Affiliations: [a] Associação Portuguesa de Psicanálise e Psicoterapia Psicanalítica, Lisbon, Portugal | [b] Universidade Lisboa, Faculdade Motricidade Humana, CIAUD, SA Ergonomia, Cruz Quebrada Dafundo, Portugal | [c] Universidade Lisboa, Faculdade Motricidade Humana, CIPER, Mathematics Unit, Cruz Quebrada Dafundo, Portugal
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: José Carvalhais, Universidade Lisboa, Faculdade Motricidade Humana, CIAUD, SA Ergonomia, Estrada da Costa, P-1499002 Cruz Quebrada Dafundo, Portugal. Tel.: +351 936 206009 or +351 214149154; E-mail:jcarvalhais@fmh.ulisboa.pt
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Beyond workload and specific environmental factors, flight attendants can be exposed to irregular working hours, conflicting with their circadian rhythms
and having a negative impact in sleep, fatigue, health, social and family
life, and performance which is critical to both safety and security in
flight operations. OBJECTIVE: This study focuses on the irregular schedules of cabin crew as a trigger of
fatigue symptoms in a wet lease Portuguese airline. The aim was to analyze:
what are the requirements of the cabin crew work; whether the schedules
being observed and effective resting timeouts are triggering factors of
fatigue; and the existence of fatigue symptoms in the cabin crew. METHODS: A questionnaire has been adapted and applied to a sample of 73 cabin
crew-members (representing 61.9% of the population), 39 females and 34
males, with an average age of 27.68 ± 4.27 years. RESULTS: Our data indicate the presence of fatigue and corresponding health symptoms
among the airline cabin crew, despite of the sample favorable
characteristics. Senior workers and women are more affected. CONCLUSIONS: Countermeasures are required. Recommendations can be made regarding the
fatigue risk management, including work organization, education and
awareness training programmes and specific countermeasures.
Keywords: Aviation, health, seniority, working time
