Singapore's arbitration court has ruled that Singapore Airlines pilots flying the Airbus A380 will earn more than those operating Boeing 747-400s and other widebodies.
The Industrial Arbitration Court of Singapore ruled that SIA captains operating the A380 will earn S$700 ($458) a month more than captains on the 747-400 and first officers will earn S$450 more than a 747-400 first officer, says the Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore (ALPA-S), which describes the ruling as "a good outcome".
The base pay of a 747-400 captain is S$10,000 a month, so an A380 captain will earn S$10,700.
ALPA-S had asked that A380 captains get base pay of S$11,000 a month and first officers $10,660, while the airline was asking that an A380 captain and first officer earn less than a 747-400 pilot and first officer, respectively, with their salaries about the same as a Boeing 777 captain and first officer.
This was part of a broader push by the airline to end the disparity between what pilots on different widebody types earn so that, in future, it would be easier to get pilots to switch between aircraft types. Currently it is difficult, for example, for the airline to get 747-400 pilots to switch to 777s because the base pay is lower.
The matter went to the arbitration court because the two sides were unable to negotiate an agreement.
This A380 wages dispute is a precursor to a bigger wages deal. SIA's three-year workplace agreement with its pilots is due to expire in early September. ALPA-S says the two sides have yet to meet to negotiate the new workplace agreement, but will probably do so after June.
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Source: Flight International
