I go back and forth on this topic. INTL it's a formality to extend. How do you predict fatigue on a 15hr flight where you get 7hrs in the bunk? I can either get 7 good hours of sleep or toss and turn for 7 hours and be exhausted. So giving 5 hrs of pay to INTL pilots encourages them to go max FARs.

However on the domestic side I think it can breed unsafe conditions. You show me a pilot who won't extend for 5 hrs of pay. I don't think that pilot exists.

With that said having special carveouts for certain pilots over the same rules is BS. This is why I go back and forth.