Adria Airways' management and the airline's pilots have reached a deal over the latter's strike demands, averting additional industrial action which had been announced for next week, as well as May and June. The content of the agreement was not disclosed. It comes after almost all of Adria's 113 pilots staged a strike on March 22 and 23, causing the airline to arrange short-term wet-leases of aircraft and crew and disrupting a number of flights. Further industrial action was to take place from next Wednesday, starting at 05.30 CEST, until Friday at 23.59, as well as between May 3 and May 5, and June 6 to June 8. The strike would have come in the lead-up to the Easter holidays and the aftermath of the May Day holiday period.
Adria's pilots went on strike after their collective bargaining agreements expired at the end of February. They requested for the agreement to be reinstated under the same terms and conditions and accused the management of plans to scale back a range of rights and obligations. It is believed a pay cut of up 35% was proposed by the airline's management. Adria has cut wages for its pilots, which are some 8.000 euros gross per month (4.000 euros for co-pilots), on several occasions, the last time being in 2011. The system of overtime calculation for pilots was also changed at the time, switching from being based on one months working time to being averaged out over four months working time.
The industrial dispute with its pilots was the first to take place since Adria was taken over by Germany's 4K Invest early last year with a mandate to turn the company around. The management has remained silent on the recent protests and has not commented on the losses Adria incurred as a result of the recent strike. Last week, the collective agreements of the airline's cabin crew also expired and negotiations are now set to take place over a new deal. The last time the collective agreement was negotiated, cabin crew also threatened to go on strike, which was averted just days before it was scheduled to take place.
Is 8,000 EUR a lot for pilots for a company of Adria's size? Doesn't seem too much especially if it is a gross wage. Anyone know how much they earn over at OU and JU?
ReplyDeleteI think JU pilots earn around €5.000 per month, that's what they used to get in Jat.
DeleteBut you stil get the money back for your travel from home to the working place, few Eu x working day for food, all extra hours and bonuses all not included in the taxable salary net. So I still guess salary is good ... Not many moving abroad for job .
DeleteActually, almost all the "bonuses" are included in the net salary in Slovenia.
DeleteTrue about not moving abroad, but remember that Adria used to hire people by surname, not by ability, so not everybody can go to Emirates, etc.
@AnonymousApril 9, 2017 at 10:06 PM:
DeleteIs it possible that you didn't make the cut and are now upset at those who did? Sure, not all of Adria's pilots are Top Gun, but their abilities aren't in correlation with their surname.
Funny, in the time of continuing economical crisis in Slovenia where lots of people are without a job or they work for 700 eur netto, these guys want even more money. This is really crazy.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you talking about? Slovenia has been in best shape after 2008 for some time now.
DeletePilots are paid well no matter where you go
DeleteThey usually earn more than a bit over the average salary in a given country
The irresponsible thing however is staging a strike in a company that is trying to get on its feet
@9:06 Have you even read the article. Who said they were asking for more money?
Delete@9:09 Adria has been "getting back on its feet" for more than 5 years.
Delete@ anon 9:09.
DeletePilots pays and conditions around the world have been in a downward spiral for some time now. I would guesstimate that only 10 or maybe 15% of pilots around the world are payed a comfortable wage. In the USA it's very common for first officers to be getting only $20,000 per year and here in Australia many pilots are payed well below the average wage. And than if you are lucky enough to get a job with Jetstar or Virgin, you have to pay them $33,000 to work for them. This after paying at least $100,000 for your licences and ratings and working below the legal award for years while building up your licence.
This is a major issue with the aviation industry and is already leading to a major pilot shortage causing many airlines to hire inexperienced pilots.
* building up your hours.
DeleteFirst of all, you can get a commercial pilot licence in Europe for less than 50k EUR.
DeleteSecond, all of Adria's pilots have European passports and EASA licence, allowing them to fly any aircraft registered in EU for any EU-based airline. On top of that, they can go to many other airlines around the world in Middle East and Asia.
But then they would have to adapt to the reality of flying in the real world for a private-owned airline, such as that your salary is directly connected to the financial performance of the company.
50K is for a basic commercial pilot licence quoted on minimum required flight hours which a very small amount of people actually achieve. More realistically you will fly on average an extra 50 hours on top of that quoted to cover the entire syllabus. Than there's an extra 50 hours in a multi engine to get your IFR and another 10K minimum for your ATPL subjects.
DeleteMaybe this is also a small reason for little extra more pay that bus drivers http://aerotoxic.org/about-aerotoxic-syndrome/
DeleteIt's still a very responsible job, so it should be well payed. Handling with people's lives isn't cheap. If one does it's job well, one should be paid well. That's only my personal opinion tho.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWhat kind of economic crisis you are talking about???
DeleteBus driver is also a very responsible job and i dont see them earning 8000 Euros a month
DeleteBus driver doesn't pay over $100,000 for his licence.
DeleteThank you Q400! How can you compare bus driver to an airline pilot??? Do you even know what kind of training and experience they go through just to get to an airline job! Stop watching Holiwood :)
DeleteI didn't compare, the anonymous above compared.
