machz990

I've had two recent same duty D/H's after operating a leg in Asia. Both times the crew was taken immediately from the aircraft to the passenger terminal and dropped off with no opportunity to change. Both D/H's had China on one end or the other and required a uniform change. No changing area was provided and we had to use a stall in a public bathroom. I will list my personal observation of things wrong with that scenario for your review.

1. Size of stalls in Asia bathrooms. Literally no room at all for a suitcase plus your other bag plus yourself. Then try to open the bag to add or remove clothes.

2. Lack of sanitary conditions. Who wants to change socks and shoes on a public bathroom stall floor? Trying to fold clothes on floor of stall to put back in suitcase is an absolute joke.

3. Security. We were looked at closely by Chineese workers in bathrooms who saw us changing in and out of pilot uniforms.

4. Lack of professionalism and public image. The bathrooms are full of people who observe us change out of a FedEx uniform after pulling our crew bags into stall.

Before I write up an OPs report I want to find out what others have been doing on similar pairings. About a year ago there was a provision for aircrews operating same duty D/H's into or out of China to be upgraded and afforded access to the business lounge for changing. When I inquired into this recently with GOC, Crew Scheduling and the Duty Officer, nobody knew anything about it! Global travel wouldn't upgrade without approval from above. Contract enforcement however knew about it and sent me the verbage from the soft parameter stating:

It is my understanding that the relevant SIG soft parameter in this situation is as follows:

- All same duty deadheads into China will be booked in first or business class (no matter the duty or block times) so that this will grant crews access to the first class lounge so that crewmembers may change clothes and comply with the directive to be in civilian attire (not in uniform) for the commercial deadhead into China.

Discuss!

Curby

I had a similar experience. We did not change until through all the security check points due to unsat conditions in the bathrooms outside screening. It sucked being in uniform and not going through the crew line in uniform. We had lots of odd looks from security and several "conversations" trying to explain what we were doing. We did change prior to flying which is what the instructions required. I am definitely not looking forward to doing that again.

I've heard others discuss changing on the FedEx airplane prior to exiting.

machz990

We discussed doing that but that entailed leaving the ramp people off the plane for about 10 minutes after we blocked in. We didn't feel that was appropriate either.

Gunter

The company requires us to travel out of uniform, period. I don't know anyone that says it's o.k. not to change clothes. I'm sure changing in a public bathroom is not appropriate either. It's not only unsanitary it is not good from a security standpoint. A choice must then be made and the company is making it, whether or not they know it.

They MUST want you to keep the aircraft closed up until you change clothes. Otherwise a ticket with access to the lounge would have been purchased. Seems simple to me.

TheBaron

Doors stayed armed...clock keeps ticking. Then code the 10+ minute taxi in delay as "PI" or "VB" and charge it to the local ramp.

fedupbusdriver

Just fly in you civies on the leg prior.......

Flaps50

I believe that same duty DHs in and out of China where addressed in a SIG note a number of months ago. A soft parameter was agreed to that put everyone in Business Class at minimum in order to use the B Class lounge to change in prior to flying. You may want to look back at the SIG notes on the ALPA website. Those notes have saved me on a few occasions now. For instance I used one of the soft parameters to upgrade using the corporate card and referenced the SIG notes soft parameter in my expense report and was paid for the upgrade.

ce650

If I may ask ,, why do they require you to airline out of uniform?

HazCan

So we can get drunk and not embarrass the company.

Actually, I think in some countries it has to do with customs/visas....etc, etc... If you're not on a gen dec, then you can't be a crewmember. I dunno...I might be drunk.

MaxKts

To prevent the Chinese from getting confused at immigration.

Pilots in uniform are supposed to be flying airplanes not operating as passengers.