Expert available to discuss potential Air Transat pilot strike and its impact

Air Transat has begun to cancel flights amid the threat a pilot’s strike could begin on December 10. The impact to travellers during one of the busiest seasons of the year could be very disruptive according to Western University professor Geraint Harvey, an expert on labour relations in commercial aviation. Professor Harvey answered three critical questions surrounding the strike and is available to media for interviews.

What are the issues in the current labour negotiation?

Geraint Harvey: The last agreement was signed at a very different time in 2015. Since then, the world has changed significantly and aviation has changed dramatically. Most notably, Air Transat pilots are now represented by Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and so they are very much aware of the disparity in pilot pay for American pilots. Many have left the airline for better paid jobs and there is currently a pilot supply problem with an insufficient number of commercial airline pilots available. Adequate staffing levels for pilots is essential for airline operations and an inadequate number of pilots places strain on those in post.

How will a potential strike impact Canadian travellers?

GH: Any strike action is hugely disruptive. At this time of year, people will be flying to visit friends and relatives and of course passengers will be worried about their ability to be with loved ones. The airline has proposed a strategy to deal with the problem,

Can Air Transat risk a strike this time of year?

GH: If these strikes go ahead then the outcome will be bad for the airline that generates significant revenue at this time of year. The threat of strike action is also bad for an airline as prospective customers look elsewhere for their flights if they fear that their flight will be cancelled. The current dispute between shareholders and senior management will be exacerbated by the labour action.

This is a precarious time for airlines because of the political situation in the U.S., and tariffs in particular. The Air Transat fleet is Airbus (European) rather than Boeing (U.S.), but the airline manufacturing industry is global and costs will rise. This dispute is an additional problem that compounds a very difficult situation for airlines.

Harvey is professor of human resource management in the DAN department of management & organizational studies and is Dancap private equity chair of human organization at Western. Harvey’s research focuses on employment relationships and the changing nature of work, specifically how it relates to aviation industries. He is the author of the new book, Airline Pilots in the Age of AI.

MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zadorsky, Media Relations Officer, Western University, 226.377.1673 (mobile), jzadorsk@uwo.ca.