DeleteJAA and Australian ATPL with a few thousand hours here mate and a former grade 1 Australian instructor so I think I know what I'm talking about!
oh, ok then, heres another comparison:
Deleteit takes you at least 12 years to become a surgeon and its sure costs more than 100 000 euros, and yet surgeons in Slovenia do not earn 8000 euros a month- and that is also a responsible job
I rest my case
Working as engineer /security wise/ at the nuclear power plant e.g. Krsko is a very responsible job more than any surgeon or pilot...
DeleteThey (surgeons) do earn 8000 (gross wage) cc 4500 (after "tax") per month or even more. There is a list of salaries in our public sector and the top 20 of them are doctors and then comes the president of the country and prime minister. And then loads of doctors again and then law officers, ministers etc...
DeleteBut I am not saying this is wrong.
But the government pays for 12 years of studying to become a surgeon, while pilots have to pay 100k € by them self.
Again I am not saying that we should have to pay for schools, just when you are comparing, you are forgetting to mention some facts.
http://m.slovenskenovice.si/novice/slovenija/so-najvecji-zasluzkarji-v-javnem-sektorju-preseneceni
DeleteI rest my case ;)
And I stand corrected, presidents gross wage is 4500.
Deletehttp://www.pportal.gov.si/
O'Leary: pilots are glorified taxi drivers:
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgUldGXfRSg
And soon O'Leary will not have enough taxi drivers to call on.
Deletethe last time I checked Ryanair was doing just fine
DeletePoint I was making is that soon all airlines will be struggling to keep their planes in the air due to the impending pilot shortage. Attitudes like this (and O'Leary is not alone here) is one of the main reasons for this. Its not all about money but pilot flight and duty times are now done by computer programs which ensure maximum benefit to the company and minimum aloud rest for pilots and crew. Pilot fatigue is a major issue which airline management wont acknowledge.
DeleteO'Leary pays his captains approx. 9500 eur (gross), however different bases have different contracts (in Poland, the salary is lower). People get your facts straight.
DeleteQ400, in my reply at 12:40 I didn't direct my comment to you but to the guy who was comparing bus drivers and pilots. Sorry for misunderstanding but I'm 110% on your side. General public is clueless when it comes to aviation so I can understand the negative comments to Adria pilots.
DeleteAs for the comment someone made about surgeons, unfortunately in normal nations that job pays quite well, like in Canada or USA. So I'm very sorry that doctors are not paid properly in the Balkans but for that people should not judge pilots but their own politicians.
@AnonymousApril 9, 2017 at 12:06 PM: Really? Does it take 100k eur to become a surgeon? Or better yet, do our surgeons have to pay for their training?! Well, guess what, pilots do have to pay the training themselves. So cut the crap. Their salaries are totally justifiable.
Delete@AnonymousApril 9, 2017 at 1:25 PM:
Deletewell, check again. FR was always in need of pilots, especially since everyone leaves as soon as they get what they came for.
Ungrateful fxxxxxx ... they always hold the rest of the company hostage because of their selfish demands ....
DeleteWhen was the last time they went on strike in support of their colleagues on the ground ?
@AnonymousApril 9, 2017 at 8:03 PM:
DeleteWhen was the last time colleagues on the ground went on strike in support of their pilot friends? What's your point?!
Hopefully the management learned something out of this mess and will not have the same issues when they start negotiating collective agreements for crew.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't get is that Adria went through several years of restructuring. How has this been successful if they are still operating with a loss and are still employing cost cutting measures?
ReplyDeleteTheir restructuring was based on the government giving them a whole lot of money after which they were investigated by the EU.
DeleteWhat was their financial result for 2016?
ReplyDeleteIt is not released yet but apparently -2 million euros. It's better than the year before but it's still a loss.
DeleteLast year they published their results for 2015 in September!
DeleteIt's really sad that we constantly keep on hearing negative things about Adria. I really wonder if there might come a day when this becomes a thing of the past. I doubt it but you never know.
ReplyDeleteProbably when also Adria will become a part of the past. And the time is not that far away...
DeletePrekovise demokracije pa im se moze
ReplyDeleteOT: Flydubai launces 12 weekly flights beetween Dubai and Sarajevo from 23 june!
ReplyDeleteYou mean increases?
DeleteYes
DeleteI counted them, 13...twice daily except on Mondays. Amazinnnng!!!!
DeleteCan SJJ handle Boeing 777?
DeleteYes and its time for Emirates in SJJ
DeleteYes, but not enough for year ronund Emirates. During the winter season Fly Dubai conect DXB and SJJ only 3 times per week.
DeleteRunway is 2.700 meters. 777-300 needs 3.230. So Emirates can not lend in Sarajevo.
DeleteGlad that the strike was averted. Would have been an absolute financial disaster for Adria if they were unable to get people to their destinations a day before Good Friday and get people home after May 1 holidays. It's one of the busier periods of the year.
ReplyDelete35% pay cut is just crazy. No wonder they went on strike
ReplyDeleteI really hope Adria rebounds. I'm giving the new owners until the end of the year until we can really judge whether they are serious.
