Duty Time: 14 or 16 Hours/What is the Rule?

Section 7.C.1. of our contract states “A flight attendant shall not be scheduled to be on duty more than fourteen hours (14:00) per duty period. A flight attendant may not be assigned new flying or required to remain on duty in excess of sixteen hours (16:00), including continuous duty overnights.”

Flight attendants are often confused as to whether or not they can be on duty over 14 hours. This us understandable as the rules we must follow are a combination of both those set forth in our contract and those found in the flight attendant FARs. First, the contract prohibits the company from scheduling a flight attendant over 14 hours. Second, it also sets down an actual duty time cap of 16 hours. This means that your schedule, on paper can never exceed 14 hours however, you may need to exceed the 14 hours in actual practice to accommodate unforeseen circumstances such as weather or mechanical. You cannot however, be on duty for more than 16 hours in actual practice.

If you are projected to go over 16 hours and are not yet in the air, you must be removed from the trip. If you are still on the ground, even if you are taxiing, you must notify crew scheduling that you are projected to exceed the 16 hour actual cap. (Your Captain may notify Crew Scheduling on your behalf if you are taxiing). If however your flight takes off and an unanticipated delay occurs, at this point there you might exceed the 16 hour actual duty time cap as there is no way to remove you.

Some flight attendants have reported, being advised by crew scheduling, that they can be scheduled or re-scheduled for more than 14 hours of duty. This is simply not true. This would be a violation of our contract. If however, in their infinite wisdom, the crew scheduler insists on violating our agreement, there are additional protections. You see, under the flight attendant FARs, you can be scheduled or re-scheduled for more than 14 hours of duty. This of course differs from our contract, however as your will see by the chart below, the company must add one additional flight attendant to the minimum crew compliment.

As you know, our aircraft operate with minimum crew on board. So, if crew scheduling attempts to schedule or re-schedule you for more than 14 hours of duty (on paper, not withstanding weather or mechanical problems) please let the scheduler know this is a violation of our contract. Remember all conversations are taped. If they persist, you might want to point out that although they may insist on violating our collective bargaining agreement, they might want to think twice about violating the FARs. Scheduling or re-scheduling a flight attendant for more than 14 hours will require the company to place another flight attendant, in addition to yourself, onboard the aircraft in order to meet the legalities of the FAR requirements for minimum crew.

In addition to the duty time chart below we have included an additional chart that shows the rest requirements for pilots as specified under FAR Part 121. These are the rest requirements AFA has negotiated in Section 7.E. of the agreement. In terms of rest, you should be receiving the best of both worlds. You should receive the pilot or flight attendant FARs, whichever is better, dependant upon your circumstances.

Summary:

Flight Attendant Duty Time and Rest Requirements

Under FAA Rules Effective 2/1/96

Part 121 and 135 Operations

*Next scheduled duty must be scheduled to begin no later than 24 hrs after start of reduced rest.

**Compensatory rest must be scheduled to begin no later than 24 hrs after start of reduced rest.

Summary:

Pilot FARs As Applied to Flight Attendants

Daily Flight Time and Rest Requirements

*Compensatory rest must begin no later than 24 hours after start of reduced rest.