The aim of this study is to map the interrelations among Human Resource Management (HRM) austerity practices, work deterioration and safety and security risks in commercial aviation, during the 2008-–2016 economic crisis in Europe. We initially deployed an online survey among 120 aviation employees from 40 airports located in 22 European countries. An Economic Crisis Index (ECI) was created for each country, combining the macroeconomic figures during the economic crisis. The results of the survey establish a positive correlation between escalating ECI and the four study constructs and detected statistical differences in particular safety and security variables among the sample groups. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews with 23 aviation experts from the survey sample were conducted to explore in depth the reported changes in working conditions and aviation safety. The research model was then tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), confirming that austerity HRM practices indirectly increase safety and security risks through the mediation of the deteriorated working environment. The results of this study highlight the importance of human factors in the technically dominated area of aviation safety and suggest that safety and security should be addressed under a more systemic approach. These findings forewarn of the cost-minimizing policies currently dominating commercial air transport and their adverse safety and security implications, drawing the attention on new and emerging threats such as pandemics that were underestimated until recently.

本研究的目的是绘制 2008 年至 2016 年欧洲经济危机期间人力资源管理 (HRM) 紧缩措施、工作恶化以及商业航空安全和安保风险之间的相互关系。我们最初对来自 22 个欧洲国家/地区的 40 个机场的 120 名航空员工进行了在线调查。为每个国家创建了经济危机指数 (ECI)，结合了经济危机期间的宏观经济数据。调查结果建立了不断升级的 ECI 与四个研究结构之间的正相关关系，并在样本组之间检测到特定安全和安保变量的统计差异。随后，对调查样本中的 23 名航空专家进行了半结构化访谈，以深入探讨所报告的工作条件和航空安全方面的变化。然后使用偏最小二乘结构方程模型 (PLS-SEM) 对研究模型进行测试，确认紧缩的人力资源管理实践通过调解恶化的工作环境间接增加了安全和安保风险。这项研究的结果强调了人为因素在航空安全技术主导领域的重要性，并建议应以更系统的方法解决安全和安保问题。这些调查结果预先警告了目前主导商业航空运输的成本最小化政策及其不利的安全和安保影响，