Yesterday 20 Air Malta pilots reported sick, causing heartache for blameless passengers and huge costs for the airline.
Either some mysterious bug has gripped this elite section of the Maltese community at the same time or this was a coordinated move. The public will reach its own conclusions.
One stranded passenger told timesofmalta.com there was no way half the airline’s on-duty pilots were sick unless they all went to the same (poisoned) dinner.
Their absence caused the airline to cancel three flights while several other flights were delayed for hours, leaving hundreds of passengers fuming with frustration.
Air Malta said the sickness rate was nine times the norm, making up some 40 per cent of the available pilot complement. The airline pilots’ association denial that this was some form of unofficial protest action stretches credibility, especially as it complained recently over lack of staff.
Alpa president Dominic Azzopardi said a pilot shortage had long been felt and what had taken place was more likely the result of mismanagement. He added that the association had told Air Malta to reinstate some 20 pilots seconded to airlines abroad to make up for the shortfall.
However, Air Malta has insisted that its 110 pilots are flying an average 55 hours per month, well below the maximum 100-hour limit imposed by law. Increasing personnel at an annual cost of around €1 million per annum is not allowed by its restructuring plan, the airline says.
Air Malta has also rejected claims it cancelled approved leave on the August and September pilot work rosters.
The pilots’ union last month registered an industrial dispute over two unrelated matters.
But even if the pilots’ laments are fully justified and they want to send a message to the management, leaving hundreds of travellers and tourists stranded is not the way to do it.
The pilots should have first filed an industrial dispute and given notice of action, giving travellers, who should not be dragged into any disputes, time to make alternative arrangements.
The pilots have claimed that yesterday’s disruption shows the airline has no contingency plan. Yet this is not at all convincing. Five sick pilots is one thing; 20, for such a small airline, is quite another.
Taking action through the back door, if this was indeed the case, is utterlyirresponsible.
While pilots should rightfully claim what is theirs, they have to understand that they are also employed with an airline undergoing a major restructuring exercise.
The costs of yesterday’s disruption will run into the hundreds of thousands – ranging from re-routing fees to hotel accommodation to leasing an extra aircraft to make up for the shortfall.
Paying for that will ultimately be an airline that is working hard to become profitable after being on the brink of collapse.
The man in the street will not understand how respected professionals like pilots could be capable of resorting to such tactics.
What happened yesterday will probably take days to resolve. However, one thing is for sure: it will damage Air Malta’s reputation. It is also a major blow to the reputation of a country which relies on a vital tourism sector.
Air Malta needs to establish how it is going to deal with this issue.
It is notoriously difficult for doctors to ascertain whether an employee’s sickness is feigned or real, so relying on medical certificates is not the answer.
Short of ensuring it is not put in this position again, it is difficult to see what is.