Just Culture in European Aviation

Dr Maria Kovacova takes us on the journey to implementation

Over the past decade, Just Culture has become a key element of safety management in European aviation. The concept is simple: individuals should be able to report mistakes and safety concerns without fear of punishment. At the same time, there must still be accountability for reckless or intentional actions. Keeping the right balance is challenging.

The path to Just Culture

To ensure that reporters are protected, in 2014 the EU established Regulation which outlines the legal framework for reporting systems collecting and managing safety data. Meanwhile, as trust built between the industry and the legal system, EUROCONTROL’s Just Culture Task Force (ECTL JCTF) took action. Their Prosecutor-Expert Course, created in 2012, aimed to provide legal professionals with an understanding of the daily operations in aviation. The primary goal was to comprehend the nuances of real-world operations and prevent unfair prosecution of frontline staff after incidents occur.

Also in 2016, the European Corporate Just Culture Declaration was signed, marking a significant commitment to fair and open reporting across all airlines, Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), airports, and regulatory bodies. On paper, this appears to be a major success. However, the real question is not about “What?” but about “How?” it is implemented. Unfortunately, significant differences exist among various stakeholders in aviation.

Implementation varies

The aviation industry consists of various organisations working side-by-side. Each plays a role in maintaining flight safety, but not all apply the same Just Culture principles consistently. For instance, if a ground handler damages an aircraft, will they feel encouraged to report it, or will they fear potential job loss? The answer relies heavily on each organisation’s approach to Safety and Just Culture. The study by the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory revealed that ground handling staff often hesitate to report mistakes. This finding was highlighted in the EASA Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA)3, where it stated: “Lack of Just Culture in the handling sector”. This raises the question: How do airports maintain an overview of safety concerns and events within their operations?

Air traffic controllers also express concerns regarding Just Culture, particularly about the risk of criminal prosecution. In ANSPs, the maturity level of Just Culture is generally high. In collaboration with ECTL JCTF, they have signed agreements between judiciary and legal authorities and/or organisations, to ensure fair treatment of air traffic controllers in the event of safety incidents.

Just Culture in Europe

However, not every country has such agreements in place. Just Culture is also a part of key performance indicators of ANSPs, which EASA monitors on an annual basis. Over the past 15 years, EUROCONTROL has organised successful conferences, trainings, surveys, and workshops focusing on Safety and Just Culture. But has it been enough? Most ANSPs in Europe are state-owned organisations, and their top management often reflects the current political landscape in each Member State. Do new top management teams continue to pursue the established Just Culture pathway? Are they receiving adequate training in safety with a focus on Just Culture, especially if they lack education or experience in aviation?

What about Airspace Users?

The implementation of Just Culture within airlines varies significantly. While many have incorporated its principles into their Safety Management Systems (SMS), the depth of this implementation differs. Factors such as leadership attitudes, corporate priorities, and historical management of reports heavily influence the effectiveness of Just Culture within airlines. In 2024, AeroSafety Analytics distributed a questionnaire to airlines across Europe, focusing on the level of Just Culture implementation. Alarmingly, 25% of airlines, cargo and business aviation, have not yet adopted Just Culture and continue to rely solely on conventional organisational management. Additionally, the study4 presented at the 34th Conference of the European Association for Aviation Psychology further emphasises these concerns. It revealed that in Europe, 51% of pilots do not report “small” safety events to avoid potential reprisals from the voluntary reporting system. How are technical and maintenance staff included? In cases of Integrated

Management Systems (IMS) or organisational management, how is Just Culture integrated and practiced? Recently, a new stakeholder has emerged in European aviation: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) service providers. The rapid expansion of UAV operations introduces new challenges for Just Culture. Unlike traditional aviation stakeholders, many UAV operators come from non-aviation backgrounds and may lack an understanding of safety culture. As drone operations become more frequent, it is essential to ensure that occurrence reporting, analysis, and learning processes are integrated into this sector. EASA has initiated the development of safety frameworks for UAV operations, but establishing a Just Culture mindset in this emerging industry requires ongoing effort and education.

Common practices

Despite progress, a unified approach to Just Culture across European aviation remains an ambitious goal. EASA’s role in ensuring that safety standards achieve a common level of maturity across all aviation domains is crucial. Just Culture is not simply a policy to be implemented and forgotten; it is a practice, a conversation, and a commitment. As the aviation industry continues to evolve, maintaining an environment where safety and accountability co-exist harmoniously is essential.

Dr Maria Kovacova

Dr Maria Kovacova is an aviation safety enthusiast contributing to safety areas such as Just Culture, safety management gap analysis and proposals for safety improvements.

Aerosafety Analytics

With 20 years of experience in aviation, working within the Air Traffic Management global domain to provide expert support to those within or linked to the aviation industry, to promote individual safety, quality and business needs.