The Transportation Ministry said it has asked EVA Airways to provide contingency plans in the case of a pilot strike ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, one of the highest periods for travel in Taiwan.
The Taoyuan Union of Pilots previously voted on Monday for the right to strike if their demands are met. The union is demanding a 20% pay raise, a near doubling of its international outstation allowance to US$6 per hour, and a ban on the illegal recruitment of foreign pilots through intermediaries. The union says it does not rule out the possibility of a strike during Lunar New Year and plans to give only 24 hours notice before striking. Some travel experts have recommended that those planning to travel during the holiday purchase additional travel insurance.
Deputy Transportation Minister Chen Yen-Po (陳彥伯) on Thursday said that the Civil Aeronautics Administration CAA has asked EVA Air to provide specific contingency plans in the case of a strike. He says he hopes that both parties will remain flexible and resolve their differences in order to avoid harming the public.
Chen says that EVA Air will also be required to publish on its website how it intends to ensure customers’ rights in the case of a strike, such as how to obtain refunds if their flights are canceled. He adds the company must also update information related to the strike as quickly as possible online, as well as through SMS messages and phone calls to customers.