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Air Nelson says its services have continued with minimal disruption this morning despite the start of a three-day strike predicted to affect about 10,000 travellers throughout the country.
The airline says the demands by the pilots from its Air Nelson subsidiary, including more time off, will cost it $8 million a year and will force up the cost of airfares on provincial routes.
But the pilots' union insists the demands are affordable and says Air NZ has forced them into strike action by treating them "with complete disdain" over the past year.
"To suggest that a longer weekend for pilots will spell the end of affordable provincial air travel is just not credible," said New Zealand Air Line Pilots Association (NZALPA) executive director, Rick Mirkin.
The strike, which began at midnight last night and continues until Sunday, leaves only about 20 of 180 pilots still working on Air Nelson's provincial routes.
Air Nelson general manager John Hambleton said today contingency plans had ensured customers were being looked after and there had been only one delay, due to weather.
"There has been a huge amount of organisation of schedules, the re-accommodation and contact of passengers has been a massive exercise and those involved have done an excellent job," Mr Hambleton told NZPA.
Non-union pilots were being utilised for the three day strike and there were still some seats available for customers wanting last minute flights into or out of Nelson.
"They can have every expectation those flights will operate," Mr Hambleton said.
He said the company regretted any impacts on customers caused by the strike but it was "making the best out of a difficult situation".
Air NZ spokesman Bruce Parton said it was a cynical move to strike in one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
It appeared the union did not fully appreciate the "profound impact of sky-rocketing costs of fuel" on airlines.
Mr Parton said an Air Nelson captain already earned on average more than $97,000, and over the past three years, the average salary had increased 32 per cent.
He claimed that on average the pilots worked 31 "duty hours" a week, and the NZALPA demands for more time off would reduce these hours to just 25 a week.
- With NZPA
