From a Conservative MEP
Thank you very much for writing to me about the flight time directive. In the final days leading up to the vote there were last minute discussions between the European Commission and the International Transport Workers Federation (ETF) representing the unions of airline pilots. These meetings were strongly supported by members of the European Parliament Transport Committee. ETF wrote to MEPs to explain that various guarantees were made by the EC regarding the implementation of the new flight time limits and that they are now supportive of the regulation.
With this in mind, the European Parliament then voted to reject the proposal to delay the legislation and as a result the proposals to put in place new flight time limits will go forward but with the additional guarantees to support pilots' concerns.
I understand that this means that concerns have been addressed flight safety will not be compromised.
Interesting that, after months of research, "last-minute guarantees" were received (but not available in the primary document). Can you scratch someone's back at the same time as twisting their arm, or does that require a committee?