Lilium’s rescuer Mobile Uplift Corporation (MUC) has made a troubled start to its acquisition of the air taxi developer after employees that transferred to the new business were told their wages for January would be paid late.
A consortium of international investors, MUC – subsequently renamed Lilium Aerospace – emerged in late December as the buyer for the operations and assets of two businesses, Lilium GmbH and Lilium eAicraft GmbH, which had entered a self-administration insolvency process in late October.
Around 800 employees from the two firms, both German subsidiaries of parent company Lilium NV, transferred to Lilium Aerospace in early January after signing new contracts. Wages for January were due to be paid at the end of the month at the latest.
But sources have told FlightGlobal that at a 30 January all-hands meeting – Lilium calls these “all-wings meetings” – staff were told their wages would arrive late.
According to a post on social media site Reddit, management blamed the delay on complexities with transferring money internationally. Payment will apparently take place in the coming days.
Lilium Aerospace declined to comment on the matter but promised an update early next week.
Although ownership of the two companies’ assets was initially expected to complete on 20 January, this was subsequently pushed back until month-end. However, it is unclear if the transfer of ownership has yet taken place.
It is also unknown how many of the 800 employees signed contracts with the new business and whether the late payment of wages will prompt an exodus of those remaining.
Investors in MUC have pledged to inject an initial €200 million ($207 million) into the business to continue development of the vertical take-off and landing Lilium Jet.
