Human Factors
Fatigue Risk Management
Discover the resources, tools and guidance you need to identify and manage fatigue-related risks, and support alertness, recovery, and performance.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) defines fatigue as a physiological state of reduced mental or physical performance capability resulting from sleep loss or extended wakefulness, circadian phase, or workload (mental and/or physical activity) that can impair a front line alertness and ability to safely operate an aircraft or perform safety-related duties.
Since fatigue negatively affects alertness and human performance in critical safety tasks. Insufficient strategies to mitigate fatigue can lead to decreased efficiency, increased errors, and heightened safety risks. This concern can impact anyone within the aviation system, including flight crews, cabin crews, engineers, ground handlers, and air traffic controllers
Fatigue risk management at IATA
Find papers and guidance to manage every area of fatigue in your operation. Includes:
Common Protocol for Minimum Data Collection Variables in Aviation Operations
Fatigue SPIs: A Key Component of Proactive Fatigue Hazard Identification
IATA FMTF White Paper on Uses and Limitations of Biomathematical Fatigue Models
IATA Global fatigue rules for flight and cabin crew
Other industry guidance materials and ICAO Fatigue Management Resources
Fatigue Management Guide for Airline Operations
Marks the collaboration between IATA, ICAO and the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) to jointly lead and serve industry in the ongoing development of fatigue management, using the most current science. It presents the common approach of pilots.
COMING SOON:
Fatigue Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) : A Key Component of Proactive Fatigue Hazard Identification and Management
The IATA Fatigue SPI Database is a practical companion to the 2026 IATA White Paper on Fatigue Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs). It brings together fatigue-related metrics, guidance and references to help airlines develop meaningful, risk-based indicators for identifying, assessing and managing fatigue risk.
Rather than prescribing a standard set of SPIs, the database supports operators in tailoring indicators to reflect a unique operational environment, risks and fatigue-management maturity. It gives airline and fatigue-management professionals a structured collection of fatigue-related metrics and Safety Performance Indicators