Local pilots to put jobs case to Dail Committee

Aer Lingus pilots living in Meath are to put their concerns about possible job cuts in the company to a special meeting of the joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport. The 50 pilots living in the county had contacted Meath East Fine Gael TD Shane McEntee last week to express fears that they could lose their jobs in cuts proposed by the company. Deputy McEntee has said up to 500 jobs were now "on the line". He said that this was "only the start" of job losses in the airline if current plans within the company became a reality. He claimed that management had given the pilots an ultimatum to agree to new cost-cutting measures or 100 pilots would lose their jobs. The pilots are to meet the Oireachtas committee tomorrow (Thursday). Deputy McEntee said the matter was one of national importance and he felt that the committee "needs to hear what I heard (from the pilots) on Tuesday last". He said that Aer Lingus management had often had the opportunity to speak before the Committee. However, he felt, in this case, it was important that both sides of the story be heard. "I am a member of the Transport Committee and I immediately contacted them and requested that the Aer Lingus pilots be heard. I am glad that the chairman of the Committee recognises the seriousness of these claims and is willing to afford a representative of the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA) a chance to make a presentation to the committee," he said. The TD went on: "The pilots claim that Aer Lingus are planning to decamp to the UK to take advantage of cheaper employment rates and have already begun to contract out some flights to non-Aer Lingus crews. This needs to be investigated and, if it is true, the minister needs to intervene."