When Jean-Claude Juncker and the members of the European Commission took office in Brussels, one of their key objectives was to generate good quality jobs for the many unemployed Europeans. In aviation, an industry with very promising growth rates, this would have been possible. Now, one and a half years into their mandate, after the publication of the EU Aviation Strategy, we feel misled.

For example, the US Department of Transportation’s decision to tentatively approve Norwegian Air International's (NAI) ‘Flags of Convenience’ scheme in Ireland would not have been possible without a strong push from Brussels. The carrier has designed a scheme to engage pilots via a Singaporean postbox company and claims to base them in Bangkok. In fact, most of the pilots are living and are based in Europe and operate out of European airports across the North Atlantic, but without being subject to relevant EU employee regulations.

Now, the European Commission is moving ahead with yet another questionable proposal: operating EU-US wet leases with no restrictions (neither in terms of time or maximum percentage). Empty shell companies in European aviation will soon become a threat for those companies that still build their operation and their safety culture on a “regular” form of business and employment, including a direct relation to their employees.

Why would anyone base any aircraft and employ crews in Europe today and do it with a direct work contract, when it is obviously enough to have an office or an address, as Norwegian Air International has proven, in countries where both safety and labour standards are more advantageous or/and less strictly overseen? Why would anyone still hire staff for an airline in Europe, while the competitors “enjoy” the benefits of leasing- in crews from third countries – with a great cost advantage and possibly no time restrictions?

Dark clouds over the horizon for those, who would have loved to seek their career opportunities in aviation, now or in the future. The growth rates will remain high, the job opportunities will be there, just not for Europeans – we will have to seek for quality employment elsewhere. But before we wave “good bye”, it might be worth for the European Commission to ask itself – are these the quality jobs & sustainable growth they had in mind? We surely doubt so! 

by Capt. Dirk Polloczek