Approfondimento Etihad Regional: la crisi colpisce i Piloti

Approfondimento Etihad Regional:
la crisi colpisce i Piloti della Compagnia
Etihad Regional (Darwin Airlines) sta vivendo un momento di profonda crisi che, purtroppo, sembra
stia colpendo anche il PNT della Compagnia. Molte voci si rincorrono sull’argomento e, come
accade in questi casi, non sempre complete e veritiere. Ovviamente l’evento è inquietante e va
seguito con molta attenzione, soprattutto nell’ottica della recente joint venture con la Compagnia
emiratina.
Troverete di seguito delle notizie catturate da diverse fonti web, dalle quali si evince che il
Management aziendale e le Rappresentanze dei lavoratori avrebbero trovato un accordo per
riproteggere in cassa integrazione 60 addetti sui 320 totali (30 Flight Crew – 30 Ground Staff).
Risponde purtroppo al vero, dunque, il fatto che EY Regional stia fermando Piloti e Comandanti.
Nella selezione che Vi forniamo, si evincono però anche due altre importanti informazioni:
•
•
la ragione di queste alienazioni di personale in Darwin sembra sia da ascriversi alla
pesantissima offensiva da Lufthansa Group (attraverso Swiss);
le Istituzioni svizzere hanno contemporaneamente deciso di porre sotto inchiesta EY
Regional, mettendo in discussione la legittimità della governance aziendale, che
considerano non essere prevalentemente nazionale e, dunque, in violazione della
normativa locale sulle prerogative dei vettori battenti bandiera Svizzera.
Darwin sta dunque subendo un micidiale fuoco incrociato sulle sue rotte svizzere da parte dei
potentissimi concorrenti Lufthansa e Swissair, con la "complicità" del Governo Svizzero. CI
auguriamo ovviamente che riesca a sopravvivere ed esprimiamo la nostra solidarietà a tutti i
colleghi svizzeri per il dramma che stanno vivendo.
Una sua eventuale debacle, infatti, potrebbe portare alla rivisitazione da parte di Etihad degli
investimenti nel settore Regional in Europa, con risvolti che al momento non sono chiaramente
identificabili.
Riferimenti allegati:
http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/35072-switzerlands-darwin-airline-to-cut-20-of-workforce
http://www.flightcrewfinder.com/news/etihad-regional-partner-retrench-amid-lufthansa-incursion
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6062373/
Switzerland's Darwin Airline to cut 20% of workforce - ch-aviation.com
Page 1 of 1
09FEB2015
Darwin Airline (F7, Lugano) is planning to retrench almost 20% of its workforce as it moves to focus its
attention away from the scheduled market and more towards the ACMI/charter sector.
In a letter to its workforce seen by the Corriere del Ticino newspaper, the Etihad Airways (EY, Abu
Dhabi Int'l) affiliate said that out of its total 320 employees, 60 would be laid off including 30 from the
flight crew and 30 from ground operations. The move is in stark contrast to earlier expectations for the
Swiss regional operator which, following the announcement of Etihad's plans to acquire a 33% in the
airline early last year, was provided with fresh capital it used to pay off outstanding debts, recruit
additional staff, and open new routes.
However, with Etihad's buy-in still awaiting both Swiss and European approval a year on, Darwin's
fortunes have plummeted with the airline blaming Europe's continued economic slide as well as
alleged anti-competitive behaviour by Lufthansa Group subsidiary, Swiss (LX, Zurich).
About Darwin
Type
Base
Aircraft
Destinations
Routes
Daily Flights
As such, the layoffs are not entirely unexpected given that Darwin, also known as Etihad Regional,
terminated four loss-making routes - Lugano-Zurich, Zurich-Linz, Geneva-Toulouse Blagnac, and
Geneva-Nice - at the beginning of the month. This coming summer, Darwin will also cut its GenevaZurich service from 32 roundtrip daily flights to just 9.
Negotiations between management and the airline's union regarding the cuts are said to have already
taken place.
http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/35072-switzerlands-darwin-airline-to-cut-20... 21/02/2015
Etihad Regional Partner To Retrench Amid Lufthansa Incursion | Air Transport: Aviation International... Page 1 of 2
AIR TRANSPORT
Etihad Regional Partner To Retrench Amid Lufthansa Incursion
by Gregory Polek - JANUARY 21, 2015, 11:30 AM
Darwinʹs 14-strong fleet of turboprops includes 10 Saab 2000s. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY-SA) by flybyeigenheer)
Less than a month after filing a formal complaint with Switzerland’s competition authority alleging “abusive and
anticompetitive” behavior by Lufthansa and its Swiss International subsidiary, Etihad Regional partner Darwin
Airline revealed Tuesday that it would cease scheduled flights from Zurich to Lugano and Linz, and from Geneva
to Toulouse and Nice in early February. The moves come as the airline prepares to release airplanes for new
contract services with other European carriers under a restructuring exercise undertaken in response to both the
predatory competition and economic uncertainty. It said it would file a detailed business plan with Switzerland’s
Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) by the end of this month.
