The procedure for regulating the work and rest time of aircraft crew members on commercial flights is being established.
According to elchi, this is reflected in the proposed amendments to the Labor Code and the Law “On Aviation,” which were discussed at today’s meeting of the Milli Majlis Committee on Labor and Social Policy.
According to the proposed amendment to the Law “On Aviation,” flight duty time is the period starting from the time a crew member reports to the airport for one or more consecutive flights (as determined by the aircraft operator) and ending when the aircraft comes to a complete stop after the final flight.
The working time for aircraft crew members on commercial flights will be determined based on the following periods:
– maximum working hours during any 7 (seven) consecutive days;
– maximum working hours during any 14 (fourteen) consecutive days;
– maximum working hours during any 28 (twenty-eight) consecutive days;
– maximum working hours during any 1 (one) calendar year.
The flight time for aircraft crew members on commercial flights is determined based on the following periods:
– maximum flight hours during any 28 (twenty-eight) consecutive days;
– maximum flight hours during any 1 (one) calendar year;
– maximum flight hours during any 12 (twelve) consecutive calendar months.
Adjusting amendments are also proposed to the Labor Code.
It was noted that the submitted draft law aims to exclude the application of general norms established in Sections IV and V of the Labor Code to the aviation sector and to regulate them through separate articles.
According to Article 89 of the Labor Code, the daily normal working time cannot exceed 8 hours, and the weekly normal working time cannot exceed 40 hours. Under Article 93 of the Code and Cabinet of Ministers Decision No. 106 dated August 12, 2003, the weekly working time for flight and flight instructor personnel is set at 36 hours. According to Articles 95-97 of the Code, when a summarized accounting system is applied, daily working time cannot exceed 12 hours, or 11 hours if it falls during nighttime. These restrictions make flights to New York, Seoul, and other long-haul destinations lasting 13-14 hours impossible or economically inefficient, weakening their competitiveness. The draft provides for aligning total working hour limits with international standards in the field of fatigue management for aircraft crews. The draft proposes, as an exception to the general norms provided in the Labor Code, that the work and rest regimes of aviation personnel be regulated by Cabinet of Ministers rules in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. In international practice (e.g., in the USA and the European Union), work and rest periods for flight crews are regulated with more flexible limits over 7, 14, 28 consecutive days, or 1 calendar year.
It was noted that increased economic efficiency will boost the competitive power of local airlines in the international market and create conditions for expanding the flight map.
With the adoption of the document, the Cabinet of Ministers is expected to approve rules regarding the regulation of flight time, working time, and rest time related to the fatigue management of aircraft crew members performing commercial air transport.