European pilots report widespread fatigue risks

Dhaka: Nearly one-quarter of European airline pilots say they routinely fly while too fatigued to work, while three-quarters have experienced involuntary microsleeps in the cockpit, according to a survey by the European Cockpit Association (ECA).

The findings are based on responses from almost 7,200 captains and first officers surveyed in August. They highlight concerns about inadequate rest, pressure to work longer hours and fears of repercussions for reporting fatigue.

The survey found that 24 percent of pilots usually continue flying rather than declare themselves unfit for duty because of fatigue. Another 16.8 percent said they call in sick instead. Half of respondents had operated a flight in the three months before the survey despite believing they were too tired to fly.

Fatigue can impair judgment, slow reaction times and reduce alertness, posing potential risks when pilots must respond to unexpected situations. European aviation rules require airlines to establish systems to identify and manage crew fatigue.

However, confidence in those systems remains low. Only 11.9 percent of pilots said they trusted their airline’s fatigue reporting process, while almost half feared negative consequences from management if they reported being unfit to fly.

Pilots employed by airlines based in Ireland and Malta reported particularly high levels of microsleeps and concerns about management reprisals. More than one-third of respondents said they lacked sufficient rest to prevent fatigue from accumulating.

The proportion of pilots who said they typically fly while fatigued was also elevated in Spain, Ireland and France. Around 40 percent of Spain-based airline pilots reported doing so, compared with about one-third in Ireland and France and just 10 percent among pilots working for UK-based airlines.

Fatigue management also drew criticism from pilots at low-cost and wet-lease operators. Only 15.6 percent of low-cost carrier pilots believed their airline managed fatigue risks effectively, compared with 18.6 percent at ACMI operators, which provide aircraft and crew to other airlines.

Nearly two in five respondents had used a captain’s discretion to extend duty hours or reduce rest periods at least once in the preceding month. Almost 70 percent expressed concern about refusing such extensions.

Ian Holder, managing director of aviation safety consultancy Baines Simmons, said the findings reflected pilots’ experiences rather than directly measuring safety outcomes. However, similar results across three years indicated persistent problems. He cited Finland and the Netherlands as examples of stronger reporting cultures.

ECA President Capt. Tanja Harter called on airlines and regulators to take greater responsibility for fatigue risks. She urged the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to strengthen fatigue management rules, enforce non-punitive reporting and ensure captain’s discretion is used appropriately.

Harter said the aviation industry already understood the problems and had potential solutions, arguing that stronger political action was now needed.