Objective
The objective of this Directive is to protect workers' health and safety in the European civil aviation sector.
The purpose of this Directive is to implement the European Agreement on the organisation of working time of mobile staff in civil aviation concluded on 22 March 2000 between the organisations representing management and labour in the civil aviation sector.
Definitions
In its annex the Directive gives legal definitions of "working time", "mobile staff in civil aviation" and "block flying time".
Contents
Mobile staff in civil aviation are entitled to paid annual leave of at least four weeks which can only be replaced by other allowances in case of termination of employment. In addition they are entitled to seven days off per month and at least 96 days per year.
Staff may have free access to health assessment before being assigned. Afterwards they may have access to regular check-ups which have to be subject to medical confidentiality requirements. If mobile staff in civil aviation suffers from health problems recognised as being connected with the fact that they also work at night they will be transferred whenever possible to mobile or non-mobile day work to which they are suited.
Health and safety protection shall be appropriate to the nature of the work, including appropriate services and means of prevention and protection. It shall be ensured that employers, who intend to organise work according to a certain pattern, take account of the general principle of adapting work to the worker.
The maximum annual working time, including some elements of standby for duty assignment as determined by the applicable law, shall be 2000 hours in which the block flying time shall be limited to 900 hours.
Read the full text of the consolidated version of the Directive (including corrections for certain languages)
Read the full text of the original Directive (without corrections)
National laws implementing this Directive
Further information on this topic
See also Commission Regulation (EU) No 83/2014 of 29 January 2014 amending Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council