Originally Posted by QRC3288

Right, actually I realize in hindsight the BOS pattern I was referring to isn't part of this scheme.

Which to me just points to a bigger issue...in general, the crew are resting less between flights. A lot of the patterns have been cut down. BOS is perhaps the most extreme due to the non-daily service. Other patterns have seen down-time cut as well, but use BOS as an example because it's so flagrant:

BOS 4-day pattern details: ~24 hours downtime in BOS.
~Briefing ~5pm HK time at Cx, which means realistically starting preparations/transport to CX perhaps at 2pm HK time? Does this sound right
~Takeoff ~6:30pm HK time
~Land about 16 hours later, =10-11pm local.
~Collect luggage, immigration, drive 20+ minutes to the Quincy Marriott.
~11:30-12midnight arrival to Marriott. Go through checkin process. Get something to eat?
~Perhaps sleep by 2am
~If lucky, full night sleep until 10am-12noon. If unlucky, sleep badly and spend next day dozing with jet lag.
~8-pm or so, start preparations for flight.
~11-12am: depart

I see this and thank the heavens I'm not a flight attendant.

That pattern is the equivalent of what crews get to MAA or CMB get! Those crews to CMB, MAA, etc. depart on evening flights leaving at similar times to BOS, arrive MAA/CMB etc in late evening, and depart 24 hours later for the redeye home (the 3-day MLE pattern is similar, etc.). So about 24 hours of rest, not including transportation time to/from the airport and preparation time.

But BOS has 2x+ the duration and a 12 hour time change. These types of "pushing the limits of what's possible" is just asking for a downgrade in the passenger experience. Ancedotally, I feel like I've seen it happen across my 9 or so years flying CX, as well as the comments in this forum. The decline in service consistency and drive towards cost reduction is painful to experience as a passenger, although economically I understand the forces at work here.

Regardless of what people think FAs should be capable of, I can't avoid thinking I'm more likely to run into "less than great" crews if they've only rested for <24 hours between back to back 16 hour flights. And as CX pushes the limits of what's possible across the board with crew service hours, I can't help but feel we're in for even more service declines in the future. Ugh.