Move follows decision by Saab 2000 crews to publish letter amid jobs uncertainty
Swiss International Airlines suspended 52 of its Saab 2000 pilots last week in a dispute over job security, causing continuing disruption to its regional operations. The airline acted on 12 July after most of Swiss’s Basle-based Saab 2000 flightcrew decided to publicise a letter to the airline’s management that said job uncertainty could jeopardise safety. The airline was confident last week that operations would quickly return to normal.
The Swiss Pilots Association (SPA) claims that the Saab 2000 fleet will be phased out by the end of November and that with cuts being made by fleet rather than seniority, the situation is unpredictable and stressful for crews. Although the association supported the letter’s content, it did not back the decision to go public.
Psychometric tests aimed at establishing the psychological state of the pilots before they return to flying began on 14 July, and the airline says they will be complete within two weeks. Each pilot will be back on line immediately they have passed the test.
The union’s main concern is that any redundancies will, under present plans, be confined to Saab 2000 pilots and not spread among former Crossair pilots – including those who fly BAE Systems Avro RJs – according to seniority, which the SPA says is in their contract.
Swiss says: “All of the pilots are under stress. They all have uncertainty over their future. The disciplinary action is because they publicised the letter...we told them that if [it] had any message which was harmful for the company they should not publicise it.” It adds that it has offered a financial compensation package, enabling pilots to retrain on different types.
VICTORIA MOORES & DAVID LEARMOUNT / LONDON
Source: Flight International
