A last-minute intervention by the Luxembourg government has prevented a strike by pilots at Luxair, after a dramatic climbdown by the airline's management and the nation's regulatory authorities.
In a meeting brokered by Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxair agreed to cancel the sackings of five of six management pilots dismissed in the wake of the investigation into the November 2002 Fokker 50 crash at Luxembourg Findel. The sixth captain - the aircraft commander - remains dismissed.
The transport ministry will reopen the accident investigation to consider evidence submitted by the Luxembourg Air Line Pilots Association. The rules relating to confidential reporting will also be reviewed. The airline has been fined €100,000 ($123,000) for dismissing its flight safety officer, whose prominent union position led in part to the strike threat.
Source: Flight International
