Phoning in, Pilot sick days...

[Master Yoda]

You're required to fly a 737 at 4am the following day, you wake up witha nasty headache and a really bad sore throat, you cannot fly, what happens now?

Phone in sick?
Fly anyway?

I'm not a pilot but a wannabe, what is the procedure? is it just the same as an office job thing? phone the boss and say you aint coming in today?

[IcarusGR]

There are pilots on reserve ...

[Flyin'Dutch']

Best hope non of your prospective employers reads this.

Prob not too impressed with wannabees making enquiries about the sick procedure before even getting the job!

:D

FD

[IcarusGR]

your right .. I edited my post ... not really sure with the procedure ;-)

[Officedesk]

Generally an airline likes you to call in sick the day before you are scheduled to work. This is not always posible though and they do just have to accept that.

If you can't work because you are unfit then you have an obligation not to fly regardless of when you detect your illness. However, it is not easy for an employee as a lot of subtle pressure (sometimes not so subtle) is placed on an individual thanks to current airline economics.
It is not so bad in larger airlines as there are often more pilots on standby or days off that can be purchased. The real problem comes in the smaller operators where everyone will know that you are off and why, and you are sitting at home guilty as your mates lives are about to be messed around because you have caled in sick.

This is one of those things where there is no easy answer!