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BackThis week, the Transport Committee of the European Parliament put a stop to the plan by the European Commission and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) respectively to extend the working hours of airline pilots. According to an Implementing Regulation draft of the Commission, a maximum daily flight time up to 13 hours would have been permitted. However, the Transport Committee has now rejected this plan with a clear majority. This vote now has to be confirmed in the plenum of the European Parliament.
The Implementing Regulation, which was jointly prepared by the European Aviation Safety Agency and the European Commission, determines a maximum daily flight time of 13 hours for crew members.
This is clearly too much for the representatives of the European Parliament: in their motion for a resolution, they outline that there have been at least five reports between 2009 and 2013, which contain scientific proofs in respect of fatigue, night time and lack of sleep and are therefore in contrast to the latest interpretation of EU Commission officials and EASA. MEPs demand a flight time, which does not exceed 10 hours. According to the people’s representatives, a maximum of 18 hours, including stand-by duty, should be possible.
Apart from that and in view of increasing safety demands, Member States should have the option to apply provisions in respect of better protection, which go beyond the regulation.
At Council level, the proposal for the Implementing Regulation had already been accepted in July; it has been reported that only Austria and The Netherlands opposed the Commission text.
Now, the rejection of the Regulation must also be confirmed in the plenary of the European Parliament. The vote will take place already on Wednesday, 9 October 2013.
This is clearly too much for the representatives of the European Parliament: in their motion for a resolution, they outline that there have been at least five reports between 2009 and 2013, which contain scientific proofs in respect of fatigue, night time and lack of sleep and are therefore in contrast to the latest interpretation of EU Commission officials and EASA. MEPs demand a flight time, which does not exceed 10 hours. According to the people’s representatives, a maximum of 18 hours, including stand-by duty, should be possible.
Apart from that and in view of increasing safety demands, Member States should have the option to apply provisions in respect of better protection, which go beyond the regulation.
At Council level, the proposal for the Implementing Regulation had already been accepted in July; it has been reported that only Austria and The Netherlands opposed the Commission text.
Now, the rejection of the Regulation must also be confirmed in the plenary of the European Parliament. The vote will take place already on Wednesday, 9 October 2013.