When grouchy crews start complaining, its bad news! Air India's newest problem

Though some of them are really smart and efficient, in general, Air India's crew isn't known for its friendliness, and certainly won't be winning any popularity contests. They're usually surly, and also been known to occasionally protest, and strike work if the need arises.

So it should come as no surprise that AI's crew - the one that flies to Australia on the new Dreamliners - has complained to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in Australia, that they don't get much rest on that flight, and that they won't be responsible if there are violations or safety mishaps on that route (DEL-MEL/SYD).

WHAT?

This newspaper report from the Mumbai Mirror states, that the crew had written to the DGCA a couple of weeks back, demanding that they be allowed to rest in a scientific manner. What science, I wonder! Significantly, the report also lists out the rest related terms forming part of an agreement between CASA and DGCA, dated November 1, 2010. The entitlements are:

  • a 24-hour rest period before each flight, including the local night, 
  • a five-hour horizontal rest onboard the aircraft (with a specific area marked for crew members), 
  • a 48-hour rest period in Australia and 
  • 72 hours of rest immediately after returning to India, on every flight that is over 11 hours.

Apparently, the Dreamliner doesn't have space earmarked for the cabin crew to rest.

I consider myself rather lazy (ask the missus, if you don't believe me), but even I think that kind of rest is a bit too much. So essentially, if a crew member has to be on a DEL-MEL flight that departs at 1300 hours IST on Monday, then they will...


  • need to have been relieved from their previous flight duties by 1300 hours starting Sunday
  • reach / stay in DEL on Sunday night in order to have a local night before the flight
  • depart at 1300 hours on Monday from DEL to MEL
  • reach MEL at 0630 hours on Tuesday morning
  • rest till at least 0630 hours on Thursday morning
  • depart at 0800 hours (local time) on Thusrday morning, MEL to DEL
  • reach DEL at 1810 hours IST on Thursday evening
  • since that flight is over 11 hours long, rest till at least 1810 hours on Sunday evening


In effect, that's ONE ROUND TRIP from DEL to MEL - all in a week (and a bit more). So, here's one way of looking at it:



Put simply and differently...


OK, I know I'm making this sound flippant. Flying and air safety is a critical matter, and it is important that crew get their rest. After all, they are the first (almost), last and only line of safety. But I'm aghast at their demands! And strangely, this complaint is by the air hostesses and stewards. The pilots seem to have gone all quiet.


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