Narrative:

On arrival in dxb the crew was advised of a disruption to isb. 10 hours rest in the hotel was required. 9:15 after check in we were called out. We could have refused this disruption but elected to continue. We were scheduled isb-tpe to hkg. Upon arrival we were told by the handler supervisor that we were to layover. We had been up for only 6 hours and on duty only 4:15. We wished to continue but accepted this second disruption. Again we received the required 10 hours rest. A person who has been up for only a few hours cannot force themselves to sleep. Our rest was poor and very limited. One crew member slept only 1 hour. We all started out fatigued. The flight was routine until in VHF range of hkg at about XA30Z. Hkg operations stated that the airport was closed until XD00. Asked if we could divert and hold, landing at XD00. We wished we were able, but did not have enough fuel. We continued to tpe. On descent tpe operations diverted us to hkg stating that 'no parking was available.' we blocked in at XC30Z. We then found out that air carrier had crashed at hkg and all flts were experiencing long delays. We ordered fuel and set up to depart as soon as possible. We received an XE45 slot time which gave us plenty of time. We required 84000-88000 pounds of fuel due to the uncertainty of holding at hkg. (The next day one of our crews said they had held 1 1/2 hours.) at XE00 fueling ceased with only 64000 pounds aboard. Supervisor got into a heated argument with the fuelers. Ground control extended our slot time to XE55, but fueling was finally completed at XE50. We were unable to close up, start and taxi out in this limited time and our clearance was cancelled. When we asked for a new time we were told delays were 'indefinite.' supervisor left to talk with the company and was gone for about 1 hour. We were kept aboard the aircraft in 100 degree temperatures with an inoperative APU. When supervisor returned we were out of duty time. It took another hour to clear customs and get to the hotel. We had departed dxb 30 hours prior and were extremely tired. We called tpe control to make sure of the next day's destination and avoid further disruption. We received a telex showing hkg crew rest and resume our line. In the morning we found we had been disrupted again. As you know from your conversation with captain, we elected to continue hkg-nrt per the company's new disruption. When we arrived in nrt we were again extremely fatigued.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IRREGULAR OPERATION RESULTS IN EXTENDED DUTY PERIODS WITH IRREGULAR REST PERIODS.

Narrative: ON ARR IN DXB THE CREW WAS ADVISED OF A DISRUPTION TO ISB. 10 HRS REST IN THE HOTEL WAS REQUIRED. 9:15 AFTER CHK IN WE WERE CALLED OUT. WE COULD HAVE REFUSED THIS DISRUPTION BUT ELECTED TO CONTINUE. WE WERE SCHEDULED ISB-TPE TO HKG. UPON ARR WE WERE TOLD BY THE HANDLER SUPVR THAT WE WERE TO LAYOVER. WE HAD BEEN UP FOR ONLY 6 HRS AND ON DUTY ONLY 4:15. WE WISHED TO CONTINUE BUT ACCEPTED THIS SECOND DISRUPTION. AGAIN WE RECEIVED THE REQUIRED 10 HRS REST. A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN UP FOR ONLY A FEW HRS CANNOT FORCE THEMSELVES TO SLEEP. OUR REST WAS POOR AND VERY LIMITED. ONE CREW MEMBER SLEPT ONLY 1 HR. WE ALL STARTED OUT FATIGUED. THE FLT WAS ROUTINE UNTIL IN VHF RANGE OF HKG AT ABOUT XA30Z. HKG OPS STATED THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED UNTIL XD00. ASKED IF WE COULD DIVERT AND HOLD, LNDG AT XD00. WE WISHED WE WERE ABLE, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL. WE CONTINUED TO TPE. ON DSCNT TPE OPS DIVERTED US TO HKG STATING THAT 'NO PARKING WAS AVAILABLE.' WE BLOCKED IN AT XC30Z. WE THEN FOUND OUT THAT ACR HAD CRASHED AT HKG AND ALL FLTS WERE EXPERIENCING LONG DELAYS. WE ORDERED FUEL AND SET UP TO DEPART ASAP. WE RECEIVED AN XE45 SLOT TIME WHICH GAVE US PLENTY OF TIME. WE REQUIRED 84000-88000 LBS OF FUEL DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF HOLDING AT HKG. (THE NEXT DAY ONE OF OUR CREWS SAID THEY HAD HELD 1 1/2 HRS.) AT XE00 FUELING CEASED WITH ONLY 64000 LBS ABOARD. SUPVR GOT INTO A HEATED ARGUMENT WITH THE FUELERS. GND CTL EXTENDED OUR SLOT TIME TO XE55, BUT FUELING WAS FINALLY COMPLETED AT XE50. WE WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE UP, START AND TAXI OUT IN THIS LIMITED TIME AND OUR CLRNC WAS CANCELLED. WHEN WE ASKED FOR A NEW TIME WE WERE TOLD DELAYS WERE 'INDEFINITE.' SUPVR LEFT TO TALK WITH THE COMPANY AND WAS GONE FOR ABOUT 1 HR. WE WERE KEPT ABOARD THE ACFT IN 100 DEG TEMPS WITH AN INOP APU. WHEN SUPVR RETURNED WE WERE OUT OF DUTY TIME. IT TOOK ANOTHER HR TO CLEAR CUSTOMS AND GET TO THE HOTEL. WE HAD DEPARTED DXB 30 HRS PRIOR AND WERE EXTREMELY TIRED. WE CALLED TPE CTL TO MAKE SURE OF THE NEXT DAY'S DEST AND AVOID FURTHER DISRUPTION. WE RECEIVED A TELEX SHOWING HKG CREW REST AND RESUME OUR LINE. IN THE MORNING WE FOUND WE HAD BEEN DISRUPTED AGAIN. AS YOU KNOW FROM YOUR CONVERSATION WITH CAPT, WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE HKG-NRT PER THE COMPANY'S NEW DISRUPTION. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN NRT WE WERE AGAIN EXTREMELY FATIGUED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.