Turkey tells airlines to consider firing expats first amid slump
Turkey has floated proposals that would require its airlines to ax foreign pilots and cabin crew before dismissing local workers as the coronavirus crisis shatters travel demand and destroys jobs. The Ankara-based Directorate General of Civil Aviation, or SHGM, has written to 10 operators including flag-carrier Turkish Airlines seeking their opinions on the plan. The localization drive comes as airlines worldwide cut tens of thousands of jobs amid a slump in flights that’s expected to last for years. Turkish carriers had previously recruited large numbers of expatriates amid a travel boom, with the proportion of overseas crew reaching 11%, the SHGM said in the letter. “If needed, the recruitment of foreign staff should be reduced and that of our citizens, and their income, should be protected,” the Hava-Sen labor group, which has 1,500 airline members, told the SHGM on May 29. Turkish Airlines didn’t respond to emailed questions, while Pegasus CEO Mehmet Nane played down the impact for his carrier, saying by phone that only around 100 of its 6,000 staff are from overseas. Turkish Airlines had already clashed with unions over proposals to halve pilot wages and cut salaries for other staff to help shore up its finances after the virus grounded global fleets. The carrier serves more countries than any other using the super-hub model developed by Mideast giant Emirates. <br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2020-08-24/star/turkey-tells-airlines-to-consider-firing-expats-first-amid-slump
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Turkey tells airlines to consider firing expats first amid slump
Turkey has floated proposals that would require its airlines to ax foreign pilots and cabin crew before dismissing local workers as the coronavirus crisis shatters travel demand and destroys jobs. The Ankara-based Directorate General of Civil Aviation, or SHGM, has written to 10 operators including flag-carrier Turkish Airlines seeking their opinions on the plan. The localization drive comes as airlines worldwide cut tens of thousands of jobs amid a slump in flights that’s expected to last for years. Turkish carriers had previously recruited large numbers of expatriates amid a travel boom, with the proportion of overseas crew reaching 11%, the SHGM said in the letter. “If needed, the recruitment of foreign staff should be reduced and that of our citizens, and their income, should be protected,” the Hava-Sen labor group, which has 1,500 airline members, told the SHGM on May 29. Turkish Airlines didn’t respond to emailed questions, while Pegasus CEO Mehmet Nane played down the impact for his carrier, saying by phone that only around 100 of its 6,000 staff are from overseas. Turkish Airlines had already clashed with unions over proposals to halve pilot wages and cut salaries for other staff to help shore up its finances after the virus grounded global fleets. The carrier serves more countries than any other using the super-hub model developed by Mideast giant Emirates. <br/>