ReplyDeletePilot is a job with LOTS of demand - one of the most stressful and difficult in the world.
ReplyDelete@Admin:
ReplyDeleteimmediately remove false co-pilot salary information. It is closer to 3800 eur GROSS!
Hahahhaa
DeleteSo even less than stated?
DeleteUsing the above mentioned calculator this gives a co-pilot only 2239 EUR net, so the number one gets on personal bank account. Not much, not much, especially as I know one has to be a CRJ co-pilot for more than 10-12 years according to friend's words as there is no expansion and captains retiring at 65 years instead of former 56...
@Anonymous April 9, 2017 at 2:50 PM: That is correct. Not sure what the first hahah is supposed to mean?
Delete@Admin:
Deletejunior captains earn in the region of 6500 eur (gross), whereas the most senior pilots earn, as you quoted, 8000 eur (gross).
Everyone in the JP company has to get used that the company does not belong to the state anymore.
ReplyDeleteSo what do you suggest? Let me guess, co-pilots should earn in the region of 1000 eur and captains 1500 eur? Would you be satisfied with that? Let me remind you, those pilots are paying your child's kindergarten, your health insurance (soon to be), etc.
DeleteBefore let's say a year ago, actually it was the taxpayers who were paying pilots salaries, so I wouldn't go near that subject.
DeleteCount all the millions that government has thrown into the Adria black hole and calculate how many years of salaries is that.
Before, let's say a year ago, it was the pilots who were paying for your child's kindergarten, elementary school and soon to be your healthcare. Oh wait, they still are. So what's your point?!
DeleteIs it true that the JP management is considering taking SJJ100s and completely changing the fleet? These are the rumours I have been hearing.
ReplyDeleteThat is correct. There are rumours of fleet renewal/change in order to insure commonality. Will see if it materialises.
DeleteReally, Sukhoi? Wouldn't be cheaper and easier to go full Bombardier?
DeleteThat is one of the options as well (all CRJ fleet).
DeleteThe pilots union will never allow the removal of the Airbus from the fleet. Like JP will never have any turboprop aircraft.
DeleteAsking a novice; could you maybe explain why is that a case, last anon?
Delete@AnonymousApril 9, 2017 at 10:12 PM:
DeleteBulls***. The owners will do whatever they want. Nobody is going on strike because of the aircraft type.
I don't undetstand why so many people love to hate Adria pilots on here. Pilots get paid above the national avarage in pretty much every single country in the world.
ReplyDeleteAh, don't worry. It's typical Slovenian jealousy.
DeleteOT - JU500 BEG JFK yesterday, booked solid!
ReplyDelete197 economy
Delete(And now someone gonna say) Of course it was solid, it's because of Easter holidays! (or) And you are talking again about Belgrade and Air Serbia, article has nothing to do with it! (haha, irony, of course) But anyway, that's the great load!
DeleteWhen are they going back to 5 flights per week?
DeleteUntil 27th May = 3pw
DeleteFrom 27th May to 19th June = 4 pw
From 19th June to 23th September = 5pw
From 23th September to 21th October = 4pw
From 21 th October= 3 pw during the W17/18
Let's hope the bookings increase enough for the next winter to be 4x week.
DeleteSo it is just 3 months of full capacity + 2 months with 4 flights pw.
Delete7 months or more than half of year it is just 3 flights pw. That is really bad utilization of the A330.
OT:When booking on KLM site, ASL charges (or its just way KLM does all bookings?) for checked in baggage, 50 euros both ways so is it something new or just thing KLMs site does
ReplyDeleteUpdate:Looks like thats up to KLM, on ASL site price is 350e with free baggage in hold while on KLMs site 400e, so take note when booking...
Deletewhy would you book directly from the airline site. I usually find cheaper tickets on booking websites
DeleteKL sells seats on JU flights under their own flight number and their baggage policy applies. It works exactly the same when you use OTAs, so beware.
DeleteOT: waiting on my LX flight INI-ZRH, today with A320, the flight is more than half empty. While waiting in the restaurant, only aviokrilo wifi working, restaurant full with people, annoying announcement every 10min for FR and LX flights, the a/c not even landed
ReplyDeleteMislim da je A320 baš velik za ovu liniju, ne znam koliko ljudi je u dolasku ali Bombardier je sasvim ok za INI
DeleteИз тог разлога Бомбардијер је савршен за ову линију. Да је он данас летео био би пун.
DeleteHow much on the way there?
Delete77 INI-ZRH, next friday and sunday ZRH-INI are full
DeleteSo as I can see the general thinking in the world is this : if he makes more money than me i can comment and think that it isnt fair..even if that guy is a pilot or a surgeon..well here is the problem dude-you had the same starting point as pilots and surgeons, so why arent you a pilot? It is because you cannot be it, because you are bot up to the task, you cannot pass through initial medical tests, you cant stay up all night studying on a saturday when all your friends are on a birthday party, you cant be in a stressful situation with bad weather, aircraft icing and turbulence and stay calm..I think it is some jealousy in work here..how dare you question a pilots pay??!
ReplyDelete+1000
DeleteDon't worry, jealousy is typical for Slovenians.
Delete