Brussels Airlines : pilots strike looming

[Air Key West]

the only thing I do know: if this will be the "new (old) trend" at SN, LH will withdraw faster than some might imagine … if it is a one-off event, ok, that might still be accepted, but anything more will be the end for the LH "partnership" with SN, LH does not need SN at all, I am not so sure if this can be said the other way round as well ...

Sorry, but you seem to have forgotten that no so long ago LH crew went on strike, too. Are they entitled to strike and b.air crew not ?

That being clarified, I'm increasingly convinced that Peter Kranich's departure from b.air is probably a sign of what is to follow (LH not taking over b.air 100 %, but putting its current stake up for sale; perhaps we can hope that Etihad does with b.air what it is doing with Air Serbia and Darwin). Off topic, I admit, but : I was happy with the LH project. Now, I'm not so sure anymore that LH will be the right partner).

strike should really be the "weapon" of last resort.

In this case, to me, from what I read, it really is "last resort".

If you're not happy at your current place you go and look for greener pastures, instead of screwing everybody else over. That's what I would if I'm honest with myself.

You seem to forget that not only employees have obligations. Employers, just like employees, have the obligation to comply with the contracts or agreements they sign.

I do hope tomorrow there will be no cancellations ,especially not on the Budapest flights as at least 5-6 of my colleagues will be heading for Hungary (and I recommended to take more expensive SN instead of the LCC's. SN: please,please don't put me in a difficult situation tomorrow at the office and make sure BUD-flights are flying as scheduled!)Thanks (P.S. same is valid for the day after

Sorry, I don't want to be rude, but that is a very selfish reaction. I don't know what the other option was for you : a dictator's and blackmailer's airline or any other airline : the flight could have had a technical problem and cancelled. Whatever one decides, one never has a 100 % certainty that there will be no problem (valid for all sectors of activity).

I honestly feel sorry for everybody : pilots and pax alike. I'm tempted to paraphrase sean 1982 , but to some extend, yes, go and look for a job elsewhere, elsewhere for me is outside of Europe. In many sectors of activity (including especially aviation) there is no bright future in Europe (and I am myself considering - I say "considering" - leaving for another part of the world ; only, in my profession it is less obvious than in aviation where the future is).

To conclude : from what I hear and read, I can sympathize with b.air's pilots facing useless management and investors (Board of Directors).

[RoMax]

That being clarified, I'm increasingly convinced that Peter Kranich's departure from b.air is probably a sign of what is to follow (LH not taking over b.air 100 %, but putting its current stake up for sale; perhaps we can hope that Etihad does with b.air what it is doing with Air Serbia and Darwin). Off topic, I admit, but : I was happy with the LH project. Now, I'm not so sure anymore that LH will be the right partner).

Kranich was never intended to stay. He came to coordinate certain changes within SN until SN is able to do it themself. LH is simply taking the cautious approach and pushing SN's management. They do this to get SN's financials on order BEFORE they take them over. That's the difference with bmi and Austrian. Bmi without succes, Austrian with succes, but they did most of the work after the take over, having a much more significant impact on LH's balance sheet. Now they try to push SN to turn them around without full support of LH's financials, having only a minority stake in their books has much less influence on LH. After all, LH is a commercial company that has to keep their shareholders happy and shareholders don't want too many risky investments following eachother.
LH continiously repeated over the year that they continue to integrate LX, OS and SN. Everytime they talk about the LH Group airlines and hubs they talk about Brussels Airlines and Brussels Airport. You don't do that in public when you have so much doubts about the future of that airline and multi-hub group.

[Air Key West]

You don't do that in public when you have so much doubts about the future of that airline and multi-hub group.

Yes and no. In today's business climate, you may say one thing one day for competition or other reasons and make a completely different decision later on, saying that "things have changed" or "we have opted for another strategy" because of this or that etc... As long as a deal is not fully sealed, it is not a done deal. Employers do not fully apply contracts signed with employees (see b.air's possible pilots strike), business partners do not stick to their commitments. The world has, unfortunately, changed. Nothing is certain anymore. Believing the contrary is living in the past or in dreams. But, ok,I also dream occasionally

[Passenger]

strike should really be the "weapon" of last resort.

In this case, to me, from what I read, it really is "last resort".

