European pilot fatigue survey raises concerns over microsleeps and duty pressure

A new survey of almost 7,200 European airline captains and first officers has raised concerns about fatigue management, with three-quarters of respondents saying they had experienced at least one microsleep while operating an aircraft during the previous four weeks. The findings were reported by The Guardian, citing the European Cockpit Association.

Almost a quarter of pilots surveyed—24%—said they usually continued flying rather than report themselves unfit because of fatigue. Another 16.8% said they called in sick, while only one in three said they usually reported themselves unfit for duty when fatigued. Half said they had operated a flight in the three months before the survey when they should have declared themselves too fatigued to fly.

The reported risks varied by location and operator type. Pilots at airlines based in Ireland and Malta reported some of the highest levels of microsleeps and the greatest concerns about management reprisals. Two in five pilots working for Spain-based airlines said they usually flew when fatigued, compared with one in 10 at UK-based airlines, according to the report.

The survey also found that almost two in five pilots had used commander’s discretion to extend working hours or reduce rest periods at least once in the previous month. Nearly 70% expressed concern about refusing to extend their duty.

The findings sit within Europe’s existing fatigue-control framework. EASA’s fatigue-risk-management guidance says operators must comply with flight-time limitations covering duty periods, cumulative flight and duty time, rest, standby and night operations. It also says commander’s discretion should remain an exceptional measure and that crew should not feel pressured to work when fatigued or otherwise unfit.

The Guardian report notes that the survey reflects pilots’ first-hand experiences, not a direct measurement of safety outcomes. The European Cockpit Association is calling for stronger fatigue-management rules, non-punitive reporting and tighter controls on the use of commander’s discretion.