Written by Monika Kiss and Linda Kohl.

The EU aviation sector generates around €830 billion to €851 billion annually (about 4.4-5 % of EU GDP) and supports 1.8 million jobs directly and 14 million jobs indirectly. The workforce includes aircrew, ground handling staff, air traffic management personnel, controllers, maintenance workers, and freight staff, with aircrew forming the largest group.

Key challenges include atypical employment forms such as subcontracting, agency work, and temporary arrangements, as well as irregular schedules, fatigue and workload pressures, which can affect working conditions and wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified job losses, staff shortages and operational strain, followed by recovery-related recruitment difficulties and labour disputes. Future challenges include decarbonisation, digitalisation, automation and AI, alongside expected traffic growth and geopolitical and energy-related uncertainties that increase pressure on the sector.

EU legislation affecting aviation workers sits at the intersection of safety regulation, labour law and social security coordination. European Union Aviation Safety Agency regulations harmonise safety, licensing and operational standards across EU Member States, while EU labour directives set minimum rules on working time, transparent and predictable employment conditions, posting of workers and work-life balance. Social security coordination rules determine the applicable Member State system for mobile workers, often linked to the ‘home base’ concept for aircrew. However, labour enforcement and employment conditions remain largely national, leading to variation in protections across countries and contract types.

The European Parliament has repeatedly raised concrete concerns, such as the incorrect application of posting rules to mobile aircrew, uncertainty over how authorities determine ‘home base’ for labour and social security rights, inadequate enforcement of fatigue and flight-time limits, and difficulties ensuring consistent labour standards for airline staff operating across multiple Member States.

Read the complete briefing on ‘Air transport workers in the EU: Working conditions and regulatory challenges‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.