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2nd European Action Day:

Today, ECA and ETF organised the 2nd European Action Day to raise public awareness of the potential dangers of inadequate legal protection against the effects of Pilot and Cabin Crew fatigue. Pilots and cabin crew members handed out fake boarding passes with health-warnings alongside detailed information on safety risks, and explained why EU law must be changed.

Their message was clear: The current EU pilot fatigue law is potentially unsafe. Science must not be ignored any longer and must be the basis of the future rules. 'Brussels' must act NOW!

Hundreds of pilots and cabin crew from 28 European associations or trade unions have taken part, today, in a concerted action at 22 European airports and various sites in Brussels. They all demonstra-ted professional commitment to aviation safety, and were backed by their European Organi-sations ECA and ETF, repre-senting over 38.200 pilots and 2,5 million European transport workers.

They drew the attention of the travelling public and press corps to the need for the EU to quickly change EU fatigue law in line with the latest scientific evidence ('Moebus Report'). They also pointed at the airlines' lobbying against such changes, and attempts to discredit the expert scientific report, and to dismiss valid safety concerns.

"Today is a day of truth; a day of safety vs. commercial interests. We cannot allow the airlines to hold the EU Institutions hostage any longer." stated Capt. Martin Chalk, ECA President. "The economic crisis cannot be a pretext for delaying crucial safety decisions. The EU must act quickly and decisively.", added Francois Ballestero, ETF Political Director. "When boarding an airplane, passengers must be certain that EU law ensures pilots and cabin crew are fully fit to carry out their safety tasks. Unfortunately, today EU law fails that test." says Philip von Schöppenthau, Secretary General of ECA.

See the ECA Press Release (PDF)