Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback and would like to offer further context to reassure you that safety remains our top priority.

The times allocated for pre-flight duties, including briefings, security searches, and safety equipment checks, have been rigorously trialled before implementation to ensure they are sufficient. We maintain a robust safety culture where these operational practices are genuinely prioritised and integrated into every aspect of our operation.

While we strive to meet our customers’ expectations for timely departures, we do not compromise on safety. Our culture recognises that there may be occasions when crew need more time to complete pre-flight duties due to various reasons such as awaiting a standby crew member, additional security requirements, or cabin defects. In such cases, our SCCMs are empowered to delay boarding by liaising with the ground crew if necessary.

If a boarding delay occurs, it may prompt a transparent discussion with the base management team. However, this is intended to help us understand the reasons for the delay so we can identify areas for improvement. It is not a punitive measure, and our commitment to a ‘just’ culture remains at the heart of what we do.

Feedback from our crew is invaluable, as it not only helps us enhance our safety practices but also supports our crew by ensuring they can perform their duties without undue pressure. This leads to better outcomes for everyone involved.

Our SCCMs play a crucial role in managing cabin safety and are encouraged to report any operational issues through channels such as duty report or feedback forms, and any safety issues must be reported via a safety report. We actively encourage using these channels as they are vital for making informed operational decisions.

We take the concerns raised in your report seriously and will continue to review at both a procedural and policy level, any opportunities to review and revise our practices, ensuring that safety is not just prioritised but that our crew are operationally supported to maintain our high safety standards.

Cabin crew should not feel pressured to start passenger boarding or close the aircraft doors until they are satisfied all required safety activities have been achieved.  There should be no deviation from published standard operating procedures (SOPs) in order to facilitate an on-time departure. If cabin crew feel they are being pressured to achieve an unrealistic passenger boarding time it is essential that this is reported using the company reporting scheme.  Such reporting should be managed in accordance with the principles of just culture.

The rotation referenced includes a short positioning sector operated without passengers, followed by a long-haul commercial flight. Cabin crew are rostered to operate both sectors as a single duty period, with in-flight rest scheduled on the long-haul sector to extend the permitted duty period in line with flight time limitations. This pattern was reviewed by our Fatigue Risk Management (FRM) team prior to implementation and remains subject to ongoing monitoring.

The flight crew operate a different pairing to the cabin crew for a few reasons, due to operational constraints such as base size and rest requirements. Our cabin crew are qualified on all aircraft types out of the base this aircraft departs from, while only a small number of pilots are, therefore we need to roster the majority of them from our main base, which impacts the way we manage our trip pairings. Out of their main base, it is not feasible for them to position then operate both sectors in the same duty period, even with an augmented crew. Instead, they are rostered separately on each leg, with appropriate rest provided between duties. This approach allows greater flexibility in pilot resourcing, particularly where a smaller base limit their availability.

While the pairings for cabin and flight crew differ, both are designed within the relevant regulatory frameworks and have undergone fatigue risk assessment. At this time, no concerns have been raised by the FRM team in relation to this pattern. We continue to monitor fatigue reports across all flying programmes, and any emerging concerns will be reviewed as part of our seasonal evaluation process. This ongoing dialogue ensures that we continue developing efficient and resilient pairings while prioritising the safety and wellbeing of our crew.

This report shines a light on how vital communication, reporting, and CRM (Crew Resource Management) are in our day-to-day work as cabin crew. The routines we follow are built from risk assessments, past incidents, regulations, and airline-specific risks. They’re there to help keep everyone safe and reduce the chance of mistakes or injuries.

Sometimes, the Commander and SCCM might decide to change the usual routine, for example, doing the safety demo before arming the doors. If that happens, it’s important that the whole team is told clearly. If not, it can cause confusion for both crew and passengers, like when a flight crew PA doesn’t match what’s already happened.

CRM is all about working together with shared awareness, clear communication, and coordinated actions. When those things break down, it’s easier to miss step, like forgetting to arm doors, do the demo, or secure the cabin. In this case, the plan to change the order wasn’t properly discussed or confirmed with the crew, which led to uncertainty. If something changes or doesn’t feel right, crew should speak up and check with the SCCM. Our just culture encourages asking questions, so if something doesn’t feel right, talking about it on the day can help everyone understand what is going on.

Any changes to routines or SOPs should be reported using a safety report. Make sure to include why the change was made and how it might affect the safety or security of the flight.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) are intended to ensure all crew members have a common understanding of safety related duties that ensures a consistent application and reduces the risk of error. Repetitive deliberate deviation from published procedures in order to achieve a perceived “work around” creates a normalisation that introduces inconsistency, the potential for misunderstanding and an increased risk in an error occurring, an inadvertent slide deployment being one example. If it is felt SOPs could be improved this should be reported back to the company but current procedures should be followed until such time as they are amended.

When Class 1 rest is not required, cabin crew who report for duty are confirming they are sufficiently rested for the flight ahead. For duties longer than three hours, refreshment breaks are provided, with break times increasing by 20 minutes as duty length extends, full details can be found in the OMA manual. On aircraft without dedicated crew rest facilities, some cabin door areas are equipped with reclining seats and footrests for breaks. These spaces, separated from passengers with curtains, allow crew to eat, rest, read, use personal devices (with headphones), or simply close their eyes (long haul only). These breaks are intended to provide short rest periods but do not extend the FDP, as they are not classed as Class 1 rest.

On certain flights, Class 1 rest is required to extend the maximum flight duty period (FDP). This provides cabin crew with the opportunity to lie down and rest in a designated, curtained rest area away from the passenger cabin. The duration of Class 1 rest depends on several factors but is designed to ensure crew can safely complete extended duties, take a proper break from operational tasks, and return to duty rested and alert.

