Saturday, September 2 2006

NATIONAL AIRLINE BWIA yesterday dismissed claims from the Aviation Communication and Allied Workers Union (ACAWU) that yesterday’s postponement of a meeting between the airline’s management and its unions meant the imminent shutdown of BWIA and mass retrenchment of workers.

ACAWU president Curtis John told Newsday yesterday that BWIA management and the airline’s unions were scheduled to meet yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel to discuss “the future of BWIA.” However John said the unions received letters from BWIA yesterday, advising them that the meeting has been postponed and tentatively rescheduled for September 7.

The ACAWU president said he was uncertain what to make of these development and claimed there were rumours circulating that this was a prelude to a shutdown of BWIA and the launch of a new airline. “BWIA will have to prove me wrong,” John stated.

He claimed that past restructuring exercises at BWIA have followed this pattern and reiterated that to date, the unions have no idea what were the restructuring plans for BWIA or about Government’s plans to divest its shareholding in the airline. John added that the last meeting between the airline and the unions took place in June and was inconclusive.

In an immediate response, BWIA officials said talk of the airline’s shutdown were nothing but “unsubstantiated rumours.” The officials said the purpose of yesterday’s postponed meeting with the unions was to discuss BWIA’s future and the meeting was designed to be an information-sharing exercise.

They added that that the meeting was being rescheduled for next week.

BWIA officials also said there was absolutely no truth to reports of alleged mechanical problems with its A340 Airbus planes. They said all of BWIA’s A340’s undergo weekly scheduled maintenance and are working well. The officials added that the airline’s safety record remains unaffected by any of the challenges it currently faces.