Shocking air travel study finds majority of pilots fall asleep on the job

Snooze control.

A recent report found that a shocking number of pilots have fallen asleep while flying the friendly skies.

According to the European Cockpit Association (ECA), more than three in four pilots have fallen asleep while operating an aircraft.

The study, released this week, found that 76.8% of the 7,200 pilots surveyed drifted off at the controls at least once in the previous four weeks.

The report called these mid-flight naps “microsleeps,” which the National Sleep Foundation defines as brief, involuntary sleep episodes lasting several seconds that the sleeper may not recognize, posing substantial safety risks for those operating a vehicle or aircraft.

In some cases, the micro-dozer may appear awake, even with their eyes open, but their brain is not processing information.

Per the Sleep Foundation, microsleeps are a common symptom of sleep deprivation.

Unsurprisingly, fatigue was a major contributor to microsleeping while flying, with 38.8% of pilots reporting that they usually or always lacked sufficient rest, leading to cumulative fatigue.

A culture of silence and muscling through exhaustion persists in the cockpit: only 37.2% of pilots said they report when they feel unfit or fatigued. In comparison, 24.2% said they do not report and fly anyway, citing fear of punishment and management backlash as key deterrents.

The ECA study highlighted concerns about Commander’s Discretion, a safety rule that lets the pilot-in-command legally extend their Flight Duty Period (FDP) and/or reduce the required rest period.

Of those surveyed, 38.3% reported using Commander’s Discretion at least once in the past month, while 15.2% reported using it twice or more. About 69.1% expressed concern about negative consequences if they refused an extension.

Distressingly, 69.1% of pilots shared that they feared repercussions if they declined an extension.

“When pilots fear career consequences, fatigue goes unreported, and the risk returns to the cockpit. Airlines and authorities must ensure genuinely non-punitive reporting and use of Commander’s Discretion,” ECA Board Director Capt. Coen George said in a statement.

George also noted that some airlines push crews to extend flight duty, make up for delays, and punish them for refusing to extend.

“We have alerted aviation authorities multiple times about such pressures – which are clearly detrimental to our safety margins – but we still wait to see meaningful action to stop this,” said George.

In response, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency said in a statement shared with PEOPLE that it is taking these findings seriously. It urged airlines to identify and manage fatigue risk through accurate reporting, operational measures, and a safety culture “in which crew members can raise concerns without fear of negative consequences.”

In 2022, both pilots flying a Boeing 737 for Ethiopian Airlines fell asleep at the controls and missed their landing.

Aviation analyst Alex Macheras called the in-flight nap “deeply concerning” and blamed “pilot fatigue.

“Pilot fatigue is “nothing new, and continues to pose one of the most significant threats to air safety — internationally,” he tweeted.

This latest report comes amid an aviation staffing crisis, as the industry is losing pilots faster than it is hiring them.

Reports say the supply-and-demand gap is expected to peak this year, with a shortfall of 24,000 pilots.