By Uche Mbah
The Management of Air Peace has explained why it sacked some Pilots and support staff. It attributed the decision to the devastating effect of COVID-19.
The airline had been the airline of choice in the airlifting of returnees from the diaspora, and the ferrying of important cargo connected with the COVID 19 Pandemic.
In a statement Monday in Lagos, the airline cited the greater good of the company and its almost three thousand work-force as reason, insisting they needed to downsize for optimum performance. It described the decision as painful but rightful.
“This decision was taken for the greater good of the company and its almost three thousand work-force, the affected pilots inclusive”, the statement said.
“The airline cannot afford to toe the path of being unable to continue to fulfill its financial obligations to its staff, external vendors, aviation agencies, maintenance organizations, insurance companies, banks and other creditors.
Hence, the decision to restructure its entire operations with a view to surviving the times.
“The pandemic has hit every airline worldwide, so badly that it has become very impossible for airlines to remain afloat without carrying out the internal restructuring of their costs.
“Anything short of what we have done may lead to the the collapse of an airline as could be seen in some places worldwide during this period.
“Therefore, we decided to review the salaries being paid to all staff. The new salaries reflect a 0-40 percent cut of the former salary depending on the salary grades of every staff.
“Even after the cuts, it was obvious that for us to be able to sustain our operations and survive the times, some jobs must inevitably have to go,” the statement said.
The management said that Air Peace had never, for one day, ever owed salaries to its workers in its almost six years of existence, pilots inclusive.
It said rather the management of Air Peace had always been known to be increasing the salaries of its employees periodically without being prompted by staff.
“In fact, in one fell swoop, Air Peace increased the salaries of pilots by over 100 percent in one day!
“Our salaries have always been paid even before the end of the month in the last five years.
“So, we love all our staff. This decision is inevitable under the circumstances we find ourselves.
“In order to protect the continuity of the majority of the existing jobs and the possibility of creating new ones in the future, the survival of the airline is of paramount importance”’ the statement concluded.
Recall that the Airline had earlier denied it was having problems with its Pilots when it was reported that the Pilots were threatening a strike action over a cut in their salaries and allowances.
They had said all was okay.
The Magazine gathered from different sources that it was the same Pilots that have relieved of their jobs.
