Korean Air raises wages 2.5%, to pay W2m integration bonus

Korean Air and its union have wrapped up this year's wage and collective bargaining negotiations, agreeing on a pay raise, a special integration bonus and improved employee benefits ahead of the carrier's merger with Asiana Airlines.

Korean Air held a signing ceremony for the 2026 wage and collective bargaining agreement Tuesday morning at its headquarters in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Vice Chairman Woo Kee-hong and union chairman Cho Young-nam were among the labor and management representatives in attendance.

Under the agreement, Korean Air will raise the base salary for general, technical and cabin crew staff by up to 2.5% of total wages, depending on job grade. The increase applies retroactively from April 1.

The airline will also pay a special integration bonus recognizing employees' contributions to the merger process — 2 million won ($1,310) per employee, to be disbursed on Dec. 10. The integration with Asiana Airlines is scheduled to be completed Dec. 17.

As the combined carrier prepares to launch, Korean Air faces a range of internal tasks including route restructuring, organizational realignment and IT system integration. Labor stability has been identified as a key variable in the merger process, with industry attention also focused on consumer-facing issues such as mileage programs and the reshaping of low-cost carrier operations.

Labor and management also agreed to overhaul working conditions and employee benefits, including improvements to the promotion and leave systems and an expansion of employee flight pass entitlements.

Korean Air said it plans to sustain a cooperative labor-management culture built on mutual trust and create a work environment where all employees can grow together.

"This is a time when every employee must give their utmost with a sense of urgency, to ensure the successful launch of an integrated Korean Air and its establishment as a true global network carrier," Woo said at the ceremony. "Drawing on the strength that labor and management have shown over more than half a century in overcoming crises together, I hope we will write a new chapter in Korean Air history — as one."