FC5090

Abridged (see also FC5093)

This report is to raise awareness of the practises of a foreign operator which contravene the spirit of the FTLs, and to raise a grave concern with regards to [Airline] flight deck crews operating into UK airports and through UK airspace. We have been continuously assigned rosters with block hours exceeding 130hrs per month based on a modified FTL that the company has been unilaterally changing to their convenience. For [Airline] it is now not only possible, but commonplace, to do a 23hr FDP which is not possibly viable or doable. Those FDPs were originally for COVID support freight ops but now have been extended to 15 destinations on our network. The passengers in the back are oblivious to the exhausted pilots and what we have to endure at the threat of being fired.

[Airline] insist that you log only half or two thirds of the flight time on augmented sectors for you to remain below the 1000hrs legal limit while your actual flight time might be in the 1300/1500hrs range. The almost universally agreed flight time limit of 900hrs a year has been imposed for a reason after civil aviation authorities have collated data and studies; [Airline] does not respect nor believe in that universally agreed limitation.

Understandably, a lot of [pilots] are very hesitant to come forward and submit reports because they are afraid of retaliation and probably termination. Unfortunately this company subsists on a culture of fear, contrary to their stated ‘open door’ policy and make-believe transparency efforts. We are overworked, overstretched and overstressed, all under a semblance of legality.  We also have been told ‘unofficially’ by people in management (who still care about their pilot colleagues, and are under the same threat of termination themselves) to report sick instead of going through the FRMS fatigue reporting system because the company would look back at our operational history to find an excuse to retaliate and probably find cause to terminate your employment.

I attach [ACN Aircrew Notice]. The ACN illustrates a lot of the wrongdoings going on in terms of logging of hours and the breaches of safety that have been now institutionalised here at [Airline]. On page 3 of the ACN, in the ‘general notes for pilots’ section, it clearly states that for 4 crews operating a flight (as for example a flight to the United States) the relief crew logs total time minus 1:30 minus Crew A rest period, and on the way back the same crew logs total time minus Crew B rest period, which amounts to 50% of the total block time. This is illustrated in the rosters I have submitted. In view of this, we can fly (in all actuality!) 200 block hours in 28 days with the company getting away with it as we technically are allowed to log only 100 (50%). This goes against all laws and regulations and is a blatant disregard for the 100 hour in 28 days rule which is clearly stated in [NAA] duty periods regulations.