EU Parliament pushes for greater scrutiny of airline working practices

Low-cost airlines' employment models could come under greater EU scrutiny under a provision pushed by EU lawmakers concerned about their effect on aviation safety. The practise of employing pilots on zero hours or pay-to-fly contracts, or via temporary third-party agencies, has drawn criticism from labour unions who say it encourages them to have a lower perception of risk or fly even when are ill or tired. The European Parliament and representatives from EU member states are working on a compromise to a reform of EASA which will give it a new mandate to probe any links between "socio-economic" factors and safety. The provision was pushed by the group of Socialists in the Parliament, concerned that some low-cost airlines put too much pressure on their pilots to fly, thereby risking passenger safety. <br/>