French Pilots Claim EasyJet is Risking Safety by Scheduling Too Many Flights
French pilots have claimed easyJet is risking passenger and crew safety by scheduling too many flights, reported The Guardian.
Captains are being pressed into flying more hours than they are legally allowed and face intimidation if they refuse, France’s pilots’ union said.
In an open letter to the company’s main shareholder, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the union said the flight schedule is unrealistic and had caused numerous delays and last-minute cancellations.
“A red line has been crossed and we are very shocked,” said Arnaud Wiplier, the president of the easyJet section of the Syndicat National des Pilotes de Ligne (SNPL). “The airline has eyes bigger than its stomach; the schedules are not possible.”
Wiplier told Le Figaro newspaper that easyJet had scheduled far too many flights during the summer, especially at weekends, when the chances of cancellation are eight times higher.
“Summer is very busy and it doesn’t work,” he said. “If a plane has to do six flights a day, the last flight will have a long delay or be cancelled.”
EasyJet, which carries about 17 million passengers a year in France, categorically rejected the pilots’ criticism and said it was “surprised by their action”. The airline said it made no compromises on safety and was structured to manage a normal level of disruption in high season.
The pilots claim the pressure on them is caused by new European rules giving passengers “lots of money for delays and cancellations”.
Long delays have caused passenger anger in recent weeks. Last month, after a 13-hour wait for an easyJet flight, a Nice airport worker apparently hit a passenger who was holding a baby.
EasyJet has launched a recruitment drive for an additional 450 pilots, from cadets to experienced captains from other airlines. The carrier employs more than 3,000 pilots to fly its Airbus aircraft on more than 870 routes in 31 countries.
The summer is a critical season for airlines, whose operations are typically loss-making for much of the rest of the year.
British unions warned this month that pilots were being pushed to the limit by demanding summer schedules. The number of flights to or from the UK reached record levels in late July.
The British Airline Pilots Association said an inadequate number of pilots at some airlines could contribute to dangerous levels of fatigue, with increasing numbers reporting burnout from inadequate rest and unworkable rotas.
We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!
European Parliament Passes Landmark Directive on Platform Workers' Rights
The European Parliament has approved the EU's inaugural directive aimed at regulating the employment rights of individuals working through online platforms
Moldova Imports US-sourced LNG, but No Words about Electricity
In recent years, Moldova has been faced with the challenge of reducing its dependency on Russian gas imports.
German Investors Push for Euro Adoption in Hungary Amid Forint Instability
As the Hungarian forint experiences volatility, German investors are increasingly advocating for Hungary to adopt the euro, reaching the highest level of support in over a decade
FBI Director: TikTok Endangers USA’s National Security
In a statement underscoring growing concerns over national security, FBI Director Christopher Wray has declared that the popular social media app TikTok poses a significant risk to the United States
Bulgaria: Second Lowest Debt Relative to GDP in the EU for 2023
Eurostat data indicates that Greece (161.9%), Italy (137.3%), France (110.6%), Spain (107.7%), and Belgium reported the highest public debt-to-GDP ratios among EU member states by the conclusion of 2023
US State Department Report: Discrimination Against Bulgarians in North Macedonia Exposed
A damning report from the US State Department has unveiled a troubling reality of systematic racial and ethnic violence and discrimination against Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia