[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR135.273]

[Page 1121-1123]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
 
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 
                               (CONTINUED)
 
PART 135_OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: COMMUTER AND ON DEMAND OPERATIONS AND RULES 
 
 Subpart F_Crewmember Flight Time and Duty Period Limitations and Rest 
                              Requirements
 
Sec. 135.273  Duty period limitations and rest time requirements.

    (a) For purposes of this section--
    Calendar day means the period of elapsed time, using Coordinated 
Universal Time or local time, that begins at midnight and ends 24 hours 
later at the next midnight.
    Duty period means the period of elapsed time between reporting for 
an assignment involving flight time and release from that assignment by 
the certificate holder. The time is calculated using either Coordinated 
Universal Time or local time to reflect the total elapsed time.
    Flight attendant means an individual, other than a flight 
crewmember, who is assigned by the certificate holder, in accordance 
with the required minimum crew complement under the certificate holder's 
operations specifications or in addition to that minimum complement, to 
duty in an aircraft during flight time and whose duties include but are 
not necessarily limited to cabin-safety-related responsibilities.
    Rest period means the period free of all responsibility for work or 
duty should the occasion arise.
    (b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, a 
certificate holder may assign a duty period to a flight attendant only 
when the applicable duty period limitations and rest requirements of 
this paragraph are met.
    (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (b)(4), (b)(5), and (b)(6) of 
this section, no certificate holder may assign a flight attendant to a 
scheduled duty period of more than 14 hours.
    (2) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, a flight 
attendant scheduled to a duty period of 14 hours or less as provided 
under paragraph (b)(1) of this section must be given a scheduled rest 
period of at least 9 consecutive hours. This rest period must occur 
between the completion of the scheduled duty period and the commencement 
of the subsequent duty period.
    (3) The rest period required under paragraph (b)(2) of this section 
may be scheduled or reduced to 8 consecutive hours if the flight 
attendant is provided a subsequent rest period of at least 10 
consecutive hours; this subsequent rest period must be scheduled to 
begin no later than 24 hours after the beginning of the reduced rest 
period and must occur between the completion of the scheduled duty 
period and the commencement of the subsequent duty period.
    (4) A certificate holder may assign a flight attendant to a 
scheduled duty period of more than 14 hours, but no more than 16 hours, 
if the certificate holder has assigned to the flight or flights in that 
duty period at least one flight attendant in addition to the minimum 
flight attendant complement required for the flight or flights in that 
duty period under the certificate holder's operations specifications.
    (5) A certificate holder may assign a flight attendant to a 
scheduled duty period of more than 16 hours, but no more than 18 hours, 
if the certificate holder has assigned to the flight or

[[Page 1122]]

flights in that duty period at least two flight attendants in addition 
to the minimum flight attendant complement required for the flight or 
flights in that duty period under the certificate holder's operations 
specifications.
    (6) A certificate holder may assign a flight attendant to a 
scheduled duty period of more than 18 hours, but no more than 20 hours, 
if the scheduled duty period includes one or more flights that land or 
take off outside the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia, 
and if the certificate holder has assigned to the flight or flights in 
that duty period at least three flight attendants in addition to the 
minimum flight attendant complement required for the flight or flights 
in that duty period under the certificate holder's operations 
specifications.
    (7) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(8) of this section, a flight 
attendant scheduled to a duty period of more than 14 hours but no more 
than 20 hours, as provided in paragraphs (b)(4), (b)(5), and (b)(6) of 
this section, must be given a scheduled rest period of at least 12 
consecutive hours. This rest period must occur between the completion of 
the scheduled duty period and the commencement of the subsequent duty 
period.
    (8) The rest period required under paragraph (b)(7) of this section 
may be scheduled or reduced to 10 consecutive hours if the flight 
attendant is provided a subsequent rest period of at least 14 
consecutive hours; this subsequent rest period must be scheduled to 
begin no later than 24 hours after the beginning of the reduced rest 
period and must occur between the completion of the scheduled duty 
period and the commencement of the subsequent duty period.
    (9) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b)(4), (b)(5), and (b)(6) of this 
section, if a certificate holder elects to reduce the rest period to 10 
hours as authorized by paragraph (b)(8) of this section, the certificate 
holder may not schedule a flight attendant for a duty period of more 
than 14 hours during the 24-hour period commencing after the beginning 
of the reduced rest period.
    (10) No certificate holder may assign a flight attendant any duty 
period with the certificate holder unless the flight attendant has had 
at least the minimum rest required under this section.
    (11) No certificate holder may assign a flight attendant to perform 
any duty with the certificate holder during any required rest period.
    (12) Time spent in transportation, not local in character, that a 
certificate holder requires of a flight attendant and provides to 
transport the flight attendant to an airport at which that flight 
attendant is to serve on a flight as a crewmember, or from an airport at 
which the flight attendant was relieved from duty to return to the 
flight attendant's home station, is not considered part of a rest 
period.
    (13) Each certificate holder must relieve each flight attendant 
engaged in air transportation from all further duty for at least 24 
consecutive hours during any 7 consecutive calendar days.
    (14) A flight attendant is not considered to be scheduled for duty 
in excess of duty period limitations if the flights to which the flight 
attendant is assigned are scheduled and normally terminate within the 
limitations but due to circumstances beyond the control of the 
certificate holder (such as adverse weather conditions) are not at the 
time of departure expected to reach their destination within the 
scheduled time.
    (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section, a certificate 
holder may apply the flight crewmember flight time and duty limitations 
and rest requirements of this part to flight attendants for all 
operations conducted under this part provided that--
    (1) The certificate holder establishes written procedures that--
    (i) Apply to all flight attendants used in the certificate holder's 
operation;
    (ii) Include the flight crewmember requirements contained in subpart 
F of this part, as appropriate to the operation being conducted, except 
that rest facilities on board the aircraft are not required; and
    (iii) Include provisions to add one flight attendant to the minimum 
flight attendant complement for each flight crewmember who is in excess 
of the minimum number required in the aircraft type certificate data 
sheet and who is assigned to the aircraft under

[[Page 1123]]

the provisions of subpart F of this part, as applicable.
    (iv) Are approved by the Administrator and described or referenced 
in the certificate holder's operations specifications; and
    (2) Whenever the Administrator finds that revisions are necessary 
for the continued adequacy of duty period limitation and rest 
requirement procedures that are required by paragraph (c)(1) of this 
section and that had been granted final approval, the certificate holder 
must, after notification by the Administrator, make any changes in the 
procedures that are found necessary by the Administrator. Within 30 days 
after the certificate holder receives such notice, it may file a 
petition to reconsider the notice with the certificate-holding district 
office. The filing of a petition to reconsider stays the notice, pending 
decision by the Administrator. However, if the Administrator finds that 
there is an emergency that requires immediate action in the interest of 
safety, the Administrator may, upon a statement of the reasons, require 
a change effective without stay.

[Amdt. 135-52, 59 FR 42993, Aug. 19, 1994, as amended by Amdt. 135-60, 
61 FR 2616, Jan. 26, 1996]