Wednesday, January 28, 2009

United pilots unhappy with JV

CNBC's Jane Wells reports that pilots in United Airlines are unhappy about the Aer Lingus / United joint venture announced last week. The pilots have described the arrangment as 'outsourcing'. In a letter sent last week, Captain Steve Wallach who represents pilots at the Air Line Pilots Association said that 
"The day after reporting one of it's worst quarterly financial results in history and furloughing an additional 254 piltos (bringing the total to 606 pilots), United Airlines announced today that it has entered into what it calls an 'innovative' partnership with Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus has advised the Irish press that this joint venture will operate an Aer Lingus aircraft with neither United nor Aer Lingus employees..."
It should be noted that the Aer Lingus press release does not imply that the aircraft will be crewed by other than Aer Lingus nor has any mention been made in any of the Irish press to this effect. 

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