From the outside, aviation may still seem like a glamorous industry. But for too many young workers – aircrew, ground staff, and air traffic management (ATM) personnel – report that the daily reality is a grind of fatigue, insecurity, and unsustainable schedules.
In two recent workshops hosted by ETF, young aviation workers shared their lived experiences around the topics of work-life balance and mental health. These testimonies have revealed a worrying picture of unpredictability, burnout, and isolation among the young generation of aviation professionals.
If the industry wants to attract new workers and put an end to labor shortages, it must listen to the young people who still cope with it. And they demand change!
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Unpredictable Schedules, broken routines
Civil Aviation’s rigid and often chaotic scheduling systems are a major source of stress. Young workers report being handed rosters with little notice, making it impossible to plan basic aspects of life — from medical appointments to family and social events. Long commutes, split shifts, and poor pay lead many to take second jobs, further draining their time and energy. – “We must be so nice to passengers. We should be able to be nice to our loved ones as well.”
Unfit rules will no longer fly
Flight Time Limitations (FTL) rules are a particular point of frustration for young aircrew. Designed to reduce physical fatigue only, these rules often ignore mental health and social needs, which are equally important for the fitness to fly. At the ground level, workers have long been demanding stronger rules that reduce the risk of vio-lent encounters with unruly passengers. In ATM, as air traffic increases, the EU keeps imposing a cost-efficiency logic on service providers, demanding more activity without more staff. This leads to increasing pressure on the workers themselves, who cannot compromise on their crucial safety duties. Many young workers, especially aircrew, also protest against how behavioral standards are vague and discretionary, leaving them under the constant stress of not knowing whether they are doing the “right” thing.
Technology in work-life: employers abuse, workers isolate
Technology, while useful, is becoming a double-edged sword for workers. Workers report being contacted by management during their time off – violating the right to dis-connect. These contacts are used, for instance, to change rosters at the last minute or try to recruit substitutes to cover for sick colleagues. Any contact from management, within or out of work time, adds more pressure on a worker who is under precarious contractual ties. Smartphones have turned rest areas into silent zones. Workplace camaraderie is decreasing, and it becomes harder and harder for workers to develop trust and personal connections.
Precarity leads to fear – fear leads to burnout
Young workers face fear of speaking up, precarious contracts, and pressure to accept extra shifts – all contributing to burnout. The overall mental toll is heavy on aviation workers, whether they are aircrew, ground or ATM staff. Different factors, from extreme climate events to geopolitical instability, keep aviation operators and workers in a constant feeling of insecurity regarding their future. Peer support programs seem to be a valid solution to some mental health problems. However, the industry’s approach to peer support also demands revision. Most of these programs are no longer provided on the basis of workers listening and helping other workers.
HOW CAN WE FIX IT?
ETF affiliates fight every day for quality jobs in aviation.
Uniting young workers’ voices, listening to their demands, and making them heard is how we can change our sector and make it more attractive to the new generations.
We must stay united, younger and more experienced workers, in our unions and within ETF.
Join the ETF Civil Aviation Youth Network today: registration form
