Protestacties Europese piloten tegen te lange werktijden (en)

European pilots staged a series of protests in airports and cities across the region on Monday (5 October), calling for a reduction in flying hours to increase safety levels.

In Brussels, uniformed pilots handed out fake boarding passes outside the European Commission and Parliament buildings, warning pedestrians about the dangers of pilot fatigue.

"Pilot fatigue is considered to be a contributory cause to 15-20 percent of all fatal aircraft accidents," Martin Chalk, head of the European Cockpit Association (ECA), told journalists.

"The effects of fatigue are as damaging as the effects of alcohol intoxication," he added.

The protests were organised by the ECA along with the European Transport Workers' Federation (EFT) and are aimed at putting pressure on the European Union, currently in the process of drafting new laws on flying hours.

Present EU rules allow for up to 14 hours flying time during the day and nearly 12 hours at night. However a scientific report - the Moebus Report - published last September recommends airline crew work no more than 13 hours during the day or 10 hours at night.

The document says the risk of accident is five-and-a-half times greater when pilots work 13 hours or more.

"What we are saying today is that they need to listen to the safety review," said Mr Chalk.

"It was conducted by the best scientists in this field in Europe. It was commissioned by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and therefore it should not be ignored when writing the rules."

The new EU rules on harmonised flying hours are set to come into force in 2012, with the EASA currently in the process of considering responses to a consultation on a first draft.

EASA hits back

The EASA hit back at the pilots on Monday, questioning the timing and real motivation behind the protests.

"This is jumping the gun. It is not a constructive contribution to a debate which is yet to happen," Daniel Hoeltgen, EASA communications director told CNN.

Mr Hoeltgen believes the protests are merely a first stage in an industrial debate between unions and airlines - many of which have struggled to deal with the effects of the financial crisis.

"It's got nothing to do with safety regulations. We have made it clear that we will invite the unions and the airlines to take part in a review of the current rules and the timeframe for that has been made clear," he said.

But the European Cockpit Association points to rules recently brought in by the US administration following a crash that killed 50 people in Buffalo, New York, this year.

"Without hesitation, the US regulator has taken swift and decisive action," said the flyers distributed by pilots.

The association, that represents over 38,000 pilots and flight engineers in 36 European countries, is also fighting for better working conditions for stewards.

Here they cite another example in the US where a stewardess forgot to close the passenger door properly due to tiredness.