Air Mauritius defies IFALPA
 

Union Predsident Russlan Ramdowar is now facing his 60th day of derostering and the continued instance on the part of Air mauritius that his return to work is predicated on undergoing psychological assessment.!!!!!! Ifalpa has made it absolutely clear that this 'is without precedent in the industry', but even though its been in the papers down there, Air Mauritius is making up its own rules and could be setting a precedent for us all.
Sixty days de-rostered would be enough to make any one mental and now theyve told him they want another ten days so they can figure out what to do with him. How did he get in this mess? He wrote to IFALPA for clarification on the FTL's (which they are abusing), the message was intercepted by management and they didn't like it so he came off the line. Its called union busting everywhere else in the world, its called 'face' in mauritius and its called complete s**** for the poor guy who has to go through with it. Sounds like victimisation. The Ops Director has got him in his cross hairs and really made this personal but is he big enough to take on IFALPA?:*

Bloody UNBELIEVABLE! 10 days to do what? ANyway Danny, please stop moving the thread I had started a few days ago. This is very important stuff. Someone is trying to redefine the aviation norms here. Should this be allowed, it will be a precedent for all: FTL, bullying of a union, persecution of a president, not good. Been in touch again with the local chaps. Moral is low. Their dispute case is still in court. Meanwhile, more drivers votingv with their feet. Rumour has it that another mauritan leaving... The amount of expats that have left is already huge!

Pilots of the World, Unite!:*

master Yoda, words, more words... got to fight and not just unit! isn't JVJ the ops director there? would not surprise me. sounds like more of his lettle games. he got the boot from saa. the b#%$*!&# hates pilots. hope they dont let him get away with it this time around!:mad:

Am I correct in assuming that Air Mauritius is partly owned by Air India?

I believe so - but only a small bit. I understand that British Airways and Air France also each have shares in Air Mauritius which are larger than the India stake.

British Airways 3.8%, Air France 2.8%, Air India 2.6%.

air mauritius
 

PB is the ops director and if anyone needs a shrink......... always threatening his troops that he'll fire them, have there licence revoked, deroster them, whatever takes his fancy.

Just recieved this. Makes interesting read!

Dear Axxx/Pxxxx,

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Air Mauritius is not CAP 371 compliant. We use the CAP 371 as guidelines to produce our Flight and Duty Scheme as required by the Civil Aviation Regulations 1986, Chapter 7 section 58. I wish to mention as well that we do not operate under the authority of the UK CAA and that our regulatory body is the Department of Civil Aviation of Mauritius.

As far as the Cape Town flight is concerned the annexes you mentioned do not apply as the flight is planned within normal FPD. We requested a one hour extension from our DCA as buffer. If we need to reschedule these flights with extension on normal FDP please rest assured that we will give due considerations to the annexes.

Rdgs,

Captain P Bxxxxxxx

Director Flight Operations

Email: [email protected]


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Subject: Fw: Fatigue Avoidance MRU-CPT-MRU

25 October 2005

The Director Flight Operations
Air Mauritius
SSR International Airport
Plaisance

Captain P. Bxxxx

Dear P,

Please refer to the letter from the Mauritian DCA regarding Flight and Duty limits for Cape Town Flights , dated 07 October 2005 ref: CAV/FOI/12/10 and subsequent Briefing Notice No 44 dated 21 October 2005.

As Air Mauritius is CAP 317 compliant , the AEA wishes to bring to your attention the Limitations as laid down in the Annex F to the CAP 371, attached below. Please refer to Para 1.3 Level 2 FDP plus 60 minutes as well as Para 1.1.3 which requires that the Operator must nominate an appropriate level and that all crew must be notified in advance.

We trust that Flight Operations and the DCA has given careful consideration regarding this Extension and that the limitations as per Annex F will be fully implemented and managed accordingly.

Thanking you for your usual understanding.

Yours Truly

For and on behalf of the AEA
XXXXXXXXXXX
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Annex F Aeroplane Variations

Introduction

With the increasing range of modern aircraft, for example the B777/A330, the CAA has concluded that within very carefully controlled circumstances and with a number of built-in compensating factors, it is possible to extend the FDP presently allowed for two-pilot crew.

The compensating factors are designed to prevent the onset of fatigue by requiring progressively an increase in days off, reduction of overall duty hours and a limit on the number of extended FDPs permitted.

Where operators' FTL schemes contain a number of different standard Variations each of which contain suitable compensating factors, there must be no overlap when using the Variations concurrently. For example where a Florida One Variation requires 3 days off afterwards and then a Level 2 Variation is to be used which requires a single day off beforehand, a total of 4 days off must be achieved between the two Variations.

Companies are invited to apply to incorporate any of the following variations:

Standard Variations Levels 1 and 2

Florida 1 and 2

1 Standard Variations, Extended Single Flight Duty Period

1.1 Introduction

1.1.1 The Variations are identified as Level 1 and 2, allowing for an increase in the planned FDP of 30 and 60 minutes respectively. They are intended to allow flights from the UK and return, or a two-sector flight from or to the UK, within a single extended FDP.

Sector lengths over 7½ hours will continue to be factorised or will require an additional pilot as a flight crew member.

1.1.2 An operator wishing to utilise one of the Variations in this package can only employ one of the three that are available at any one time for each fleet of aircraft. In this context, where a mix of Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft is used and pilots are qualified on both, these two types are considered to comprise one fleet.

1.1.3 The selection of the level appropriate to a schedule must be nominated in advance by the operator and notified to all crew members. Where more than one schedule is affected, the more limiting will lead to the level chosen. For example, where one schedule requires an extension of 20 minutes and another 1 hour then Level 2 will be applicable to both schedules and all crew members involved.

