FAA crew duty lawsuit?

[Bavarian Chef]

Anyone got the whole story on this one? Sorry if I missed it in the Majors section.


Continental, American and others sue FAA


Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

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Continental Airlines Inc. and six other airlines have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration opposing new safety requirements aimed at tackling pilot fatigue on some international flights.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Houston-based Continental (NYSE: CAL) and Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc.’s parent, AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR), are among the airlines challenging the legality and the safety benefits of the new rules for pilots of flights lasting 16 hours or longer. Airlines have become more reliant on such routes, but are reluctant to incur increased labor costs by giving pilots a longer rest time between flights, The Journal reported.
The lawsuit was filed Dec. 24 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Other airlines involved in the suit include Purchase, N.Y.-based Atlas Air Inc.; McMinnville, Ore.-based Evergreen International Airlines Inc.; Forest Hills, N.Y.-based JetBlue Airways Corp.; Chicago-based United AirLines Inc.; and Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways Inc.

http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2009/01/05/daily6.html?t=printable

 

[Sandhawk]

Just goes to show that it ain't about $afety............


imp:

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Yep they are upset about the crew rest requirements. They way I see it, they better be careful or they will get the the manning requirements shoved down their throat's too.

 

[EWR_FO]

BC,

In a nutshell, the FAA has decided to implement more stringent "rest" requirements for ultra long haul ops (anything with a leg blocked over 16 hours). In true FAA fashion (ready, fire, aim) they have decided to not take any comment period, or bother to ask the people who do it all the time what they think. Their proposed changes will only make things worse, NOT better.

If they were actually serious about pilot fatigue, they would only be if a solution was free, they would take a hard look at domestic, short haul operations. The Whitlow Rule, IMHO, was only a moderately acceptable STARTING point to regs that were written eons ago.

The FAA is starting to rival the TSA in how completely out of touch they are with the real world.

 

[dalav8tor]

Pilots are against it too. Nobody wants to spend any more time in Mumbai than they have too especially when it means less time off at home.

 

[contrail67]

Yep they are upset about the crew rest requirements. They way I see it, they better be careful or they will get the the manning requirements shoved down their throat's too.

What kind of manning increase will this mean if the FAA rules are upheld?....is this a similar issue that came about years ago relating to the reserve rest periods?...or lack of.

 

[GogglesPisano]

In this furlough-rich environment, I would think we pilots would wish for more stringent rest (and thereby staffing) regulations.

Spending 48hrs and Mumbai beats spending 40hrs at Home Depot.

 

[Skippy]

its total BS--- there will be one captain and three fo's no real movement and you'll get an extra 12 hours in "mumbai"

big freaking deal--- i though the airlines already agreed to the BS one captain and three fo deal a few months back under ULF ultra long flights-- or maybe that was just manning, not rest..

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Couldn't figure out why JetBlue would be a party to the suit.

Thanks.

 

[SELFloadingCRGO]

Not sure if I remember this right but a year or two ago wasn't JB trying to get a change to the 8 hr/day rule so their crews could do transcon turns? If so maybe that is why they are named on it too.


SLC