Pilot fatigue risk badly managed in Ireland, says international survey

Trade unionists want greater Government and regulatory oversight of pilot fatigue after a survey showing the Irish air travel industry performs poorly relative to the rest of Europe in managing the problem.European safety rules limit the hours that pilots can fly and allow them to stand down if they feel fatigued.But most Irish pilots say the issue is poorly managed here while a significant number say they do not report fatigue to their employers as they fear “punishment” or “reprisals”, according to a survey by trade union group, the European Cockpit Association.The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (Ialpa) called for greater oversight of the issue in the Republic, in response to the survey.READ MORECapt Nicola Hughes, the trade union’s international director, said Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, should appoint employment inspectors to ensure that airlines comply with the law and allow pilots to exercise their safety responsibilities without fear of punitive consequences.The report, which does not name any Irish airline, shows that 71.5 per cent of Irish pilots say fatigue risk is “not well managed” or “mostly not well managed”.In the last such survey in 2023, the number was 61.7 per cent.“Ireland is at or near the bottom across a range of critical fatigue-management and reporting measures, and in several areas the position has deteriorated rather than improved,” said Hughes.