LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- Airline pilots and cabin crew across Europe are holding demonstrations Monday to protest over rules governing their flying hours which they say are putting the lives of passengers at risk . European pilots and cabin crew are calling for shorter flying times to protect passenger safety . Organized by the European Cockpit Association ( ECA ) , and the European Transport Workers ' Federation ( ETF ) , protesters are demanding that European Union rules on flying times are brought into line with scientific evidence . The Moebus Report -- mandated by the EU in September 2008 -- recommends that an airline crew should not operate for more than 13 hours during the day and 10 hours at night . Current EU rules stipulate pilots work up to a maximum of 14 hours during the day and nearly 12 hours at night . Are you concerned at the hours worked by airline pilots ? Tell us . Speaking from one of the protests outside the European Parliament in Brussels , Captain Martin Chalk , President of the ECA told CNN : `` At the moment , the EU level is not adequate . That 's not our view that is the view of experts employed to review the EU 's own level of protection . '' Chalk said that despite being in possession of the report , the EU completely ignored the recommendations when they produced new fatigue proposals in January 2009 . The ECA and the ETF have printed over 100,000 dummy airline tickets which they will hand out to airline passengers . The tickets contain cigarette-style warnings giving details on crew fatigue and an explanation as to why the EU current legislation needs to be changed . `` All we are trying to do at this stage is raise public 's awareness . We 're not trying to get in anyone 's way , '' Chalk said . Hundreds of protesters are attending events taking place at 22 airports across Europe . 400 ECA members are expected to attend the protests at Madrid airport . `` What we are saying today is that they need to listen to the safety review , '' Chalk said . `` It was conducted by the best scientists in this field in Europe . It was commissioned by the European Aviation Safety Agency ( EASA ) and therefore it should not be ignored when writing the rules . '' Francois Ballestero , Political Secretary of the ETF echoed Chalk 's concerns . `` Flight safety is the core mission of every cabin crew member . But EU law is insufficient to ensure that air crew can perform their safety role in an alert and effective way , '' he said . But the EASA were critical of the protests and their timing . `` This is jumping the gun . It is not a constructive contribution to a debate which is yet to happen , '' Daniel Hoeltgen , EASA communications director told CNN . Hoeltgen believes that the pilots are simply setting up stall for an industrial debate between the unions and the airlines . `` It 's got nothing to do with safety regulations . We have made it clear that we will invite the unions and the airlines to take part in a review of the current rules and the timeframe for that has been made clear . '' The current law in Europe on air crew fatigue is set at two different levels . There is a minimum level set by EU and then there is a level set by individual countries that can be better than that minimum level . In 2012 the EU level is due to come into force . `` There needs to be a change in the law to protect passengers and our members from the insidious effects of airport fatigue , '' Chalk said . The ECA represents over 38,000 pilots and flight engineers in 36 European countries .
Hundreds of pilots across Europe are protesting about flying hours and safety . Pilots argue the EU is ignoring scientific evidence which says hours are too long . Demonstrators to hand out dummy airline tickets with a list of their complaints .