South Korea's Asiana Airlines has agreed to recognise the Asiana Pilots Union as part of a deal which averted a strike, threatened for 7 December. Pilots' demands for changes in working hours have been accepted, with the airline agreeing to adopt a system equivalent to that in operation at rivals Korean Air (KAL). Last year the airline adopted US standards limiting pilots to 1,000 flying hours per year, or 83 per month on average, and plans to reduce this to 75 hours per month from next April. KAL recognised its pilots' union in May. Until then, pilots had been considered equivalent to state security personnel, and were forbidden.
Source: Flight International
