European Cockpit Association survey: three in four pilots report microsleeps in the cockpit

Mixed · 2A survey of almost 7,200 European airline captains and first officers by the European Cockpit Association (ECA) found that three in four had experienced at least one microsleep, a brief involuntary episode of sleep, while operating an aircraft in the previous four weeks. 1 2 Mixed · 2The survey was conducted in August. Pilots working for airlines based in Ireland and Malta reported the highest levels of microsleeps. 1 2 Left · 1Some 24% of pilots said they usually keep flying rather than report themselves unfit because of fatigue, and 16.8% said they call in sick instead. Only one in three said they usually report themselves unfit when fatigued, and half said that in the three months before the survey they had flown a flight when they should have declared themselves too fatigued. 1

Mixed · 2Almost half of respondents feared negative consequences from management if they reported themselves unfit, and just 11.9% trusted their airline's fatigue reporting system. More than a third (the Daily Mail says more than 30%) said they were not getting enough rest to stop fatigue building up. 1 2 Mixed · 2The Guardian reported variation by country and airline type: two in five pilots at Spain-based airlines and a third at Ireland- and France-based airlines said they usually fly when fatigued, against one in 10 at UK-based airlines. Only 15.6% of pilots at low-cost carriers believed their airline managed fatigue risks well, compared with 18.6% at ACMI or wet-lease operators. 1 2 Left · 1Almost two in five pilots said they had used commander's discretion, which lets captains extend crew working hours or reduce rest in exceptional circumstances, at least once in the month before the survey. Nearly 70% were concerned about refusing to extend their duty, which the Guardian said suggests a measure meant for exceptional situations may come with significant pressure on crews. 1

Left · 1ECA president Capt Tanja Harter said the risks should not be left to pilots to manage and urged the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to strengthen fatigue management rules and ensure airlines comply with requirements for non-punitive reporting and proper use of commander's discretion. She said: "What is needed now is the political will to act." 1 Mixed · 2Ian Holder, managing director of the consultancy Baines Simmons, said the results showed persistent differences in how airlines and national authorities manage fatigue. He stressed the findings reflect pilots' first-hand experiences rather than a direct measure of safety outcomes, and pointed to Finland and the Netherlands as showing stronger reporting cultures are achievable. 1 2 Mixed · 2Under European rules airlines must have systems to identify, monitor and manage crew fatigue, and the Daily Mail notes that licensed pilots are legally obliged to report when they are too fatigued to fly. The Daily Mail also quoted the ECA's June campaign, which blamed years of cost-cutting, precarious contracts and understaffing for rising fatigue risks. 1 2