LATEST: Flysafair maintains flight operations despite pilot walkout

Despite an ongoing pilot strike, Flysafair confirmed on Wednesday morning that all flights scheduled are operating as planned.

In a statement, the airline said it continues to operate a reduced but stable schedule, which was proactively implemented last week.

Union Solidarity declared a two-week strike by disgruntled pilots. 

"The improvement in their quality of life is the main issue for pilots when the mediation process between Solidarity and FlySafair’s management takes place," said Solidarity spokesperson Helgard Cronjé. 

He said while the pilots are also seeking a reasonable salary increase – including to restore their compensation to pre-COVID-19 levels – improved working conditions are particularly important.

The union said a new rostering system, recently implemented unilaterally by FlySafair, has drastically changed the established working conditions of pilots, which have been in place for the past decade.

"This new schedule impedes adequate rest periods and undermines pilots’ family life.

"As pilots’ workdays often start before sunrise and last until late at night, sufficient rest is of utmost importance for the safety and well-being of pilots and passengers alike. In addition, pilots work seven days a week on a rotating schedule, which significantly impacts their family life compared to those who work standard office hours."

They are expected to head to the CCMA today. 

Flysafair said customers affected by any time changes were notified well in advance via SMS and email using the contact details provided at the time of booking.

The airline said on Tuesday that 95.2% of its reduced schedule was on time.

"The majority of FlySafair’s Pilots are actively at work demonstrating their continued commitment to maintaining the airline’s world-class standards."

Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair, said: “Our focus remains on supporting our customers and restoring full operations as quickly as possible. We are immensely grateful to our teams across the business who are going above and beyond to keep our operations running smoothly under challenging circumstances."

He added that the airline remains committed to resolving this matter constructively and will continue its engagement with Solidarity through the mediation process led by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Wednesday.

IOL News