KLM steal UK ABZ jobs
16:00 - 01 August 2003
Around 30 airline staff are surplus to requirements in Aberdeen due to a route being replaced.
KLM is replacing Fokker aircraft on the Aberdeen-Amsterdam route with Boeing 737s.
A spokeswoman said 31 KLM Cityhopper cabin crew based in Aberdeen were now surplus to requirements.
This is because the new aircraft will be crewed by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines staff based in Amsterdam.
Workers in Aberdeen affected by the move were told of the situation yesterday.
The spokeswoman said they had been given three options - redundancy, relocation to Amsterdam or a move to another UK airport.
The spokeswoman stressed there would be no change in the number of flights on the route.
She added: "These are bigger, better planes than the Fokkers. Aberdeen is a key airport for KLM."
One member of the Aberdeen staff said last night: "We are angry that Aberdeen jobs are being lost to Amsterdam. We are unhappy at the way it has been handled. There has been a lack of communication from KLM."
The staff member added: "There had been rumours circling for many months that Aberdeen jobs were at risk.
"However, the company never said anything until June when a top KLM representative visited the base in Aberdeen to meet the staff.
"Quite a few of the people went along for what we thought was an innocent briefing.
"It was then we were told KLM was considering closing the base and having voluntary redundancies.
"We were told a decision would be made in the near future - we were going to be told within a fortnight.
"However, there was no communication until today."
KLM TO AXE 31 ABERDEEN STAFF AS PLANES ARE SWITCHED
09:00 - 01 August 2003
More than 30 airline staff in Aberdeen face an uncertain future.
KLM is replacing Fokker aircraft on the Aberdeen-Amsterdam route with Boeing 737s.
A spokeswoman said yesterday this meant 31 KLM Cityhopper cabin crew based in Aberdeen were now surplus to requirements for the service.
This is because the new aircraft will be crewed by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines staff based in Amsterdam.