Jet dismisses two senior pilots

MUMBAI: Jet Airways dismissed two of its senior commanders last Friday. No reasons were given but the move followed the airline���s pilots forming a union.

Jet Airways pilots have gone on work-to-rule agitation to protest against the management���s decision. They will now operate only their scheduled flights.

Most international airlines, like Singapore Airlines, British Airways and Air France, have pilo ts��� unions. Jet Airways pilots formed National Aviators��� Guild and registered it on July 24 with the labour commissioner, Mumbai. ���The pilots��� union told the management that they would take up air safety matters only and not issues concerning salaries and promotion, till the rough weather in the industry cleared,������ said a source.

The airline emailed the dismissal letters to the two pilots around 5.45 pm on Friday. The letters came with no explanation . The Jet spokesperson was not available for comment.

Unlike other employees��� unions, a pilots��� union takes up air safety issues within the airline in a way which no air passenger���s body or consumer rights group can. Former airline pilot Capt M Ranganathan said, ���Airlines resorting to cost cutting compromise on safety, training and maintenance. When a pilot has the protection of the union, he can refuse to be intimidated.������

Among aviation regulators, air crash investigators, pilots and even management officials worldwide, the perception is that a pilot who is part of a union provides the most powerful safety system because the pilot can refuse to fly a plane that isn���t safe enough.

���Then again, because the airline knows the unionised pilot can do so, they don���t present him with planes they know will be given the thumbs down,������ said an airline commander, adding that having a union means the commander or first officer would not have to choose between the safety of the operation versus the safety of keeping his/her job.