We'll soon know if this strike is "last resort" indeed: if Lufthansa and the other shareholders don't dismiss the "arrogant Brussels Airlines management" (union complaint) and replace them by "decent guys", let's say at the latest by Monday evening, we know that this strike was not "last resort".

[RoMax]

Yes and no. In today's business climate, you may say one thing one day for competition or other reasons and make a completely different decision later on, saying that "things have changed" or "we have opted for another strategy" because of this or that etc... As long as a deal is not fully sealed, it is not a done deal. Employers do not fully apply contracts signed with employees (see b.air's possible pilots strike), business partners do not stick to their commitments. The world has, unfortunately, changed. Nothing is certain anymore. Believing the contrary is living in the past or in dreams. But, ok,I also dream occasionally

All very true, but for the moment there is no sign to believe LH is pulling back from SN (or will soon do that).
And it's not like LH is not used to the fact that staff wants to act against savings of the management. About SN's "incompetent" management, this management has been refreshed under LH's supervision, so you can be assured there is no reason for them to doubt SN's management at the moment because reallity is that SN's finances are improving (improving finances and improving economic situation resulted in the decision to return the pilots to full time operations again as from 2014 instead of 2015) and for example the European network has been succesfully turned around (though that's not complete yet). And don't forget it's LH pushing SN to save on staff costs.

[FlightMate]

Funny to see how SN management's strategy now is the same as their strategy 8 years ago: do anything to make the company presentable.

Years ago, they were doing all they could to show increasing profits in their accounting, by keeping some profits as reserve for next year,... while the operating profit was in decline. Only to sell the company.

I think they resort to the same technique now. Paying pilots less for 2 years while making them work more.
Just so they can maybe return to profitability next year, and hopefully get sold to LH.
But it is not sustainable. LH has got to understand. These are not systemic changes. Just temporary.

[RoMax]

I think they resort to the same technique now. Paying pilots less for 2 years while making them work more.
Just so they can maybe return to profitability next year, and hopefully get sold to LH.
But it is not sustainable. LH has got to understand. These are not systemic changes. Just temporary.

The difference is that LH is able to have a much better look at what SN is doing, contrary to the period when SN was just on its own still trying to find a partner. LH will never accept only temporary changes. Of course some of the measures in Beyond 2012-2013 (or currently simply 'Beyond') will not last, but the plan was made together with LH and they agreed on it before giving that 100 million loan late last year, so you can be sure they support that project and know exactly what SN is doing.
There is no sense in fooling LH. First of all, LH has experience in taking over airlines and knows better than that, secondly if SN comes up with things after a full take over, be assured LH will take the needed action and SN will not come out of it as the winning party. So by acting like that they do not only fool LH, in the end they fool no one else but their own jobs and their own company.

By the way, the savings on the pilots are for a large part temporary measures, having only temporary a positive effect on SN's finances (though some times are/will be structural, something the pilots are probably not happy about), but Beyond is much more than that. Temporary actions are needed to buy time for the structural changes, which don't have an immediate effect on the financial results.

[sean1982]

Every ab-initio would do anything for a job, I was no different. But after several years you look at all in a different manner. If you know a pilot of Bru Air in person, ask him/her what we have lost over the last years... Mijn vod is uitgewrongen nu. I am not pro-strike, but our MGMT needs a wake-up call, we need to be treated with respect, something far gone the last years...

The only one who needs a wake-up call are the pilots it seems. I have had the "pleasure" to witness a few companies up close over the last few years , both personally and trough my partner who is a pilot. I've got news for you, there is no such thing as respect in european aviation! You've got the best deal in Belgium, be happy about it and dont screw over your customers and colleagues! For every Pocahontas working there are 50 ab-initio's waiting in line. Seniority has no value at all with a lot of companies, in fact if it has it's probably negative. Be happy that you have what you have in Belgium with a management that is trying very hard to secure your future. Striking now, for those reasons is pure disloyalty. What they ask from the pilots is just todays reality in europe. If you want respect and a golden throne, Asia is the place to be (for now at least)

[Pocahontas]

@Sean1982 You seem to know everything about our working conditions. But how much do you know really?

[b.lufthansa]

Brussels Airlines:

Due to the wildcat strike of a number of our pilots, we are unfortunately unable to operate all of our flights today.

Strange to call it a wildcat strike, how many strike warnings have been issued this year ?

Damage control, damage control !!!!

[sean1982]

@Sean1982 You seem to know everything about our working conditions. But how much do you know really?

I know for a fact you have the best deal in Belgium. Can I tempt you with a shiney B788 job at JAF? No? Didnt think so. You can be sure that FRA is listening, be smart and dont screw over your colleagues who DO want to work.

[sean1982]

Brussels Airlines:

Due to the wildcat strike of a number of our pilots, we are unfortunately unable to operate all of our flights today.

Strange to call it a wildcat strike, how many strike warnings have been issued this year ?

Damage control, damage control !!!!

It is wildcat because there needs to be 7 days between the announcement and the actual strike, so the airline can take preventive measures. Your Union rep forgot to tell you that? No surprise.

[FlightMate]

Sean, what's better? 80% of the pilots who strike one morning, or 80% of the pilots who resign with 3 months notice?
Because, basically, that's what you suggest. Not happy then leave?

People striking means they still somewhat care for their job (or at least to other things tying them to their job). If they didn't care anymore, they would just fly somewhere else.

And you cannot complain about the pilots over 58 going on strike. SN wants to fire them. What better choice have they got?

As a passenger, ask yourself. Would you rather fly with a 59-old pilot with 20.000h or a 19yo one with 200h (or soon 100h and the rest in the simulator)?

7 years ago, SN forced their pilots to retire at 55. One year later, they had to find contract pilots to fly their planes.
Yes, there is no shortage of young pilots. But the insurance companies require experience in the flight deck.

11 years ago, SN was able to select the best candidates for the job. 6 years ago, they were taking anybody with a license. What I want to say is that I understand SN wants to get rid of the expensive pilots. But a lowering in experience level might cause an accident someday, and that will cost a lot to the company, if not its entire existence.

[Passenger]

People striking means they still somewhat care for their job (or at least to other things tying them to their job). If they didn't care anymore, they would just fly somewhere else.

Those who really care for their job don't scr** up the passengers. Because that is the only thing that is certain with today's strike: people not involved in the labour dispute are the victims.

[sean1982]

Flightmate I sure as hell know what you are talking about but this is the reality (with a few exceptions) in Europe at the moment. And Pilots at SN are going to have to face reality or as I said move on over to Asia if they want their company to stay competitive in the cut throat environment that European aviation is at the moment. We are going through the roughest winter in years competition wise and SN pilots go on strike right now?? This is the worst signal anyone can send to their customers, management and shareholders.

SN is not firing those pilots by the way, they are retiring them. Not on "brugpensioen" but fully legal retirement.

And one more thing about experience. It's important, but do not think for one second that anyone will get the left seat if they haven't proven that they have the right skills and attitude to do so. On a personal note, having flown with many people in the last 11 years, I would prefer a 35 year old captain who is very well aware what his own strengths and weaknesses are then a 58 year old guy who thinks he's god's gift to aviation and nothing can happen to him (and they are usually Belgian unfortunately). Bu that is another discussion.

[FlightMate]

Come on. They'll get to their destination eventually, and probably today, even.
It's not worse than having your flight cancelled due to technical reason.
Maybe the pax should be asking why management played stupid, by stating all week-end long that no strike will take place (at least officially), while the press knew about it and people were asking question on facebook.

"bla bla bla, no official strike, blablabla, no major disruption"

[papysn]

Hi,

The main problem of bruair management towards pilots but also towards every other employee at bruair is simply respect.
They spend years to break up any cy spirit and to consider poeple like objects (if you.re not happy go away,we have 1000 waiting at the door),this is NOT a good management strategy for me,and it leads to the current situation.
Maybe some of you dont understand how far you should be in demotivation to put you cy and own futur at risk....

Regards.

K.

[sean1982]

I do understand, cause my employer is the same. I've yet to find the first FR strike though? Why? Because most of us realize it's not going to get much better if we want the company to do well and survive! REALITY!! Off course unions always fail to see that.

[papysn]

Ok sean,so i compleatly admit strike is not a good solution,but you should admit management has to change his way of doing...

Regards.

K.

[sean1982]

I'm afraid this is the way it is right now. I see it in FR, I've seen it in JAF, I've seen it in PTI .... The truth is that for all of us working there ARE 100 people standing behind the door ready do to your job cheaper. That's not going to change ... striking or not.