Crewing new jets may cause strife

Press, 12 September 1984, Page 1

Crewing new jets may cause strife

By

LES BLOXHAM,

travel editor

Industrial trouble is brewing over the crewing of Air New Zealand’s new Boeing 7675. The Airline Pilots’ Association wants a crew of three , on the flightdeck; the airline wants only two. Discussions between the parties so far have failed to produce an agreement. The 220-seat twinjets, which Air New Zealand will use oh the Tasman and other regional routes, were primarily designed by the Boeing Corporation to be flown by two pilots - a captain and first officer. The bigger 747 s have two pilots and an engineer. Boeing will, if required, provide for an engineer on the 767 flightdeck, but only one airline in the world, Australia’s

Ansett, has opted for the three-crew version. Ansett will take delivery of its fifth (Boeing’s hundredth) 767 this month. Air New Zealand confirmed yesterday that it would buy the two-crew version, but played down the pilots’ demands for three. t . “Our aircraft are being designed for two on the flightdeck,” said a public; relations spokesman. “There have- been no discussions with the pilots, but the .matter has been touched, on.” However, Mr R. G. Trott, industrial secretary of the Pilots’ Association, was more outspoken. “We have had a series of discussions with the airline over the last month or so, and they are continuing,” he said last evening.

“Our position is that the 767 s should have a threecrew complement until we are convinced that operations are safe with a crew of two. We are placing the onus of proof on the airline and the manufacturers,” said Mr Trott. Officers of the association will view a film produced by Boeing on the handling characteristics of the 767 later this week. Mr Trott said the association was treating the matter with a good deal of caution, particularly with regard t<r the airline’s plan to use the aircraft on sectors of three hours and more over water. “Discussions are still in the early stages, and we hope that a sensible solution can be found,” he said. Air New Zealand also confirmed yesterday that, like Qantas, its 767 s will not

have a first-class section. Air New Zealand’s aircraft will have 202 economy seats and 18 in “another” class to cater for business travellers. The airline is not revealing at this stage whether the class will be tagged “Pacific,”, as it is in the 7475, or given a new title — perhaps “Koru” or “Tasman”, for example. Qantas’s 767 s will carry 193 economy passengers and 18 business-class passengers.