Canada; New pilot-fatigue rules criticised by unions, airline industry

New rules to combat airline pilot fatigue are being attacked from both sides, with industry advocates predicting an expensive pilot shortage and pilots unions saying the regulations don’t go far enough to protect safety. The proposed federal regulations, published Friday, would cut the number of consecutive hours pilots are allowed to fly from 14 to between 9 and 13, depending on what time of day the flight takes off. The regulations would also increase the amount of rest time pilots must take between flights and reduce the annual number of hours pilots can fly to 1,000 from 1,200, bringing Canada more in line with international aviation standards. The regulations’ impact on the airline industry may be significant. Transport Canada estimates the changes will cost airlines about C$338m over the next 15 years. <br/>