Commuting-System
It was a common practice that the Captains used to travel in First and the F/O´s travel in Business Class whilst commute. The Contract stated it is Economy Class on the way home and subject to availability Business Class. On the way after the days off back to Seoul it is Business Class. What KAL does now is "enforce" the contract, hopefully in all other contents as well. Because there are clauses ignored in the past and not enforced at all because that would be a advantage for the Contractee, Agencies do not support Pilots after placement because if they would try they would jeopardize the "climate" between KAL and themselves. If a Agent provides 50 or even 80 Pilots to KAL he has the fear of being ignored by the next selection. Despite the statement, the fluctuation is too high over the past years. Too many are leaving earlier then the 5 year term, think about it when you read the shiny advertisments about the best commuting system, excellent ammenities and so on. It dresses the window and lures the desire that the grass is greener on the other side until you look at it from a diffrent angle, you then realise that the grass was greener where you were.
Some of my sources tell me that even now whilst on duty the real deadhead is applied as well to Business only, your Korean Colleague is sleeping in First, you are trying to close a eye in Business. Fair and equal treatment....?!
Fly safe and land happy
NG