Court grants CAL’s injunction for pilots to return to work

– airline resorts to charter flights as disruptions continue

Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) has secured an injunction by the Industrial Court against the Trinidad and Tobago Pilots Association (TTALPA), which has now mandated them to return to work.
This is one day after the Trinidad-based carrier cancelled over three dozen flights, reportedly owing to a large number of pilots calling in sick. In addition, the injunction further ordered TTALPA to instruct its membership to immediately report for duty as rostered and required in the normal course of their employment with Caribbean Airlines.
In a release to the press, CAL stated that it has sought the support of the Industrial Court after receiving calls from 75 pilots between August 19 and 20, 2023, each indicating they were unwell and unable to report for duty.
The airline received each of these calls around three hours before the scheduled departure times of the respective flights.
This resulted in approximately 60 flights having to be cancelled between August 19 and 20. The unavailability of these pilots, combined with the short notice, made it impossible to recover.
However, in a ruling by Industrial Court members Melvin Daniel, Albert Aberdeen and Bindimattie Mahabir, it was stated that the Pilots Association has been “restrained from taking and/or continuing to take and/or participating howsoever in industrial action within the meaning of the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88:01…including calling in sick en masse.”
Meanwhile, the Association has denied reports that it was striking; it is illegal for pilots to engage in that type of action. The Union has also been asked to instruct its membership to immediately report for duty as rostered, with a warning that a penal clause can be endorsed.
It states, “If you the within named party no. 2 being the TT Airline Pilots Association or any of your members or howsoever otherwise known, classified, designated, categorised, called or described disobey this order you will be liable to the process of execution for the purpose of compelling you to obey same.”
There were flights to and from countries in the Caribbean as well as the United States and Canada that were affected. Among the flights that were cancelled on Sunday were five flights to and from Guyana. In addition, another 14 domestic flights between Trinidad and Tobago were also cancelled.
In a brief travel alert advisory on its Facebook page on Sunday, CAL explained that there were “…disruptions to its operations for August 20 due to cockpit crew constraints.”
According to the T&T Guardian, TTALPA said it is prohibited by law from taking industrial action as their members are deemed “essential workers”.
On Monday, the airline company advised that its teams are still proactively working to manage and update its operational schedules.
“Today, there has been a remarkably high volume of calls from pilots reporting that they are unwell and unable to report for duty. These calls come in at approximately three (3) hours prior to flight departure times… As a result of the sick calls, Caribbean Airlines has had to cancel several flights,” the airline stated.
“The airline is working on recovery flights for displaced passengers of cancelled services. However due to the number of individuals impacted, this process is currently ongoing,” the statement reiterated.
Some international and domestic flights for Monday were also impacted, prompting actions from its Reservations Service Centre. The airline also urged persons to check online for their flight status and those with cancelled flights are being asked not to turn up to the airport.
The airline on Monday evening issued an apology to all its customers who were affected by the incident.
“We fully understand the frustration and extreme disappointment that such unexpected cancellations can bring, especially when many of you were eagerly anticipating long-awaited vacations, and crucial academic journeys. In response to this critical situation, Caribbean Airlines, at significant cost — immediately wet-leased two aircraft, obtained accommodation for stranded passengers and took legal advice,” CAL stated.