Fatigue is a threat.
As we head into another high-pressure summer in European aviation, we, the pilots, stand at the front line of flight safety. Yet we are expected to do more with less – more flights, tighter schedules, fewer buffers – all while battling increasing fatigue. Despite what management expects, we are not the system’s shock absorbers. We are safety professionals. And it’s time to act like it.
This summer, we are launching a campaign for every airline pilot in Europe. Whether you fly long-haul or short-haul, in the cockpit of a network, low-cost or other carrier, this campaign is for you. Its mission: empower pilots to speak up, push back, and fly only when fit.
Why this campaign? Why now?
Summer disruptions are back. And fatigue risks getting worse than ever.
Years of cost-cutting, social dumping, precarious contracts, and COVID-induced instability have hollowed out aviation’s operational resilience. The results? Chronic understaffing. Unrealistic scheduling. Inadequate buffers. Commercial pressure to make it work no matter what. And all of it lands squarely on the shoulders of the crews.
As delays and disruptions increase across Europe’s airports, and airspace is more and more crowded, pilots are being asked – directly or indirectly – to go the extra mile. But when that “extra mile” comes at the cost of alertness, decision-making, and safety, it becomes a risk, not a solution.
Fatigue reporting: A safety obligation
As a licensed pilot, you are legally obligated to report fatigue. That means:
- If you cannot get sufficient sleep or feel unfit to fly, call in fatigued/unfit and rest.
- If you become fatigued during your duty and are no longer safe to operate, you must declare yourself fatigued and step down from your duties.
- If you are fatigued report it through your airline’s reporting channels. If you deem it necessary, report it also to your National Authority.
- If your airline’s reporting system fails you, inform your union and your national authority.
- If you see systematic safety-relevant abuses, pressure to fly while fatigued, or similar, report directly to EASA’s Confidential Safety Reporting tool (CSR).
Commander’s Discretion: Use it right – or not at all
Updated in 2025, the Commander’s Discretion Guidelines by ECA publication clarifies this critical safety & flexibility provision. Here’s what you need to know:
- It is a tool for unforeseen circumstances, an exceptional ‘fix’ for uncertainties in aviation, not a fix for airlines’ poor planning or systemic scheduling failures.
- It is at your Captain’s discretion – no one else’s.
- You must consult the crew, assess fitness levels, and determine whether it is safe to extend the maximum flight duty. If not, do not.
- If you feel pressured to use discretion or see it being used routinely, document and report it to your union.
- Commander’s Discretion is not only a one-way-street. It is also a tool to reduce the flight duty period or to increase the rest, in case you or your crew are facing unexpected fatigue during the rotation, making it unsafe to continue. If needed, use it that way too.
- We are aware that airlines exert pressure on pilots to use discretion. We have alerted authorities but if you have proof of systemic abuses, report it to your National Authority and via the EASA Confidential Safety Reporting (CSR).
Remember: Commander’s Discretion is a last-resort safety & flexibility buffer, not an operational aid for your airline.
What’s new in 2025?
Updated Commander’s Discretion Guide download
This essential resource has been overhauled with input from active pilots and safety experts.
Download the new Commander’s Discretion Guide
Updated Defensive Flying Checklist download
Pilots need tools, not slogans. Our new Defensive Flying Checklist helps you recognize and resist unsafe operational pressure:
- Are you alert enough to fly?
- Is the pressure you’re feeling operational, commercial, or emotional?
- Are you being expected to compensate for poor planning?
Use this checklist to ground your decisions in safety, not guilt or pressure. Download, read, print a copy and pin in your crew room for your colleagues!
Check out our Instagram & LinkedIn to spread awareness among your colleagues!
Fatigue Reporting tips download
To support you in fulfilling your reporting obligation, we have updated our Fatigue Reporting Toolkit with tips on the DOs & DON’Ts when filling in a report. Only a well-written report will have an impact and change things.
Please note that fatigue reporting is mandatory.
Guidelines on Safety Reporting & EASA CSR
The EASA Confidential safety Reporting (CSR) tool allows reporting of safety-relevant malpractices & irregularities (incl. threats, systemic fatigue, pressure to fly etc.) without going through your airline and without having to fear to be punished for reporting. It is a powerful channel. Use it!
- For systemic fatigue within an airline
- For misuse of Commander’s Discretion
- For pressure to fly fatigued, sick or on Days Off
- For toxic management practices that impact safety
- …
➡️ Report confidentially here at EASA CSR
Tips for Fatigue Management (SEPLA & ECA) download
What you can do!
Read the updated Commander’s Discretion Guidelines
Use the Defensive Flying Checklist before every duty
Report fatigue every time – use your airline’s system or (for malpractices and irregularities) EASA’s Confidential Safety Reporting
Speak up when Discretion is abused
Support your colleagues who refuse unsafe duties
Contact your pilot association or union for help
