Air France: turmoil between pilots and management
Posted by admin | Under economics, economy, features, special, top news Tuesday Oct 20, 2009Since the crash of flight AF 447, unease is evident among the drivers of the company that does not include the communication of their company and how has managed the replacement of pitot probe implicated in the crash of Flight Rio Paris.
Until last week, supervision of drivers, the so-called NTP managers (technical crews), had remained quiet on the subject and several of his leadership. But since Thursday afternoon, breaking seems consumed. Reportedly, a special meeting was held at the headquarters of the company among the 50 most senior executives of the company NTP and Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France-KLM and Rovetto Gilbert, executive vice president flight operations, that is to say, the head of security at Air France.This meeting was intended precisely to flight safety in the company and the lessons learned from the disaster of flight AF 447. In the opinion of those present, this type of meeting is very rare for Air France and dictated by circumstances and difficulties experienced by the company.
According to our information, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon announced the organization of regular breakfasts with drivers to be aware of their concerns and demands. The boss of Air France has also confirmed that all probes pitot Airbus A320 would be replaced.
"We did not ask the moon"
However, disappointment was palpable among NTP managers present at the meeting which lasted all afternoon. This is the first time that many of them give up their duty of confidentiality to complain that nothing has been done since the disaster of flight AF 447."We have not been listened to, this explains a part in the meeting. Our drivers expect significant changes, particularly in terms of training. "All managers now speak with one voice to demand a thorough reform of flight safety," said another frame this Thursday. The management kicked into touch. "
But executives NTP ask more. They have demanded such an audit of the company in terms of safety that is led by executives of KLM and Delta, two airlines combined, and that they can have access to all levels of information within Air France -KLM."Our pilots are among the best in the world and yet we have more accidents than our competitors," says one part NTP. "Contacted by Le Figaro, the management of Air France said his side" does not comment on internal meetings "but notes that" the purpose of this meeting was just to put everything on the table following the crash of flight AF 447. The meeting did not at all hectic.
Strengthening the security of flights at Air France is a recurring theme in the company since June and the accident of flight AF 447. The pilots union of Air France (SPAF) and Alter, another organization of pilots, have cleverly captured the subject. They call and be put in place a "permanent monitoring unit" that can have access to air safety reports (ASR), reports written by the pilots after the incident.In their view, such a cell might be more reactive during the first incidents of Pitot probes and encourage their replacement without waiting for the accident flight AF 447.
"We did not ask the moon, but management does not want to hear," Arnoux said Gerard, president of SPAF. The union, which was received with Alter on the subject last October 2, has been opposing an end of inadmissibility. Both unions have written Monday Gourgeon to alert again on the subject. "This is a final notice," says Gerard Arnoux. Afterwards, we will have to file a notice of strike. "So far, neither the date nor the duration of a possible social movement have been discussed.
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