Tired crews ‘asleep in cockpit’

CANCELLED 2,000 flights are grounded A CAPTAIN at an unnamed airline has said punishing airline schedules are leading to exhausted pilots falling asleep at the controls.

And he added: “Levels of crew burnout and sickness are high, adding to the disruption.”

The pilot told Radio 4 in an email: “Crew have fallen asleep in-flight at the controls” and added that pilots’ terms and conditions have “steadily been eroded for the whole sector”.

He went on: “Trainee pilots on zerohour contracts feel compelled to turn up for duty when sick or tired because they will lose income if they don’t fly.

“This scheduling is what airlines must do to compete in this ruthless market.”