AP: Ex-Japan Airlines pilots, cabin crew file lawsuit

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110119/D9KRCG401.html

Jan 19, 6:16 AM (ET)

By TOMOKO A. HOSAKA

TOKYO (AP) - Dozens of pilots and flight attendants laid off by Japan Airlines Corp. on Wednesday filed a lawsuit challenging their dismissal on the first anniversary of the flagship carrier's bankruptcy.

The 146 plaintiffs said their dismissal was unnecessary as the airline known as JAL made operating profit totaling over 140 billion yen ($1.7 billion) from April to November in 2010, according to a document submitted to the Tokyo District Court.

"The company's earnings are recovering, and there is no need to cut personnel costs by getting rid of jobs," the document said.

The lawsuit comes exactly a year after JAL filed for one of the biggest corporate bankruptcies in Japanese history. The carrier was saddled with more than $25 billion in debt, unprofitable routes and a bloated work force.

Since then, it has been undergoing a massive restructuring as part of a government-backed bailout. JAL's business plan, approved by its creditors and the Tokyo District Court, included eliminating money-losing routes, selling off subsidiaries and cutting its global work force by some 30 percent by the end of March.

To shrink staff numbers, the airline had offered early and voluntary retirement but fell short of its target. The plaintiffs - 74 flight crew and 72 cabin attendants - were among 165 employees fired as of Dec. 31 to make up the difference.

FULL story at link.