Airline compromises safety, service: crew

CABIN crew of Air Namibia petitioned the Ministry of Works on Friday, saying the company was forcing them to work long hours, thus compromising the safety of passengers for the sake of financial gain.

Crewmembers claimed they were working for up to 48 hours at a stretch – “which is equivalent to an alcohol-intoxicated person”. “As safety is our main concern, it is important to fight for the safety of our Namibian as well as European passengers,” Ellaine Muinjo, President of the Namibian Cabin Crew Union, said before handing over the petition to Works Deputy Minister Stephanus Mogotsi.Muinjo said crew do not get enough time for rest and this affects their performance.”There is no space for fatigue or mistakes.Should Air Namibia have one airline crash, then it is over for Air Namibia.As the frontline staff and the last ones to deal with Air Namibia’s passengers who pay our salaries, we cannot jeopardise their safety,” Muinjo said.The staff claim the company was exploiting them through cost-cutting measures.Some crewmembers have spent more time flying after the company reduced the number of crew per flight.That helps the company to cut on subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances paid to its staff.However, Air Namibia’s Ellison Hijarungu said yesterday that the crew roster was optimally planned and managed.”Duty hours are monitored and include flight hours, total duty hours, duty days, backup crew duties, non-flying duties and ad hoc office duties,” he said in a media statement.He said the airline’s crew schedule was well within the standards set by the Directorate of Civil Aviation in the Ministry of Works.But Muinjo said crew operating on overseas routes are on duty for at least 13 hours and rest “a few hours” before heading back in the opposite direction.”By operating [flying] back on the same day, crew will not be as efficient in their duties.Crew will not be attentive when it comes to an emergency,” she said.Hijarunguru said crew flying on intercontinental routes such as Windhoek to London get an average rest of three and half hours in a specially designed and isolated crew rest area.Once they reach their destination, he said, they are booked into upmarket hotels to rest for a minimum of 12 hours.He said upon returning home the same crewmembers get three to four days off before their next flights.”It remains a simple fact that no Air Namibia crew member has flown or operated and will operate for 48 hours before retiring for the mandatory rest at any given time,” Hijarunguru said.He said Air Namibia recently signed an agreement with the Namibian Cabin Crew Union and was “saddened” by the demonstration.”However, the management remains confident that the union will come to the table despite the current standoff,” he said.NCCU members said they approached the Ministry of Works after futile attempts to get the company to listen to their concerns.Works Deputy Minister Mogotsi called on the two parties to sit around a table and iron out their differences.Hijarunguru said Air Namibia would continue to operate robust, absolutely safe and efficient schedules with further plans to eradicate wastage.”As safety is our main concern, it is important to fight for the safety of our Namibian as well as European passengers,” Ellaine Muinjo, President of the Namibian Cabin Crew Union, said before handing over the petition to Works Deputy Minister Stephanus Mogotsi.Muinjo said crew do not get enough time for rest and this affects their performance.”There is no space for fatigue or mistakes.Should Air Namibia have one airline crash, then it is over for Air Namibia.As the frontline staff and the last ones to deal with Air Namibia’s passengers who pay our salaries, we cannot jeopardise their safety,” Muinjo said.The staff claim the company was exploiting them through cost-cutting measures.Some crewmembers have spent more time flying after the company reduced the number of crew per flight.That helps the company to cut on subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances paid to its staff.However, Air Namibia’s Ellison Hijarungu said yesterday that the crew roster was optimally planned and managed.”Duty hours are monitored and include flight hours, total duty hours, duty days, backup crew duties, non-flying duties and ad hoc office duties,” he said in a media statement.He said the airline’s crew schedule was well within the standards set by the Directorate of Civil Aviation in the Ministry of Works.But Muinjo said crew operating on overseas routes are on duty for at least 13 hours and rest “a few hours” before heading back in the opposite direction.”By operating [flying] back on the same day, crew will not be as efficient in their duties.Crew will not be attentive when it comes to an emergency,” she said.Hijarunguru said crew flying on intercontinental routes such as Windhoek to London get an average rest of three and half hours in a specially designed and isolated crew rest area.Once they reach their destination, he said, they are booked into upmarket hotels to rest for a minimum of 12 hours.He said upon returning home the same crewmembers get three to four days off before their next flights.”It remains a simple fact that no Air Namibia crew member has flown or operated and will operate for 48 hours before retiring for the mandatory rest at any given time,” Hijarunguru said.He said Air Namibia recently signed an agreement with the Namibian Cabin Crew Union and was “saddened” by the demonstration.”However, the management remains confident that the union will come to the table despite the current standoff,” he said.NCCU members said they approached the Ministry of Works after futile attempts to get the company to listen to their concerns.Works Deputy Minister Mogotsi called on the two parties to sit around a table and iron out their differences.Hijarunguru said Air Namibia would continue to operate robust, absolutely safe and efficient schedules with further plans to eradicate wastage.