Airlines hesitant to carry out reshuffles amid pandemic

Uncertainties have arisen within the local airline industry due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic as well as the delayed review of Korean Air's takeover deal of Asiana Airlines. Due to these circumstances, the two leading carriers are struggling to conduct planned executive year-end reshuffles. Industry watchers believe that the reshuffles will be minimal if they happen at all. According to the airline industry Wednesday, Korean Air has not yet decided whether and when to implement its year-end executive reshuffle. It did not carry out a reshuffle last year, other than some job transfers. This situation means that the appointment of new executives has been halted for more than two years since the last executive appointment in November 2019. "Usually Hanjin Group conducts executive recruitment at the end of the year, but nothing has been decided for this year," a Korean Air official said. "Due to COVID-19, half of the employees are on rotational leave until March." It is unclear whether Asiana Airlines will also conduct an executive reshuffle for the year-end. Asiana conducted a major executive reshuffle last year, retiring 15 executives, including CEO Han Chang-soo, but only eight new executives were appointed, reducing the number of executive spots. In the case of Korean Air, it posted only 330b won ($276.8m) in operating profit in the passenger sector for the third quarter of this year, compared to its 2.11t won operating profit in the same quarter of 2019, before the pandemic. Asiana also saw its passenger operating profit drop to one-eighth over the same period. Despite the drop, the operating profits of both airlines more than doubled backed by strong sales in the cargo sector. Korean Air's acquisition of Asiana is expected to be delayed after failing to gain approval from aviation authorities.<br/>