Brussels | Ghent 1 Oct 2025 – A pilot or cabin crew’s contract shouldn’t be a safety risk but too often, it still is. A major new EU study warns that precarious jobs in aviation are undermining both the well-being of crew and the safety culture of airlines. Ten years after Ghent University’s landmark 2015 study revealed the rise of “atypical” pilot contracts, the follow-up report shows that insecurity, fatigue, and stress are now spread across the entire industry.
The new report, UGent 2.0 – Evolving Social Challenges for Aircrew and the Need for Regulatory Response, funded by the European Commission, draws on responses from thousands of pilots and cabin crew across more than 100 airlines in 2024. The study found that the share of atypically employed aircrew in Europe is 10.3% (including 5.8% self-employed), with most of these workers concentrated in airlines providing wet-leasing services and low-cost carriers. Atypically employed crew continue to face higher job insecurity, weaker union protection, and reduced willingness to report fatigue and safety risks. More than 40% of crew say their contract influences their ability to make critical safety decisions, while 35–45% admit they avoid reporting fatigue or health issues out of fear for their careers. Shockingly, over 10% openly admit they do not report safety incidents at all.
Crucially, the study warns that challenges once limited to atypical contracts now affect the sector as a whole. Even directly employed staff at legacy carriers report rising stress linked to scheduling, fatigue, and mental health. Cabin crew – included in the survey for the first time – are especially vulnerable. In addition, younger staff report the highest stress levels and the weakest support structures. Across the board, a majority of respondents describe their airline as dehumanising, treating crew as numbers, not professionals. (....)