Virgin Australia delays vote on controversial enterprise agreement that would cut pilots’ days off

Virgin Australia has made a last-minute decision to delay putting a controversial pilots’ enterprise deal to vote, after outcry about its plan to cut days off and concerns that pilot rostering was nearing unsafe limits. The decision comes as Civil Aviation Safety Authority (Casa) officials flagged they were aware of fatigue concerns over Virgin Australia’s pilot rostering after the Guardian revealed internal disquiet on the issue among senior pilots and frustration at what they felt was an inadequate response from management. Matthew Bouttell, the executive manager of Casa’s regulatory oversight division, told a Senate estimates hearing last month “there has been adjustments to [Virgin’s] roster where they’re getting closer to the limits of that fatigue risk management system”. Some pilots alleged they are routinely rostered to work maximum shift lengths – 12 hours and longer in the event of delays – on back-to-back days, while allowing for just the legal minimum rest period of 12 hours. Bouttell added that, in a recent 28-day pilot roster period, 45 crew removed themselves from duty due to fatigue – just under 5% of pilots at the airline. Casa later released a statement tempering the concern raised in Bouttell’s comments about rostering closer to approved anti-fatigue limits. It insisted Virgin was still operating on the safe side of the limits. However, Casa said “we are engaging with Virgin Australia on [fatigue] claims raised through the media”.<br/>