Although the RJ85 fleet will be operated within regional subsidiary Delta Air Transport (DAT), pilots had been pressing for crews to be employed under Sabena contracts. The airline argued that this would make the services uneconomic.
Agreement has now been reached that pilots will be employed by low-cost DAT, but with the chance for career progression into the main Sabena fleet.
The deal has paved the way to restarting talks over general cost-cutting within the loss-making airline. Sabena says that only one of the four unions is still voicing public opposition to the talks.
Sabena's new president, Paul Ruetlinger, appointed by stake-holder Swissair, has laid out a series of options covering job cuts, wage freezes and increased labour productivity and flexibility. Sabena says that the unions are being given a free hand to discuss these measures, provided that the necessary cost savings can be made.
Industrial action by airline and airport staff has cost Sabena 29 work-days over the past year, denting efforts to improve its heavy losses.
Latest figures show that the group slimmed down its operating loss to BFr530 million ($16 million) in 1995, although a BFr1 billion provision to cover aircraft depreciation left a total loss of BFr1.6 billion. The group loss had come in at more than BFr1.4 billion for 1994.
Despite a healthy 15% growth in passenger traffic over the year, the parent Sabena airline recorded an operating profit of only BFr3 million after the effect of the strikes.
Source: Flight International
