From the BA Intranet:
Pilots block plans for longer working hours
European airline pilots have snatched a victory in a campaign against moves to increase their working hours, reported The Guardian.
Transport ministers from the EU's 25-member states unexpectedly rejected plans to raise the maximum length of a shift in the cockpit from 12 to 14 hours and to cut rest times between flights.
Britain's transport secretary, Alistair Darling, favoured the change but was outflanked by five other countries, which successfully argued for a rethink at a meeting in Luxembourg.
Airlines were strongly in favour of the proposals, on the grounds they needed common regulations in order to compete fairly.
But pilots threatened to disrupt flights if airlines adopted the new regulations.
The UK pilots' union, Balpa, cited a study of 55 fatal accidents by the US federal aviation authority which concluded that crews were six times more likely to crash after 13 hours on the flightdeck.
More than 100 pilots from 20 countries demonstrated outside the ministers' meeting. The plans will be sent back to a committee for amendment.
The proposal was drawn up by the European parliament's transport committee, which was chaired by the British MEP Brian Simpson - who lost his seat in Thursday's election.