Reporter states and historically documents air carrier's actions to reduce schedule block time on an...

Narrative:

We were recently informed that block times of the jfk ZZZ trip had been altered from 8 hours 6 min to 7 hours 58 mins. This reduction of block time means that a 3 pilot crew will no longer be needed for this turn, and the company will save the need for additional pilots and therefore save money. Here is a summary of the last 2 weeks of block times for this trip. This data reflects an average block time of 8 hours 26 mins. The trip has exceeded 8 hours 74% of the time during the sample. The previous year shows a block time of 8 hours 9 mins scheduled for this same trip during the month of july. There is no reasonable historical precedent to assume that this trip will operate under 8 hours in the future. Mgrs have related that a new routing will shave 9 mins off this block time. This reduction will not bring the flight under the 8 hour threshold based on empirical data. It is my belief that this company cannot make decisions that put financial interests over safety. With the scrutiny we face from the FAA, we cannot afford to make decisions that could result in enforcement actions or fines. I am not suggesting that the company made a decision based on finances, but I hope that this is recognized as an error and will be corrected promptly. I am concerned that if this flight operates without a relief pilot, safety will be compromised.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATES AND HISTORICALLY DOCUMENTS ACR'S ACTIONS TO REDUCE SCHEDULE BLOCK TIME ON AN INTL SEQUENCE BELOW 8 HRS, THUS PRECLUDING THE FAR REQUIREMENT FOR A RELIEF PLT.

Narrative: WE WERE RECENTLY INFORMED THAT BLOCK TIMES OF THE JFK ZZZ TRIP HAD BEEN ALTERED FROM 8 HRS 6 MIN TO 7 HRS 58 MINS. THIS REDUCTION OF BLOCK TIME MEANS THAT A 3 PLT CREW WILL NO LONGER BE NEEDED FOR THIS TURN, AND THE COMPANY WILL SAVE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PLTS AND THEREFORE SAVE MONEY. HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE LAST 2 WKS OF BLOCK TIMES FOR THIS TRIP. THIS DATA REFLECTS AN AVERAGE BLOCK TIME OF 8 HRS 26 MINS. THE TRIP HAS EXCEEDED 8 HRS 74% OF THE TIME DURING THE SAMPLE. THE PREVIOUS YEAR SHOWS A BLOCK TIME OF 8 HRS 9 MINS SCHEDULED FOR THIS SAME TRIP DURING THE MONTH OF JULY. THERE IS NO REASONABLE HISTORICAL PRECEDENT TO ASSUME THAT THIS TRIP WILL OPERATE UNDER 8 HRS IN THE FUTURE. MGRS HAVE RELATED THAT A NEW ROUTING WILL SHAVE 9 MINS OFF THIS BLOCK TIME. THIS REDUCTION WILL NOT BRING THE FLT UNDER THE 8 HR THRESHOLD BASED ON EMPIRICAL DATA. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THIS COMPANY CANNOT MAKE DECISIONS THAT PUT FINANCIAL INTERESTS OVER SAFETY. WITH THE SCRUTINY WE FACE FROM THE FAA, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT COULD RESULT IN ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS OR FINES. I AM NOT SUGGESTING THAT THE COMPANY MADE A DECISION BASED ON FINANCES, BUT I HOPE THAT THIS IS RECOGNIZED AS AN ERROR AND WILL BE CORRECTED PROMPTLY. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THIS FLT OPERATES WITHOUT A RELIEF PLT, SAFETY WILL BE COMPROMISED.

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.

Attributes
ACN	585306
Time
Date	200306
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	585306
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Reporter states and historically documents air carrier's actions to reduce schedule block time on an international sequence below 8 hours, thus precluding the far requirement for a relief pilot.