Narrative:

Flight returned to the gate due to a second mechanical problem. During that time the flight attendants went illegal. The flight was canceled. We were taken to the terminal. The agent notified us that crew schedule demanded we work the flight back. We explained we could not work after being on duty over 16 hours. They did not like the answer. The crew personally called tracking and was informed they would get their legal rest and deadhead the next day. The agents were not cooperative; they were upset that the flight had to be canceled. It took us over 2 hours from the time we went illegal to the time we were given crew 'decs' to clear customs so we could go to the hotel. With 90% of our flts having 10 hour layovers and 14 hour days; it is no wonder we are constantly fatigued and cancellations have to be made. These long duty days with minimal layover have become the rule; not the exception. Something needs to be done. We get harassed when we call in sick; but with work conditions getting worse; these incidents will probably keep happening. Supplemental information from acn 653387: we called crew tracking and were told we did not have to work the flight. The agents were upset that the flight canceled so they took their time getting our hotel and paperwork together. These incidents would not happen if we were scheduled reasonable hours on duty.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND PERSONNEL AT FOREIGN STATION DEMAND CABIN ATTENDANTS TO FLY BEYOND CONTRACTUAL AND REASONABLE DUTY TIME LIMITS.

Narrative: FLT RETURNED TO THE GATE DUE TO A SECOND MECHANICAL PROB. DURING THAT TIME THE FLT ATTENDANTS WENT ILLEGAL. THE FLT WAS CANCELED. WE WERE TAKEN TO THE TERMINAL. THE AGENT NOTIFIED US THAT CREW SCHEDULE DEMANDED WE WORK THE FLT BACK. WE EXPLAINED WE COULD NOT WORK AFTER BEING ON DUTY OVER 16 HRS. THEY DID NOT LIKE THE ANSWER. THE CREW PERSONALLY CALLED TRACKING AND WAS INFORMED THEY WOULD GET THEIR LEGAL REST AND DEADHEAD THE NEXT DAY. THE AGENTS WERE NOT COOPERATIVE; THEY WERE UPSET THAT THE FLT HAD TO BE CANCELED. IT TOOK US OVER 2 HRS FROM THE TIME WE WENT ILLEGAL TO THE TIME WE WERE GIVEN CREW 'DECS' TO CLR CUSTOMS SO WE COULD GO TO THE HOTEL. WITH 90% OF OUR FLTS HAVING 10 HR LAYOVERS AND 14 HR DAYS; IT IS NO WONDER WE ARE CONSTANTLY FATIGUED AND CANCELLATIONS HAVE TO BE MADE. THESE LONG DUTY DAYS WITH MINIMAL LAYOVER HAVE BECOME THE RULE; NOT THE EXCEPTION. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE GET HARASSED WHEN WE CALL IN SICK; BUT WITH WORK CONDITIONS GETTING WORSE; THESE INCIDENTS WILL PROBABLY KEEP HAPPENING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 653387: WE CALLED CREW TRACKING AND WERE TOLD WE DID NOT HAVE TO WORK THE FLT. THE AGENTS WERE UPSET THAT THE FLT CANCELED SO THEY TOOK THEIR TIME GETTING OUR HOTEL AND PAPERWORK TOGETHER. THESE INCIDENTS WOULD NOT HAPPEN IF WE WERE SCHEDULED REASONABLE HRS ON DUTY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.