The president of All Nippon Airways Co. on April 10 asked for public understanding regarding the ongoing strike by the carriers' flight crew union.
"Although we are fully aware of our task and role as a transportation service, we want the public to understand the necessity of launching a new wage system to strengthen our management," Kichisaburo Nomura said.
As of April 10, the fifth day of the strike, the carrier had canceled 28 international flights, affecting about 5,200 passengers and costing the carrier about 800 million yen. If the strike continues eight international flights will be canceled both today and Sunday and six will be canceled Monday, according to ANA officials.
All 1,500 members of the ANA Crew Association went on strike after negotiations with ANA management broke down Sunday night. In 1996, ANA management proposed to scrap the current wage system under which flight crews get a flat 65-hour flight allowance regardless of the flight hours logged. The union rejected the plan and went on strike twice that year.