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If you’re flying Tigerair this weekend, be prepared for flight delays and cancellations. The union representing Tigerair pilots has announced that protected industrial action will commence on Friday.
The Tigerair strike is scheduled to commence at 6am on Friday 4 May, and run until midnight on Sunday 6 May.
Thankfully, the Tigerair strike would not result in a complete shutdown of the airline. Rather, pilots would refuse to work outside of rostered hours over the 3-day strike period. Tigerair pilots would also refuse to operate an aircraft with allowable defects. Planes are normally still able to fly for a period with defects that are considered acceptable, as outlined in Minimum Equipment Lists (MELs). Planes often fly with small technical faults that do not threaten the safety of the flight, so this could cause serious disruptions.
Negotiations for Tigerair pilot pay and conditions have been ongoing for more than 12 months. Simon Lutton, of the Australian Federation of Air Pilots, said “Tigerair pilots fly the same aircraft as their counterparts at Jetstar, Virgin and Qantas, however this is not reflected in their employment conditions. The current agreement is well below industry standards, both in terms of pay and work-life balance. Tigerair pilots are simply looking for a fair deal.”
If you’re flying with Tigerair this weekend, keep an eye on your flight status and be prepared for some delays. The airline will be working with its owner, Virgin Australia, to minimise the disruptions. This could include placing Tigerair passengers on Virgin flights.
The strike could be called off if an agreement between the airline and unions is reached today.
You can keep up with Tigerair delays and cancellations on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Tigerair Australia Delays/Cancellations
