18/06/2002

Budget airline safety called into question

A new safety report has revealed that pilots working for a number of low-cost airlines have been accused of disobeying instructions from air traffic controllers.

According to the report, some pilots have reacted aggressively to instructions from air traffic controllers that could affect flight times.

However, the main budget airlines operating in the UK, such as Go and Ryanair, have angrily refuted the claims saying safety and security were their main priority.

The complaint was made to the UK Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme, known as CHIRP, and follows safety fears raised recently over air traffic controllers' workloads.

Staff at the UK's main control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire complained that safety could be compromised because they were too busy.

Another study unveiled recently also showed that employees were making more than twice as many official complaints about their workload than this time last year.

(MB)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

23 January 2002
HSENI focus on construction safety measures
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has embarked on a week-long province-wide inspection initiative to determine the extent of safety measures used on industrial roofing projects.
26 April 2002
NI urged to enter National Safety Awards scheme
The British Safety Council is inviting businesses and organisations in Northern Ireland to enter its National Safety Awards scheme. Six organisations in Northern Ireland are in line for awards with applications invited from large and small enterprises, and from public and private sectors. Last year more than 1,000 organisations were honoured.
02 August 2002
Antrim company wins top UK safety award
Blackbourne Electrical Company, based in Antrim, has won a prestigious safety award from the British Safety Council - the Gold ROSPA Award. Only companies with below-average accident rates are eligible and they face a tough test in order to satisfy the independent Awards Panel.
09 July 2002
Bereaved families call for changes to safety laws
Families bereaved and injured from work-related deaths and disasters have called for tougher enforcement of health and safety laws at a conference held by the TUC and the Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA).
24 April 2002
HSC launch sickness 'ready reckoner' website
The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has launched a 'ready reckoner' for Britain's businesses to help them work out how much work-related accidents and ill-health are costing them.