Asiana Airlines Cancels International Flight Amid Pilot Strike
Key Highlights :
Asiana Airlines canceled one international roundtrip flight Sunday, days after its unionized pilots announced plans to launch a strike next week, officials said. The flight, which was scheduled to depart from Incheon International Airport at 7:35 a.m. and arrive in Ho Chi Minh City at 11:05 a.m., was canceled due to a lack of flight crew caused by the pilots' collective action.
The unionized pilots at Asiana Airlines announced on Friday that they would be going on strike beginning July 24 after failing to reach an agreement with management on a pay increase. In addition, the pilots have been carrying out a work-to-rule protest since last month, resulting in eight domestic flight cancellations and 54 international and domestic delays.
The canceled flight affected a total of 125 passengers, who were notified of the cancellation. The return flight, which was set to take off at 7:25 p.m. from Ho Chi Minh City, was also called off.
Asiana Airlines is South Korea's second-largest air carrier and serves a variety of international destinations. The canceled flight is the first international flight to be affected by the pilots' strike, though it is likely that more flights could be affected in the coming days.
The airline has yet to comment on the canceled flight, but it is likely that they will be taking steps to minimize the disruption caused by the strike. Asiana Airlines is likely to be facing pressure from customers and the government to ensure that the strike does not have a major impact on international travel.
It remains to be seen how the strike will affect Asiana Airlines in the long run, but it is clear that the airline is facing a difficult situation due to the actions of its unionized pilots. For now, passengers affected by the canceled flight will have to make alternative arrangements in order to reach their destination.
