Asiana to cut flights to U.S., Europe to remedy delays

Asiana Airlines will partly cut back flight service to U.S. and European cities starting in October to comply with instructions by the government, the company said on Friday.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport conducted a special inspection of Asiana earlier this month for its high rate of flight delays and recommended that it set aside reserve planes that can be put in service when others are undergoing maintenance or to fly irregular routes.

Asiana’s flight delay rate, which counts flights that fall 15 minutes or longer behind schedule, for the first half of this year was the highest among Korean carriers at 57.7 percent.

The company has about half the number of planes owned by its main competitor, Korean Air, but serves about 70 percent of the routes, according to the ministry.

Asiana said it would reduce the number of flights to the United States and Europe from a weekly 82 to 75 in October. The change will affect flights to six cities.

Yonhap