Luxair pilots are discussing what action to take following a surprise move by the airline to fire six senior pilots, including the captain of the Fokker 50 which crashed fatally in Luxembourg in November 2002.
Capt Claude Poeckes, who was one of only two survivors of the accident and was criticised in the official report, is being dismissed along with his father, Capt Jean Poeckes, who is currently seconded to the Luxembourg department of transport.
Capt Jean-Paul Weitz and Capt Philippe Oberbillig, who were demoted from their respective positions as flight safety officer and operations director after the accident, are also going.
The final two are former quality manager Capt Jean-Marie Schreiner and current Fokker fleet chief pilot Capt Paul Nesser.
Luxair says: "These measures were taken in order to guarantee maximum flight safety at all times and to optimise security awareness within the company."
Luxembourg pilots' association ALPL says the action came out of the blue and it plans to fight the move. Strike action "has not been excluded", it says.
Source: Flight International
