Asiana flight to Vietnam canceled as pilot union strike looms

Asiana Airlines' planes parked in Incheon International Airport on Monday. [NEWS1]

Asiana Airlines canceled one of its international flights Sunday amid an ongoing wage dispute with its pilot union.

The flights between Incheon and Ho Chi Minh City were scheduled to carry nearly 300 passengers before its cancellation.

According to Asiana Airlines, the cancellation was attributed to the unavailability of standby workers, who are typically ready to step in during staff shortages.

The airline explained that due to the collective action taken by the pilot union, they faced difficulties in securing an adequate number of flight crew members, which ultimately resulted in the decision to cancel the flight. Passengers affected by the cancellation were provided with refunds and guided to alternative flights.

The Asiana Airlines' pilot union is slated to stage a fully-fledged walkout from July 24, marking the first strike in 18 years, causing concerns about potential chaos in air travel during the peak summer vacation season.

The core of the dispute lies in wage negotiations between the union and Asiana Airlines which took place for four years between 2019 and 2022. While the management proposed a 2.5 percent increase, the pilot union is demanding a 10 percent raise.

Despite achieving record-high profits of 741.6 billion won ($585.31 million) in 2022 mainly thanks to a boost in cargo operations from the pandemic, the union argues that employees have not reaped the benefits of the company's success. Comparing the wage increase rates of other airlines such as Korean Air Lines, Jeju Air and T'way Air, which exceed 10 percent, the union asserts that a similar level of increase should be implemented for Asiana Airlines.

The opposing positions have intensified the standoff between the union and the management, and the union initiated protest actions from June 7 and subsequently announced the strike set to commence on July 24.

The union plans to maintain international route staffing at 80 percent, domestic route staffing at 50 percent, and Jeju route staffing at 70 percent — stipulated by the law — until the management accepts their demands. While significant disruptions in international flights are not expected due to limited strike participation, passengers may still face considerable inconvenience.

However, Asiana points to the challenge of meeting the union's demands while being under the management of bondholders like the Industrial Bank of Korea. The company has a debt ratio of more than 2,000 percent.

In response to the union's actions, the management has been operating a task force since last month led by CEO Won Yoo-seok and consisting of 63 executives and managers. The task force aims to address the union's concerns by analyzing reservation patterns and adjusting flight schedules accordingly.

Asiana Airlines on Monday released a statement criticizing the union's strike announcement during the peak season, labeling it as "typical group egoism."

"It is impossible to fully meet the union's demands given the company's current financial situation," an Asiana official said. "We urge the pilot union to immediately cancel the strike schedule and engage in sincere negotiations."

According to Asiana Airlines, in terms of the general running of its flights from June 7 through to Sunday, 10 domestic flights and two international flights have been canceled, while 56 international flights and domestic flights experienced delays.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]