Daily Times

Sir: When we talk about low-cost/no-frill flights, we always visualise compact planes, no complimentary food or drinks, slashed baggage allowance and minimal service standard while on board; but what about the other aspects wherein operating cost is axed to make such flights commercially viable? Here then comes the crew on the radar, other than the plane’s health itself, who are forced to fly long hours with the shortest gap between landing and flying out to new destinations. Operators have to maintain a minimum health check on the planes as per international aviation regulations but what about the stress, fatigue, depression and other psychological issues crews of these low-cost airlines face on a day and night basis?

It is now quite clear and beyond any doubt that the co-pilot of the Germanwings flight, Andreas Lubitz, wanted to deliberately destroy the aircraft — he was no extremist with the promise card of afterlife luxuries. Then what happened to him? It is now been revealed that Andreas had a history of depression attacks even during the pilot training period but was permitted to fly after the formal psychological tests carried out at the initial stage. His depressions got compounded due to fatigue and stress as short-haul pilot and co-pilot. But the airline never bothered to get its crew tested for their psychological health status. The result is now in front of us — 150 passengers have gone forever, only because they chose a low-frill carrier.
It is high time for airlines to pause for a moment from the throat-cutting competition and see what should be done to monitor those who are ferrying hundreds of thousands of people each hour on these short-haul flights. Are they mentally healthy to take care of flying machines under their control and hundreds of passengers that are their responsibility at thousands of feet in the air?
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail
Saudi Arabia