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[FILE IMAGE]: A FlySafair plane taking off at an airport.
FlySafair management says it has put contingency measures in place to keep its operation undisrupted as more than 200 pilots are set to go on strike from tomorrow.
Trade union, Solidarity, says it has obtained a strike notice for 14 days as the pilots reject the 5,7% wage increase offer from the airline. The union says they’ve given the employer a notice to strike, following a deadlock in wage negotiations.
But FlySafair says it is ready.
“We’ve got our contingency plans in place. But, obviously, it is regrettable that we’ve to get a situation where we need to take this type of drastic action. Of course, every employer will seek to not be in this position. We’ve approached it responsibly. And so, our aim we will ensure that all flights depart on time as scheduled. And that’s already something that’s been confirmed,” says FlySafair’s chief marketing officer, Kirby Gordon.
“So, from a passenger perspective, we thank them for their patience. But also, I want to reinsure them that the flights will be there. For the teams that are working and those who are back at the office, we have to extend our gratitude. This is been very busy in terms of managing these recourses,” adds Gordon.
VIDEO | We have our schedules covered for the week, no disruptions: Kirby Gordon
Aviation expert, Guy Leitch, says the aviation industry has not fully recovered since COVID-19. He says Flysafair is a low-cost carrier and always attempts to keep its costs down as far as possible.
Leitch says FlySafair is faced with a lot of challenges, and that might take time to resolve.
“But I mean what is exacerbating the situation is the claims by Solidarity that two senior executives, the CEO and the CFO of the airline, are pocketing as much as R90 million in terms of shares that they’re saving. And it’s very worrying that they’re saving shares and that’s not a good sign when senior management start selling of shares. And the airline has these other challenges as we know. It has problems with its foreign license ownership limitations, which it falls foul of. Where its license come to an end – end of last year – that one has not been properly resolved or ended if you like,” says Leitch.
