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Fast Fact Friday
Fatigue Policy
Friday, June 13, 2025
Q1: “What is fatigue?”
Fatigue is when a Flight Attendant feels unsafe for duty because they are mentally and/or physically exhausted.
Q2: “What causes fatigue?”
Fatigue can be caused by a variety of reasons. It could be as simple as not getting enough sleep due to anxiety or stress caused by a major event in your life or on the aircraft. Long duty days with short overnights, insomnia, and noisy hotel environments are three of the most common reasons for Flight Attendants’ fatigue. But fatigue can be caused by any number of factors and sources.
Q3: “When should I call in fatigued?”
The Fatigue Policy is in place because TWU Local 556, Southwest Airlines, and the FAA take your safety, and the safety of our fellow crewmembers and passengers, very seriously. You should use the protections in Article 25.16 anytime you are feeling unsafe to report for duty due to fatigue.
Remember: It is not worth the risk of underperformance in an emergency situation, accidentally popping a slide and injuring someone, or losing this great career. Health and safety of self and others must come first!
Q4: “What is the process of a fatigue call?”
When a Flight Attendant deems themselves fatigued, they need to call Crew Scheduling immediately. Crew Scheduling will pull the Flight Attendant and give them eleven (11) hours of uninterrupted rest from the point of the fatigue call. If possible, during that initial call, Crew Scheduling will figure out how to return the Flight Attendant to their original pairing or reassign them. In the event a reschedule isn’t given on the initial call, the Flight Attendant is required to call Crew Scheduling back at the end of their rest time. At that point Crew Scheduling will either give them new flying or deadheaded as a Must Ride home. This new assignment will have a minimum of a two hour report time.
NOTE: A Flight Attendant must be available to work a revised or rescheduled assignment after their mandatory eleven (11) hours of uninterrupted rest. If the revised or rescheduled assignment is given after the eleven (11) hours of rest, the Flight Attendant will receive a minimum of two (2) hours to their scheduled report.
Q5: “Will I get in trouble for calling in fatigued? I’ve heard there’s a Fact-Finding meeting associated with a fatigue call.”
No you will not. A Fatigue Report will need to be completed and submitted within 72 hours of the fatigue call for review by the Fatigue Committee (comprised of Southwest Airlines, TWU Local 556, and FAA representatives). The report is reviewed by the committee to understand the circumstances that caused the fatigue and determine if the pull will be with or without pay. It’s important to fill out the form to ensure pay, but also to help prevent fatigue in the future. Issues can only be addressed when they are brought to the attention of those who can affect needed change, including Southwest Airlines, TWU Local 556, and the FAA.
Bonus Question: “What is a ‘Fatigue Concern’?”
There are times during our lives as Flight Attendants where we reach the point of near fatigue. We do not feel unsafe to perform our duties, but work-related reasons were such that there’s a concerning potential for future fatigue issues. The “Fatigue Concern” report allows us to notify TWU Local 556, Southwest Airlines, the FAA of currently operational problems that should be reviewed for possible fatigue mitigation changes.
Again, it’s very important to remember that if you feel unsafe to perform your required duties due to fatigue, you use the language in Article 25.16 – Fatigue Policy.
Your safety, as well as the safety of our co-hearts, passengers, and the aircraft, will always be the number one priority!