Air France: Pilots and management at the edge of divorce

Air France – KLM is a company in crisis. The crash of flight AF 447 had raised many issues internally but so far the pilot unions remained supportive of their leadership and particularly their new boss, Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, in place since the beginning of the year. Since one week break is consumed. "The picture is clear: we are experiencing a crisis management regarding flight safety," said Eric de Rivery, spokesman for the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL), the majority at Air France. This breach of trust creates conditions cause accidents. "

The gap began to widen in June when the company pilots had to fight for the replacement program pitot probe implicated in the accident flight Rio-Paris is accelerated.On October 15 a meeting between Pierre-Henri Gourgeon and overall supervision of drivers, including Le Figaro has revealed the content, increased the unease surrounding. The CEO of the company has created misunderstanding of its executives by refusing several proposals to strengthen security.

Last week, it is a management letter addressed to its pilots, and revealed by the Tribune, which finally set fire to the powder. It refocuses the drivers and warns of non-compliance with security procedures which have resulted in incidents. The mail goes to highlight "the surconfiance" drivers and "feel good about his plane at the point of granting deviations thinking coarse control risks." The company has recorded three incidents flight ops, that is to say in flight in two weeks including a go-around at 76 feet above the ground.These incidents are mentioned implicitly in the management letter. They have also all been an air safety report (ASR), that is to say a report by the pilots concerned. "Since the AF 447, there is great sensitivity about the subject, explains a part of the company NTP. But the incidents, it has all year. We remain as efficient as our competitors. "Pilots do not understand that incidents are" instrumented "by their management to question their competence and put in relation with the drama of flight AF 447.

The letter was immediately joined unions unanimously denounced for their part, the inertia of the leadership since the crash of flight AF 447.

"Go see the state"

Since June, two minority unions, the Union of Air France pilots (SPAF) and Alter, have cleverly captured the subject of flight safety.They include published early in a dissenting report on the accident flight AF 447 and threatened to strike if their demands for security were not answered. They call for establishing "a permanent monitoring unit" that can have access to air safety reports (ASR). 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.

Since the weekend, the two organizations protesters were joined by large stable association of the company: the SNPL. "It is normal that we have differences on social issues, said Eric de Rivery, spokesman of the union.But we must speak with one voice on flight safety. "The unions have decided to contact Jean-Cyril Spinetta, who became non-operational boss of the company earlier this year to allow commands to Pierre – Henri Gourgeon. "And if we are not heard, we pass over, said Eric de Rivery. We do not forbid to visit the state. "For the moment, Dominique Bussereau, Secretary of State for Transport said it was monitoring the situation" very carefully ". It is not officially issue a strike, but unions did not exclude, "to weigh".

ALSO READ:

"SPECIAL – The mysteries of flight AF447

"Towards new pay services at Air France

• Crash Rio-Paris: Air France indictment
• Air France: conflicts threaten three departures on holiday
• New suicide attempt at the Ministry of Finance
• BP urges advisers to avoid bankruptcy or a hostile takeover
• A cloud of 150 million euros per day for air