A survey conducted by the German pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit has found that 93% of pilots admit to napping during flights. The union warns that napping has become a 'worrying reality' due to staff shortages and operational pressures.
The survey, which polled over 900 pilots, revealed that 12% nap on every flight, 44% do so regularly, 33% occasionally, 3% as a one-off, and 7% could not recall how often they napped. The union cautioned that the survey was not representative.
Katharina Dieseldorff, vice-president of the union representing 10,000 pilots and cockpit workers, stated: 'Napping has long become the norm in German cockpits. What was originally intended as a short-term recovery measure has turned into a permanent answer to structural pressure.'
She added that while a short nap is not critical in itself, a permanently exhausted cockpit crew poses a significant risk. The union defined napping as 'controlled rest phases during the flight phase'.
Dieseldorff attributed the worsening situation to staff shortages and rising operational pressure, particularly during the summer months.
