As part of its ambitious plan to become one of the world's leading airlines, Turkish Airlines recently introduced a new class of elite service that featured, among other things, an on-board Turkish chef preparing in-flight gourmet meals. But the chefs are now complaining that they are being forced to work long hours without sufficient rest. From the Hurriyet Daily News:
The “flying chefs,” the cooks on Turkish Airlines planes, have accused Turkish DO&CO, their contractor employer, of preventing them from unionizing with a threat of layoffs, chefs speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News said.
“The way the company threatens us is unfair,” said a flying chef recently, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “Also, the company does not provide enough weekly off days.”
After a long flight to China or Japan, the company allows less than 12 hours for its employees to rest and sleep, whereas Turkish Airlines allocates nearly 48 hours for its cabin crew to overcome symptoms of jetlag, the chef said.
Turkish Airlines on its official website says the flying chefs “work closely with the cabin crew” to serve the dishes to First and Business Class passengers in the professional way preparation. “This means luxury restaurant style in the sky.”
“But nowadays the chefs are way too tired to fly,” according to the food staff speaking to the Daily News.
“We are considered as a part of the cabin crew working onboard side by side with Turkish Airlines’ crew but treated differently,” said the chef.
Full story here, and a previous story touting the new service here.
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