Taiwan’s main air carrier, China Airlines, began canceling flights on Friday following a strike staged by its pilots, who are demanding better working conditions.
The airline canceled at least 26 inbound and outbound flights between Friday and Sunday, including those to Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Manila. Passengers were being advised to check the latest flight conditions before going to the airport.
Taiwanese flag carrier China Airlines remains locked in a bitter dispute with its pilots’ union after the second round of negotiations failed on Monday evening over a list of grievances varying from pilots’ working hours and year-end bonuses to transparency over promotions. Longstanding disagreements over poor management and work pressure combined with labor-law violations prompted China Airline pilots to call a strike on February 8 amid Asia’s Lunar New Year holiday.
According to a China Airlines spokesperson, the strike between February 8 and February 11 resulted in a loss of $3.41 million in revenue after the cancellation of 80 flights. Although some 600 of the airline’s 1,300 pilots have participated in the strike, the Taiwanese flag carrier has managed to maintain 90 percent of its schedule.
The strike is expected to cause long delays and confusion at airports in Taiwan, as it comes in the midst of the Lunar New Year holiday, the busiest air travel period on the island, when airports handle some 20,000 passengers daily – around 6,000 more than usual.
Due to Pilot Union Strike, the latest cargo flight information on 12 Feb to 15 Feb 2019 are as below.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
