Asiana Airlines has separated the workspace between employees who will move to Air Incheon and those who will remain. Although they are still part of the same company, they have been grouped separately from the employees who will move to Air Incheon. With about 800 employees expected to transition to Air Incheon in July, this move is interpreted as an effort to maintain work discipline by limiting interactions among employees due to the uneasy atmosphere.
According to the airline industry on the 23rd, Asiana Airlines recently created a separate office space for employees who will move to Air Incheon. Asiana Airlines currently uses Centroplis in Jongno-gu, Seoul, but has established a separate space for employees heading to Air Incheon at its Osoe-dong office in Gangseo-gu. Approximately 800 employees from Asiana Airlines' cargo division and general administration will begin working at Air Incheon starting in July.
Air Incheon signed a contract to acquire Asiana Airlines' cargo division for 470 billion won in January. The acquisition process is currently underway and is expected to be completed by June. In July, the 'Integrated Air Incheon,' the only cargo-specialized large airline in the country, is set to launch.
The majority of employees confirmed to transfer to Air Incheon have reportedly strongly resisted the move. This is due to Air Incheon's smaller company size and lower recognition compared to Asiana Airlines. Currently, Air Incheon has about 170 employees, which is approximately 2% of Asiana Airlines' roughly 8,000 employees. Air Incheon was established in 2012 as a cargo-only airline, making it difficult for general passengers to access.
Asiana Airlines, which has been acquired by Korean Air, will operate independently for two years before being fully absorbed in 2027. Employees transferring to Air Incheon claim that their salaries and benefits will worsen. Airline employees can purchase leftover flight tickets at discounted rates, but it will become difficult for cargo-only airlines to offer such benefits. The company explained that 'current salaries will be maintained, and employee flight tickets will be accommodated for use over the coming years.'
Air Incheon has repeatedly held meetings with employees, stating that it will guarantee job security; however, dissatisfaction has not been quelled. There are reports that emphasizing private equity-style 'performance' during employee meetings has increased employee resentment. The largest shareholder of Air Incheon is the private equity fund management company Suchus Private Equity. Typically, private equity firms manage a company for about five years after acquisition to increase its value before selling it again.
Other divisions of Asiana Airlines, excluding the cargo division, are managed by executives transferred from Korean Air, who are said to be coordinating operations. An official from Asiana Airlines stated that 'the European Commission mandated that the divestiture of the cargo division must be operated independently from Korean Air and Asiana Airlines.'