Negotiations between the management of El Al Airlines and its pilots finally bore fruit on Sunday with a series of agreements reached between the two sides.
The pilots’ union issued a statement to media after the meeting broke up, saying the resolution would ensure that crews’ attention to punctuality to resume.
“We welcome the decision to stop running foreign-leased aircraft,” the pilots said. El Al management had turned to foreign airlines with whom the company has a code-share as a remedy when job actions by the pilots were used to stymie the airline’s function.
The union continued in its statement: “This is the place to emphasize that El Al pilots continue to show up for every flight, as always. “El Al pilots will make every effort to work together for the benefit of the company and passengers, in order to restore passenger confidence in blue and white flights operated by Israeli pilots, flight attendants, security guards, technicians and company workers.”
That “confidence” was deeply shaken as flights were late on departures, and late on arrivals, disrupting not only the schedules of the crew members but often, those of business and other travelers who were frequent flyers with the airline.