Nok Air flights ‘grounded because two pilots were sick’

Nation TV: Several pilots decided not to fly on Sunday. Did you consider the possible impact that might have had on passengers?

Sanit: If there are not enough pilots, there is no choice but to cancel the flights. We have to consider the safety of passengers. 

 

Nation TV: Did you know about the flight schedule, as the tickets were booked?

Sanit: Yes, I did. But given the shortage of pilots – as they could not fly if they were on sick leave – the airline’s management had to be responsible of taking care of passengers or getting them seats on other airlines. 

 

Nation TV: Are you saying this is not about upgrading the airline’s aviation standards so it matches international standards as claimed by the executives earlier?

Sanit: No, it’s not. 

 

Nation TV: Does this mean there is an internal problem related to the airline’s management? And this was a result of not having enough pilots?

Sanit: Yes, it does.

 

Nation TV: Have you never discussed this matter with the management?

Sanit: I am responsible for the aviation part, but the management will have to be responsible for the management side of things. I cannot say too much. I was fired even though I didn’t say much. 

 

Nation TV: What is your next move, considering you’ve been fired without compensation?

Sanit: I am discussing the issue with the Thai Pilots Association to work out how to cope with it and to try and prevent it from repeating. 

 

Nation TV: How about the management of the pilots’ schedules?

Sanit: Based on regulations, pilots are allowed to fly no more than 80 hours a month. Each pilot will have his/her own timetable with clearly marked days off and flying days. Everything is planned, including standby pilots.

 

Nation TV: With nine flights being cancelled, does that mean as many as nine pilots were on sick leave?

Sanit: No, it does not. One pilot flies four flights daily, so only two pilots were responsible for nine flights.

 

Nation TV: Why did the management say the flights were cancelled due to a flight standards audit? 

Sanit: No that’s misleading. The EASA [European Aviation Safety Agency] does not audit flight standards, but audits an airline’s organisation. The audit of flight standards is the job of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, as it is a regulator for the aviation industry and is also responsible for pilot licensing. If one is certified as a pilot, one can fly.

 

Nation TV: So this means that only two pilots had stopped flying?

Sanit: There was an impact because only these two pilots were scheduled to fly the nine flights.

 

Nation TV: According to the airline, some pilots were suspended and some are being investigated. What will the involved pilots do next? 

Sanit: As I said earlier, we are in talks with the association. The point is that I was not involved in the cancellation of the flights on February 14 and I was the only one on sick leave the following day. Nobody had anything to do with my absence, though I might be linked to the February 14 incident.