Originally Posted by
Adlerdriver
First, there is no “legal” when it comes to jumpseating to domicile for a trip. Second, if I get to MEM that early before a departure, I just get a hotel room. The reason these kinds of rules get made is because some people start hoping the sleep rooms can save them cummutung dollars on hotels or crash pads. Expecting to occupy a sleep room for 16 hours seems a bit excessive, IMO.
Actually, it's not excessive. 16 hours vs. 12 hours in this situation makes no difference. On the average, a pilot who jumpseats in the afternoon prior to his international departure is probably going to get there around noon. For the afternoon turn there are plenty of sleep rooms, and from what I've seen very few pilots are actually using them for rest. Usually it's a place to park their bags or change clothes for a few hours (exercise).
The night hubturn is what's driving this silly policy. There are more pilots than rooms available (especially during peak), and they ARE being used for actually getting a few ZZZZZs. But if management (actually the sleep room Nazi,who sits behind the Coordination Desk.........the same turd that told me 777 guys don't need a sleep room because we get to sleep on the plane) thinks by limiting the sleep room policy to 12 hours is fixing some kind of sleep room availability problem, it's not. For example, I get in at noon, I wait until 3 or 4 pm. (12 hours prior to departure) to get a sleep room (usually don't go to bed until 7 or 8 anyway). Still the same problem............international guys are taking a night hubturn sleep room; 16 hours or 12 hours, it makes NO difference. It's not a big deal to wait until 12 hours prior to departure, just an inconvenience. This is a typical mean-spirited, poorly thought out policy that seems to be the norm around Memphis.
I know what you're thinking, "careful what you wish for." They'll just take away the sleep rooms altogether for international departures......problem solved, except what's that do for the fatigue mitigation program? If that happens, I roll the dice and jumpseat in to the trip...........afterall, all us 777 guys do is sleep on the airplane anyhow.....right? I'm not protected by the contract (>13:30 duty day counting jumpseat show time), but I am still legal. This is a dumb provision in the contract which should have been addressed and fixed. The company has no problem me working a 13:30+ hour duty day do they?
However, all that being said, during peak I lead turn the issue and always email the Fleet Captain to get permission to use a sleep room for more than 12 hours. So far I've NEVER been denied a sleep room. If the sleep nazi gives you a hard time, show him the email.