Narrative:

I had a schedule ZZZ-ZZZ1 with a 08:20 departure. My van pick-up time from layover hotel was scheduled for 06:20. At 06:20; I called van service as the van hadn't arrived. I called my airline's hotel desk at 06:30 to report same. At 07:55 and 08:17; I called airline crew scheduling. At 08:21; I arrived at ZZZ airport and was given a new assignment with a duty time of 13 hours and 24 minutes (ZZZ-ZZZ2 departing 10:55; ZZZ2-ZZZ3 departing 17:15; arrival ZZZ3 19:37 local). I asked scheduling to reschedule to a lesser duty time as I anticipated in-flight fatigue given that I had reported for transport at 06:20. The airline schedulers said duty time was calculated from 08:17 when I arrived at airport. I chose to go on 'fatigue' status; in which the airline required me to see the company doctor; pilots are not required to see the doctor. The company doctor had no criteria for anticipating further fatigue; or testing for fatigue; except that I had not yet worked a 12 hour duty day; nor did the doctor take into account my restless sleep the night before. The company doctor took me off 'fatigue' status to return to my assignment. I requested that I be allowed to go home. I received a disciplinary status for not taking my assignment and was subject to company investigation. Airlines should not question a fatigue assertion. Recognize that flight attendant fatigue exists as a work related factor. Duty time should include time spent in scheduled transportation to the airport from a layover; and required phone calls. Flight attendants should not be intimidated by discipline in denying they are fatigued. An airline doctor cannot determine fatigue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT REFUSES EXTENDED DUTY DUE TO ANTICIPATED FATIGUE WHICH WOULD RESULT.

Narrative: I HAD A SCHEDULE ZZZ-ZZZ1 WITH A 08:20 DEP. MY VAN PICK-UP TIME FROM LAYOVER HOTEL WAS SCHEDULED FOR 06:20. AT 06:20; I CALLED VAN SERVICE AS THE VAN HADN'T ARRIVED. I CALLED MY AIRLINE'S HOTEL DESK AT 06:30 TO REPORT SAME. AT 07:55 AND 08:17; I CALLED AIRLINE CREW SCHEDULING. AT 08:21; I ARRIVED AT ZZZ ARPT AND WAS GIVEN A NEW ASSIGNMENT WITH A DUTY TIME OF 13 HOURS AND 24 MINUTES (ZZZ-ZZZ2 DEPARTING 10:55; ZZZ2-ZZZ3 DEPARTING 17:15; ARR ZZZ3 19:37 LOCAL). I ASKED SCHEDULING TO RESCHEDULE TO A LESSER DUTY TIME AS I ANTICIPATED INFLT FATIGUE GIVEN THAT I HAD RPTED FOR TRANSPORT AT 06:20. THE AIRLINE SCHEDULERS SAID DUTY TIME WAS CALCULATED FROM 08:17 WHEN I ARRIVED AT ARPT. I CHOSE TO GO ON 'FATIGUE' STATUS; IN WHICH THE AIRLINE REQUIRED ME TO SEE THE COMPANY DOCTOR; PLTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SEE THE DOCTOR. THE COMPANY DOCTOR HAD NO CRITERIA FOR ANTICIPATING FURTHER FATIGUE; OR TESTING FOR FATIGUE; EXCEPT THAT I HAD NOT YET WORKED A 12 HOUR DUTY DAY; NOR DID THE DOCTOR TAKE INTO ACCOUNT MY RESTLESS SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE. THE COMPANY DOCTOR TOOK ME OFF 'FATIGUE' STATUS TO RETURN TO MY ASSIGNMENT. I REQUESTED THAT I BE ALLOWED TO GO HOME. I RECEIVED A DISCIPLINARY STATUS FOR NOT TAKING MY ASSIGNMENT AND WAS SUBJECT TO COMPANY INVESTIGATION. AIRLINES SHOULD NOT QUESTION A FATIGUE ASSERTION. RECOGNIZE THAT FLT ATTENDANT FATIGUE EXISTS AS A WORK RELATED FACTOR. DUTY TIME SHOULD INCLUDE TIME SPENT IN SCHEDULED TRANSPORTATION TO THE ARPT FROM A LAYOVER; AND REQUIRED PHONE CALLS. FLT ATTENDANTS SHOULD NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY DISCIPLINE IN DENYING THEY ARE FATIGUED. AN AIRLINE DOCTOR CANNOT DETERMINE FATIGUE.

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.