Buchanan The Stand Up Comedian
Pilots and airlines were both responsible for ensuring fatigue did not jeopardise passenger and aircraft safety, Qantas and Jetstar have told a Senate inquiry.
Qantas boss Alan Joyce told the upper house inquiry into pilot training and airline safety in Canberra, while the airline could not regulate the activities of off-duty pilots, they had an obligation to be fit to work.
"It is up to the pilot to identify if he is feeling fatigue ... and shouldn't be flying," Mr Joyce said on Thursday.
Qantas was responsible for ensuring its roster design minimised and eliminated pilot fatigue, so that it did not affect the safe operation of aircraft, Mr Joyce said.
"We have to make sure it is held as a dual responsibility," he said.
Jetstar chief executive Bruce Buchanan said pilots in the Qantas subsidiary were working less than the maximum allowed hours, so the company could manage fatigue among cabin crew.
"That is why our pilots are working, on average, 18 hours of flying a week where you have got a compliance maximum of 25 hours a week," he told the inquiry.
The airline had taken notice of suggestions to improve safety, both from staff and normal audits.
"What happens when someone points out something that can be done better, we always try to respond to it on a safety management system."
smh.com.au