Originally Posted by
Sigwx
The Commander will be able to ask or check what time the crew members all reported for duty. The outbound to Pisa was delayed whilst they awaited crew to arrive so I’d imagine they have either positioned in from HEL to LHR to then operate, or have been nightstopping in LHR and couldn’t report any earlier due to minimum rest requirements. Either way the most limiting case for FTLs is the crew reporting in HEL then positioning to LHR to operate LHR-PSA-LHR. I can’t see any mega delays in any HEL - LHR sector today by Finnair so I’d imagine they have nightstopped at LHR.
Either way, plenty in the tank so to speak for hours left on the clock, with commanders discretion as a possible backup.
I think they are all shipped out the day before they operate their first sector - i.e, they are never crew who have already operated a HEL-LHR that day.
Most of the J cabin on the AY A350 yesterday afternoon from HEL to LHR was AY positioning crew in civvies, so my guess is they are shipped out on day 0, do 2/4 sector days for days 1 to say 3/4/5 (not sure how many days they can do in a tour), then head back to HEL. I imagine they are all based in a hotel near LHR for their tour, and that the routes are all deliberately chosen as ones with 1-2 hr block times and with no nightstoppers.