Air Transport

Pilots at airlines like Ryanair with bases all over Europe are being offered a system for liaising with their company centrally - no matter in which state or jurisdiction they are domiciled - the European Cockpit Association (ECA) announced at its General Assembly late last week.

Known as the trans national airlines convention (TNAC), this is a tool that allows the ECA to deal with individual pilots’ employment issues by providing representation at the airline’s headquarters base and also expert local assistance, the Association explains.

ECA secretary general Philip von Schoppenthau observes that the first such arrangement - for EasyJet pilots - that was set up in June is proving to be helpful to pilot members, and that the TNAC structure can assist flightcrew whether their airline recognises a representative association or not.

ECA president Martin Chalk explains: “In the liberalised European Aviation Market, social laws are still lagging behind while airlines have the opportunity to stretch out across borders and employ and base pilots in several countries. We will not stand by and do nothing where ‘determined’ employers have the possibility to split the pilot voice and play pilot groups off against each other. All of us are committed to foster social rights and quality employment for pilots in Europe. This TNA Convention makes a strong contribution to that cause.”

FLIGHT IS HOSTING A CREW MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE IN BRUSSELS THIS MONTH CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS.