Rest Periods for Flight Crews Debated Before House Panel

Pilots, airlines and regulators agreed Tuesday that rules governing work and rest periods for flight crews have not kept pace with the growth of airline travel.

Yet in testimony before the House Transportation Committee, there was little movement toward a solution.

Instead, there was a division into two groups: the pilots and the National Transportation Safety Board, who favored reduced work periods, and officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the airlines, who pressed for pilots to make sure they get the proper rest during their off-duty time.

Pilots want the FAA to create a universal “duty day” that would limit the amount of time they would have to participate in nonflying duties. They suggest continuing the eight-hour flight period and increasing the rest period to 10 hours.

Margaret Gilligan of the FAA said some pilots commute for hours to the airport where they are based, cutting into the rest they could get during their off-duty time.