Laid off Martinair pilots take KLM to court

Of the Martinair pilots under threat of layoff as part of the Air France-KLM reorganization, 185 are trying to force the parent company to reassign the pilots to KLM. The pilots believe that they are entitled to equivalent work at KLM with the budget slashed at their cargo airline, the Volkskrant reported this week. The airline conglomerate is undergoing a major shift in strategy and reorganization that impacts all layers of its workforce, and includes a large investment in budget airline Transavia. It led to a strike by Air France pilots last year, which may have led to the resignation of KLM's CEO, and was a key point in negotiations with KLM unions this year. The company is scaling down cargo operations of Martinair because of growing competition. Alternatives available at other airlines, like KLM-owned Transavia, are often less attractive since those typically pay less. Pilots of Martinair's former passenger service, which ended in 2011, Martinair are also taking legal action against KLM. They switched to work at the parent company but at a lower salary and a reduced rank. The pilots are now demanding a promotion.