Muslim Crews During Ramadan

[menikos]

Hello,

many of you won't notice someone fasting if it's not the month of ramadan, I give you an example we are the 17th of december you have a flight from A to B the guy had a breakfast before the fly you have a reasonable flight let's say 6h go and back, time for having your breakfast the F/O or captain says no thanks I'm not hungry and so, will you think one minute he's fasting of course not but because it's the month of ramadan you all jumped on the safety by saying fasting is dangerous this and that sorry to say that's it's a little bit pathetic.

The good question is if you have a short trip or not, long haul or not etc... if I'm fasting and have a early morning flight return just in the beginning of the afternoon is it safe or not ? let me answer for you it's totally safe, if I have a flight from Doha to Jfk will I fast, let me answer again for you, NO.

Fasting by itself is not a problem but we have to be honest if I'm flying a long haul flight with nothing in my stomach my performance won't be good so I take what the religion offers me, not fasting while travelling.

For all of you who jumped on the question please knows what you are talking about because you don't you are just assuming and when I read you I have the feeling that muslims are completly immature when it comes to safety.

[newscaster]

There are many pilots who do fast trying to be holier than thou, and over reactive muslims all approve this. That said no incident to date has taken place due to fasting pilots.

[b0eingjockey]

try having that conversation with a guy a doing a DAC or IST turn around.
"No Habibi... no exemptions..."

[Flying Spag Monster]

fact and common sense

Are you kidding me? The source of that "fact" and others of the same genre, was written well before the concept of air travel. (excluding Archangels of course). The relief from fasting that the Koran provides for travellers was to protect them from the physical rigours of the long distance donkey commute without food or water. A fare and humane consideration. Nothing to do with the impaired ability to steer the donkey and crash it into a date palm at high speed. Islam, (possibly to its credit), has made little if any concessions to modernity apart from using PAs on their Mosques, so it is up to the pilot to apply the common sense and facts. These should tell you there is no place in a flight deck for an impaired pilot, whether its from fasting, alcohol or a head cold. Either eat some food, fly at night or stay at home.

[break_break]

Let's not make a big deal here.
I don't care whether or not if my FO is fasting, just had a good lay, sent the wrong mistress text message to his wife, or just lost his entire fortune after picking up some great investment advice from another fellow EK pilot.
I ONLY, and ONLY assess my FO gradually, from reporting till we shut down our last engine, on whether or not he's backing me up competently as a professional pilot.
I do not make a big deal if someone has misjudged his body condition and kept fasting while showing signs of fatigue or lethargy during Ramadan. I'll advise him to consider freshening up and so far, I only had to bring it up once, and taken positively since he knew he could make it up later in his total fasting duration, once he's off flying duties.
I will however, make a big deal, if someone turns up for work with heavy hangover, appeared severely lack of sleep with red eyes, and try to make friendly chats to get away with such irresponsible act.
My point is, it really makes no difference whether or not it's Ramadan. I will assess my crew the same way I do, every single duty day that I'm paid to do so to ensure safest possible outcome of my flight, without preconceptions.