The European Cockpit Association (ECA) conducted the Social Rating 2.0 survey, aiming to examine which European airline is the best in terms of socially acceptable employment and working conditions for pilots. European pilots rated their airlines’ working conditions, work-life balance, and contractual arrangements. High scores represent a highly respected and socially responsible airline, according to the pilots surveyed. Low scores indicate that pilots are not satisfied with their employers in a wide range of social aspects. Based on the score, airlines are placed into one of 5 categories: Social Excellence, Social Partner, Social Snail, Social Misfit, and Social Junk.
50 airlines out of a total of 178 were rated, focusing on those with at least 30 pilot opinions to ensure a representative rating.
KLM with a score of 97%, Air France (94%), Icelandair (92%), Wideroe (91%), Transavia (90%), Condor (86%), Austrian Airlines (84%), TAP Air Portugal (84%), Lufthansa (84%), Vueling (82%), Sunclass Airlines (81%), Eurowings (81%) and Cargolux (80%) were rated as Social Excellence.
The explanation for KLM’s first place is that KLM pilots award their airline a badge of social excellence, with the highest marks reflecting how, traditionally, the airline receives very little “bad press” regarding the treatment of its pilots and employment practices. KLM and the Dutch pilots’ union VNV enjoy a constructive negotiating relationship, and differences are usually resolved at the negotiating table.
The social partner category was earned by easyJet (78%), TUI (77%), Portugalia Airlines (77%), Finnair (76%), Norra (75%), Aer Lingus (75%), Iberia (75 %), ASL (74%), British Airways (73%), British Airways (73%), Brussels Airlines (73%), CityJet (70%), Sata (70%), Luxair (68%), Norwegian ( 66%), SAS (65%), Discover Airlines (65%), SAS Connect (63%), ITA Airways (61%), Virgin Atlantic (60%).
The leader of the second highest category is easyJet. The ratings for this low-cost carrier in all categories are generally quite good. However, in line with the trend in the social rating, there is a slight decrease in the overall satisfaction rating of the pilots. Unfortunately, this led to easyJet losing its Social Excellence crown and now being rated as a ‘Social Partner’. Pilot comments vary, with some considering easyJet an excellent, long-term career choice and others noting that improvements would be welcome, particularly in terms of pay and schedules.
Croatia Airlines leads with the third, social snail category with a rating of 60%. It is followed by DHL (59%), AirDolomiti (58%), airBaltic (53%), BRA (51%), Malta Air (51%), Volotea (44%) and Ryanair (42%).
Although Croatia Airlines was rated the same as Virgin Atlantic, which was placed in the higher category, ECA explains that this is the long-term negotiations regarding the collective agreement. The fact that Croatia Airlines has been demoted to the status of a ‘Social Snail’ may be a reflection of the recent long-drawn-out negotiations that took place around the conclusion of a new Collective Labor Agreement. Both contractual agreements and indexes of employee satisfaction and balance between work and private life deserve attention if Croatia Airlines hopes to become a “social partner” again. Areas that staff will no doubt try to address in the latest agreement.
Turkish Airlines (39%), LOT (36%), Wamos (35%), WizzAir (35%), Lauda Europe (35%), Air Atlanta Icelandic (33%), Smartwings (31%), Avion Express (26%) and Buzz (23%) earned social misfit grade.
When it comes to employee satisfaction, Turkish Airlines appears to have a lot of work to do as the airline tops the ‘Socially Misfit’ category, having fallen further from the ‘Social Snail’ label it held in the 2021 edition of the survey. S with consistently poor results in all three categories, especially in terms of satisfaction and balance between work and private life.
Only one carrier, SmartLynx, received a social junk rating of 20%. Recently, the airline’s extraordinary growth and future ambitions make the reality that wet leases are on the rise with potentially serious social consequences. Finishing last of the airlines in Europe when it comes to the social score with an overall score of 20, respondents also point out the low salary and little scheduling stability at SmartLynx. However, the carrier is better in the category of employee satisfaction & work-life balance. But that’s not enough to stop Smartlynx from being #1 in the social waste category.