18-30 Rule

[HugMonster]

Can anyone tell me which airlines employ the 18-30 Rule in their rostering? I know of a few, but would be interested to know of others.

For information of anyone unsure, this is a rule (outside CAP371) that a rest period must be either less than 18 hours or more than 30.

[Util BUS]

BY/BAL use it for long haul slip patterns. Therefore if we operate a return flight from the US/Carib with 18-30 hours of rest, we need to apply what is called Florida Variation, which entitles us to more rest either end and caps off the monthly maximum. I will try to dig out the manuals to give you a more precise discription.

[HugMonster]

I'd appreciate it, Util - thanks. Being only a regional, my company has no long-haul, but we do a lot of switching between days and nights, so it would still apply to us.

[Captain Airclues]

This rule affects the length of the next duty after the slip, being shorter if the preceding rest was between 18 and 30 hours. It only applies to crews who are not acclimatised to local time (has spent 3 consecutive nights within a time zone which is two hours wide), and therefore only effects longhaul crews.

Airclues

[Grandad Flyer]

Its not true that this rule is only for long haul pilots.
It is also used for preventing fatigue in short haul pilots.
It prevents those lovely rosters you get whereby you work:

Day 1. 0600 - 1900
Day 2. 1700 - 0500

Because the time between finishing first day's duty (1900) and starting second days duty (1700) is 22 hours. So, you could start work before 1300 or after 0300.
Thus preventing the loss of a night's sleep.
Its an excellent rule.

[Captain Airclues]

Sorry Grandad, I should have said that my comments related to the rules in my company. Your company obviously has different rules, which is what HugMonster was probably asking in the first place.
In our rules the 18-30 restriction is only mentioned in relation to the length of the next duty. Most of our US East-coast transatlantic trips have a 24 hour slip. We are also free to do 'back-to back' transatlantic rips with 24 hours off at base.
So we should go back to the meaning of Hugmonsters original question. "Which airlines do not allow time off at base between 18 and 30 hours?"

Airclues

[HugMonster]

Close, Airclues. I'd prefer "Which airlines do not allow time off between 18 and 30 hours?", since if not acclimatised to local time at a remote destination, and you're not expecting to acclimatise, you will probably be doing your best to remain on UK time.

[bean]

Going back to the start of this thread. The 18-30 Rule is actually enshrined in CAP371 A copy of which i have in front of me. As in Airclues' post about BA Rules, it reduces the allowable flying duty period if not acclimatised to local time. Other than this, the official line summarised from para 2.3. Is that scheduling rest periods of between 18-30 Hours is an undesirable practice & is a factor to be considered when planning rosters.
So that, for the record, is the official line.