The Guardian
Juliette Garside
02 October 2025
Researchers find profit chasing has ‘systematically weakened’ safety and workers feel unable to challenge decisions
Pilots and cabin crew at European airlines feel increasingly under pressure to work long hours and hide signs of tiredness at the expense of safety, according to a major study.
Cost cutting and profit chasing at airlines has “systemically weakened” safety, and many exhausted employees feel too intimidated to challenge management decisions, the research by Ghent University in Belgium found.
The study, which involved 6,900 workers, also found concerns among cabin crew who reported feeling pushed into making onboard sales of perfumes and alcohol, presenting a conflict with their role in keeping passengers safe and well.
The report found that the Covid pandemic had accelerated a decline in working conditions.
