Irish Times 02/03/01
A former Virgin Express pilot, claiming constructive dismissal from the company, argued with his chief pilot last year over the difficulty rating for landing at Dubrovnik Airport, the Employment Appeals Tribunal in Limerick was told yesterday.
Capt Nicholas McHugh, who was due to pilot a flight to the Croatian city from Brussels, had telephoned about his concern over Dubrovnik being given a "B" rating and was quite agitated, Capt Terry O'Neill said.
Capt McHugh had cited a US Air Force crash at the airfield the previous year. A crash did not necessarily mean the airfield was dangerous, Capt O'Neill said. "If it was a dangerous airfield, it would not be classified or used as an airfield."
The rating, given by Virgin Express Ireland, meant a pilot had to do "a self-brief" on the airfield before getting on the flight. He believed Capt McHugh had subsequently flown the Boeing 737 to Dubrovnik.
Capt McHugh resigned from the Shannon-based company last August, claiming his position had become untenable.
He declined to meet management on August 4th. The day before, the director of flight operations wrote to the Irish Aviation Authority saying the airline and the IAA were in breach of international regulations because of Capt McHugh's actions. The case was adjourned.