World hunts SA pilots
World hunts SA pilots
Nov 05 2007 08:01 AM
Nellie Brand - Sake24 and Lizel Steenkamp - Rapport
Cape Town - South African Airways (SAA) is prepared to lose a third of its pilots to restructuring - well knowing that there is a big shortage of trained pilots worldwide and that it will not be able to replace the highly skilled group.SAA itself had described the possible retrenchment of 224 pilots as "a nightmare scenario", but the good news was that talks with the unions had progressed so well that the move could possibly be averted.
But Robyn Chalmers, head of SAA Corporate Affairs, added that should the talks "lead to absolutely no savings, SAA would consider retrenching (the pilots)".
Fin24's sister publication Rapport said role-players in the industry were dumbstruck by SAA's plans to retrench up to 225 of its 783 pilots, while 12 000 posts were being advertised worldwide.
The proposed retrenchments were part of SAA's restructuring plans to cut its labour costs by R638m.
Captain Jimmy Conroy, chairperson of SAA Pilots' Association (Saapa), said since SAA's restructuring plans became public, foreign airlines pounced on South Africa for its pilots.
The Dubai airline Emirates, looking for 450 pilots, had already held five promotional tours in South Africa.
Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong needs 200 pilots and also they came to recruit in South Africa.
Bhabhalazi Bulunga, SAA Manager: Human Resources, confirmed that nine pilots had already resigned and that another eleven had accepted retrenchment packages.
Conroy said pilots - with an average 23 years' experience - were uncertain of their future with SAA.
"If they go, the country will be losing highly trained people who are very difficult to replace," said Conroy.
To train one pilot costs at least R700 000 and it takes about 13 years for a pilot to be promoted to captain.
Conroy said although SAA could save money in the short term, there would be dire consequences in the long term.
"If our own pilots leave because they don't see a long-term future for themselves here, we'll have to go and recruit on the international market. Firstly, you don't know what you are getting, and secondly you have to pay them in euros or dollars."
- Sake24/Rapport