Managing cabin crew fatigue during ultra-long range operations

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dc.citation.volume2
dc.contributor.authorvan den Berg MJ
dc.contributor.authorZaslona JL
dc.contributor.authorMuller DP
dc.contributor.authorWu L
dc.contributor.authorHughes M
dc.contributor.authorJohnston B
dc.contributor.authorDyer C
dc.contributor.authorDrane M
dc.contributor.authorSignal TL
dc.contributor.editorFischer D
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-28T01:33:28Z
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-25T06:38:08Z
dc.date.available2023-12-19
dc.date.available2024-02-28T01:33:28Z
dc.date.available2024-07-25T06:38:08Z
dc.date.issued2023-12-19
dc.description.abstractIntroduction: Ultra-long range (ULR) flights have the potential to increase fatigue-related risk for cabin crew, if the extended flight times are associated with extended wakefulness, sleep loss and higher levels of crew fatigue. ULR flights may also require longer opportunities for recovery sleep. This study evaluates the utilization of fatigue risk mitigations for cabin crew operating the Auckland – Chicago ULR route with a two-day layover. Methods: 65 cabin crew (45 women; aged 20–59 years) wore an actigraph and completed a sleep/duty diary for 3 local nights prior to, throughout, and for 3 local nights after a ULR trip. Crewmembers rated their fatigue (Samn-Perelli Crew Status Check), sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), and workload (OW; NASA-TLX) at key times during each flight. Jet lag was rated each day at home and during layover. Results: Fatigue and sleepiness were highest at top-of-descent and after landing and were higher on the inbound flight than on the outbound flight. For every hour of additional sleep in-flight, top-of-descent fatigue ratings decreased by 0.24 points and top-of-descent sleepiness ratings decreased by 0.38, whereas top-of-descent fatigue and sleepiness ratings increased by 0.24 points with every 10-point increase in OW ratings. Crew slept more in the 24-hours prior to the outbound (M= 8.5 h) and inbound flights (M= 9.1 h) compared to pre-trip baseline days (M= 8.2 h). Post-trip, crew slept more during the first day (M= 9.9 h) compared to baseline, with 95% taking a daytime nap. Jet lag ratings decreased daily on return home but were still higher on the fourth day than on the day of the outbound flight. Discussion: Cabin crew prepare for ULR flights by obtaining more sleep prior to departure. However, large individual differences in sleep and declining jet lag ratings across pre-trip days suggest that some crewmembers may still be recovering from a previous trip. Further refinement of in-flight sleep strategies and workload mitigations could be considered for managing fatigue risk at top-of-descent. Findings also highlight the importance of a protected period of post-trip rest to facilitate cabin crews’ recovery from the effects of sleep restriction and circadian disruption associated with this ULR trip.
dc.description.confidentialfalse
dc.identifier.citationvan den Berg MJ, Zaslona JL, Muller DP, Wu L, Hughes M, Johnston B, Dyer C, Drane M, Signal TL. (2023). Managing cabin crew fatigue during ultra-long range operations. Frontiers in Environmental Health. 2.
dc.identifier.doi10.3389/fenvh.2023.1329206
dc.identifier.eissn2813-558X
dc.identifier.elements-typejournal-article
dc.identifier.number1329206
dc.identifier.urihttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/70588
dc.languageEnglish
dc.publisherFrontiers Media S A
dc.publisher.urihttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvh.2023.1329206/full
dc.relation.isPartOfFrontiers in Environmental Health
dc.rights(c) 2023 The Author/s
dc.rightsCC BY 4.0
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectactigraphy
dc.subjectcircadian disruption
dc.subjectfatigue risk management
dc.subjectsleepiness
dc.subjectworkload
dc.titleManaging cabin crew fatigue during ultra-long range operations
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.elements-id486111
pubs.organisational-groupOther
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