Pilot unions view rest as a prioriy

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/126883.html

Pilot unions view rest as a prioriy
By TREBOR BANSTETTER
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- After years of punishing schedules and longer workdays, airline pilots are increasingly grappling with fatigue, said union leaders representing pilots at dozens of airlines.

Fatigue was one of the major issues discussed at a summit of pilot union leaders this week in Dallas. The meeting was sponsored by the Allied Pilots Association, which represents pilots at Fort Worth-based American Airlines, and the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association, which represents pilots at Dallas-based Southwest.

Union leaders said that bankrupt and financially weakened airlines have tightened schedules and reduced the amount of rest pilots have between flights.

"It's like our pilots have been at war for five years now," said John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents pilots at 41 airlines, including American Eagle.

Federal regulations prohibit pilots from working more than eight hours a day on the flight deck. But pilots also spend hours preparing for flights, completing reports after landing and waiting at airports between departures, so their workdays can stretch far beyond the eight-hour maximum.

FULL story at link.

[Deja Q]

1. They could always quit en masse...

Then the country would know their value.

Of course, doing so might have them hurting themselves too...

[Boojatta]

2. If there were passenger unions, I suspect that they would also

view rest for pilots as a high priority.

[cloudbase]

3. They eventually got around to this

in the merchant marine. No more than 15 hours in one day, and a maximum of 36 hours in any rolling 72 hour period.