Icelandair announced Friday that it would be laying off all its flight attendants, ending a labor dispute with the crew members’ union that began last month.
In the unprecedented move, the airline said it planned to have its pilots temporarily assume flight attendants’ roles overseeing the safety of those onboard, starting July 20, 2020.
Icelandair will permanently terminate the employment of its current cabin crew members and permanently discontinue the employment relationship between the parties.
But pilots won’t be spending much time pushing carts down the aisle and handing out drinks and meals. Services “will continue to be at a minimum, as (they have been) since the impact of COVID-19 started.
Flight attendants play a vital role in maintaining in-flight safety, particularly in the case of an emergency. It’s not clear how a pilot could successfully assume a flight attendant’s role, especially with just two days’ notice.
It’s also not apparent if such a setup is legal in the regions in which Icelandair flies, including the USA and the European Union. In the USA, flight attendants must complete a variety of trainings to become a certified crew member.
Delta flight attendants, for example, go through a two-month training where they’re drilled on topics including swimming, CPR, and how to evacuate an aircraft within 90 seconds.
But, as the airline is not an American carrier, the Federal Aviation Administration does not have regulatory authority over it, an FAA spokesperson said.
Icelandair, like the rest of the airline industry, has seen passenger numbers collapse since the Corona-virus pandemic essentially shut down international travel earlier this year.
In May 2019, 419,000 passengers flew on Icelandair. In May 2020, just 3,100 hopped aboard.
Last month the airline announced a financial restructuring, aiming “to secure current operations, strengthen the liquidity and ensure the future competitiveness of the Company.
Business Insider / ABC Flash Point News 2020.
Volcanic eruption?
Replacing the crew with pilots?
Terrific airline, very professional and well groomed cabin crews. All airlines could take a lesson from Iceland air. Unions another story, the cause and collapse of many industries here in the U.S. All I can say is I wish you the best, my most recent trip in July to Iceland was memorable, in part to the great transportation experience aboard Iceland Air.
Possibly excluding certain industries from Unionization. Aviation is a very tough industry even in the best of times!
Aviation is used as modern flying pirate ships invading, confiscating and occupying other nations reserves, in where SwissPort plays a large role?
Service at your disposal?