@ barking mad.... you surely weren't , when you chose that alias
......
First,I'll play Devil's Advocate...... Most of Industry works a 40-hour week,- that includes the bods in charge of Nuclear Power generation, among other very high-risk, high responsibility jobs......Brain-surgeon, anyone?....so, while fatigue *may* be a real issue , an average 25-hour week is seen as a "cushy number" through most other eyes.
IMO, the real problem is the huge growth in mass air-travel bought about by cheap fares.
If the airlines are making so much money, stop to ask yourself, "why are so many going bust? "
Up the fares and you'll have more money and therefore be able to justify better T's and C's EXCEPT YOU WON'T because you will exclude those who can't (or won't) afford the extra cost...so the REAL answer is to shrink the airline business dramatically.....fewer, less frequent aircraft on fewer routes, charging enough that seat-occupancy is optimally high and profits pay the remaining staff a good wage and leaves sufficient for maintenance and replacememt.
Of course, this new, elite air-transport world will mean at least half of present Aircrew will need a new carreer...........
Is that what you
reallywant?