A majority in Parliament's Transport committee has rejected a legislative proposal from the Commission that would see pilot flight times potentially increased, which would be a catastrophe for pilot and passenger safety.

GUE/NGL MEP Sabine Wils said: “The draft Commission legislation clearly puts airline carriers' economic interests before the safety of cockpit personnel and passengers. Thankfully, a majority of Transport MEPs saw sense and gave their green light to scrapping the plans.”

The motion to reject the legislation was passed by 21 votes to 13, and will be voted on again by all MEPs at a forthcoming plenary session.

Wils added: “Let's hope that in plenary MEPs vote to safeguard the concerns of passengers and workers by listening to the unions and citizens. We must prevent the dangerous idea of 22-hour flight times and 11-hour night flight times becoming a reality.”

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:
Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group