Pilots warn over flying time changes

Airline pilots have warned that EU’s aviation safety body is placing the safety of passengers at risk due to proposals to change existing flying time limits for pilots.

The Irish Airline Pilots’ Association has expressed concern that the measures being considered by the European Aviation Safety Agency are putting the commercial needs of airlines ahead of passenger safety.

Association president Evan Cullen said the EU agency had failed to explain why it had ignored the recommendations of its own scientific advisers which said night-time flying limits should be capped at 10 hours. Instead the Cologne-based EU body has proposed reducing the existing limit of 11 hours and 45 minutes to 11 hours.