Imagine cruising at 35,000 feet, trusting the people in the cockpit to get you safely to your destination, only for one of them to be fighting to stay awake. Or worse, already asleep. A new report from European pilots suggests this is not just a hypothetical nightmare. Around 75% of surveyed airline pilots reported experiencing microsleeps during flights.
Microsleeps aren’t the same as choosing to take a quick nap. The National Sleep Foundation defines them as brief, involuntary episodes of sleep that last several seconds. Someone experiencing one might even appear awake, with their eyes open, while their brain temporarily stops processing information.
Pilots are tired, and some are afraid to say so
The report highlights how pilots may feel pressured to keep flying even when they’re exhausted. According to the findings, 69.1% of pilots said they feared repercussions if they refused an extension to their flight duty.
Capt. Coen George, a board director at the European Cockpit Association (ECA), warned that punishing pilots for refusing extended duties could make an already dangerous situation worse. “When pilots fear career consequences, fatigue goes unreported, and the risk returns to the cockpit. Airlines and authorities must ensure genuinely non-punitive reporting and use of Commander’s Discretion,” George said in a statement.
George also accused some airlines of pressuring crews to extend their working hours to make up for delays, with consequences for pilots who refuse.
“We have alerted aviation authorities multiple times about such pressures – which are clearly detrimental to our safety margins – but we still wait to see meaningful action to stop this,” he added.
This has happened before, and it didn’t end well
In August 2022, both pilots operating a Boeing 737 for Ethiopian Airlines reportedly fell asleep at the controls and missed their scheduled landing at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. Air traffic controllers eventually contacted the crew, and the aircraft landed safely after the pilots woke up.
Aviation analyst Alex Macheras described the incident as “deeply concerning” and pointed to pilot fatigue as a serious industry-wide problem.
“Pilot fatigue is nothing new, and continues to pose one of the most significant threats to air safety — internationally,” he wrote on X.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) says it is taking the latest findings seriously. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, the agency urged airlines to identify and manage fatigue risks through accurate reporting, operational measures and a safety culture “in which crew members can raise concerns without fear of negative consequences.”
Fatigue management cannot depend entirely on pilots admitting they’re exhausted if doing so could threaten their careers. Airlines also need workable schedules, realistic duty limits and reporting systems that allow crews to flag problems without fear of punishment.
The challenge is balancing operational demands with safety. Delays happen, schedules change and airlines need enough staff to keep flights running. But making exhausted pilots work longer is not a sustainable fix.
The pilot shortage contributes to things
The report arrives amid concerns about a global pilot staffing shortage. The aviation industry has been struggling to recruit and retain enough pilots to meet demand, putting additional pressure on existing crews. Industry projections cited in reports have pointed to a potential shortfall of 24,000 pilots in 2026, although the size of any shortage depends on the forecast and market being measured.
When airlines don’t have enough crew members, extending duty periods can become tempting as a way to keep operations moving. Between recruiting more pilots, building realistic duty schedules and enforcing clear non-retaliation rest policies, airlines must act before fatigue compromises flight safety. Passengers rarely think about crew scheduling when they buckle their seat belts. They shouldn’t have to. Getting everyone safely to their destination is the job of the airline, and that includes making sure the people in the cockpit are alert enough to do it.
Source: New York Post