Pacific Blue named as pilot's employer

Photo / Brett Phibbs

Pacific Blue has been identified as the employer of a commercial pilot fighting to get back his job after being sacked amid allegations of alcohol and drug abuse.

Air New Zealand said earlier this month it was unhappy about the suppression of the names of the airline and pilot because it could unfairly implicate other airlines and pilots.

Yesterday Employment Court Judge Tony Crouch granted an application by Pacific Blue to overturn an Employment Relations Authority ruling reinstating the pilot before the full hearing of his personal grievance case against the airline in October.

Judge Couch also lifted an ERA suppression order over the airline's name. The name of the pilot remains suppressed.

The pilot was dismissed by the airline in May, after being suspended on full pay for almost a year. However, the ERA ordered the pilot reinstated in a non-flying capacity pending a hearing to decide whether he was fired unjustifiably.

Pacific Blue this week announced it was pulling out of the New Zealand domestic market.

- NZPA, NZ Herald staff