The Spanish trade union CCOO has called on the government and parliamentary groups to include cabin crew in the early retirement scheme for arduous work. The call follows an analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine which found that cabin crew and pilots had the highest proportion of deaths from cancers linked to ionising radiation among around 500 occupations. On 25 August 2026, CCOO said this amounted to ongoing unequal treatment compared with other aviation occupations.
The study, led by Vishal Patel at the Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital says it analysed nearly 13 million deaths between 2020 and 2024 from the US National Vital Statistics System . It estimated that radiation-associated cancers accounted for 6.9 per cent of deaths among cabin crew and 6.7 per cent among pilots — higher proportions than in any other occupation included. The cancers listed include breast cancer, tumours of the central nervous system, prostate cancer and melanoma; lung cancer was excluded from this sub-analysis for methodological reasons.
The authors also point to limitations: death certificates may misclassify occupations, individual radiation doses were not collected, and this is a population-wide analysis that does not establish causal relationships. Nevertheless, the study provides more comprehensive comparative data than earlier research and adds weight to debate about cumulative exposure to cosmic radiation and possible effects of night and long-haul shifts on circadian rhythms.
In the Spanish context, CCOO is calling for this evidence to be considered in the process for determining arduous occupations. Specifically, the union is seeking an amendment or application of existing social security instruments — including Real Decreto 1559/1986, which has so far mainly benefited flight deck crew — so that cabin crew can access reductions in the statutory retirement age. This would have financial and administrative consequences and would require an independent assessment of occupational exposure levels and preventive measures in flight operations.
The government has not yet commented publicly. Professional bodies and occupational safety authorities are likely to need to assess whether the study can be applied to Spain , particularly in relation to flight profiles, duty schedules and existing protection standards. Until any legislative change, CCOO’s demand remains part of a longstanding debate about health protection and access to retirement in Spain’s aviation sector.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).