Following the latest comments by the CEO József Váradi, BeCA has serious concerns about Wizz Air’s deficient corporate and safety culture.
Please find the article published by the European Cockpit Association (ECA), and their advices below on how to report fatigue.
ECA calls for meaningful action to be taken:
1) to counter the negative safety impact of Mr. Váradi’s statement,
2) to ensure that the airline’s corporate culture is fully and independently assessed, and
3) to pave the ground for building a robust, trusted, and non-punitive corporate culture, where pilots and cabin crew can take independent safety decisions free from commercial pressure and call in sick or fatigued without fear of reprisals.
We also call on all pilots to always report fatigue !
- if you cannot get enough sleep and/or feel unfit to fly, call in unfit and get rested. This is a legal obligation.
- if you get fatigued during the day, preventing you from safely performing your duty, call in fatigued and step down from duty before the next flight. This is also a legal obligation.
- if asked by your airline to extend your flight times under ‘Commanders Discretion’ – e.g. due to delays accumulated during the day – check your own and your colleagues’ alertness levels, and if you or other crew members are fatigued, do not extend. Again, this is your legal obligation. (see ECA’s guidance here)
- if asked by your management to fly on your Days Off, check your alertness level and consider whether this additional duty will allow you to subsequently rest and recover sufficiently for your next flight duties. If in doubt, stay at home.
- if in doubt about the maximum flight times allowed under EU law, download the ECA Flight Time Limitations calculator on iTunes | Google Play.
- if fatigued – report it! This is your obligation by law. Use your airline’s reporting form and procedure; if not available, use the ECA reporting template here.
- if your airline’s management exerts pressure on you or your colleagues to fly while fatigued or threatens disciplinary measures, contact BeCA, and have it reported to your national authority and ECA. If needed, ECA will alert EASA.
This is not just the safe and responsible way to operate – in the interest of their airline’s passengers – but it is also your legal obligation.