Air Mauritius is trouble in paradise
Sorry Danny, you've just moved a very important topic to the wrong forum.
Actually, what I just heard from the air Mauritius guys could have an impact on us all. We are talking flight time limitations here, making captains go into and beyond discretionand, union busting, intimidation and persecution of unions, that is all kinds of stuff that once one airline has got away with it, all kinds of jokers will think tehy can do it too. These guys are having their balls broken and they are threatened with loosing their jobs if they do not do it with a smile. The stuff I heard is eye popping. Ryanair isn't the only one. These guys feel like their paradise lost. Read the letter from IFALPA to the chairman of AIr mauritius. It is self explanatory.
20th October 2005
Mr. Sanjay Bhuckory
Chairman of Air Mauritius
Level 19, Air Mauritius Centre
John Kennedy Street
Port Louis
Mauritius
Dear Mr Bhuckory,
I am writing to you as President of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations
(IFALPA), which represents more than 100,000 professional pilots in more than 90 countries
worldwide, to express my concerns about the current state of affairs surrounding Dr Russlan
Ramdowar, President of the Mauritius Air Line Pilots Association (MALPA).
As you may be aware, Dr Ramdowar brought to my attention some time ago various practices that
were taking place in Air Mauritius that had given him cause for concern with regard to air safety.
These concerns essentially dealt with the incorrect interpretation of UK CAP 371, on which the
Mauritian flight time legislation is based, and what can only be described as bullying and
intimidation by some individuals in Air Mauritius management to improperly coerce captains into
using their discretion to exceed duty day limitations.
These issues are of concern in themselves, and I have brought them to the attention of the Mauritian
Civil Aviation Department where I have been assured they are being investigated. However, I am
now deeply disturbed to learn that Dr Ramdowar, for acting quite properly in his role as President
of MALPA, has now been de-rostered for in excess of fifty days and is being asked to subject
himself to psychological assessment before being returned to flying duties.
In my view this is a totally unacceptable situation and one without precedent in the industry. Any
independent observer can only conclude that Dr Ramdowar is now being persecuted for his
involvement in legitimate trade union activity, and it would seem clear to me that this conduct falls
well outside the International Labour Organisation Conventions 87 and 98, to which Mauritius is a
signatory. Further to this, Dr Ramdowar has shown no reason at all as to why his psychological
state should be in question. However, what is even more disturbing is that this judgement seems to
have been made by individuals with no medical qualifications whatsoever.
This is not a situation that should be allowed to continue. In my experience, successful airlines are
those where a true partnership exists between the management and the employees and in particular
the pilots. I understand that your appointment as Chairman of Air Mauritius is recent and this does,
I believe, give you a unique opportunity to resolve both the wider issues in the company and the
particular position of Dr Ramdowar. I would therefore urge you to return Dr Ramdowar to flying
duties and to join with him and the rest of the MALPA team in addressing the wider issues of
concern.Please rest assured that IFALPA shall be giving both MALPA as our Member association and Dr
Ramdowar as an individual our full support.
Yours sincerely,
Captain Dennis J. Dolan
President
IFALPA