German pilots are urging flag carrier Lufthansa to resolve uncertainty over plans to restructure its regional operations, particularly regarding the acquisition of Swiss International Air Lines.
Pilots union Vereinigung Cockpit is warning that it is gradually losing patience with Lufthansa, claiming that the airline is not giving its cockpit crews enough detailed information about its plans for the Lufthansa Regional division which comprises five carriers – Air Dolomiti, Augsburg Airways, CityLine, Contact Air and Eurowings.
The regional issue was left unresolved when pilots reached a long-awaited labour agreement with the German carrier in December last year. As a consequence Vereinigung Cockpit has effectively nullified this agreement, which was supposed to run until the end of March 2006, putting pressure on Lufthansa to address outstanding questions over its regional operation.
“Time is running out...Lufthansa doesn’t want to tell us its intentions over the next two or three years,” says the union.
DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW/LONDON
Source: Flight International
