B757-200 first officer notes the company has reduced a scheduled trip paring to be less than 8 hours...

Attributes
ACN	587450
Time
Date	200307
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	587450
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Jfk-sxm-jfk block times and safety issues. Last month I submitted an as soon as possible concerning block times on the jfk-sxm-jfk turnaround trip. The block time had inexplicably been reduced to 7 hours 55 mins on this trip, - despite a monthly average approaching 8 hours 20 mins in block time. The block time reduction eliminated the need for a third pilot. The response from the report indicated that this problem was being 'fixed' by a new routing and by working with jfk ramp. At the same time, a relief pilot was added to the trips in july. The august schedule, however, indicates that this trip is still blocked for 7 hours 55 mins and 2 pilots will be used for this sequence. This is in spite of the fact that the trip has exceeded 8 hours 57 percent of the time in july and averages 8 hours 11 mins in block time through jul/thu. Once again, I am concerned at what seems to be on the surface, a manipulation of block time in order to save money on staffing. It is vitally important that we follow the regulations and continue to put safety over financial concerns.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FO NOTES THE COMPANY HAS REDUCED A SCHEDULED TRIP PARING TO BE LESS THAN 8 HRS SO THAT A RELIEF PLT IS NOT REQUIRED, OR SCHEDULED. THE AVERAGE FLT TIME OF THE PARING EXCEEDS 8 HRS.

Narrative: JFK-SXM-JFK BLOCK TIMES AND SAFETY ISSUES. LAST MONTH I SUBMITTED AN ASAP CONCERNING BLOCK TIMES ON THE JFK-SXM-JFK TURNAROUND TRIP. THE BLOCK TIME HAD INEXPLICABLY BEEN REDUCED TO 7 HRS 55 MINS ON THIS TRIP, - DESPITE A MONTHLY AVERAGE APCHING 8 HRS 20 MINS IN BLOCK TIME. THE BLOCK TIME REDUCTION ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR A THIRD PLT. THE RESPONSE FROM THE RPT INDICATED THAT THIS PROB WAS BEING 'FIXED' BY A NEW ROUTING AND BY WORKING WITH JFK RAMP. AT THE SAME TIME, A RELIEF PLT WAS ADDED TO THE TRIPS IN JULY. THE AUGUST SCHEDULE, HOWEVER, INDICATES THAT THIS TRIP IS STILL BLOCKED FOR 7 HOURS 55 MINS AND 2 PLTS WILL BE USED FOR THIS SEQUENCE. THIS IS IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE TRIP HAS EXCEEDED 8 HRS 57 PERCENT OF THE TIME IN JULY AND AVERAGES 8 HRS 11 MINS IN BLOCK TIME THROUGH JUL/THU. ONCE AGAIN, I AM CONCERNED AT WHAT SEEMS TO BE ON THE SURFACE, A MANIPULATION OF BLOCK TIME IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY ON STAFFING. IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE FOLLOW THE REGS AND CONTINUE TO PUT SAFETY OVER FINANCIAL CONCERNS.

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.

B757-200 first officer notes the company has reduced a scheduled trip paring to be less than 8 hours so that a relief pilot is not required, or scheduled. The average flight time of the paring exceeds 8 hours.