The shower smiles in a politician.

Air Canada Deal?

The union representing Air Canada flight attendants was optimistic on Tuesday that its members would support a last-minute labour deal hammered out with the country's biggest airline.

The tentative contract agreement was reached between Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees CUPE.L on Tuesday afternoon, less than nine hours before the start of a strike by about 6,800 flight attendants, which would have grounded much of the airline's fleet.

The agreement must still be ratified by union members, who rejected a previous deal with Air Canada last month.

"We are pretty confident that we have a good deal," said Jeff Taylor, president of CUPE's Air Canada component.

Air Berlin fleet cuts

By Victoria Bryan Reuters

Germany's two largest airlines said on Wednesday they were cutting capacity and fleets to salvage profits, as economic turbulence hits bookings numbers and prompts customers to put off booking flights until the last minute.

Air Berlin (AB1.DE) said it hoped to pass on planes it no longer needed to Asian rivals, while German flagship airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), which on Tuesday shocked investors with a profit warning, said it would now only increase capacity over the winter by 4 percent.

Lufthansa had in July already reduced the planned growth in capacity to 6 percent, down from an original 12 percent and indicated on Wednesday it could cut more seats.

Go's Goahead

Brazilian airline Gol has been given the green light for its purchase of low-cost carrier Webjet by the country's civil aviation administration ANAC.

Shortly after the deal was signed on 8 July, the agreement was forwarded to ANAC and other government agencies for final approval. ANAC's go-ahead is conditional on similar approvals from Brazil's securities exchange commission (CVM) and the CADE - a justice ministry agency that oversees large-scale financial transactions.

More drama from bomb trial

The accused underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has "vehemently" objected to plans by prosecutors to show a model of the device he is charged with attempting to use to blow up a passenger airliner on Christmas Day 2009.

"Abdulmutallab vehemently objects to the government introducing a model of the bomb," Anthony Chambers, who is Abdulmutallab's stand-by attorney, said in documents filed late on Tuesday with the U.S. District Court in Detroit, reports Reuters news agency.

"Presenting the jury with a model of the bomb is unfairly prejudicial, and is only meant to inflame the jury and appeal to the jurors' emotions," Chambers added, in asking that the evidence be excluded.

Chambers said the government's pictures of the remnants of the bomb would achieve its goal. The trial is set to start on October 11.

Singapore Airlines all set to introduce low cost carrier -

 

Facing stiff competition from low fare air-carriers, Singapore Airlines is all set to introduce a low cost carrier soon, a top official said on Tueday.

 

China low-fuel landing row reflects growing pains

 

Aviation authorities have ordered stiff punishment for a local airline whose pilot refused to yield to a Qatar Airways jet requesting to land because it was short of fuel, highlighting growing concerns over safety in China's overcrowded skies.

Cathay Pacific to launch premium economy class

 

Cathay Pacific's new premium economy class is likened to the airline's regional business class, shown above.

Cathay Pacific will introduce premium economy seats to its fleet in the second quarter of 2012.

World's safest airlines revealed

 

Two other European airlines, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, featured in the report, which was published by the Geneva-based Air Transport Rating Agency (ATRA).

Six of the ten safest airlines – Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines and US Airways – are based in the United States. Japan Airlines was also named among the top ten.

In its “Holistic Safety Rating” report ATRA compared publicly available data on 100 of the world’s largest airlines.

It took into account 15 different criteria, including the age of the each airline’s fleet, their pilot training facilities and the number of accidents they have been involved in during the last ten years.

ATRA, which operates independently of any airline, manufacturer or regulatory authority, says the study was undertaken to “provide the aviation sector with rigorous and transparent information, liable to encourage airlines to track, interpret and discuss any criteria in the organisation contributing to flight safety.”

Each year, the European Union releases list of banned airlines, often considered to be the world’s most dangerous. The latest list, published in April, can be seen at http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm. It includes 37 Kazakh carriers and 43 Indonesian airlines.

World's safest airlines revealed - Telegraph

Qantas forced to issue apology after 'blackface' stunt on Twitter is branded 'appalling' racism

 

Australian airline Qantas has been forced to issue a grovelling apology after one of its attempts at social media advertising was branded racist.

The airline had offered two tickets to the deciding game of the Bledisloe Cup between Australia and New Zealand national rugby teams in Brisbane on Saturday night.

Set up earlier in the month, the Qantas Twitter giveaway promised two exclusive tickets to the game, at Suncorp Stadium, to the two fans who could best show their support for the Australian team.

Qantas overhauls with $9 bln fleet order, 2 new airlines!

 

Australia's Qantas Airways is setting up two new airlines in Asia and ordering $9 billion of new Airbus aircraft as part of a do-or-die makeover to salvage its loss-making international business.

Qantas will also cut 1,000 jobs in Australia as it shifts its focus to the world's fastest-growing aviation market, triggering threats by unions to block the move and a government pledge to scrutinise the plans.

In-flight film explains mysteries of female pleasure

 

 

Credit: Reuters/Daniel Munoz

The in-flight entertainment on some planes run by Australian airline Qantas currently contains a somewhat unusual offering -- a movie that purports to elucidate the mysteries of female sexual pleasure.

Cathay Pacific oral sex scandal - Pilot, stewardess sacked

 

A pilot and a flight attendant were dismissed from Cathay Pacific after photos of them having oral sex in a cockpit appeared online and in print, the Hong Kong airline said.  The airline's chief executive John Slosar said the couple, who have not been identified, "are no longer employees of the company."

Allegiant Airlines to close its Grand Rapids base, reduce destinations

 

Air travellers still will be able to use low-cost carrier Allegiant Air to fly out of Gerald R. Ford International Airport, but the Las Vegas-based airline is closing its base here and reducing the number of destinations it serves.

10 injured as PIA plane starts wobbling!

 

At least 10 passengers were injured when a Pakistan International Airline (PIA) plane coming from Multan to Islamabad started wobbling in the air due to bad weather conditions, 30 minutes air travel away from Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad (BBIAPI) here on Friday.