Qantas flies into turbulence over tired 787 cabin crew

Qantas has flown into some turbulence from Britain’s largest union over claims that it is dismissive of concerns of fatigue of its UK based cabin crew who are operating the new Perth to London non-stop service. Yesterday Britain’s largest union, Unite raised concerns that the cabin crew, who are all UK based, can only expect to receive an average rest of 25 hours in their hotel before commencing their duty on the flight home. In a statement for AirlineRatings.com a Qantas spokesperson said; “Making sure our crew have enough rest is important to us and something we’re very used to managing given our experience with ultra-long-haul flying.” WATCH: Qantas 787 Quokka in flight  “These crew had previously been operating around seven hours of flying between London and Dubai, so we’re conscious there is a period of adjustment. Safety is always our main priority and we’re committed to working through any concerns constructively.” The new direct route, launched in March, means an average duty period of 19 hours for the 10-cabin crew on board, although his length of duty time is nothing new and becoming standard in the industry. However, rest periods are another matter and can take time to settle on what is adequate depending upon the cycle. But AirlineRatings.com understands that the rest period in Perth varies between about 25 hours and 55 hours depending on the roster. READ: Qantas 787 sets new speed record Unite regional officer Lindsey Olliver said: “While the future of flying is likely to center on ultra-long-haul operations, Qantas has a responsibility to ensure that the safety and well-being of its passengers and cabin crew continue to be of paramount importance. “Qantas cabin crew must be provided with adequate rest down route between sectors to ensure they are fully able to complete their safety-critical functions without impairment whilst operating onboard an aircraft. The pilots for the service are all Australian based.