Martinair staff protest cuts as freighter fleet is reduced

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Martinair’s Works Council is applying to an Amsterdam commercial court to protest the recent announcement that the carrier is to shed some 330 jobs. AirFrance-KLM said that Martinair would cut out its MD-11 freighter fleet, and go from 10 aircraft to four by June next year. It said it would try to relocate staff elsewhere in the group – although it may cost too much to change pilot contracts. The Works Council had put forward a plan to management which suggested cutting the fleet to six aircraft rather than four, but it was rejected. The Dutch press are reporting that the Works Council doubted whether management ever seriously considered the plan, and they appear to be laying the blame – at least in part – in Paris. This article is in Dutch.