Originally Posted by
PasserOGas
So you are saying that if they "require" me to show 5 hours early by scheduling a shuttle that way, it wouldn't be duty? I think this may be an area ripe for abuse if you are correct.
I'm not saying anything other than what 117 and the ALPA 117 guide say. But I don't think that scenario would happen. Any time I've had a limo DH before a flight (HPN hotel limo to JFK for example), my report time is when that limo is, and that is the show time for the day off of which my FDP is calculated. A hotel that requires transpo 5 hours early to get to the hotel probably wouldn't happen and would involve a DH/limo leg. And anytime I've wanted a hotel shuttle to take me at a different time than the one API schedules, I've been able to work that out with them (except in places that don't have scheduled times). In the case of a transpo company with a prearranged time, and my report time is based on my airport show and not a limo/van show, if the van time was excessively early, I'd try to work it out with the transpo company if I had the number, otherwise I'd tell CS and my crew I'll meet the van at such and such time, which I know will still get me to the gate 45 prior, otherwise I'd be fatigued and have to call out.
I don't think this is an area ripe for abuse. I've had shuttles get me to the airport 1:15 prior to departure. In some cases we could have (or have) taken a later shuttle, or moved our transpo time, but went early to get food or whatever. I'm always guaranteed 8 hours of sleep opportunity and 10 hours rest by 117. I always have the fatigue card. If a van was scheduled 5 hours prior to my show, and it's a 15 minute van ride, and CS/transpo company wouldnt change it, I'd politely tell each that I'll be on the hotel curb 30 prior to my show with my crew, and if the van driver wants to sit for an extra 4:30, that's on him. And if he leaves, and I can't get to the airport, the airplane probably won't make it out without me. I think there are enough checks and balances, common sense, and tools at our disposal to prevent this. And as much clownery as I see at BJ, I haven't had an unreasonable van time yet that I couldn't fix. Usually API schedules everything, is conservative with their transpo times, but all parties go with what the captain says will happen and have seemed, at least in my experience, reasonable about it.