Darwin CEO Maurizio Merlo confirmed that the decision to restructure stemmed from both “aggressive behavior”
on the part of Lufthansa Group subsidiary Swiss International Airlines and economic malaise in Europe.
Meanwhile, Darwin awaits regulatory approval on applications submitted in early 2014 for a series of code
shares with Etihad, which last year agreed to take a 33-percent stake in the Swiss regional.
Europe’s airlines are under continuing pressure as a result of the Eurozone economic crisis and high operating
costs,” said Merlo. “Our company faces the added challenges of intense competition from Swiss, supported by its
parent, the German airline Lufthansa, and an inability to introduce code-share services pending the overdue
approval by FOCA, which would strengthen our operations.
Although this approval is yet to be granted, Swiss and Lufthansa have engaged in a series of abusive actions
aimed at forcing us out of the Swiss market,” he continued.
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-01-21/etihad-regional-partner-retrench-am... 21/02/2015
Etihad Regional Partner To Retrench Amid Lufthansa Incursion | Air Transport: Aviation International... Page 2 of 2
In a statement released Tuesday, Darwin detailed the alleged predatory behavior, including the termination of a
wet lease of aircraft operated by Darwin for Swiss International on the Zurich-Lugano route for almost 10 years.
Lufthansa then replaced the Darwin airplanes with larger aircraft flown by Tyrolean Airways, a unit of Lufthansa
subsidiary Austrian Airlines.
Other actions Darwin claims Lufthansa took to undermine its position in the Swiss market included launching
Swiss International services on Darwin Airline routes, more than doubling capacity on routes where traffic
remains static or has declined, “dumping” fares on Darwin routes, terminating all of Darwin’s insurance policies
under the Lufthansa Aviation Insurance Group, ending the interline agreement between Darwin and Swiss and
cancelling an agreement to assist Darwin passengers in the event of flight disruptions.
Now serving 20 destinations in Europe with eight 50-seat Saab 2000s and four 68-seat ATR 72s, Darwin had
planned to unveil an expansion plan by the start of the year centering on a commitment to what Merlo called an
“official” aircraft type for the next 10 or 15 years.
Now, it appears the airline has decided to retrench, calling any loss-making campaign to directly compete with
Lufthansa Group airlines and Swiss International “imprudent and risky.”
We have done what any sensible and responsible company would do, and opted to change course instead of
persisting in a fight we cannot win,” concluded Merlo.
AIRLINES
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2015-01-21/etihad-regional-partner-retrench-am... 21/02/2015
Etihad Cooperation Etihad Regional In Jeopardy — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net Page 1 of 1
Etihad Cooperation Etihad Regional In Jeopardy
factsonly
From Montserrat, joined Aug 2012, 1130 posts, RR: 0
Posted Thu Apr 24 2014 22:25:51 your local time (10 months 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 4330 times:
It seems the Swiss Federal Office of Aviation is making life difficult for ETIHAD, as the UAE airline is not permitted to
sell tickets on its newly launched European local carrier, ETIHAD REGIONAL. The situation will continue as long as
the Swiss Government is researching the details of the 33% minority ownership.
Considering the haphazard network planning of the regional carrier thus far, is this the beginning of the end for
ETIHAD REGIONAL?
Anyone?
The following has been published by the Swiss aviation site: CH-Aviation in Switzerland:
Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) has not yet been able to get the desired benefits out of its most recent
investment in Darwin Airline (F7, Lugano) (now doing business as Etihad Regional) because its proposed
cooperation agreement is still subject to approval from the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (BAZL).
The regulator has officially confirmed to ch-aviation that, in its view, the application to sell joint Etihad/Etihad
Regional itineraries is directly related to an inquest into an ongoing foreign ownership and control review of Darwin
following Etihad's acquisition of a 33% minority stake.
According to the BAZL, the investment not only affects Swiss interests, but also those of other European countries
and therefore warrants a thorough review to ensure Etihad does not "control" Darwin.
As a result of this, Etihad Regional and Etihad Airways have yet to implement any meaningful codeshare or interline
agreements. While an interline agreement is technically already in place, Etihad is not yet allowed to sell joint
itineraries which include Etihad Regional flights.
On why his carrier has been prevented from bidding for Italian Public Service Obligation routes, Darwin CCO
Christian Schneider told ch-aviation: “It seems that a European airline/alliance is trying to prevent us from satisfying
the needs of European travelers."
While no carrier in particular was mentioned, Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int'l) and its Swiss (LX, Zurich) and Austrian
Airlines (OS, Vienna) subsidiaries are obviously the most affected by Etihad's plans in the region.
www.ch-aviation.com
http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/6062373/
21/02/2015