1.3 LEVEL 2 - FDP Plus 60 minutes

Flight crew

a) The allowable FDP obtained from Table A may be extended by 60 minutes and a sector need not be considered as a multi-sector flight until the sector is scheduled for more than 7½ hours subject to the following conditions:

b) 2 local nights (minimum 34 hours) free from all duties must be achieved prior to an extended flight duty period.

c) Flight crew members must be acclimatised.

d) Commander's normal discretion to extend an FDP is reduced to a maximum of 2 hours with no more than 1 hour being exercised prior to leaving the initial point of departure.

e) Where a commander exercises discretion which uses any portion of the time allowed after leaving the initial point of departure, then a report will be submitted to the CAA.

f) One day off must be achieved following the extended FDP.

g) A maximum of 3 extended FDP flights may be undertaken in any consecutive 28 day period.

h) Maximum duty hours will be 180 hours in any 28 consecutive day period in which the use of this extension takes place.

i) Minimum number of days off for flight crew operating one or more of these flights will be 9 days in any period of 4 consecutive weeks in which the use of this extension takes place.

j) Despatch crew must not be used.

k) Extension of FDP by split duty is not permitted.

January 2004

loolks like you guys are being shafted. What about your local dca? Are you guys landing in europe past discretion? this ops director's either doesn't understand the rules or he's a very naughty fella!

35 guys left in the past twelve months and some of the were mauritians! Guess that says it all. I left too. I loved the lifestyle but I couldn't handle the attitude from the top. The union president is just getting a double dose of what we all had every day we operated. Its a poisoned paradise and BTW, the service isn't up to much either these days. The cabin crew get the same c***as the tech crew the place can't last if it keeps the same management. They have a severe pilot shortage and my advices don't go if you don't have to. You might have a psychological examination if the ops director doesn't like you! That stays on your record, not his!

Hi boys and girls!

So, I see things have been busy here of late! Not good for the prospects of world aviation if these guys not stopped in their tracks. Makes Malaysian and Ryanair seem like amateurs!

Not gonna get within a bargepole distance from the place. Thought I would never have to say that, but on my holiday there with the Mrs, I will be on BA! They might be pompous and have the stiff upper lip attitude, at least they treat the drivers properly, and the service isn't too shabby either. Would not want to be on an AM plane with demotivated and tired pilots... Speak of a cocktail, hey? No thanks.

And
Time for the ops director to have his head examined :E

See the link below if you want some background.
PPRuNe Forums » Rest of the World & Non-English Language Forums » African Aviation

No point to waste time fighting such a management. Vote with your feet. There are many good jobs out ther. No need to take that kind of c****. A330/340 ratings are at a prime on the market. So be an inflight relief, first ofiicer or skipper in that kind of outfit... :ugh:

Well done Bjoe1 :D

More are in the pipeline. Trouble is it makes it only harder for those who stay behind though. Not fun for them right now. Latest I heard is the in-flight relief guys getting €7000+, i.e. above the original parc contract you mentioned in one of your posts. (BTW, where did you see it? Parc did not have it on its site) Its more dough than the an expat skipper makes, let alone the poor local drivers.:\

Just a thought for those in hell... MK code shares with Air France on the CDG run. Why don't you people ask help from the French pilot union? They might ask AF to make some enquiries on MK. Also, I am sure that as share holders, BA, AF and AI would all very troubled about MK not respecting the CAP371. Look: either you base yourslf on it and follow it, or you dont. You cant have both ways, use it and abuse it! Its as simple as that.

Any news on the union pres? Hows the poor guy holding up. Just met some MK crews down route and seems like he's got a lot of support. Guess its just the management that hate him. One things for sure, everones talking about it and it aint warm and fuzzy. Theyre going to have one helluva industrial problem if it doesn't get sorted. Good luck mate!

Understand he still is grounded according to the latest rumour mill:(

Not for long he wont !!
Hurd the musical chair has already started to find out who will take the wrap for this crap. They're desperate(management) for a face saving exit. Hope Russlan kicks them in the ... :mad:

IFALPA´s on top of the situation as far as I´ve heard.

Keep it up Russlan - the whole pilot community is behind you. SAS pilots going there on short term contracts will all pull out if you say the word.

XXXX AM management - they can visit the shrink!

Kingsnake

Oh, go one then....... Its the case of 'do as I say not as I do' innit?
Rand, Assertive, Virile, Impish. The PB stooge was a naughty boy and got himself seriously reported for his troubles. The cabin attendant didn't appreciate his uninvited, unwelcome attentions (Itell you, some guys just never use their speedbreaks!) and the hotel did'nt either. MK management have done absolotely nothing which is odd cuz they lurva good lynching. Just too busy sharpening there darts to fire at Russlan I guess. BTW has anyone seen PB acting 'strange' l8ly?

Thanks AP !! You helped filling the picture... Don't expect anything to come out of it , you dont shoot your own tin soldiers especially in you are in the:mad: !
Call me bloodthirsty if you want but I'm getting to love glidingmike's idea more & more everyday, AF drivers would relish the thought of doing some squeezing as xmas is behind the door & Mk is flying like mad to Paris...:E

Come on you MALPA guys call in the cavalry !!

What you really need is for the Union to show that they are what they say: "united" as in "all for one, one for all"! Stop work untill the President is restored to normal operation.

As of right now, airplanes do not fly themselves and if any one wants to come in and fly your airplanes, have a talk with them and explain to them the folly of their intentions.

At some point the membership has to take a stand, otherwise you can save your dues.