:Where Worklife Matters

Long flight hours have led pilots from 36 countries to stage an organized protest against prevailing regulations. The pilots claim that European Parliament and European Commission are putting passenger and staff lives at risk, as stressed pilots who are forced to fly after long working hours lose their concentration in the cockpit and increase the risk of air accidents.

Pilots and cabin crew will join hands to raise this issue of long and unsafe flying hours in the European Parliament in Brussels, and carry out demonstrations across European airports. Pilots have cited a research finding that claims 15% of air accidents are caused due to pilots’ fatigue.

The protesting pilots state that European officials are refusing to implement stringent rules across Europe despite the findings of the Moebus report, which suggests legislative change for safety reasons. Moreover, the pilots feel that the new guidelines being introduced by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) may undermine or replace individual national regulations that are more pilot-friendly.

However, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Britain and EU regulations have specified minimum safety standards for avoiding pilot fatigue, and many national authorities have imposed their own stringent rules.

The EASA has recognized the Moebus report on this issue and is considering its recommendations.

British pilots are expected to join in the demonstrations, despite the fact that such a move is forbidden in the UK. Fake boarding passes featuring cigarette-style health-warnings displaying extensive information on crew fatigue and the need to change the EU laws will be distributed during the demonstrations to create awareness.

According to Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of British Airline Pilots Association, a pilot’s day starts early and ends late. Pilots fly for long hours across different time zones that impacts their health, and this can only be understood by fatigue experts, believes McAuslan.

Employers can keep themselves up to date with HR and personnel developments to enhance the working capability of employees by taking accredited CIPD training such as the Certificate in Personnel Practice available from the experts at Workplace Law Training. The course provides a firm foundation in all the areas of HR and employment law and a better understanding of how employment practice works to help organisations to set their own organisation