Aigle Azur: Pilots complain and threaten to go on strike this summer

The pilots of Aigle Azur are angry.

They denounce the end of company negotiations, canceled in March under the pretext that they are not allowed to conduct the long-haul flights that Aigle Azur had planned to launch between Paris and Beijing in June 2014, before moving them to the first quarter of 2015.

"It's an excuse to degrade our working conditions. All was needed was to sign a simple amendment to the agreements to allow these future flights," says Philippe Benban, chairman of the board of Aigle Azur SNPL.

He deems that the conditions of the new agreement do not favor the pilots.

Indeed, they now fly about 640 hours per year for a salary of 10,000 euros on average.

The company would like them to fly 800 hours, for the same pay. It also plans to limit the rest times.

For example, for an 8 hour flight, pilots will be able to rest 12 hours instead of the 26 hours granted previously.

"We are not against greater flexibility and increased productivity, but it should not be at the expense of our health and therefore the safety of passengers," says Philippe Benban.

He does not think that the new Chinese shareholders are responsible for these changes.

Because his Asian colleagues receive higher wages, 14,000 and 22,000 euros for 800 flight hours.

The Aigle Azur pilots have voted 75% to raise social peace, giving management 26 days to finish the negotiations.

If an agreement isn’t reached at the end of this period, the union could start a strike or walkouts to defend “the very reasonable social and wage achievements that are already much lower than the competition.”

Editor's note - Despite several emails and telephone attempts by TourMag’s Editors, the management of the company refused to give its version of the events.