TAP pilots say canceling pay cuts ‘cheaper than compensating passengers’

The Union of Civil Aviation Pilots (SPAC) has stepped up its criticism of the TAP administration, which it blames for the “chaos that reigned in our days”, insisting on replacing the salaries of these workers and accusing the company of wasting millions.

“While all airlines in Europe and the US have already canceled all pay cuts for their pilots and are currently negotiating for raises as they have recognized that it is cheaper than paying passenger compensation and hiring foreign companies, TAP management remains firm on the contrary. . direction that devalues ​​the work of his pilots,” he says in an internal communiqué that Negosios had access to.

“A brilliant restructuring plan (of which no one knows), based on the blind layoff of workers and unprecedented wage cuts for the few who remained, led to an unimaginable situation for those who developed the plan: total chaos,” the report says. SPAC in the same note, where he wonders how the airline management “after laying off Airbus aircraft and TAP pilots, continues to believe that it is possible to carry the same number of passengers.”

“Easily. Fewer workers, with pay cuts, have to do extra work (also with cuts), eliminating a gigantic layoff shortage,” the union replies, lamenting that TAP management doesn’t understand “how its pilots see their wages cut in half.” they don’t want to work overtime as long as the wage cuts continue.”

The pilots also say the administration is “recourse to the argument that the plan doesn’t allow” pay increases, but points out that “the same plan allows Portuguese taxpayers to spend millions of euros hiring companies like Bulgaria Air, Eastern airways, Hifly or Euroatlantic. to operate TAP flights.”

“The plan also allows for the loss of more than €20 million accumulated by two Airbus A330s that were ‘converted’ into cargo aircraft but never flown as such” and “millions of euros in fair compensation to passengers who, through no fault of their own, were badly affected by the these acts of governance that go unpunished,” the internal communiqué added.

The union also says this is all happening “with the knowledge of the Department of Infrastructure”, which it said it hoped “would be the last bastion of intervention to change the way TAP’s leadership operates.”