The Civil Aviation Pilots’ Union on Tuesday asked authorities for “immediate intervention” to resolve INEM’s helicopter pilots as they risk being grounded this month after exceeding annual flight limits.
“SPAC expects immediate intervention from the competent authorities, namely ANAC. [Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil]to resolve this crisis that is putting lives at risk and jeopardizing the effectiveness of the nation’s emergency medical system,” the Airline Pilots Union (SPAC) said in a statement.
The union warns of an “imminent grounding of INEM helicopters, flown by 32 Avincis Aviário Portugal pilots, due to the exhaustion of the individual working hours available to each pilot.”
INEM pilots have been complaining for some time that Avincis Aviation Portugal (the company that has the contract to operate INEM’s emergency medical helicopters) does not comply with minimum rest periods, as well as overwork and accumulated fatigue, and does not have an enterprise agreement protecting them rights similar to those of their Italian and Spanish counterparts.
According to the pilots, the lack of rest conditions jeopardizes their safety and the safety of the patients they transport.
SPAC says the warning was issued on October 31 and repeated at the end of November through a letter sent to Avincis, ANAC, the Working Conditions Authority, the European Aviation Safety Agency and INEM, with the union reporting “an alarming situation that could lead to four ambulance helicopters were taken out of service in December and only in accordance with current legislation.”
SPAC points out that after exceeding the annual limit of 1,500 hours of work, an emergency helicopter pilot is legally suspended from flying for safety reasons, and is also subject to very serious administrative offenses in case of non-compliance with the law.
The SPAC also warns that “Avincis should not dare punish those who refuse to work in excess of 1,500 hours per year by exposing themselves and those who travel with them to unacceptable risk every time they travel under these conditions.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Sandra Hansen, a news website Author and Reporter for 24 News Reporters. I have over 7 years of experience in the journalism field, with an extensive background in politics and political science. My passion is to tell stories that are important to people around the globe and to engage readers with compelling content.