Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
On STAR into ZZZ I was high and was not going to make a mandatory crossing altitude. Prior to it I asked the controller if I could be relieved of that restriction and he said yes.I had not been into ZZZ since COVID and as such didn't realize that ZZZ; being a large International hub; was still operating way under capacity compared to domestic airports; meaning vectors to final were fast. I was hand flying without autopilot or auto throttles which I do typically once a trip to stay in practice. After I was given the arrival clearance the First Officer; not being familiar with ZZZ couldn't find frequency to talk to once on the ground and was asking me to help him find it. As I was flying and looking over my iPad to find the frequency I then realized I was high and requested relief from one of our crossing altitudes which was given prior to that crossing restriction.I should have just waited until on the ground to look up frequency or turned automation back on.
Air carrier Captain reported being high on a STAR and asking ATC for relief.