ANA unions go on strike, 137 flights canceled

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Mar. 19--TOKYO -- Four labor unions of pilots and other crew of All Nippon Airways Co. group firms went on a 24-hour strike Wednesday, leading to the cancellation of 137 flights, or 15 percent of all the group's domestic flights.

ANA said flights will be operated normally Thursday after the around-the-clock strike affected such routes as those between Fukuoka and Kansai airports and between Sapporo and Chubu airports on Wednesday.

It was the first time since April 2007 that ANA flights had been cancelled due to strikes.

Participating in Wednesday's strike, which did not affect international flights, were about 600 pilots and other crew members of four ANA group firms, including Air Nippon Co., operating domestic regional routes.

The management and the unions failed to reach an agreement over safety measures and labor conditions, resulting in the day's strike.