The British Airline Pilots’ Association has today written to the Government and Greybull Capital, owners of Monarch Airlines that went into administration on 2nd October, to encourage the company to prioritise paying staff the money they are owed.

It follows reports that the company has offered to hand over proceeds from asset sales to the Government to help cover the cost of the passenger repatriation programme.

But BALPA, which represents around 400 pilots who have lost their jobs at Monarch, said this money should go to former employees first.

In a letter to Greybull capital BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said:

“… on reading that you believe you have a “moral obligation” to pay something back to the taxpayer may I put it to you that you have an even greater responsibility to the employees that your actions have left jobless and suffering huge financial loss of backpay and other monies owed, let alone the loss of their entire livelihood.”

In a letter to the Secretary of state for transport, Rt. Hon Chris Grayling, Brian Strutton also questioned if the costly repatriation of Monarch passengers at the tax payers expense could have been avoided. He suggests that rather than entering administration at 0400 on 2nd October with instant dismissal for the employees, the airline could have used its remaining cash to wind down in an orderly fashion with Monarch flights brining passengers home. This would have enabled the Monarch staff to end their employment with dignity.

Brian Strutton said:

“Employees could have carried on working, bought all the passengers home and had all outstanding monies paid to them. If there is any sense of conscience it should surely be to pay what is owed to employees.

“It would be totally unfair and unjust if Greybull benefitted from being ahead of the creditor queue, then passed its proceeds over to the government while employees suffer huge losses.”