‘FATIGUE FLIGHTS’: By refusing to add pilots on longer flights, China Airlines was ignoring lessons from the deadly derailment of a Puyuma Express train last year, unions said
Taipei Times
Date: Feb 10, 2019
By: Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
As a strike by China Airlines (CAL) pilots continued for a second day yesterday, several
China Airlines chairman Ho Nuan-hsuan waves as he visits the airline’s ground staff at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday. Photo by Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
labor unions spoke out in support of them.
The strike, led by the Taoyuan Union of Pilots, has caused more than 20 flights to be canceled and a number of flights to be delayed.
The union said the pilots went on strike because, as of Thursday afternoon, China Airlines had failed to agree to the union’s five demands, including improving “fatigue flights” by adding a fourth pilot on flights longer than 12 hours.
In a letter to the public, the pilots said: “We are very sorry, but we have been forced to go on strike as a last-ditch effort… Please support us so that we can be alert and focused as we ensure the complete safety of each passenger on every flight.” [FULL STORY]
