By MOOK Scenic Spots Family / Compiled and Reported
A China Airlines A350 aircraft painted in a special livery, launched in collaboration with Airbus. (Photo / China Airlines)
After the breakdown in talks, the Pilots’ Union stated that the strike would continue. As of the fifth day on February 12, a total of 60 flights had been canceled within four days. With over 600 pilot certificates returned, the number of flights able to operate normally each day has decreased. China Airlines is facing an unprecedented operational challenge, having lost NT$78 million in just five days. The pilots collectively lost around NT$31 million in wages, and the airline’s stock price plummeted to around NT$10.2, causing significant concern among investors.
These losses do not even include the estimated hundreds of millions of New Taiwan dollars in compensation that China Airlines will likely have to pay to travel agencies in the future. Moreover, the strike has severely damaged passenger confidence in China Airlines—an immeasurable loss.
Although China Airlines attempted to show goodwill, no consensus was reached on the Pilots’ Union’s demands to improve fatigue-related flight scheduling — specifically, their proposed arrangement of three pilots for 8-hour flights and four pilots for 12-hour flights.
In addition, the China Airlines pilots’ strike has caused inconvenience to many passengers, sparking dissatisfaction among some. However, the union’s strike is legally justified, and improving labor conditions is a key focus in labor-management negotiations. Fatigue flights also raise air safety concerns, with all issues closely interconnected.
Furthermore, with China Airlines being 50% state-owned, reforms in organizational and operational efficiency are also a major focus. There are numerous other comments and conspiracy theories, but the general public should approach criticisms rationally, understanding the systems and regulations of aviation-related careers before making judgments. What most people find unacceptable is the impact on passenger rights. However, without taking such action, there would be no opportunity for negotiation or mediation — a principle common to strikes worldwide. The China Airlines pilots’ strike has triggered widespread attention and discussion, with increasingly diverse focal points. When the next round of negotiations will take place remains a key issue.