Pensioner pilots feel ‘shafted’
A group of senior Air NZ pilots who failed training are weighing up legal action. TONY WALL reports.
SEVERAL former Air NZ pilots are considering suing the company under human rights legislation as they believe they were ‘‘culled’’ because of their age.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation ruled in late 2014 that pilots 65 and over could not serve on international flights, forcing more than a dozen Air NZ pilots to give up their jobs co-piloting Boeing 777s on long haul routes.
They took up an offer from Air New Zealand to retrain on the domestic fleet of Airbus A320s. New Zealand and Australia have no mandatory retirement age.
But 10 out of 12 of the pilots failed the training and had to retire.
One of those affected said the training had been reduced and there were no extensions for those who were struggling with the workings of the Airbus.
‘‘I was told by Air NZ that we would get a standard course. We got 10 simulator duties, whereas the course before us got 15.
‘‘They refused to give me any further training.’’
Air NZ and the Civil Aviation Authority refused to provide figures on overall pass rates.
The national carrier has 1430 pilots, about 14 of whom are over 65.
The airline did not respond to the allegations of discrimination. David Morgan, chief of flight operations and safety, said: ’’Our A320 pilot training programme is world class, rigorous in its detail and approved by the CAA.’’
It’s not the first time Air NZ has found itself accused of ageism. In 2009, the Supreme Court upheld the appeal of pilot David McAlister, who claimed the airline had discriminated against him by saying at 60 he was too old to be a pilot-in-command.
In 2011, it was reported that eight pilots were suing the airline for millions, claiming they retired or were demoted between 2003 and 2006 without being told that international rules would have allowed them to continue until 65. Morgan said the safety and security of passengers was paramount ‘‘and we make no apology for maintaining high standards in our pilot training programme’’.
But a complaint sent to the CAA last year said the training course footprint had been reduced by about 30 per cent and pilots were being released to fly passengers without a full technical understanding of the A320’s operation.
The CAA dismissed the complaint, finding ’’no valid safety concerns’’.