A380 pilots fight for higher pay

by Derek Yeo Yong Chun - SINGAPORE - 29 April 2007

"I just flew it with my fingertips."

SO gushed Captain Robert Ting, Singapore Airlines Vice-President for Flight Operations, in testimony to the Arbitration Court. The court sat to hear the case between Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its pilots' union, on the union's contention that A380 pilots must receive higher wages than those flying the B747.

Captain Ting's remarks represent a strong testimonial of the marvel of fly-by-wire technology. He is absolutely right about the easy and simple handling of the giant airliner in the air. This is the crux of the airlines' management argument: that A380 pilots should not be paid more than those flying the B747 - which uses control-stick technology - because the A380 is easier to fly.

On the other hand, SIA's pilots union argues that its A380 pilots should get a better deal because the world's largest passenger jet carries more passengers than its nearest rival, the B747. And passenger safety is paramount. More passengers mean the A380 pilot bears a heavier responsibility for his passengers' safety.

The union has a strong case.

My aviation career taught me the single most important aspect in aircraft operation and maintenance. SAFETY. That is, safety in the air, on the ground and safety of both equipment - aircraft included - and people. In this industry, nothing could be more crucial than safety of air travellers, no matter the size of passenger payloads.

And here we are talking about some 400 to 500 on each A380 or B747 flight.

The newest B747-400 and B747-8, jam-packed with multi-backup systems and state-of-the-art electronics, are as advanced as the A380 airbus, and as easy to fly too.

Even without the fly-by-wire joystick but bristling with electronic advances, the Boeing aircraft are similar in flight handling to the Airbus aircraft. Between the Airbus and Boeing planes, the technology gap has closed considerably.

I do not for one moment believe that Captain Ting, as a professional pilot, meant every word of his evidence in court. He said it in the way he put it only because he, as SIA's representative, has to reflect the company's view. His position, and SIA's, has done his A380 pilots an injustice.

Passenger safety must be the main consideration for deciding the pilot's remuneration, not how advanced the aircraft is or how easy it could be flown. Therefore, the more passengers a pilot is responsible for, the more he ought to be paid. His salary should commensurate with the weight of his in-flight responsibility. That is, the safety of the number of lives under his watch.

To say they deserve less pay because the A380 they fly is easier to handle is too simplistic an argument.

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