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Airline pilots who say long flying hours are "putting lives at risk" are to hold demonstrations across Europe. European air crew unions argue current rules that govern how long they can fly for are unsafe, with fatigue a factor in 15% of accidents. But the European Aviation Safety Agency says it is still considering a scientific report on the issue. There will be no demonstrations in the UK, because industrial action by pilots is outlawed. British pilots are expected to join demonstrations at major airports on the continent with colleagues from 35 other countries. It is not clear whether the action will cause disruption to travellers. The rules are already in force in some EU countries, but are due to come into force in the UK in 2012. Pilots and air crew have complained that their working conditions have deteriorated as the airline industry looks to cut costs. The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) said two million leaflets would be handed out across Europe by the protesters. The general secretary of Balpa, Jim McAuslan, said he feared that attempts by the EU to standardise working conditions by 2012 would put more pressure on pilots. He said: "Only fatigue experts understand the impact on a body of flying through so many time zones, having consecutive early starts and late duties and all the other factors that make up a pilot's life". Mr McAuslan told the BBC that while EU law meant a pilot could work up to 14 hours a day, scientists believe they should not exceed 13 hours. "Anything over that increases the risk of an accident by five and a half times," he said. "When that's brought home to the public, I hope the public will put pressure on the regulator to say 'you mustn't do this - you must listen to what science has been saying'."