Originally Posted by
BoilerUP
While we can argue management's culpability for creating untenable schedules by trying to do too much with too few crewmembers, remember that it is ALWAYS the crewmember's responsibility that they be fit for duty; FAR 61.53, Part 67, the back of your medical certificate, and very likely somewhere in your FOM says as much.
If you are fatigued or sick, don't fly - you have a responsibility to yourself, your fellow crewmembers, and your passengers...to say nothing of the FARs. Believe me, I know its easier said than done...
For sure if you ARE sick or fatigued, you owe it to yourself to call in sick, but how many time do you think you can call in sick in a given 12 month period and still be employed? Seriously, look at Compass, JetBlue and others where pilots have been fired for calling in sick too often. How often is too often? That is up to the management isn't it? Many pilots even when they are exhausted continue to fly and finish the trip especially if they have already called in sick two or three time within the
previous 12 months. And I am not just referring to Regional pilots. This happens to Major, Cargo pilots also.