Fourteen Play pilots resign

“The world is currently experiencing a severe shortage of pilots and competition for qualified people among airlines is fierce. Earlier this summer it became clear that this competition was causing their pay to go up and it would be difficult to hire and retain pilots. Therefore, Play began working on a number of issues concerning the pay and conditions of its pilots,” stated a press release from the airline Play.

In the last few days, there have been reports that one of the company’s biggest competitors has contacted the company’s pilots to offer them jobs and that they have been put at a disadvantage by the decision to take a quick decision and quit their job nearly the same day.

Wishing well

“Play has not been informed of how many contacts or what the offer was, as it is customary for confidentiality to apply to such contacts between the parties. However, it can be revealed that the company received 14 resignations yesterday from pilots. It is always bad to see good team members leave, yet these changes will not have any decisive effect on the company’s operations or flight plan. These employees are wished well and thanked for their good work and their contribution to the company,” it reads.

It is also explained that in view of the increased complexity and the varied presentation of pay and conditions of airline pilots, it is difficult to provide a simple explanation for this change in benefits, as it is also about other matters. The news reports in the last few days have provided an example of the effect these changes have on the company’s cost base, which is far from reality, although there is certainly a significant increase for the employees involved.

The effects will be evident

“The impact on the business will be evident in the company’s accounts presented to the public, although it can be said that the change in question has a negligible impact on the company’s unit costs.

It is important to note that Play has, in the last few seasons, often increased salaries and improved the terms of its staff, airline employees as well as other employees, as the company has a unique team, which has performed tremendously well in its work and has every thanks and obligation.”

It should also be clear that the company could not have kept all these good people in work so far if their benefits were as much out of line with other airlines as they sometimes are thrown around. Play is proud to have created some 550 new jobs in the Icelandic labor market in roughly two years and believes that it has benefited the entire community plus the company’s contribution in rebuilding the flow of tourists to the country and lowering the travel costs of Icelanders.

"Play, henceforth as before, intends to offer competitive benefits to all of its employees, ensuring that the company will have qualified and good people willing to participate in building a great company that we can all be proud of," concludes the announcement.