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EU aviation plan sparks 'pilot fatigue' warning Pilot hours regulation plan rejected by MEPs
(about 3 hours later)
Plans to change how pilots' working hours are regulated would put safety at risk, a pilots' union has warned. Plans to change how pilots' working hours are regulated have been rejected by MEPs amid safety fears.
The European Union says it wants to tighten and standardise the varying time limits for flying, and MEPs are due to vote on new rules later. The European Commission wants to standardise the varying time limits for flying across member states.
The chairman of the European Parliament's transport committee said the rules would maintain or improve safety across the EU. But pilots' union the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) had claimed the plans could mean UK aircrew landing planes after being awake for 22 hours.
But pilots' union Balpa warned it would increase fatigue among UK aircrew. MEPs on the European Parliament's transport committee voted to block the new rules by 21 to 13.
Air travel regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the changes would improve safety for UK passengers flying on some European airlines. Balpa argued the new rules, which could now be decided on in October by the full European Parliament, would allow pilots to:
'Expert advice' Air travel regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had backed the changes, saying they would improve safety for UK passengers flying on some European airlines.
The British Airline Pilots Association claimed the new rules would allow pilots to: And it dismissed the union's claims that under some circumstances - with standby and flying time combined - pilots could be awake for 22-hours.
General secretary Jim McAuslan said the proposals went "against expert advice" and were "unscientific". "It is important to understand this scenario will almost never happen," a CAA spokesman said.
The union wants the European Parliament to back a motion requiring the European Commission to have the proposals scrutinised by scientific and medical experts. The European Commission said pilots would have and "must use" sleep periods when on call away from the airport, which would limit the consecutive hours they could be awake to 18.
Last week, a survey of 500 commercial pilots by the union suggested more than half had fallen asleep while in charge of an aircraft. But a Balpa spokesman said rejection of the new rules reflected "pilots' concerns about the way the rules had been put together without proper scientific scrutiny and underpinning evidence".
One in three said they had woken up to find their co-pilot sleeping as well. General secretary Jim McAuslan described the proposals as "botched".
"The commission must now go back to the drawing board and work with pilots and scientists to develop rules on flying time and tiredness that are based on evidence and expert experience.
"Pilots will continue to urge UK ministers, MEPs and the CAA to protect the safety of our skies and help pilots make every flight a safe flight."
'False and irresponsible''False and irresponsible'
If MEPs vote in favour, the changes would be introduced in 2015. The European Commission had argued the proposed new regulations would ensure airlines operated the same flying rules across Europe, and flight time limits would be lowered.
The European Commission said the legislation would ensure airlines operated the same flying rules across Europe, and flight time limits would be lowered.
"Any impression that is being given that the proposals would weaken those rules is false and irresponsible," a commission spokesman said."Any impression that is being given that the proposals would weaken those rules is false and irresponsible," a commission spokesman said.
The union claimed combined flight and standby time could lead to pilots being awake for 22 hours before landing. The UK government had also backed the plans.
But the CAA said that it would not support the move if it believed this was the case. Ahead of the vote they were described as "balanced and safe" by the Labour chairman of the European Parliament's transport committee.
"It is important to understand this scenario will almost never happen," a spokesman said.
The CAA added the changes would improve safety for some passengers and help it "oversee fatigue risk management".
"We think the new European flight time limitation regulations maintain the UK's current high safety levels, and will actually increase safety for UK passengers travelling on some other European airlines," a spokesman said.
"This view is informed by expert opinion, based on scientific principles, operational knowledge, regulatory oversight information and research."
'Isolated incident'
Ministers have also backed the plans.
And they were described as "balanced safe" by the Labour chairman of the European Parliament's transport committee.
"We are trying to get a more uniform system in place that the whole of Europe can work to," said MEP Brian Simpson."We are trying to get a more uniform system in place that the whole of Europe can work to," said MEP Brian Simpson.
"The proposed changes will either continue to ensure high levels of aviation safety or will improve the present standards in many member states.""The proposed changes will either continue to ensure high levels of aviation safety or will improve the present standards in many member states."
The move comes after an incident log from last month recorded two pilots on an Airbus passenger plane falling asleep at the same time while the aircraft was mid-flight on autopilot. The vote came after an incident log from last month recorded two pilots on an Airbus passenger plane falling asleep at the same time while the aircraft was mid-flight on autopilot.
The airline concerned disputed the report, the CAA said.The airline concerned disputed the report, the CAA said.
Last week, a survey of 500 commercial pilots by the union suggested more than half had fallen asleep while in charge of an aircraft.
One in three said they had woken up to find their co-pilot sleeping as well.