Originally Posted by
Nosmo King
Perhaps at DL it would be premature. When the NWA MEC originally started negotiations for the A330 pilot rest facility, prior to the first delivery, the company response was ... Put the pilots in the FA bunk room under the floor at Doors 3L/3R. If former NW management is in charge of this transition, then you need to start the fight earlier rather than later.
How do they plan on adding oxygen to the lower bunk if they stack them in the existing rest area? The current facility has a standard drop down mask coming out of the ceiling panel that would not be accessible by someone in the lower bunk.
They are also removing the 3rd jumpseat? Then the PED panel has to be removed. What about the luggage stowage area in the rest facility?
Removing the existing rest seat would also violate the existing JPWA if the aircraft is subsequently operated more than 8 but less than 12 hours:
You bring up some good points. All I can tell you is that our CROT has put in a lot of exhaustive, detailed work to ensure that our crew rest needs are absolutely addressed as well as they can be. It is a far better environment at our airline than 10-15 years ago, when mgmt expected (and for awhile, got!) pilots to crew rest in the COCKPIT! If/when the A330 flies segments > 12 hours and thus requires four pilots and two bunks, it will not do so until the crew rest facilities meet the CROT criteria. It will probably require the aircraft to be taken out of service for awhile so as to rebuild the crew rest facility, as well as a contractual side letter to change the language.