Pilots protest over flying hours (BBC)

Old Pete

Old Pete

Cockpit Authoritarian
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8289953.stm

Airline pilots who say long flying hours are "putting lives at risk" are to hold demonstrations across Europe.
European air crew unions argue current rules that govern how long they can fly for are unsafe, with fatigue a factor in 15% of accidents.
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The rules are already in force in some EU countries, but are due to come into force in the UK in 2012.
Pilots and air crew have complained that their working conditions have deteriorated as the airline industry looks to cut costs.
The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said two million leaflets would be handed out across Europe by the protesters.
The general secretary of Balpa, Jim McAuslan, said he feared that attempts by the EU to standardise working conditions by 2012 would put more pressure on pilots.
He said: "Only fatigue experts understand the impact on a body of flying through so many time zones, having consecutive early starts and late duties and all the other factors that make up a pilot's life".
Mr McAuslan told the BBC that while EU law meant a pilot could work up to 14 hours a day, scientists believe they should not exceed 13 hours.
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Old Pete said:
Mr McAuslan told the BBC that while EU law meant a pilot could work up to 14 hours a day, scientists believe they should not exceed 13 hours.
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And we are worried that through cabotage foreign pilots will replace us? We are lower paid and have more lax work rules than European pilots. Plus, we can't strike like they can. We are the LCC pilots in the alliances.
 
I must have comepletely missed the news about the sudden increase in European airline crashes. How many crashes have they had anyway?
 
Cptnchia said:
And we are worried that through cabotage foreign pilots will replace us? We are lower paid and have more lax work rules than European pilots. Plus, we can't strike like they can. We are the LCC pilots in the alliances.
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That's an interesting point, I haven't thought about that.
 
jhugz said:
Can they shut it all down in the EU without consequence unlike here in the USA?
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Yes, they can. Air France has been on strike at least 4 times in the last 10 years. Alitalia even more. The pilots will also refuse to cross any picket line, regardless of department striking.
 
I wonder what the europeans would say about our 16 hour days and "8 hours" of rest which translates into around 5 hours of sleep.
 
Cptnchia said:
Yes, they can. Air France has been on strike at least 4 times in the last 10 years. Alitalia even more. The pilots will also refuse to cross any picket line, regardless of department striking.
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Wow...such a bargaining tool we have to jump through hoops for.
 
Cptnchia said:
And we are worried that through cabotage foreign pilots will replace us? We are lower paid and have more lax work rules than European pilots. Plus, we can't strike like they can. We are the LCC pilots in the alliances.
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I'm less concerned about the pilot wages and more concerned about possible monetary transactions that could occur between said airline and the country it flies for. Aren't several of them state run airlines?
 
Cptnchia said:
Yes, they can. Air France has been on strike at least 4 times in the last 10 years. Alitalia even more. The pilots will also refuse to cross any picket line, regardless of department striking.
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Airline pilots in Europe are "dioses" little d. Have several friends, that fly for Iberia. They, like everyone else in Europe have the right to strike. Most militaries have the right to strike in Europe for that matter.


If their management tried to pull the stuff they do here, the pilots would walk out faster than you could say "Que les pasan?".
 
Cptnchia said:
Yes, they can. Air France has been on strike at least 4 times in the last 10 years. Alitalia even more. The pilots will also refuse to cross any picket line, regardless of department striking.
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This really has more to do with the overall sentiment in Europe that, while you are labor, you're labor to the state through your employer. They don't play.

French, Italian, German Exceptionalism makes American Exceptionalism look like nothing more than a piece of trash.

Socialism is bad kids. Remember this. Evil people trying to protect what they do and how they make a living, goodness me. . .how dare they!

(post wasn't directed at you Cptnchia, just using it as an example - sorry)
 
AMH said:
This includes getting hammered the night before and chasing around less than average-looking flight attendants.
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Not sure about that, the average European FA is much more attractive than ones we have here.
 
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