ATW Daily News

Pilots across Europe protest flight/duty-time rules

Tuesday October 6, 2009

Pilots from European airlines held an "action day" yesterday at 22 airports across the continent and various sites in Brussels, including the European Parliament and European Commission, protesting EU flight/duty-time rules that they claim are "potentially dangerous."

The Moebus Report, an EU-mandated analysis based on extensive scientific research on the effects of fatigue on piloting aircraft, recommended that pilots should fly no more than 13 hr. in daylight and 10 hr. at night. But EU rules currently allow pilots to work 14 hr. daily and 11 hr. 45 min. nightly. Pilots are pushing the EC to change regulations to match Moebus recommendations.

The protests were organized by the European Cockpit Assn. representing more than 38,200 pilots from 36 European countries. The European Transport Workers Federation helped in planning the event, which also was backed by the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Assns. IFALPA argued that "concrete legislative changes must be made to ensure passengers and crews are protected against fatigue-related safety risks and it is essential that this is based upon the scientific research."

British Airline Pilots Assn. General Secretary Jim McAuslan drew a contrast between the US and EU: "Shocked by recent accidents due to fatigue, [FAA] is rushing through measures to tighten, not loosen, pilot flight time rules (ATW, August). The EU on the other hand is going backwards. [Airlines should compete] on the basis of the product, not by working pilots beyond what is safe."

by Cathy Buyck

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