CC7555 - Part time days off used to combat fatigue
Initial Report
It has become increasingly clear to me, through conversations with fellow cabin crew, that part-timers are much less likely to report potential and actual fatigue to my operator and CHIRP. I fear this is leading to underreporting of fatigue and creating a false belief among management that current rosters are reasonable, when in reality they are too intensive.
I believe full-timers are submitting Safety Reports for potential and actual fatigue, but many part-timers are less inclined to do so, often expressing, “All I have to do is get through this arduous line of work, and then I’ve got my (unpaid) part-time off to recover.” This leaves an unfair reporting burden on those who work more hours.
Part-timers need to remember: after my line of work and associated days off, would I be fatigued for my next duty if I didn’t also have my part-time off period to recover?
Increasingly, cabin crew—many of them young, without children or extra responsibilities—are requesting part-time contracts as roster intensity becomes unbearable. Cabin crew should be able to work full-time and feel rested without having to resort to part-time work out of despair, relying on “unpaid” off periods to recover. Many crew feel they have no life outside of their flying job, as they are spending their non-working time resting and recovering in order to return to work “fit to fly.” There is little to no work-life balance for many cabin crew at my operator.
How can fatigue reporting be increased among all cabin crew to give management a better understanding of the reality of how crew feel about the demanding work blocks in their rosters?
comments
Company Comment
Fatigue is a recognised operational hazard, and managing it is a shared responsibility between crew and the company through our Safety Management System.
From a company perspective, roster design follows the regulatory framework, incorporates agreements with our trade union, and feedback from crew through cabin safety and fatigue reports. Accurate and consistent reporting is essential, as it helps ensure this data reflects the real operational environment. Where some contract groups report less frequently, this can make trend analysis more challenging. At the same time, reporting frequency alone does not provide the full picture; fatigue can vary between individuals due to factors such as lifestyle, caring responsibilities, sleep patterns, and adaptation to shift work. For this reason, we continue to encourage reporting by all crew.
All cabin crew also have a personal responsibility to ensure they are fit to operate before reporting for duty and throughout the duty period. Crew must not commence or continue duties if they believe they are unfit due to fatigue, illness, injury, medication, impairment, or any other condition that could affect the safe performance of their role.
Your point regarding work–life balance and roster intensity is acknowledged. These considerations continue to be reviewed through the appropriate reporting channels, forums, and working groups. Maintaining a safe and sustainable operation requires an ongoing balance between operational demands and crew wellbeing, and feedback such as yours plays an important part in that process.
CAA Comment
Regulation (EU) 376/2014 ensures that occurrences that pose a significant risk to aviation safety are reported. Operators are required to have voluntary and mandatory reporting systems to allow individuals to report details of aviation safety-related occurrences. The information is then analysed in order to identify safety hazards, and any appropriate, corrective or preventative action is taken in a timely manner
Where applicable, information on the analysis and follow up occurrences should be provided to the reporter. Such feedback should comply with the rules of confidentiality and protection of the reporter.
In addition, the system should promote a ‘safety culture’ facilitating the reporting of occurrences and thereby advancing the principle of a ‘just culture’. This forms the basis of a robust safety management system.
Operators are required to have a confidential system in place allowing crew members to report fatigue (ASR), and specific non-punitive fatigue reporting processes under their existing safety reporting procedures. There should be a process/procedure in place to ensure feedback to the reporter.
CHIRP Comment
Important points are raised by the reporter about fatigue reporting among cabin crew and the challenges associated with roster intensity. Fatigue management is a safety-critical issue, and all crew (regardless of contract type) should feel empowered and supported to report when they are unfit to operate.
Under ORO.FTL.210, flight time is limited to a maximum of 100 hours in any 28 consecutive days, regardless of whether a crew member is full-time or part-time. Being contracted at 50% does not therefore mean that monthly or annual flying hours are reduced by 50%. Part-time rosters are often structured differently in order to maximise productivity and may include a higher proportion of long-duty days.
Most operators offer a range of contract options to provide flexibility, allowing individuals to balance personal and professional demands. Some crew may choose part-time contracts while still seeking to maximise their flying hours, depending on their circumstances.
The reporter raises a valid concern about whether fatigue reporting may be skewed by the proportion of part-time crew within this operator’s cabin crew community, potentially masking the true impact of roster demands. Ensuring that all crew feel able to report fatigue without hesitation is essential to maintaining an accurate picture of fatigue risk and support effective fatigue risk management.