Korean Air non respect of contract
 

Korean air foreign pilots management has unilaterally modified the foreign pilots' contracts by a simple email yesterday. They are not allowing travel on your time off to any other destination than your designated base. Up until yesterday, your could request up to the day of travel, any destination the airlines flies to. Most of the foreign pilots working for KAL were attracted by the convenience of flexible scheduling and confirmed travel in and out of ICN to any destination on their network that they fly to at least twice weekly. It is specified black on white in the employment contract.

The salary at KAL is way less than the neighboring Chinese airlines. Most of the pilots at KAL decided to join the company for these scheduling perks instead of the money. Now these perks are disappearing. Decision are made unilaterally by foreign pilots management and contracts agencies do nothing but cashing their monthly 1000$ commission and answering the pilots emails by saying: We are very sorry to hear that. We hope a solution can be found soon.

Just wanted to warn any pilots in the process of joining the company. KAL is not the same as before and the contract can be modified overnight by a department with very poor managerial skills.

ExpatpilotKAL

Guess KAL just screwed up the last bit they had going for them. The flexible commuting system.......

Just to elaborate a bit more. If you live anywhere but exactly at an Korean Air destination, then you are screwed. No more shopping for cheap fares from different airports to get to where you actually live. No more visiting family or friends in other parts of the world. You can do that on a standby ticket, which they will never upgrade even if you are on your way back to work and economy is full.....

Hello all,

May I ask if this policy change is confirmed? I was considering KAL but frankly if they can change something in your contract at the stroke of a pen I’m not interested, and this specific benefit was indeed one of the more interesting aspects of the KAL deal.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Well, you can call your lawyer, he should negotiate with your broker about the exit fee, and then get another job somewhere else... it worked for a few guys who worked in VNA

This was the result of a poorly written email from someone in the expats department who shouldn’t have written it and who didn’t have all the information! Yes there are some destinations that are not available to anyone but residents of that country for GD travel but the rest are available to anyone at anytime. I think there are a total of 4 that are not, china is one of them as guys have been using GD travel for interviews there, and Hawaii is another due to large numbers showing up there on the GD flagging immigration!

The China for Interview is a little fresh, I got to admit; but GD into US Territory should not flag any problems; US air carriers crews do that all the time, to Mexico, Canada, Caribbean, Virgin Islands... bad excuse...

Thanks Bia. So for example, if once in a while one wanted to position to or from Canada (where some of my family lives) instead of Europe (where I live) that wouldn’t be a problem?

That's not a problem

Thank-you!

Only Canadian residents can travel on the GD to Canada.

Oh dear, now I’m confused. So what is the exact rule, one can change positioning port but only within the same country or region? Or is change origin/destination possible to anywhere except China, Canada and a few others?

Also, are the rules governing this issue policy (in other words subject to change) or contractual?

Non duty travel, on the GD, to Canada, is only available to Canadian residents. At the moment China, Canada and HNL have restrictions but in reality non duty GD travel to anywhere but your nominated base is being denied. What's in your contract is always subject to change.

Add India and Fiji to that list as well. India will not let you stay for longer than your longest lay over, for us three days. And Fiji, you cannot leave the country. One of the NZ pilots tried to leave to go to his home town and was denied to leave as a PAX.
My nominated base is ATL, but I regularly travel to DEL and it is allowed as I am an Indian citizen.
So short answer, GD travel is not allowed to a country where that specific country wont allow it. At the moment China, Canada, India, Fiji and HNL (except for US citizens, even green card holders are not allowed.)

I regularly duty travel between my nominated base and another base without any trouble. I do special occasions with family in the USA and I live in Asia and have no issues requesting both.

It seems this policy is applied rather inconsistently. Does it depend on your employing agency, or your fleet?

Sorry to jump in but can anyone quickly clarify what staff travel concessions exist with other airlines?

Is it just limited to other Skyteam operators or is it more extensive?

I posted a similar question to my agency and i am even more confused by the answer.
in my contract which has not yet started, it states that the pilot and direct family members are allowed to 4 return tkt FOC confirmed in economy upgradable to business plus 6 tkt 50% per each one of us. elseware it states also that you have access to interline tickets as any other employee...
Do we or we don't have access to interline tickets? does it exists an online system to buy these tickets?
cheers and happy new year fellowa..
FOI

Capts have access to ZEDs/IDs on many airlines, most within the ZED system. FOs have none or are restricted.

They are ordered through a paper or emailed request, then 3 days later you take it to the staff travel office at Term 1 and buy it there. It’s an archaic and arduous process, about 10 years behind the industry, but it will eventually change.