Singapore just gave walking papers to 76 guys! A good reminder of the other side of the contract pilot coin

SIA to let 76 pilots go

AsiaOne
Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013

SINGAPORE - Citing an oversupply of pilots and slow growth, Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be letting 76 pilots go before the expiry of their fixed-term contracts by June 30 this year.

SIA said in a statement today that pilots had previously been let go only when their contracts expired.

The Airline added that it will provide assistance to help the released pilots pursue employment opportunities within the SIA Group and with other airlines.

Previously implemented measures to address the surplus of pilots include voluntary no-pay leave and the suspension of the cadet pilot recruitment program.

More details are available in the press release below:

SIA to release pilots on fixed-term contracts

Singapore Airlines has taken the difficult decision to advance the planned release of 76 pilots who are employed on fixed-term contracts. The Airline had previously been releasing pilots only upon expiry of their contracts.

The pilots are expected to be released by June 30, 2013. The Airline will assist them to pursue employment opportunities within the SIA Group and with other airlines.

Singapore Airlines currently has a surplus of pilots to its operational requirements, as the global financial crisis of 2009-10 had resulted in excess capacity and slower-than-expected growth.

The Airline had earlier implemented other measures to address the surplus, such as voluntary no pay leave and the suspension of cadet pilot recruitment.

Pilots employed on fixed-term contracts make up about 4 per cent of Singapore Airlines' total pilots' workforce.

SQ has a habit of this. Along with the low pay and less than stellar scheduling it's a wonder anybody goes there.

My legacy airline in the US has furloughed twice from 2001-2009. 2500 pilots were let go the first time, 1400 pilots were furloughed the second time. 1200 of those were furloughed twice.

76 at SQ seems like chump change by comparison

Anybody in the know if these are all Singapore mainline? Or is it some from Sin Cargo or even Scoot?

Any affect on SilkAir pilots?


TP

I think the locals are being "offered" jobs at Scoot. I haven't heard anything about Silk Air.

It appears Emirates (and Etihad and Qatar)is really hurting SQ, Quantas, and maybe Cathay a little bit.

The low cost airlines in SE Asia are all growing rapidly into each others turf. I am not sure how Silk Air will fair. I have transited through Singapore numerous times this last 5 years. I never bought a ticket on Silk Air as Tiger, Jetstar, and Air Asia (KL transit) were always far cheaper. Sometimes half the price or less.

Acoording to a friend at Singapore Cargo it is all mainline.

All at mainline, but it affects everyone under the brand really, stagnation at SilkAir, Scoot & SinC, lots of internal politics I'm sure to place these folks in other positions within the brand. I'm sure that any F/O at Silk that was close just had his upgrade pushed several years, and any captain within reach of mainline now has to get comfortable with the idea that the rat race is his reality for the foreseeable future.

Heard today from a guy who left Sin Cargo a few years ago that they had already let the expats go from there recently.


TP

Etihad was expecting a crisis on the 777 fleet but now looks to be recruiting SQ pilots to make up the shortage.