The European Parliament has backed a bill to regulate pilots’ working hours despite it being opposed by its own transport committee.
The transport committee rejected the proposals last week after safety concerns were raised by the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) and other organisations.
BALPA fears the changes could mean some aircrews fly for longer, leading to more pilots falling asleep at the controls.
It said loopholes could mean British aircrews are on shift for longer, with pilots potentially being awake for 22 hours before needing to land an aircraft.
"British pilots want to make every flight a safe flight and are deeply concerned that these unsafe new EU rules will put the lives of passenger at risk," said Jim McAuslan, BALPA General Secretary.
"The UK Government and flight safety regulator have helped the European Commission force through these rules by dodgy last minute backroom deals, which have been made up as they have gone along. This has been a botched process by the EU from start to finish.
"Passengers and pilots deserve flight safety rules based on rigorous science and evidence, not secret dodgy deal making in Strasbourg, which will mean that Britain no longer has the safest skies in Europe."
He called on the UK Government to reject the cuts, saying they had been "rejected by the EU Transport Committee, UK MPs, pilots across Britain and Europe, scientists and the British flying public".
But the changes have been support by the Civil Aviation Authority, which said they would give regulators "far greater oversight of fatigue".
"The CAA is calling on the aviation industry to work together to ensure that reporting is improved, fatigue management is strengthened and the new European rules, when implemented, are utilised to their full to enhance aviation safety," it said.
