Checking a Crew Roster Across Month-End: Four Dates to Confirm

A duty can appear on the last day of one month even when the aircraft lands in the next. Looking only at calendar date numbers can make a flight seem missing, or lead to entering the same leg in both months. The first step is to separate ‘the day this duty was assigned’ from ‘the local dates the aircraft takes off and lands’.

1. Find the duty date on the original roster

Start with the date column on the company roster. Which day does that row assign to the duty? Some rosters group several legs on one day; others start a new row after an overnight flight. An arrival after midnight alone does not move the entire duty to the first day of the next month. Use the original roster’s layout as the starting point.

2. Read each airport’s local date separately

Departure is normally shown in the origin’s local time and arrival in the destination’s local time. Because those places may be in different time zones, subtracting the two clock readings can be misleading. For a late-night departure and an arrival on the first day of the next month, note the date at each end. A flight crossing the International Date Line needs particular care: check which place each date belongs to.

3. Do not mistake a layover for a return home

If a crew member flies away from base at month-end and returns in the next month, a family member may see no new departure at the start of the month and assume they are already home. Check the overnight layover and the return date together. If the company changes the return, update the roster first, then the dates shared with the family.

4. Open both months and look for duplicates

1. Check the last few days of the first month: do the flights, layovers and days off match the original roster?
2. Check the first few days of the next month: is the return present, and is the same flight leg entered twice?
3. Open the flight details and compare the origin, destination, dates and times at both ends.
4. If a date is unclear, leave it as TBC until the company notice or the crew member’s own record confirms it.

Feiban marks flight times it cannot find as TBC. When the flight’s date itself is unclear, go back to the original roster instead of guessing from the calendar. Once the dates are checked, the family can use the calendar more confidently to plan a visit or pick-up.