Study Warns Pilot Fatigue and Job Pressure Threaten EU Flight Safety

European aviation safety is under growing threat from mounting psychological pressure, fatigue, and precarious employment conditions among pilots and cabin crew, according to new research by Ghent University (UGent). The study warns that these systemic issues—affecting both low-cost and traditional airlines—are eroding safety culture and increasing operational risks across the aviation sector.

The UGent survey, which gathered responses from 6,900 pilots and cabin crew across Europe, found that 68% of respondents fell below mental health and well-being thresholds, while 78% reported feeling “dehumanized” in their work environments. The findings highlight a troubling trend of stress, exhaustion, and fear-driven silence among aviation professionals tasked with ensuring passenger safety.

The research follows similar concerns raised in Germany, where a recent survey of pilots revealed that more than 90% had fallen asleep on duty—sometimes during permitted “controlled rest” periods. Union leaders have attributed these incidents to staff shortages and relentless operational demands that push crew members to their physical and mental limits.

“Many people are afraid to report and do not dare to push back against decisions that feel potentially unsafe,” said Yves Jorens, co-author of the UGent study. In 2014, 82% of pilots reported they felt empowered to adapt instructions for safety reasons. That figure has now dropped to just 50%, with nearly one in three pilots admitting they refrain from questioning management decisions out of fear of career repercussions.

The study also points to rising commercial pressures that distract aircrew from their core safety responsibilities. Cabin crew reported being increasingly encouraged to focus on in-flight retail sales—such as perfume or jewelry—at the expense of their health and safety duties. The researchers warned that this “shift toward sales responsibilities risks diluting the safety-centric nature of cabin crew work, creating role conflict, psychosocial strain, and legal ambiguities.”

Fatigue management is another growing concern. Forty-two percent of respondents said working hours and rest schedules are being pushed to their legal limits, with flight-time restrictions—intended as maximums—being treated “more like minimum targets.”

“If employees report that the pressure from their airline or employment situation is too high, we have a big problem,” Jorens said. “The risk, of course, is that we will only see real action after a serious accident occurs.”

The report calls for immediate regulatory attention to prevent deteriorating working conditions from compromising aviation safety across Europe.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, traveltomorrow.com