How airline business models impact working conditions of flight crew members

Abstract

This literature research investigates the working conditions, fatigue, mental health, and working conditions of pilots of network carriers (NWCs) and low-cost carriers (LCCs). According to the McKinsey 7S model, different management strategies entail different HRM practices and working conditions. This research paper provides a holistic overview of previous research by investigating the working conditions, actual rosters, stress levels, sleep problems, fatigue, ad mental health of LCC and NWC flight crew members. Basically, LCC pilots have lower income, younger age, less flight experience, more demanding rosters, more sleep difficulties, and experience more fatigue. Moreover, it seems that LCC working conditions are more related with anxiety due to insecure and atypical contractual conditions. Consequently, the research paper confirms that different management strategies result in different working conditions (e.g., atypical contracts, higher work-related stress, more job insecurity, different levels of fatigue, sleep problems, and potential impairment of mental health), consistently to the detriment of LCC pilots. Lastly, LCC pilots reported more safety issues and more fatigue-related incidents compared with NWC pilots.