Narrative:

[Date 1] requested an fb for the sequence from the chief pilot. [Date 2] I called crew schedule to check on the fb request; since none was put on the crew list. There was a first officer on short call who was legal and available; but the senior on duty refused to assign him to our flight. I managed my sleep before reporting to work by taking a nap in the afternoon of [date 2]. However; as I approached my 6th hour in the seat and since the sun had not come up yet; I found it increasingly challenging to stay focused on flight duties. After landing in ZZZZ; our bus ride to the hotel was long; as expected; due to heavy traffic. We got to our rooms about xa:00 and I slept until xf:00. That evening; I was unable to sleep until about xp:00; [next day]. [Next day] I awoke at xu:00. Since departure wasn't until [another 12 hours]; with an 8 hour flight; and a 2 hour drive home still ahead of me; I knew that I had to try to get a nap before pick up. Despite construction outside my hotel window and daylight peeking in around the curtains; I was able to get some sleep. Before our descent into ZZZ the sun had set and that's when the effects of fatigue started to become more noticeable. To complicate matters; the weather was down to 300' overcast and rain. Had I not at least gotten the 'all-too-short' nap before pickup; I would have been awake or about 22 hours when landing at ZZZ and 24 hours upon arriving at home. Every time I fly a european trip at night with a three man crew; I sleep soundly during my inflight break; because my body obviously needs it. Flying two man during that same period is most definitely moving us; as a crew; out of the 'green' and (at a minimum) into the 'yellow.' crew schedule refused to assign a legal and available reserve pilot to fly as fb on this sequence. Put the fb back on night flights to europe; regardless of whether it is 'paper legal' to go without them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier Captain reported fatigue after 2 man rotation ZZZ-ZZZZ and return next day.

Narrative: [Date 1] Requested an FB for the sequence from the Chief Pilot. [Date 2] I called Crew Schedule to check on the FB request; since none was put on the crew list. There was a First Officer on short call who was legal and available; but the Senior on Duty refused to assign him to our flight. I managed my sleep before reporting to work by taking a nap in the afternoon of [Date 2]. However; as I approached my 6th hour in the seat and since the sun had not come up yet; I found it increasingly challenging to stay focused on flight duties. After landing in ZZZZ; our bus ride to the hotel was long; as expected; due to heavy traffic. We got to our rooms about XA:00 and I slept until XF:00. That evening; I was unable to sleep until about XP:00; [next day]. [Next Day] I awoke at XU:00. Since departure wasn't until [another 12 hours]; with an 8 hour flight; and a 2 hour drive home still ahead of me; I knew that I had to try to get a nap before pick up. Despite construction outside my hotel window and daylight peeking in around the curtains; I was able to get some sleep. Before our descent into ZZZ the sun had set and that's when the effects of fatigue started to become more noticeable. To complicate matters; the weather was down to 300' overcast and rain. Had I not at least gotten the 'all-too-short' nap before pickup; I would have been awake or about 22 hours when landing at ZZZ and 24 hours upon arriving at home. Every time I fly a European trip at night with a three man crew; I sleep soundly during my inflight break; because my body obviously needs it. Flying two man during that same period is most definitely moving us; as a crew; out of the 'green' and (at a minimum) into the 'yellow.' Crew Schedule refused to assign a legal and available reserve pilot to fly as FB on this sequence. Put the FB back on night flights to Europe; regardless of whether it is 'paper legal' to go without them.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.