Narrative:

I picked up an A320 captain trip. The trip was a 1-DAY trip. It included a deadhead ZZZ1-ZZZ2 and then an immediate turnaround to fly back. Total duty time for the trip ended up being 14 hours 26 mins. After arriving at ZZZ1; my original deadhead flight to ZZZ2 canceled; I was rebooked on the next flight to ZZZ2 which left 45 mins later at XA40 hours. I was wait-listed for first with a category of 'upgrade if possible.' the seat that I was given for my very long deadhead was the last row in coach; in the middle seat between 2 big guys. In addition that row does not recline and it is right in front of the rear lavatory so the whole way across the country I got to listen to the sound of the toilet flush. Not very safe for a pilot who has to arrive in ZZZ2 and immediately fly a segment over 5.5 hours in length. Prior to departure; I tried the following to correct the situation: 1) talked to the customer service representative and tried to explain our contract and my unique situation. She was busy with other customers and told me; 'captain; if you want to go to ZZZ2; that is your seat. Now leave me alone; I'm busy.' 2) I called the crew desk and spoke to a scheduler whose response was; 'you're wait listed in first class; so there is nothing more I can do.' 3) I called a crew desk supervisor who said; 'you are wait listed for first and I could forward this up the chain but I doubt ZZZ1 will do anything for you this close to departure.' I flew the flight back to ZZZ1. I experienced; during the last half of the flight; numerous signs of fatigue; ranging from missed radio calls to difficulty in concentrating. This was not the safest way to operate an airline. Care needs to be exercised to prevent this exact type of occurrence from being a contributing factor to a future mishap.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT DISCUSSES A CREW SCHEDULING PRACTICE DURING A LONG DUTY DAYS WITH A DEAD HEAD THAT DOES NOT ENSURE REST.

Narrative: I PICKED UP AN A320 CAPT TRIP. THE TRIP WAS A 1-DAY TRIP. IT INCLUDED A DEADHEAD ZZZ1-ZZZ2 AND THEN AN IMMEDIATE TURNAROUND TO FLY BACK. TOTAL DUTY TIME FOR THE TRIP ENDED UP BEING 14 HRS 26 MINS. AFTER ARRIVING AT ZZZ1; MY ORIGINAL DEADHEAD FLT TO ZZZ2 CANCELED; I WAS REBOOKED ON THE NEXT FLT TO ZZZ2 WHICH LEFT 45 MINS LATER AT XA40 HRS. I WAS WAIT-LISTED FOR FIRST WITH A CATEGORY OF 'UPGRADE IF POSSIBLE.' THE SEAT THAT I WAS GIVEN FOR MY VERY LONG DEADHEAD WAS THE LAST ROW IN COACH; IN THE MIDDLE SEAT BTWN 2 BIG GUYS. IN ADDITION THAT ROW DOES NOT RECLINE AND IT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE REAR LAVATORY SO THE WHOLE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY I GOT TO LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF THE TOILET FLUSH. NOT VERY SAFE FOR A PLT WHO HAS TO ARRIVE IN ZZZ2 AND IMMEDIATELY FLY A SEGMENT OVER 5.5 HRS IN LENGTH. PRIOR TO DEP; I TRIED THE FOLLOWING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION: 1) TALKED TO THE CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVE AND TRIED TO EXPLAIN OUR CONTRACT AND MY UNIQUE SITUATION. SHE WAS BUSY WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS AND TOLD ME; 'CAPT; IF YOU WANT TO GO TO ZZZ2; THAT IS YOUR SEAT. NOW LEAVE ME ALONE; I'M BUSY.' 2) I CALLED THE CREW DESK AND SPOKE TO A SCHEDULER WHOSE RESPONSE WAS; 'YOU'RE WAIT LISTED IN FIRST CLASS; SO THERE IS NOTHING MORE I CAN DO.' 3) I CALLED A CREW DESK SUPVR WHO SAID; 'YOU ARE WAIT LISTED FOR FIRST AND I COULD FORWARD THIS UP THE CHAIN BUT I DOUBT ZZZ1 WILL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU THIS CLOSE TO DEP.' I FLEW THE FLT BACK TO ZZZ1. I EXPERIENCED; DURING THE LAST HALF OF THE FLT; NUMEROUS SIGNS OF FATIGUE; RANGING FROM MISSED RADIO CALLS TO DIFFICULTY IN CONCENTRATING. THIS WAS NOT THE SAFEST WAY TO OPERATE AN AIRLINE. CARE NEEDS TO BE EXERCISED TO PREVENT THIS EXACT TYPE OF OCCURRENCE FROM BEING A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO A FUTURE MISHAP.

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.