The International Air Carrier Association (IACA) representing 32 leisure airlines is flabbergasted by the public statements made by the association of pilot unions regarding the proposed EU regulation on Flight Time Limitations. This Monday, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued its proposal for public consultation, hereby eliminating national differences, taking account of recent and publicly available scientific studies.
The European Cockpit Association blames inadequate human resources and expertise at EASA, and pretends that the proposal will make flying more dangerous by ignoring scientific input in favour of airline lobbying.
More dangerous ?
The EASA proposal is more restrictive than the present ‘EU-OPS Subpart Q’ rules, which have been implemented since 16 July 2008.
Airline lobbying ?
The EASA proposal has been developed through a cooperative process in which the input of all stakeholders has been taken into account. The ‘OPS.055’ rulemaking group was balanced in its composition: national civil aviation authorities, aircraft operator associations representing the different operational models (scheduled, leisure, low cost, regional and business aviation) as well as union representatives of both pilots and cabin crew.
As the European Cockpit Association was fully involved as a partner in this cooperative rulemaking process, they are implicitly complaining about their own inadequate human resources and expertise.
Sylviane Lust, Director General at IACA said: “The drafting of the proposed rules was not an easy task. All stakeholders were invited to bring in their views, supported by their experience and scientific data. Some views did not pass the test; incorrect examples and scenarios were provided to the group for analysis. The finally proposed rules are a significantly improved and more restrictive version of the present EU-OPS Subpart Q.
If partners however continue putting forward incorrect examples or misleading comparisons, they certainly are putting their own credibility in question.”
IACA calls on EASA and all partners involved to resist using manipulative communication tricks and to continue staying focussed on aviation safety. In the end, this is what matters for European passengers.
