MIAT cancels international flights following staff strike

A strike by technical staff led to the cancellation of this morning’s MIAT flight to Seoul. J.Bat-Erdene, State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Construction and City Planning, some 90 workers are involved. If they continue to refuse to work, replacements will be brought in, but it may take some time to assemble a properly qualified team.

The workers are protesting against the decision yesterday of the MIAT Executive Board to dismiss the head of Technical Department, Yo.Enkhtur, following damage to one wing of an A310-300 Boeing during maintenance work. The board felt that such negligence was unacceptable, particularly as the airline planned to increase the number of its international flights from June 1 to meet the demands of the tourist season.

Enkhtur denied the charge of negligence and claimed that 94 of the 120 workers in his department have refused to work until their demand for a fair decision is met.

A later flight to Beijing was also cancelled. Arrangements are being made to carry passengers on both flights by other airlines.