As Qantas pilots prepare to discuss industrial action over their pay-and-perks stand-off with management, their compatriots at Garuda Indonesia are also threatening to strike.
The Garuda Indonesia Pilots Association has called on the national carrier to meet its demands for local pilots to have pay equity with their foreign counterparts.
Indonesia pilots are paid 50 percent less than overseas pilots who are being recruited by Garuda to fly the airline’s fast-expanding fleet.
Garuda’s executive vice president operations, Ari Sapari, said that Garuda had no choice but to hire foreign pilots, as it took time for trainees to graduate from the local pilot academies and gain the flying time and licences required.
He added, “The (local) pilots have full employment status, while the foreign ones are on contract, so they are temporarily hired. Therefore, both have different payment schemes.â€
Garuda is reported to have 100 foreign pilots on its payroll.
