TAP pilots union warns government of job losses if Lufthansa wins part privatisation bid

The Union of Civil Aviation Pilots of Portugal (SPAC) has warned Portugal’s government of the risk of job losses should Lufthansa win the part-privatisation bid for the airline.

In a letter sent to the Ministry of Infrastructure, the union argues that the evaluation of potential investors should include not only financial and strategic criteria, but also “labour suitability,” pointing to concerns about the German group’s history of labour relations.

The protest comes at a crucial moment in the process of selling up to 44.9% of TAP’s capital to a strategic investor, with another 5% reserved for workers, maintaining the Portuguese State’s majority stake. Currently, the competition is between the Lufthansa Group and Air France-KLM.

In the letter, SPAC states that it does not oppose the reprivatisation itself, but argues that any strategic partner must present solid guarantees regarding existing agreements and the stability of labour relations.

The union warns that any changes to the management model could compromise “labour relations” in the company and affect the strategic role of the Lisbon hub, considered central to Portugal’s international connectivity, especially on routes to Brazil, Africa, and North America.

The concern to preserve the Lisbon hub is one of the structural points of the privatisation process.

The Portuguese government requires that any buyers maintain the TAP brand and the operational relevance of the main national hubs, including Lisbon, Porto, and Faro, as a condition for proceeding with the part-privatisation.

Source: Panrotas; Credits: TAP