the cabin crew, it is for all the other first world carriers, why not us?
Following a long haul flight, the aim should not be on resting for 18 hours, reboard the airplane, fly another grueling long haul pattern home, and be quickly rostered to fly another trip! Most certainly not with only 3 pilots!!
We need hard protections built into the rostering practices. Recently, I flew a split duty pattern and was reminded, once again, by the cabin crew that they are obligated to receive a mandatory day off following the split duty. I guess we pilots must be immune to fatigue, so we're not entitled to this.
Why are there so many built in protections for the cabin crew rosters, and the other first world carriers, yet none, NONE, for the pilots at Cathay. Maybe someone could ask the president of IATA this question?
Over time, our good nature (and naiveté on the part of our union) has given way to the removal of virtually all the previously built in protections....these protections used to exist, iron clad, in our rostering practices. This is madness and needs correcting.