The recommencement of flights over Europe despite the continuing presence of ash from the Icelandic volcano has prompted a pilots’ organisation to warn that commercial considerations are being put before safety.
The European Cockpit Association (ECA), which represents nearly 39,000 professional flight crew from 38 European countries, said its members have first-hand experience of dangerous effects of ash clouds and have urged European airspace authorities to consider safety first in all operational decisions.
The Association warned: “Operational decisions should be based on the strong safety culture developed over many decades in our industry, whereas financial problems should be addressed with financial solutions – never should the two be mixed.”
UK air safety regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) revised its position on flying in volcanic ash clouds yesterday (20 April), and air-traffic control services resumed last night. In a statement, the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said: “The situation continues to be dynamic as a result of changing weather conditions and the prediction of dense areas of volcanic ash.”
However, the ECA believes more data is needed on where the volcanic matter poses a risk and where it has sufficiently dispersed, and that this crucial information must be shared with pilots. It said: “If, after careful consideration, safety authorities have concluded certain airspace poses no further threat, the final decision passes through the airline to the pilot of the particular flight – who must be given as much clear information as is available to make the final decision to fly. Pilots have always been, and always will be, best placed to protect the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft.”
It concluded: “Operational decisions require a ‘safety first’ approach and, separately, financial crises require a financial solution. ECA supports the European authorities in separately addressing both the risks to lives and to the financial survival of our sector.”
The International Air Transport Association has estimated the loss to the global airline industry as a result of the crisis to be £1.1 billion. However, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis refuted claims that the decision to lift flight restrictions was taken in response to pressure from the industry, claiming the turning point was the CAA’s advice on safe levels of ash in the atmosphere. He added that the advice of aircraft engineers and manufacturers was crucial to the decision.
BALPA, the UK pilots’ union, welcomed the decision to reopen airspace in view of the “huge financial impact on an industry already struggling with the economic downturn”. The union recently presented its manifesto on airline safety to election candidates, which highlights its concerns over the transfer of responsibility for setting airline safety standards from the CAA to an EU body, the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA).
A major bone of contention is EASA’s plans to set standards for Flight Time Limitations – the fatigue avoidance rules that govern when pilots can and cannot fly to maintain safety – much lower than those currently in place in the UK. If this happens, warned the union, British lives will be put at more risk.
Added general secretary, Jim McAuslan: “It looks at present that EASA wants to jettison the high standards of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority, which are based on science, and this at a time when 15 to 20 per cent of all fatal air accidents have pilot fatigue as a key contributing factor. Parliamentary candidates of all parties need to work with us to protect their constituents’ safety.”
Click here for a story on the BBC news site about how government and individuals weigh up risk and why safety is, more often than not, traded for convenience by most.
