Pilots Decry EASA Proposal for ‘Harmonized’ Duty-time Limits
AIN Air Transport Perspective » July 22, 2013 ‘Harmonized’ duty-
time rules for pilots in Europe would allow shifts starting at 4
p.m. to last as long as 12.5 hours. (Photo: Fotolia) July 22,
2013, 1:25 PM  So-called harmonized flight- and duty-time rules
for pilots and cabin crew approved by a European Aviation Safety
Agency committee on July 11 drew sharply different reactions
from Europe’s pilot union coalition and airline associations on
Monday. Speaking with AIN last Tuesday, European Cockpit
Association president Nico Voorbach characterized the basis for
the new rules as unscientific and driven wholly by the interests
of the airline lobby in Europe. In a joint statement issued July
15, the Association of European Airlines (AEA), the European
Regions Airline Association (ERA) and International Air Carrier
Association (IACA) lauded the EASA proposal as “balanced” and
called for adoption “without delay.”  Happily for Voorbach, the
plan still need