Narrative:

My main concern is the safety of our passenger, I also believe their safety is being jeopardized! The trip sequences that are being scheduled for myself and fellow crew members in several trip pairings do not allow for adequate rest. Do not mistake this as a pilot crying the blues because he did not get enough rest the night before this is being sent to you in hope that some rest requirement rules be looked at and changed before someone gets killed. I really believe someone will be hurt or killed because of the type of scheduling practices these companies are using. Take for example a 12 or 13 hour duty day with 6 hours of sleep followed by another 12 or 13 hour duty day. You see with 8 hours rest between release and report time, with travel to and from the hotels allows for 6 hours of sleep at best. I have noticed myself and my first officer's eyes drifting closed during flight, trying to fight off the desire to go to sleep. This problem is real. 2 of our flight attendants were terminated because they fell asleep in the cabin during flight, these were 2 separate incidents within the last few weeks. I would welcome anyone from NASA or NTSB to take a month and ride along with us to experience these scheduling practices for yourself. Do not jeopardize safety for a greater return of profit. I would like to suggest the persons making the schedules fly a month of these schedules. Maybe they would have a better understanding. Look into these rest requirements before I read about it in USA today.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN ACR LTT COMPLAINT OF INSUFFICIENT CREW REST CAUSING COCKPIT AND CABIN CREWS FALLING ASLEEP DURING FLT.

Narrative: MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF OUR PAX, I ALSO BELIEVE THEIR SAFETY IS BEING JEOPARDIZED! THE TRIP SEQUENCES THAT ARE BEING SCHEDULED FOR MYSELF AND FELLOW CREW MEMBERS IN SEVERAL TRIP PAIRINGS DO NOT ALLOW FOR ADEQUATE REST. DO NOT MISTAKE THIS AS A PLT CRYING THE BLUES BECAUSE HE DID NOT GET ENOUGH REST THE NIGHT BEFORE THIS IS BEING SENT TO YOU IN HOPE THAT SOME REST REQUIREMENT RULES BE LOOKED AT AND CHANGED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I REALLY BELIEVE SOMEONE WILL BE HURT OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF SCHEDULING PRACTICES THESE COMPANIES ARE USING. TAKE FOR EXAMPLE A 12 OR 13 HR DUTY DAY WITH 6 HRS OF SLEEP FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER 12 OR 13 HR DUTY DAY. YOU SEE WITH 8 HRS REST BTWN RELEASE AND RPT TIME, WITH TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE HOTELS ALLOWS FOR 6 HRS OF SLEEP AT BEST. I HAVE NOTICED MYSELF AND MY FO'S EYES DRIFTING CLOSED DURING FLT, TRYING TO FIGHT OFF THE DESIRE TO GO TO SLEEP. THIS PROB IS REAL. 2 OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS WERE TERMINATED BECAUSE THEY FELL ASLEEP IN THE CABIN DURING FLT, THESE WERE 2 SEPARATE INCIDENTS WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I WOULD WELCOME ANYONE FROM NASA OR NTSB TO TAKE A MONTH AND RIDE ALONG WITH US TO EXPERIENCE THESE SCHEDULING PRACTICES FOR YOURSELF. DO NOT JEOPARDIZE SAFETY FOR A GREATER RETURN OF PROFIT. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THE PERSONS MAKING THE SCHEDULES FLY A MONTH OF THESE SCHEDULES. MAYBE THEY WOULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. LOOK INTO THESE REST REQUIREMENTS BEFORE I READ ABOUT IT IN USA TODAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.