Turbulence procedures have been updated to reflect the practical challenges faced by cabin crew on longer flights, particularly when breaks are taking place, and only 50% of the crew are on duty. During these periods, the available crew are performing essential tasks such as cabin and toilet checks, attending to customer needs, and delivering service items. If unexpected turbulence occurs during this time, updated procedures, developed from both industry standards and internal operational experience, now provide guidance on how crew can secure themselves within the cabin. This includes using an available passenger seat, remaining low to the floor while holding on securely, or in the galley, using built-in handles and securing themselves to the floor area. Even when the full crew is on duty, there are not always enough designated crew seats in the galley area to accommodate everyone, particularly at the start of service when trolleys/carts are being prepared and collected. In the case of forecast or planned turbulence, if a crew member is on break at a curtained door area where two crew seats are located, it may be necessary to interrupt their break so that on-duty crew can use the spare seat for safety. In such cases, a cabin safety report should be completed to document that refreshment breaks were disturbed due to in-flight safety conditions. Once the turbulence has passed, the SCCM may be able to reorganise or reschedule breaks where possible.

While suggestions to manage fatigue are always helpful, it is essential that any concerns or fatigue-related occurrences are reported through the company’s safety management system. This enables the Fatigue Safety Action Group and safety teams to monitor trip patterns and identify trends. Thanks to crew reports, certain roster patterns are already being reviewed, with recommendations for improvement due to be discussed at an upcoming meeting.

There are no cabin crew inflight rest facilities on this type of aircraft so FDP cannot be extended as cabin crew will be the limiting factor. This type can only be used for nonaugmented crew. The flight would be able to be operated using the maximum daily FDP table under ORO.FTL.205 (b). Regarding accommodation for crew nutrition breaks, the operator is only required to comply with UK Regulation ORO.FTL. 240 (a) & (b), AMC1 ORO.FTL.240 which states that during the FDP, there shall be the opportunity for a meal and drink to avoid any detriment to a crew members performance especially when the FDP exceeds 6 hours.

The operator is required to specify how a crew member’s nutrition during an FDP is ensured and to specify the minimum duration of the meal opportunity, but there is no requirement in the regulations for accommodation, comfy seats for these breaks (they are fitted on this type). These seats are an ‘extra’ and they are not used to increase FDP.

The changes to the Unfit for Duty (Fatigue) handling processes have been made with the full co-operation and support of the Cabin Crew Union representatives who had strongly urged for more Base Management involvement. The overarching policy is to provide support to CCMs who are struggling to achieve adequate pre-flight rest. Fatigue is a whole life issue, home life and health are all very important factors and early intervention is seen as wholly appropriate for crew members who may be struggling. The argument by BASSA that some crew members with disproportionately high levels of Unfit Reports may be misusing the fatigue process is acknowledged but the fatigue team and the cabin crew management team have stressed that this is a safety process and is managed in accordance with the Airlines Just Culture. No crew member has or will face disciplinary action based upon fatigue reporting alone. It has however been agreed that disproportionately high levels of Unfit Reports can be considered where a crew member is already being managed under the absenteeism policy, i.e., there are other high levels of absenteeism. Previously, even high levels of absenteeism due to fatigue were not managed.

Fatigue management is intended to identify roster-induced fatigue and enable action to be taken to address potentially fatiguing roster patterns. An investigation may not identify the cause as being a result of a duty or pattern of duties and the outcome may be identified as an individual crew member being unrested. Whilst operators have a responsibility for rostering required rest periods, crew members have a responsibility to ensure they are properly rested before reporting for a duty. Where personal health is a contributory factor, fitness to undertake a duty and sickness absence reporting should be considered. Where a crew member has repeated absence whether as a result of fatigue or sickness, an operator may wish to hold discussions with the crew member concerned in order to identify whether there are any underlying casual factors that may require further support, such as a referral to an employee assistance programme or occupational health.

The FTL scheme in our Operations Manual Part A states:

The total flight time of the sectors on which an individual crewmember is assigned as an operating crewmember shall not exceed:

1. a) 100 hours of flight time in any 28 consecutive days;
2. b) 900 hours of flight time in any 12 consecutive calendar months.

This rule aligns with the UK Civil Aviation Working Time Regulations, which is more restrictive than UK CAA’s retained version of Regulation 965/2012.

The 900 hours Limit 

This is a rolling window, not tied to a calendar year or the current calendar month. Every day, you must look back at the preceding 12 full calendar months (e.g. if today is 13 June 2025, the period is 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025). Your total actual flight time in that period must not exceed 900 hours. If it does, you must not be rostered for any more flights until it drops below 900 in that rolling window.

If Crewing says, “It’s okay because it’s in the month,” ask:

• “Which month?”
• “Have you calculated the rolling 12-month total?”
• “Have you confirmed that the actual flight time in the previous 12 full calendar months are under 900 hours?”

A common misconception is confusing 12 consecutive calendar months with a rolling 365-day period, which is what they may be referring to as “in the month”.

The rule is 900 hours of flight time in any 12 consecutive calendar months. That means, you total up full calendar months, not individual days. If today is 13 June 2025, you count from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025 (not 14 June 2024 to 13 June 2025).

You could exceed 900 hours over any rolling 365-day period, but still be within the 900-hour limit for 12 consecutive calendar months.

As indicated in the company comment, the limit of 900 flying hours is calculated to the end of the preceding month. Operators should ensure that rosters are managed so as to identify crew members who are close to the 900-hour flying duty limit and prevent any exceedance.