By General Secretary of FPU Romania and former cabin crew, Mircea Constantin
Know your limits
You are not a machine.
Each crew member, pilot or cabin crew have different limits, rosters and lifestyle.
You must always respond based on your own critical judgement and evaluation. Even if it might be inconvenient to the airline – safety comes first.
Remember Work/Life balance
Work is important, but so is your life outside it.
We all have families, friends, and things we love doing. To truly enjoy them, your body and mind need real rest between duties.
A simple advice: rest when you can, not when you must. And don’t push your luck during your minimum rest. Your next flight will thank you for it.
Check for yourself and your crew fatigue
Look out for yourself and for your crew.
If someone seems off and is drained of energy, ask how they’re doing. Support each other, talk about it, and if something doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid to speak out.
You’re a team up there, and teamwork means caring for one another.
If you’re unfit, you’re unfit
If you sleep well, have a healthy lifestyle, respect your schedule and rest time and still wake up tired, then that’s a clear sign of accumulated fatigue.
If your body says stop, then just stop.
It’s professional to declare yourself unfit, if you’re unfit. It’s the responsible thing to do, and it might be the safest decision you ever make.
Contact your Union Representative
If you ever feel overwhelmed or unsure what to do, reach out to your Union rep.
Your trade union exists exactly for that reason.
It’s a community of professionals who understand your job, your challenges, and your rights.
And remember: Asking for help is never a sign of weakness, it’s quite the opposite. It’s how we stay strong together!
You’re never alone in this.
