This article has been updated with flight change details at 6:40am.
Acting ceo, Nic Vlok, has confirmed that trade union Solidarity has issued the airline with a notice that 80 of the airline’s 100 pilots will start striking from Monday (Oct 16) over unresolved salary demands. The airline at the weekend was still negotiating with the union to reach a settlement, but in the meantime put contingency plans in place should the strike go ahead.
Nic said the focus was on mitigating disruptions to schedules and to avoid inconveniencing passengers, while continuing to engage with the union. “Plans are in place for Monday and it will be business–almost-as-usual, but some disruptions to schedules and timings may be experienced, ” he told eTNW. He said Mango had made alternative arrangements to place its passengers on SAA and FlySafair services.
“Passengers don’t need to do anything. We’ll let them know by SMS what their new travel arrangement and times are. Passengers must report as usual to Mango check-in counters and our staff will direct them from there. It may be advisable to arrive a bit earlier than usual, but we will SMS then and direct them accordingly,” he said. Anyone not receiving an SMS should the strike go ahead, should call the Mango call centre: Tel: 086 100 1234.
According to eNCA the following flights are affected:
Flight JE 534 from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg, which is meant to depart at 08h25, has been cancelled.
The 06h00 flight from Durban to Lanseria has been delayed to 08h35.
The 08h55 flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg is now only scheduled to depart at 10h40.
The 09h30 flight from Cape Town to Lanseria has been delayed by two hours.
Several afternoon flights on the Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Durban routes have been cancelled.
