4HolerPoler
9th Jun 2006, 20:42
Strike grounds 'Air Maybe'
Yaounde - Both aircraft belonging to Cameroon Airlines (Camair) remained on the tarmac at the airport of Douala, 250km west of the capital Yaounde, on Friday, as a strike by pilots and cabin staff entered its fifth day. The airline is also known as "Air Maybe" because of its legendary delays. The company is bankrupt and the Cameroonian government, which has a 96% stake in the company, is looking for an operator to take a majority share in the firm to replace it. "The situation remains blocked because we cannot meet the demands of the pilots and flight attendants, which relate to their insurance and reorganisation of air operations," said Camair's provisional operator Paul Ngamo Hamani. According to their union, the staff want to be reimbursed for deductions from their salaries for insurance. The strike began on Monday, and forced international airlines to cancel flights to Douala and Yaounde for 24 hours because there are no ground services. Ground staff called off their action after the government agreed to pay three months of salary arrears, but pilots and cabin staff stayed out.
Yaounde - Both aircraft belonging to Cameroon Airlines (Camair) remained on the tarmac at the airport of Douala, 250km west of the capital Yaounde, on Friday, as a strike by pilots and cabin staff entered its fifth day. The airline is also known as "Air Maybe" because of its legendary delays. The company is bankrupt and the Cameroonian government, which has a 96% stake in the company, is looking for an operator to take a majority share in the firm to replace it. "The situation remains blocked because we cannot meet the demands of the pilots and flight attendants, which relate to their insurance and reorganisation of air operations," said Camair's provisional operator Paul Ngamo Hamani. According to their union, the staff want to be reimbursed for deductions from their salaries for insurance. The strike began on Monday, and forced international airlines to cancel flights to Douala and Yaounde for 24 hours because there are no ground services. Ground staff called off their action after the government agreed to pay three months of salary arrears, but pilots and cabin staff stayed out.