Icelandair options broaden as crew duty schedules shift closer to limits

Icelandair’s new collective agreements with aircrew means pilots and flight attendants will work closer to theoretical maximum limits, and enable the airline to explore new network prospects. International regulations restrict pilots and cabin crew from operating more than 900 block hours per year. Icelandair says that, given the structure of its network and taking into account training and sick days, the theoretical maximum for its pilots is about 725h. But the airline adds that its pilots have actually been flying some 525h per year. The collective agreement recently signed with the Icelandic cockpit union FIA increases this level by 22%, to some 640h – closer to the top limit, improving productivity. Icelandair says the remaining gap is primarily the result of the airline’s “continuing to adhere to Icelandic labour market conventions”, in relation to such aspects as sick leave and days off. It says the new agreement, which runs to the end of September 2025, relaxes duty-time and rest clauses and reduces vacation days.<br/>