Airlines must allow pilots to continue flying after the age of 60, the European Union's highest court ruled Tuesday, throwing out a mandatory retirement age maintained by German carrier Lufthansa that was not equal to legal norms.

The European Court of Justice found that governments may impose safety restrictions on pilots above the age of 60, but that they cannot ban them from flying completely.

"Prohibiting airline pilots from working after the age of 60 constitutes discrimination on grounds of age," a court statement said. "While the right to act as a pilot may be limited from that age, total prohibition goes beyond that which is necessary to ensure air traffic safety."

Lufthansa has a mandatory retirement age of 60 for pilots, despite German and international standards fixing retirement at 65.

Three Lufthansa pilots, Reinhard Prigge, Michael Fromm and Volker Lambach, sued their employer in German courts for dismissing them after they turned 60, saying they were victims of age discrimination.

German and European law does restrict pilots aged between 60 and 64 to flying with a crew and another pilot who is younger than 60. The court said automatically grounding pilots at 60 represents a "disproportionate requirement" in light of these standards.

Author: Andrew Bowen (AFP, AP)
Editor: Martin Kuebler