Tigerair will avoid industrial action from its pilots after the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP) agreed to a new enterprise agreement, which sees significant base pay increases and a new fixed rostering system.
According to AFAP executive director Simon Lutton, the new deal provides “a consistent base rate that reflects real wages and a stable and predictable roster [that] closes the gap between Tigerair pilots and their colleagues in more established airlines.”
Base pay for captains will rise from $125,000 to $171,000 a year, and instead of an additional $80 per hour flown, they will now receive $140 per hour flown after flying 55 hours per month. Co-pilot wages will increase on a pro-rata basis compared to captains’ rates. In addition the new agreement includes an average eight per cent rise in wages over the next three years, and a fixed rostering system where for 80 per cent of the time pilots will work to a “5 on/3 off” roster pattern, with a guaranteed 80 hours off between sign-off on day five and sign-on on day one.
“Given the current aviation environment, as demonstrated yesterday by the announcement of the Qantas half year figures, the outcome at Tigerair is great credit to the pilot body and the company,” Lutton said in a February 28 statement.
