Flight duty period rules explained for cabin crew

What is a flight duty period?

A flight duty period (FDP) is the total time from when you report for duty at the start of a trip to when you are finally released from duty at the end of it. It includes:

• Pre-flight briefing and check-in time
• Boarding and all ground time between flights
• Every flight sector in the duty
• Post-flight duties until you are formally released

What it does not include is your rest period, the time between being released from one duty and reporting for the next.

FDP is not the same as block hours (the time wheels-up to wheels-down). It is almost always longer, sometimes significantly so.

Why FDP limits exist

Fatigue is one of the leading human factors in aviation safety incidents. The longer a crew member has been on duty, the more their reaction time, decision-making, and situational awareness degrade, regardless of how rested they feel subjectively.

FDP limits exist to put a regulatory ceiling on how long airlines can keep crew on duty in a single stretch. These limits are not suggestions. Exceeding them is a regulatory violation, and it is ultimately the crew member's responsibility to know when they are approaching or at their limit.

How FDP limits are calculated

FDP limits are not fixed numbers. They vary based on several factors:

1. Report time (local)

The time of day you report for duty significantly affects your FDP limit. Duties starting in the middle of your circadian low, roughly 02:00-05:59 local time, have lower FDP limits than duties starting during waking hours, because your body is at its lowest alertness during this window.

2. Number of sectors

Each additional sector you fly reduces your maximum FDP. A single-sector duty allows a longer FDP than a four-sector duty, because more takeoffs and landings mean more peak-workload moments compounding fatigue.

3. Augmented crew

On very long flights with augmented crew, where a relief pilot or additional cabin crew member allows in-flight rest, extended FDP limits apply. The amount of extension depends on the quality and duration of the in-flight rest facility.

4. Acclimatisation

If you are operating far from your home base time zone, your acclimatisation status affects your FDP limit. Crew who are not acclimatised to the local time zone are more susceptible to circadian fatigue.

EU-OPS FDP limits (reference table)

Under EU-OPS / EASA regulations, which apply to most European carriers, the basic maximum FDP limits by report time and number of sectors are:

These are the basic limits. Extensions may apply for augmented crew operations. Always check your airline's Operations Manual, some carriers operate under more restrictive limits than the regulatory baseline. For the official source, see the EASA FTL regulations.

Minimum rest requirements

After an FDP ends, you are entitled to a minimum rest period before your next duty begins. Under EASA:

• Minimum rest: 12 hours at base, 10 hours away from base (with a minimum 8 hours sleep opportunity within that rest)
• Extended rest: after a maximum FDP or a duty with significant disruption to the circadian rhythm, additional rest may be required
• Weekly rest: at least 36 consecutive hours per 7-day period, including two local nights

Rest periods are calculated from when you are released from duty, not from when you reach the hotel. Travel time to and from the hotel counts against your rest.

Cumulative duty limits

FDP limits apply to individual duties. But there are also cumulative limits that cap total flying and duty time over longer periods:

• 100 block hours in any 28 consecutive days
• 900 block hours in any calendar year
• 1,000 block hours in any 12 consecutive calendar months
• 60 duty hours in any 7 consecutive days
• 110 duty hours in any 14 consecutive days
• 190 duty hours in any 28 consecutive days

Most airlines track these through their crew management systems, but it is worth knowing your own numbers, particularly if you pick up extra duties or are on a variable roster.

What counts as a rest break during duty?

Not all breaks during a duty count as rest for FDP purposes. For a break to reduce your FDP (by allowing an extension), it generally needs to meet specific criteria:

• Minimum duration (usually at least 3 hours)
• Access to suitable rest facilities away from the passenger cabin
• Protected from disturbance
• Planned in advance and included in the crew briefing

Informal rest in a crew seat does not count. Whether in-flight rest in a crew bunk counts, and how much extension it allows, depends on the facility rating defined in your airline's Operations Manual.

How to track your own FDP

Relying on your airline's system to flag when you are approaching your FDP limit is not enough. Systems have errors. Late changes to rotations can push duties close to or over limits. You need to be able to calculate it yourself.

The basic formula is simple:

FDP = release time - report time

What makes it complicated in practice is that report and release times are in local time at each station, your FDP limit depends on your report time and sector count, and cumulative limits require tracking across the whole month.

Layvr calculates your FDP automatically from your imported roster, including sector count, report time, and release, and flags duties that are approaching regulatory limits. Track your FDP with the flight attendant roster app.

Can you refuse a duty on FDP grounds?

Yes. If a duty would exceed your FDP limit, you are legally entitled, and professionally obligated, to flag it. The process varies by airline, but in most cases:

1. Raise it with crew control before the duty begins
2. Document the conversation (time, name of the controller you spoke to, what was said)
3. Do not accept pressure to operate an FDP-exceeding duty without written authorisation from your Flight Operations manager

Crew who feel pressured to operate beyond FDP limits can also report to their national aviation authority. In the UK this is the CAA. In most EU member states it is the national civil aviation authority.

Common FDP misconceptions

"The FDP clock starts at boarding, not check-in."
No. FDP begins at report time, the time printed on your roster for crew briefing or check-in. It does not start at aircraft boarding.

"Delays don't count toward FDP."
They do. Ground delays, tech holds, and diversions all count toward your FDP because you are still on duty. Extended delays can push a duty beyond the planned FDP.

"My airline will always tell me if I'm over limits."
Sometimes. But last-minute roster changes, system errors, and time zone miscalculations mean this does not always happen reliably. Know your own numbers.

"FDP limits are the same at every airline."
No. EASA sets minimum standards; airlines can operate more restrictive limits (and some do). Always check your airline's Operations Manual.

The bottom line

FDP rules exist to protect crew and passengers from the effects of fatigue. Knowing them is not just a regulatory requirement, it is a practical tool for managing your own welfare on the job.

Keep track of your own FDP. Know when you are approaching your limit. And don't rely on your airline's system to catch every edge case.