Will Qantas stop 'Day of Operation' commuting to Perth for 787 ULH?
 

British Airways has recently revised its staff travel policy.
Given the proximity to Continental Europe and (like Sydney) prohibitive housing prices, crew are commuting longer distances to operate from Heathrow.

Up until recently it was up to the individual, more recently that changed

• Now BA crew have to be at base for 12 hours.

• A bigger time change than two hours require that period include a local night

Whilst it appears that BA is acting in isolation one wonders whether UK CAA and even EASA will change the rules.


Given the ULR flying proudly trumpeted by Qantas can Flight Operations ignore Day of Operation commuting? British Airways are to conduct an audit of Staff Travel use.



As I have previously discussed, the onus may well be on the pilot but it is highly probable that British Airways is taking action aimed at ensuring it is seen to enforce rest periods in order to reduce or eliminate litigation were an accident to occur.

Can't help but wonder if BA's decision was the result of a few ruining it for the many. Some Commuters really are a special breed who demand special treatment not only from the company, but also their colleagues.

Perhaps a few people didn't get on and standby crew had to be called out ?

Seeing as I'm one of those subject to this audit, if I may:.... Given the state of the road system in the south east UK there's often more than a few "road commuters" who miss report, so it wasn't that (in fact it's often easier to get into London by air than by using the M ways....).

Many effected by this audit have made the point that driving into LHR/LGW can be more tiring than sitting on your backside in M class flying in from say, Manchester, ( probably less than hour block to block flight most days) but the company aren't interested in that argument. Fly in from Manchester, you must then have have 12 hours at base prior to report....drive in....well, there are recommendations but no hard rules.........

BA can monitor staff travel usage, they now feel they have a legal duty to monitor staff travel to ensure rest prior to report. They can't monitor private cars, so the car drivers can carry on as before, the "flying commuters" are getting it in the neck..

Please don't shoot the messenger......

Couldn't you park caravans in the staff car park and live in them like regional airline pilots in America do ?

If QANTAS tried this nonsense I just wouldn’t use staff travel.

Simples!

Of course not using staff travel is an answer for the individual, but if the regulator changes the ground rules.

As occurred in the wake of the Colgan air accident commuting was of great concern to the NTSB.

A key recommendation of CAO48.1 is that rest periods be in accommodation. The notion that a minimum rest period commenced at parking the brakes plus 15 or 30 mins was to cease. Sleep opportunity had renewed focus, not mere lip service to 'rest'. Readers may be surprised to learn that airlines opposed it on commercial grounds!


Thus it may be that British Airways are concerned that commuting is a concern, they may be responding to the UK CAA having concerns too.
Whilst focusing on commuters using staff travel may be a first step, driving commutes on minimum rest have to take into account the reality that most pilots have to live a long way away form the capital cities, be it in London or Sydney to afford suitable accommodation.

There are plenty of BA crew commuting up from Southhampton or Portsmouth. It is a big day on the M3 and M25 to get to Heathrow!

I would think that day of ops commuting for short and medium haul ops is a much bigger concern than it would be for long and ultra long haul ops.

The ability to get decent inflight rest combined with only one take off and one (hopefully) landing, makes day of ops commuting less of a fatigue risk than multiple sector short haul days or 8-10 hr sectors with two or three crew with no proper inflight rest opportunities or facilities.

Does this mean the next time I'm on a duty ticket I won't get bumped from the last available jump seat by a dead heading steward(ess) on an ID90?

When an employer targets statutory limits for rest periods, providing minimum rest as the normal for pattern construction: Efficiency you know! Then decrees that rest commences after the park brake is set plus 15 minutes (all from the confines of a comfy 9-5 office), any sort of commuting makes it a really risky proposition...Fortunately the pilots carry the risk!

What is not to like, at least for the office creatures?

Some crew have to wait in motorway cafes to be able to get to work within the time limit if called on standby.

Hope you are joking Turin? The priority of a Duty ticket is way, way above an ID90.

Not for a jump seat matey! If the company won't spring a firm seat for duty I'd take it up with them.

Well 'Matey', doesn't sound as though it was a duty ticket then, duty trumps ID90 every time I can think of, stand to be corrected.

Sorry that came off wrong I didn't mean to be condescending, my apologies.
Qf often sends office folk on duty without sufficient priority for the desired flight, maybe when changed? In anycase they have in the past used the jumpseat on request leaving the op crew surprised they were duty and a staffy (other crew perhaps) left behind

Simples....no office staff on the jump seat, ever.

And back when I flew the 767 I would never give the jump seats to anyone on a duty ticket.....

Duty travel is really interesting in airlines.

'Your department' buys a Commercial ticket from Commercial. A little inter segment transaction.

If a pilot lets a duty travel on the jump seat Commercial can effectively release the seat again and grab more revenue, that may be with another duty traveler or indeed a staff travel.

Not unknown for a duty traveler and dispatcher to tell the flight crew it is staff travel to get jump seat approval!

Yep that sentiment was widespread. It got to a point where clarification was always needed to ensure it was a staffy and indeed not a duty. Occasionally omitted...

Yes, but only if using staff travel.