Pilots issue zero hours warning

The use of zero hours contracts and bogus self-employment are putting the future of the airline industry at risk, warns the pilots’ union BALPA.

At a meeting of European transport ministers last month, BALPA and pilots from across Europe urged a clampdown on these unfair employment practices.

And they cited the use of “flags of convenience” where crews or aircraft are registered in other countries to save money.

BALPA general secretary Jim McAuslan said: “Airlines are looking to cut costs by basing air crews on a different continent, registering their aircraft in a ‘tax haven’ or asking young pilots to pay for flying their company’s aircraft.

“But this destroys jobs and forces other airlines to follow the example if they don’t want to be wiped out of the market.”

He explained that airlines can only be profitable if their competitive environment is not distorted. “This is why BALPA and pilots from across Europe call upon ministers, the new Commission and the newly- elected Members of the European Parliament to put fair competition at the centre of the European aviation policy.”

The union added that distorted competition is also an issue with airlines from outside Europe.

Economically booming air carriers from Asia and the Middle East are often state-sponsored or state-owned, with access to cheap infrastructure, capital and fuel. At the same time, they are not always subject to the same accounting standards and stringent regulations as their European counterparts.

www.balpa.org/News-and-campaigns/News/BRITISH-PILOTS-CALL-FOR-FAIRER-COMPETITION-IN-EURO.aspx