News Investigators/ The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has raised concern of elevated fatigue levels of its members amid the increased cost of Jet A1 (aviation fuel).
The National President of NAAPE, Capt. Bunmi Gindeh, raised the concern in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.
He said the persistent Jet A1 crisis had become a threat to flight safety.
Gindeh said that the fuel crisis was stretching crew duty times, elevating fatigue levels, and distracting a workforce struggling with delayed salaries.
According to him, NAAPE’s primary concern centres on the physical and mental well-being of its members.
He said that as flights were being delayed and schedules disrupted, pilots and engineers were frequently forced to extend their duty times beyond planned parameters.
“This translates directly into elevated fatigue levels. Fatigue impairs cognitive function and erodes situational awareness, a pilot or an engineer’s most essential tool.
“The safety of every passenger is placed at measurable risk when crew members are compelled to operate under these conditions,” he said.
Gindeh added that the economic strain of the fuel crisis on airlines was affecting pilots and engineers in the form of wage reductions and delayed payments.
“A workforce operating under financial stress is a distracted workforce,” he added.
Gindeh expressed worry at Rano Air’s recent decision to reduce operational routes.
He urged immediate interventions in the Jet A1 crisis to avoid more route suspensions, carrier shutdowns, job losses and consequences on trade, tourism and national connectivity.
He called on the Federal Government, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to take action to address the situation.
“We hereby call on the Federal Government, NCAA, NMDPRA, fuel suppliers and all relevant stakeholders to treat the resolution of this Jet A1 supply crisis as a matter of urgent national priority.
“Aviation safety is non-negotiable,” Gindeh said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that aviation fuel price increased from about N900 per litre in February to N3,300 per litre in April, leading to flight disruptions.
NAN