More pilots’ mental health checks should not lead to more stigma and discrimination

More pilots’ mental health checks should not lead to more stigma and discrimination

Brussels, 12th December – The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) recently published a proposal to the European Commission on new operational rules to better support pilots’ mental fitness. Mental Health Europe welcomes the initiative to support employees’ mental health and ensure passenger safety, but calls for clarification on what ‘mental fitness’ refers to, to prevent any future measures that would lead to employment discrimination.

This proposal is part of the EASA’s Action Plan following the Germanwings crash accident and will serve as the basis for a legislative proposal by the European Commission in 2017. Mental Health Europe will closely monitor this proposal to ensure that psychological assessment does not lead to discrimination based on mental health status. MHE also hopes these assessments will not be used to solely diagnose people but rather to offer appropriate support.

The proposal calls for preventive measures such as psychological assessment of the flight crew before commencing line flying; ensuring access to a flight crew support programme; and performing systematic drug and alcohol testing of flight and cabin crew upon employment.

Mental Health Europe is pleased to see that support programs are recommended as important preventive measures and welcomes this proposal. MHE President Nigel Henderson recalls that “It is now widely acknowledged that to prevent mental ill health, early interventions and preventions programmes are critical”.

Recent OECD reports also make a strong economic case for intervening early and developing mental health support programmes for all employees. The Germanwings crash was a tragedy, and these proposals will hopefully encourage better mental health awareness and support for pilots and flight crew.