Icelandair pilot talks take on more positive tone

Talks between Icelandair and the Icelandic Airline Pilots Association have taken on a more positive tone, according to Jón Þór Þorvaldsson, the association’s chairman, mbl.is reports.

The parties have met this week in the dispute. “The fact that we are talking is positive,” Jón Þór told mbl.is.

He said it was too early to determine whether the parties would meet their goal of renewing their collective agreement by 15 September, a target set in June.

Uncertainty in the wider labour market, including higher interest rates and inflation, could also affect the negotiations. Jón Þór said the parties had not yet reached the point of assessing how the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise wanted to respond to those conditions.

He said the atmosphere had improved after the summer holiday period. “Yes, I would say so. There is a slightly different tone to this,” he said.