Narrative:

I received this trip at XA00 with a check-in of XN05. I have to wake up at XJ00 to arrive on time. This trip starts with the flight attendant having to drive in the dark due to early check-in and on this day also in heavy rains. It ends with the flight attendant having to drive home at the end of a 14+ hour duty day in the dark. More than 1/2 of the flight attendants sleep in their cars or in the domicile before starting out on their drive home. Most of us who live more than 1 hour away end up pulling over and sleeping in our cars during the drive home. I believe that if I don't feel that I am safe enough to be driving on the road then I was not safe enough to be on the aircraft being responsible for saving people's lives. During the trip over and part of the leg back home; we encountered turbulence that was in the moderate range that required the captain to make the announcement for flight attendants to take their seats. After each episode; flight attendants spoke of being tired and struggling to hold off fatigue (this was on first leg). Most of the crew tried to get some type of rest on the bright; loud; and noisy aircraft; as we are not provided a crew rest area anytime during this 14+ hour duty day. The only time that rest can be attempted is during the turn time; but it is a losing battle due to catering; cleaners; and mechanics all trying to get their jobs done. I knew I was tired but not enough to satisfy the fatigue requirements. The deadheading crew that was traveling with us commented on both mine and my galley's obvious signs of fatigue. I had flown with 4 of the flight attendants and one of the pilots previously so that had previous experiences with me to compare my actions to. By the last hour; my fatigue was obvious to everyone. For the first time; I felt weak to my knees. My galley was a ready reserve who was woken at XH00 to be told that she had this XN05 check-in turn. She was zombie-like -- not aware of her own fatigue. No situational awareness the last 1/2 of the flight back. Deadheaders voiced their concerns about her.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT DESCRIBES THE FATIGUE INDUCED BY 14 HOUR DUTY DAY WITH A TWO HOUR COMMUTE ON EACH END.

Narrative: I RECEIVED THIS TRIP AT XA00 WITH A CHK-IN OF XN05. I HAVE TO WAKE UP AT XJ00 TO ARRIVE ON TIME. THIS TRIP STARTS WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT HAVING TO DRIVE IN THE DARK DUE TO EARLY CHK-IN AND ON THIS DAY ALSO IN HVY RAINS. IT ENDS WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT HAVING TO DRIVE HOME AT THE END OF A 14+ HR DUTY DAY IN THE DARK. MORE THAN 1/2 OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS SLEEP IN THEIR CARS OR IN THE DOMICILE BEFORE STARTING OUT ON THEIR DRIVE HOME. MOST OF US WHO LIVE MORE THAN 1 HR AWAY END UP PULLING OVER AND SLEEPING IN OUR CARS DURING THE DRIVE HOME. I BELIEVE THAT IF I DON'T FEEL THAT I AM SAFE ENOUGH TO BE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THEN I WAS NOT SAFE ENOUGH TO BE ON THE ACFT BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR SAVING PEOPLE'S LIVES. DURING THE TRIP OVER AND PART OF THE LEG BACK HOME; WE ENCOUNTERED TURB THAT WAS IN THE MODERATE RANGE THAT REQUIRED THE CAPT TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FLT ATTENDANTS TO TAKE THEIR SEATS. AFTER EACH EPISODE; FLT ATTENDANTS SPOKE OF BEING TIRED AND STRUGGLING TO HOLD OFF FATIGUE (THIS WAS ON FIRST LEG). MOST OF THE CREW TRIED TO GET SOME TYPE OF REST ON THE BRIGHT; LOUD; AND NOISY ACFT; AS WE ARE NOT PROVIDED A CREW REST AREA ANYTIME DURING THIS 14+ HR DUTY DAY. THE ONLY TIME THAT REST CAN BE ATTEMPTED IS DURING THE TURN TIME; BUT IT IS A LOSING BATTLE DUE TO CATERING; CLEANERS; AND MECHS ALL TRYING TO GET THEIR JOBS DONE. I KNEW I WAS TIRED BUT NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY THE FATIGUE REQUIREMENTS. THE DEADHEADING CREW THAT WAS TRAVELING WITH US COMMENTED ON BOTH MINE AND MY GALLEY'S OBVIOUS SIGNS OF FATIGUE. I HAD FLOWN WITH 4 OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND ONE OF THE PLTS PREVIOUSLY SO THAT HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH ME TO COMPARE MY ACTIONS TO. BY THE LAST HR; MY FATIGUE WAS OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE. FOR THE FIRST TIME; I FELT WEAK TO MY KNEES. MY GALLEY WAS A READY RESERVE WHO WAS WOKEN AT XH00 TO BE TOLD THAT SHE HAD THIS XN05 CHK-IN TURN. SHE WAS ZOMBIE-LIKE -- NOT AWARE OF HER OWN FATIGUE. NO SITUATIONAL AWARENESS THE LAST 1/2 OF THE FLT BACK. DEADHEADERS VOICED THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT HER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.