Position paper ECA: Prevention of unruly behaviour

Avril 2022 - In-flight unruly behaviour events can impact the well-being and travel experience of passengers, interfere with crew performance and/or threaten the safety and security of a flight and may result in aircraft delays and/or diversions. Because they require unplanned landings, these diversions create additional costs for airlines. ECA is worried about the number and degree of severity of incidents involving unruly passengers on board aircraft worldwide (...)

Press Release ECA/IFALPA : International Pilot Organizations Statement of Support for Ukraine

MONTREAL/BRUSSELS, 09 March 2022 - As the war in Ukraine intensifies, IFALPA and ECA stand in solidarity with the pilots, crew, and people of Ukraine: “We are deeply concerned for our Ukrainian friends and colleagues who are facing a Russian attack against their country, their freedom, and their people,” says Jack Netskar, IFALPA President (...)

Press release Flying to and over Ukraine: European response again inconsistent

25 February 2022 - The lack of clarity, coordination and guidance to pilots about overflying and flying to Ukraine at times of a developing serious military conflict is a great concern. Despite two disastrous events in the recent past – the MH17 and PS752 – pilots (and airline passengers) were still facing diverging airline decisions, and reliance on the decision-making capabilities of the conflict-stressed state to restrict its airspace. The designated aim of the European States to improve the risk assessment by better information exchange and coordinating the required measures has been unsuccessful.

Press Release ECA/IFALPA on Tensions in Eastern Europe

1st February 2021 - The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) and the European Cockpit Association (ECA) are highly concerned with the situation of heightened tensions in Eastern Europe. The situation appears comparable to that of summer 2014, which led to the tragic downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 (...)

ECA POSITION PAPER : Reduced crew ops concepts

21 July 2021 - The draft EASA concepts of eMCO and SiPO assume reduction of the number of highly qualified safety professionals – the pilots – from the flight deck and raise serious concern about the negative impact on flight safety. The Extended Minimum Crew Operations concept (eMCO) aims to stretch the maximum Flight Time Limitations (FTLs) by prolonging in-flight rest for pilots. To achieve this, only one pilot would be required to remain at the controls for extended periods of the cruise phase while the other pilot would be resting most likely in an area out of the flight deck. The next intended step for the industry is Single Pilot Operations (SiPO) – in which there will only be one pilot onboard at any given time during flight, also during critical phases of flight such as takeoff and landing. This would require an even higher degree of technical advancements and operating procedures...

Press Release ECA/IFALPA: Global Pilots on Ryanair Flight 4978

24 May 2021 - The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) and the European Cockpit Association (ECA) fully share the concerns expressed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the forced landing of Ryanair Flight 4978 in Minsk, Belarus, on 23 May. Pilots are concerned that the intervention of the Belarussian Air Force was enacted for political reasons, in contravention of the Chicago Convention, and amounts to an act of unlawful interference, bearing all the hallmarks of state-sponsored hijacking (...)

ECA Annual Report 2020

Comme chaque année, l’ECA (European Cockpit Association) fait le bilan de l’année écoulée. Dans son rapport annuel, l’Association revient tout particulièrement sur les travaux qu’elle a entrepris au fur et à mesure de l’évolution de la crise sanitaire pour minimiser ses effets négatifs sur les pilotes mais aussi sur la reprise des opérations dans un tel contexte. Elle évoque également ses initiatives au niveau des instances européennes pour relancer le secteur aérien de manière plus durable. Le rapport comporte enfin une rubrique plus traditionnelle dans laquelle l’ECA offre un aperçu du reste du travail hors COVID.

ECA Press Release: Pilots endorse EASA’s Airworthiness Directive on 737MAX

27 janvier 2021 - Re-certification introduces better training requirements for MAX pilots The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is clearing the Boeing 737 MAX to fly after nearly 2-year grounding. The Airworthiness Directive issued today concludes a meaningful and thorough Boeing 737 MAX Return To Service (RTS) process. While trust and confidence were severely undermined at the start of the recertification, the involvement of other parties – such as EASA and pilots – as well as the increased scrutiny from EU decision-makers has resulted in a more transparent and reassuring process.

Communiqué de presse / Press Release de l’European Cockpit Association : Ryanair employment relations: More instability ahead

19 septembre 2019 - Contestés lors de mouvements de grève au Royaume-Uni et en Espagne, enfermés dans des négociations infructueuses en Irlande, lâchés par un chef des opérations spécialement engagé pour faciliter l’entrée des syndicats dans l’entreprise, les dirigeants de Ryanair poursuivent désormais leurs propres pilotes pour avoir exercé leurs prérogatives de représentants syndicaux.