The committee adopted the report by Brian SIMPSON (PES,UK) amending the proposal under the codecision procedure (first reading). The committee was particularly concerned that the regulation should contain provisions on flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements, which were a vital issue in aviation safety. It accordingly proposed a new text to be added to the annexes and stipulated that, if airline representatives and trade unions did not reach agreement on flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements for flight crew and cabin crew by 1 May 2001 (i.e. by the time of the second reading under the codecision procedure), the Commission should come forward with a proposal on this subject by 1 July 2001.
The committee also felt that operating cabin crew members, as well as flight crew members, should on each flight carry a valid certificate of professional competence. It added a definition of "cabin crew member" and stipulated that all members of the operating cabin crew should wear uniform and be clearly identifiable to the passengers. The committee also included in the proposal a definition of the training programme which a person should undergo before being appointed to the post of senior cabin crew member (on flights carrying more than one cabin crew member) and a definition of the training programme which should be undergone by the person acting as the single required cabin crew member (on flights with just one cabin crew member). The latter course should include training in the management of unruly passengers. �