Posted by: Editor on Jan 02, 2007 – 11:29 AM
newsandinfo Local authorities have downplayed the potential effect of a strike by bankrupt commuter airline Comair, which intends to resume service to The Bahamas in January after a years-long absence.
Comair, Delta Air Lines’ bankrupt commuter unit, has staved off the spectre of its thousand plus pilots striking, and bought itself more than a month to negotiate with their union.
The strike could have cost The Bahamas in terms of daily airlift, as Comair intends to resume service to Nassau next month with a daily 50-seater between Cincinnati and Lynden Pindling International Airport.
Comair has not flown directly to The Bahamas for some time, as Delta awarded its commuter service to Freedom Air years ago, but Delta Supervisor Olive Brown confirmed that the Cincinnati service is intended to start in January.
General Manager of the Airport Authority Joseph Reckley told the Journal that any airlift into The Bahamas is important. Questioned about the effect of the loss of the potential Comair airlift should the pilots strike, Mr. Reckley said that the effect on The Bahamas is not usually significant in such matters.
“You may have reduced flights, but for the most part, when these things happen they have a minimal effect on us,” he said.
“Even if it is a nine-seater, what is significant? It’s not going to be like you’re losing five percent of your market. They are a player, they are there, and of course the government always welcomes any kind of airlift to the country.”
Mr. Reckley said the Comair bankruptcy proceedings would not necessarily interrupt that airline’s Cincinnati-Nassau service.
“For example, US Air is still in bankruptcy, and they haven’t missed a beat coming into The Bahamas,” he said.
Comair and its pilots union last Thursday reached a tentative agreement that, if approved by members, will avoid a strike over cuts in pay and benefits and allow six more weeks of negotiations.
Company attorney John Gallagher told a New York bankruptcy judge Thursday that both sides have been working together to resolve all of their differences.
“On the one hand, we have not succeeded in that effort to date,” Gallagher told Judge Adlai Hardin. “On the other hand, we’re pleased to report that the principals have an agreement in principle, we think, to defer any action for six weeks.”
The agreement was to be voted on by union members Thursday night, Gallagher said.
Company spokeswoman Tressie Long said approval would mean Comair wouldn’t impose most reductions in pay and benefits for 45 days to allow further talks.
Judge Hardin last month ruled Cincinnati-based Comair could scrap its labour agreement with the pilots and reduce pay and fringe benefits by almost $16 million. In response, Comair’s 1,500 pilots authorized the Air Line Pilots Association to call a strike.
Mr. Gallagher reported on negotiations in a hearing on the commuter airline’s request for an injunction to stop the pilots from walking out.
Peter DeChiara, a lawyer for the pilots, argued that labour law prevents blocking an action before it is under way.
But Mr. Gallagher said the airline already has evidence of labour activity. Some pilots have picketed at the union’s instigation, he said, and the airline has been experiencing a “sick-out.”
The commuter line filed for bankruptcy protection in September 2005 along with Atlanta-based Delta. Comair is seeking to reduce annual costs by $42 million and exit bankruptcy as a viable company. The pilots say Comair expects to post a $50 million profit for 2006.
Comair has more than 800 flights a day to about 100 cities in the United States and Canada.
By Quincy Parker, The Bahama Journal