Do airlines have a maximum of hours that flight crew can work PER MONTH?
On July 31, my niece and I stood in multiple multi-hour lines at U.S.
Airways counters--first at National and then at Dulles airport (Washington,
D.C.). U.S. Airways canceled flight after flight that day (a pattern that
apparently started the night before), while the weather was beautiful all
up and down the East Coast all day. There was no explanation given
to anyone for the canceled flights. We, like many others, had one flight
canceled--stood in line to re-book for a later flight at another airport,
stood in more multi-hour lines,
only to find at the last minute that this flight, too, was canceled. (Ever
feel like you've been sent on a wild goose chase?)
The cancellations occurred for flights to Charlotte, Syracuse, Providence,
Boston,
and other destinations. The leading rumor/passenger speculation (make
that, would-be passenger
speculation--we finally gave up) was that U.S. Airways has a
maximum-hours-worked-per month rule.
Because of this rule, on July 31( or the last day of any month) there is a
danger of multiple flight
cancellations! Can this be true?