A comprehensive survey conducted in August by the European Cockpit Association polled nearly 7,200 captains and first officers across Europe regarding fatigue management and safety practices. The results revealed significant concerns about pilot fatigue in commercial aviation, with respondents reporting insufficient rest periods, pressure to extend working hours, and apprehension about consequences for declaring themselves unfit to operate aircraft.
Three-quarters of surveyed pilots reported experiencing at least one microsleep—a brief involuntary episode of unconsciousness—while operating an aircraft during the four weeks preceding the survey. Nearly a quarter of respondents admitted they typically continue flying rather than report themselves as unfit due to fatigue, with an additional 16.8% saying they call in sick instead. Only one in three pilots indicated they usually report themselves unfit when experiencing fatigue, while half acknowledged operating a flight within three months of the survey when they should have declared themselves too fatigued to fly. Pilots working for airlines based in Ireland and Malta reported the highest incidence of microsleeps, with more than a third stating they were not receiving adequate rest to prevent fatigue accumulation.
Significant barriers to fatigue reporting emerged from the findings. Nearly half of respondents expressed fear of negative consequences from management if they reported themselves unfit, while only 11.9% said they trusted their airline’s fatigue reporting system. Geographic and operational variations were notable, with pilots in Spain, Ireland, and France reporting higher rates of flying while fatigued compared to those at UK-based airlines. Low-cost carriers showed particularly poor fatigue risk management perception, with only 15.6% of pilots at such operators believing their airline managed fatigue risks adequately.
The survey also examined the use of commander’s discretion, a provision allowing captains to extend crew working hours or reduce rest in exceptional circumstances. Nearly two in five pilots reported using this measure at least once in the month before the survey, though almost 70% expressed concern about refusing duty extensions, suggesting the provision may be accompanied by substantial pressure on flight crews. Capt Tanja Harter, president of the European Cockpit Association, called on the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to strengthen fatigue management regulations and ensure airline compliance with non-punitive reporting requirements, emphasizing that solutions exist and await implementation.
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