IFALPA - Utdrag fra dagens nyheter

Singapore Airlines asks pilots to volunteer for unpaid leave Monday, 07 January 2013 18:30 Singapore Airlines has asked its captains to volunteer for unpaid leave amid a global economic slowdown that has dented long-haul travel demand, the airline said Saturday. [Read more] Singapore Airlines asks pilots to volunteer for unpaid leave Sunday, 06 January 2013 SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines has asked its captains to volunteer for unpaid leave amid a global economic slowdown that has dented long-haul travel demand, the airline said yesterday. The move came nearly a year after the company — considered a bellwether for the full-service airline industry — made a similar offer to its first officers. The airline has also frozen its intake of cadet pilots as part of a slew of cost-cutting measures. “Singapore Airlines (SIA) began offering voluntary no-pay leave to first officers in March last year and subsequently to captains who expressed interest,” company spokesman Nicholas Ionides said in a statement. SIA has “a temporary surplus of pilots and are managing it through this scheme, which is entirely voluntary”, Ionides said. He added that “the surplus of captains is limited and we regard it as temporary”. The global financial crisis had led to excess capacity and slower growth that anticipated, Ionides said. “This voluntary scheme will enable us to address the short-term surplus, while at the same time provide staff with the opportunity to take leave for personal reasons should they wish to do so,” he said. AFP

New Berlin airport delayed until at least 2014 Monday, 07 January 2013 18:28 The opening of Berlin's new airport will be delayed again to at least 2014, more than two years later than originally planned after a series of embarrassing setbacks to what was meant to be a flagship project, a source familiar with the plans said. [Read more] Estonian pilots call off 7 January strike Monday, 07 January 2013 18:26 Pilots at Estonian Air have agreed to call off a 7 January strike after laying down the foundations for a new collective agreement. [Read more] Dana Air resumes flights after crash Monday, 07 January 2013 18:25 Nigeria's Dana Air resumed flights on Friday, seven months after one of its planes crashed into a Lagos apartment block, killing 163 people in the country's worst airline disaster in two decades. [Read more] US Airways pilots board backs deal with AMR pilots Monday, 07 January 2013 18:20 The board of the union representing US Airways pilots has unanimously backed a key proposal made by American Airlines pilots, a move that helps advance a potential merger of the two carriers. [Read more]