Exhausted pilots tell Cathay Pacific their growing workloads are a threat to flight safety

Flight safety is under threat as exhausted aircrews cope with increasing workloads, senior Cathay Pacific pilots have warned in a letter to the airline’s management that is seen by the Sunday Morning Post.

Cathay responded by saying safety was its top priority. The carrier confirmed having received the letter, which it said “expressed some concerns”.

Read in full: Letter 'exhausted' Cathay Pacific pilots sent to bosses claiming safety is under threat

According to the airline’s most experienced captains in the 1,900-word letter, bearing nearly 100 signatures, rank-and-file pilots were “tired and worn out” as they were routinely hitting the cap on flying hours – known as approved flight time limitation (AFTL) – governed by Hong Kong’s aviation regulator to prevent fatigue. This came after a rostering practices agreement between the airline and its pilots was recently axed.

One pilot who declined to be named so as not to breach company policy said aircrews working up to the maximum flying hours regularly risked an accident sooner or later.

“The AFTL is an ultimate barrier,” the source said. “The concern we have is, if you’re working right up to that barrier continuously, it’s not sensible. It’s like driving at the speed limit the entire time.

“You are generating cumulative fatigue the whole time and when you start your next duty, you haven’t recovered fully.”