MPs warn pilots’ hours rules must be improved

PROPOSED European rules for pilots’ flying hours and working conditions must be improved or safety could be at risk, a report by MPs has warned.

Night-time pilot duty proposals are a particular worry, the House of Commons transport committee said.

Committee chairman Louise Ellman said: “We are also concerned at the possibility that a pilot could land a plane after 22 hours awake.”

The committee has examined draft proposals from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to change the rules that govern how many hours a pilot can fly.

The committee said airlines welcomed the proposals but cabin crew and pilots criticised the move, “stating that it would have a negative impact on aviation safety in the UK”.

Launching the committee’s report yesterday Mrs Ellman said that, currently, the UK implemented stricter flight-time regulations than some other European countries, but under the new rules proposed by EASA the UK would not be able to have its own regime.

She said that under the existing UK regulations “43 per cent of pilots have reported falling asleep involuntarily at some point while on duty… and this shows how fatigue is already an issue in aviation”.

The committee took evidence from consultant Mick Spencer, who wrote a report on the EASA proposals.

In its report, the committee said: “We share Mick Spencer’s concern that ‘the new regulations are setting a standard that accepts a higher level of fatigue more generally and, if not managed properly, that could well lead to a situation where the accident risk will increase’.”

Mrs Ellman said: “Current EU proposals risk making the situation worse by lowering the UK’s current standards.”