Icelandair cancelled cargo flight FI750 from Keflavík International Airport to Liège, Belgium, after failing to assemble a full crew, marking the third recent cancellation linked to staffing shortages.
The airline said several other flights have also been delayed in recent days for the same reason. Icelandair has suggested the disruptions may be linked to unofficial industrial action by pilots involved in ongoing wage negotiations, alongside aircraft maintenance engineers and cabin crew.
However, the Icelandic Airline Pilots Association rejected the accusation. Union chairman Jón Þór Þorvaldsson said pilots were simply working according to their collective agreement and denied any organised strike action.
The dispute comes as wage negotiations between the pilots’ union and Icelandair continue under the supervision of Iceland’s state mediator. Pilot contracts with the airline expired in September.
Tensions have also increased over Icelandair management’s direct communication with pilots. Earlier this week, Jón Þór criticised the airline’s CEO for inviting pilots to a meeting on pay issues without union involvement, arguing that negotiations should take place through the unions rather than directly with employees.
Source: RUV