Dear Administrator Blakey

Dear Administrator Blakey,

I was disappointed to read that your spokesperson recently stated in a newspaper report that the current FAA rules regarding rest periods for flight attendants are "fundamentally sound" and that "they serve aviation safety very well". As a flight attendant, I believe that neither you nor your spokesperson understand the day-to-day working conditions of flight attendants and how the current FAA regulations for our rest periods are woefully inadequate and could lead to dangerous gaps in aviation safety

In case you are not aware, the FAA minimum rest periods have now become the norm across the airline industry. It is common now for us to have rest periods of 8 hours following incredibly long, sometimes over 12 hours, duty days. Let me point out to you Administrator Blakey, that included in that 8 hours of "rest" are continuation of deplaning, getting through the airport, transit to a layover hotel, checking into that hotel, finding something to eat (as crew meals or an opportunity to eat are increasingly rare or non-existent), winding down and cleaning up, sleeping and then getting up and doing all of that in reverse. It is common for me, and most of my flying partners, to get less than 6 hours of actual sleep before another long duty day. I can attest that these rest periods are neither sound nor serve aviation safety very well.

Numerous fellow flight attendants have reported that they are forgetting to perform some safety functions and are finding it increasingly difficult to be continually alert onboard due to extreme fatigue. This is all a result of the carriers routinely scheduling reduced rest periods. To be fatigued to the point of exhaustion also greatly reduces our ability to respond quickly and efficiently should an emergency happen. This clearly does not serve aviation safety very well.

I am also troubled that the FAA seems to be already prejudging a study that is currently ongoing by the FAAs CAMI (Civil Aerospace Medical Institute). As you know, Congress has been concerned enough with the issue of fatigue that they mandated a study of the problem last year. They asked the FAA to determine in light of our work duties if the current regulations governing rest are adequate. Is the FAA now saying that Congress was wrong in asking for such a study? Is the FAA already making a decision on this issue when the congressionally mandated study is not even complete? I believe that through the FAAs public statements you have already determined to ignore whatever findings or study is produced by the expert researchers at CAMI. That the FAA would make such a judgment before a study is even completed is incredibly troubling.

I hope that your action on this matter will rise above any appearance of bias or prejudgment. If you have any doubts, I suggest you talk with the flight attendants the next time you fly and ask them if they believe that the amount of off duty time, or rest, is adequate or sound. Please reserve judgment until the CAMI study is completed.

Sincerely,

USAirways Flight Attendant:

Address: