The German pilots’ union “Cockpit” stated that it conducted a survey involving more than 900 pilots in recent weeks, finding that 93% of them admitted to taking naps during flights in the past few months. The union noted that the survey does not accurately represent the reality of the sector, but confirmed that 44% of the surveyed pilots regularly sleep during flights, 12% do so on every flight, while 7% could not recall how often it happened.
Düsseldorf pointed out that “short naps are not necessary in themselves, but the permanent fatigue of the cockpit crew poses a significant risk.” It emphasized that staff shortages and “increasing operational pressure” have exacerbated this situation, especially during the summer months.
The German pilots’ union explained that these are “controlled rest periods during the flight phase” and represents 10,000 pilots and cockpit staff in Germany, including those still in training.
