British pilots decry proposed European Union flight scheduling rules

A proposal by the European Union to reduce the number of pilots that are required for flights from London to the United States will reduce in higher risk to airline passengers, the union for British airline pilots argued Tuesday.

The British Airline Pilots Association said a proposed EU shift from requiring that flights across the Atlantic Ocean that are longer than 14 hours to have only two pilots instead of three could cause more fatigue among pilots on international flights.

'The proposed EU rule would mean that thousands of American passengers traveling on European airlines would be put at risk because flights like this need three pilots," BALPA General Secretary Jim McAuslan said in a statement. 

"The British government so far doesn't seem to be listening, but I wonder how American passengers will feel about these aircraft carrying their citizens and flying through their airspace," McAuslan continued. "An American airline will have three pilots when flying to Los Angeles and a European airline will be able to fly with just two pilots. Which airline would you choose?"

McAuslan touted U.S. efforts to enact more stringent pilot fatigue rules after the 2009 Colgan Air crash in Buffalo, N.Y.

"American regulations have tightened considerably since the fatal Colgan Air crash in 2009 and the United States can be proud of having the lowest fatal air accident rate in the world," he said. "We need Europe to be improving its standards, as the United States has done, not lowering down for the sake of harmonization with Europe."

The European Union has separately been at odds with U.S. airlines over a proposal to increase carbon emission trading requirements on flights to airports within EU countries.

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