Pilots around the world are campaigning about the potential introduction of a standardised number of hours they are required to fly.

Pilots and cabin crew are lobbying the European Parliament over the number of flying hours expected of EU pilots, in light of research that reveals 10-15% of air accidents are fatigue-related.

The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has written to all UK Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) asking them to “stand up for UK standards”. It is also asking its members, of which there are nearly 10,000, to write to the EU Transport Commissioner in protest.

Jim McAuslan, BALPA General Secretary, said: “The European Parliament responded by instructing the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to send the rules to a team of safety experts working with the research body Moebus Aviation.

“At the beginning of this year the scientists – some of the most noted fatigue experts in the world – presented their report which concluded that the EU rules were indeed unsafe. But to its shame EASA has ignored this, and is now putting passenger lives at risk.”

New EU rules regarding the number of hours pilots should fly will be set in 2012, which will see the end of a country’s ability to independently set its own higher standards – something that the UK currently does.

“The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), backed by the UK Government, has previously promised to stick to these standards, whatever Europe says, or change them if science says so. The UK has a choice. Bring the rest of Europe up to its standards or join a drive to the bottom,” concluded McAuslan.

The protest will involve pilots from 36 countries, some of whom will lobby the European Parliament in Brussels, others at airports around the world.