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View Full Version : LH charters 5Y. Strike busting?


CargoRat2
10th May 2001, 11:06
Strike-hit LH Cargo to charter Atlas freighter
FRANKFURT, May 9 (Reuters) - Lufthansa Cargo <LHAG.F> said on Wednesday it will charter a Boeing 747 freighter from U.S. carrier Atlas Air <CGO.N> to provide extra capacity during the planned 24-hour Lufthansa pilots' strike on Thursday.
The Atlas-operated, 100-tonne capacity aircraft would transport freight which would normally have been flown on Lufthansa intercontinental passenger flights, company spokesman Dietrich Seidl told Reuters.
But he declined to say what destination the flight would operate to on Thursday.
Industry sources, however, said Hong Kong or another Asian destination could be served.
Lufthansa Cargo will otherwise follow a similar strategy on Thursday to the 12-hour pilots' stoppage last Friday and will try to minimise impact by changing freighter departure schedules, using management pilots and switching freight to road transport, Seidl said.
"The action last week was a success for us and we are confident we will be able to implement everything with little impact for customers," he said.
Lufthansa Cargo will again bring forward some freighter departures to before midnight when the pilots' strike begins and delay some flights until after the action finishes 24 hours later.
"During the strike period, there will be some freighter flights flown with management pilots. We will also have an extra B747F flight to New York for belly freight," Seidl said.
Last Friday, Lufthansa Cargo operated two cargo flights to the key markets of New York and Chicago with management pilots and an additional Frankfurt-New York flight with freight normally carried bellyhold on the passenger flights.
European and domestic air freight shipments will again be transferred to road feeder services on Thursday using additional trucking capacity bought in from trucking companies.


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rgds Rat

Hunter58
10th May 2001, 12:46
Rat

I don't know how ALPA would see it, if CV would fly a rotation for e.g. Polar, should the Polar guys go on strike, but I see this here as a clear strike busting action!

Where is now the concentrated action against any pilot union busting scheme so forcefully displayed by the Atlas APLA people on this forum when it concernes AACS and co?

You won't be able to convince me that this is something totally different. THIS is REAL, CLASSICAL STRIKE BUSTING!

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There's nothing like a three-holer...

CargoRat2
10th May 2001, 15:15
Pretty much the thought's I was having H58. Since I'm not part of any ALPA, wouldn't personally have a problem with your CV/PO scenario. Thats for ALPA members to figure out for themselves.

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rgds Rat

CargoOne
10th May 2001, 15:22
So, LH doing its best to deliver the cargo. But what are they doing with pax? Are they chartering additional pax capacity (hm, not an easy task to get widebody on short notice from the source other than dirty birds of Air Gulf Falcon :), transferring pax to other operators or just pushing passengers to wait until the end of the strike?

wonderbusdriver
10th May 2001, 19:36
Thereīs a 6% SKO (seat-km-offerd) limit for non-DLH operators on pax flights.
If they had chartered other companies to take over pax-flights, I can tell you, hell would have really broken lose here.

Besides that Atlas is more expensive than LH-Cargo anyway - They just have a new "time-definite" product - mostly utilising the scheduled pax-bellies - guess thatīs what this was for.

Besides that, you guys are right!

Thanks to the ATLAS guys who flew for LH-Cargo on this occasion! - Maybe we can "help" you folks out too some day...

CargoRat2
10th May 2001, 21:12
Sorry for appearing thick wonderbus, I can't figure out your reply. Is it because it's costing LH cargo a small fortune to lease Atlas? (Schadensfreude is the German word I think)

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rgds Rat

Beaver Driver
11th May 2001, 06:07
WBD
For us to help you, you have to request it through IFALPA. To date your union has not done that. We are not flying your airplanes and I don't believe we have crossed any picket lines. I wonder if your star alliance partners are supporting you, or if they too are flying cargo that should be in your bellies. I'm sure that your managers chartered Atlas as they knew that no one with a contract would do it. That leaves out Polar, DHL, and just about everyone except us and Southern Air. We all wish there was something we could do about it, but without a contract, the only way we can not fly is to tell the company that we fear for our safety when crossing a picket line. So if you want our support you have to request it, and you have to have a picket line. That's the only way we can currently support your strike without losing our jobs.

wonderbusdriver
11th May 2001, 11:05
Beaver:

Donīt worry about it, just a little teasing from me since the others brought it up.
Iīm aware of the legal implications for you. Theyīre similar for us.
As far as I know you guys fly for/as LH-cargo anyway more or less regularly (Polar was/is(?), too)
No resctrictions on outsourcing the cargo ops in our contract, thatīs the problem.

cargorat:

What I meant is that having ATLAS carry the freight is more expensive than having LCAG do it.
Having LCAG planes and pilots do it is much cheaper for DLH, BUT: They have a rather new "scheduled" product (mostly in pax bellies), with which they make quite a bit of money.
So they chartered the ATLAS plane as the scheduled pax flight didnīt operate.
Guess they paid the premium so as not to p*ss off the customers.
(maybe Iīm thick and unable to explain it with the correct words... hope this was good enough though)