Managers and pilots at Air Berlin have agreed to pay cuts as the German airline tries to reduce costs. About 80 managers will see their remuneration cut by between 5 and 10% this year, and the pilots will also make a contribution to the latest cost cutting effort, a spokesman said. According to German magazine Der Spiegel, the 1,250 pilots are waiving a 4% 2016 pay increase and will vote in the autumn on whether to also give up a salary increase in 2017. The airline, 29% owned by Etihad, is trying to return to profit after years of losses, with new CE Stefan Pichler examining the carrier's network and fleet in a bid to bring down costs.<br/>
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Female cabin crew have won the right to swap out their skirts following a tense two-year battle between the airline and workers' union, Unite. All workers are now allowed to cover their legs following the end of the former dress code, which dictated that certain female employees must wear skirts unless exempt on religious or medical grounds. The antiquated rule only applied to staff employed since 2012 in what the airline calls its "mixed fleet", which accounts for 3000 of BA's 17,000 cabin crew. "Our mixed fleet team wear the 'ambassador' British Airways uniform. While trousers are not a standard part of this uniform, colleagues wishing to wear them can request this through their manager," a BA spokesperson said. Trousers for women were included in the cabin crew uniform designed by Julien McDonald in 2001, however it was "not within the mixed fleet vision for female crew to wear trousers", BA said. However the airline decided to back down after a Unite poll found 83% of its members supported the option to wear trousers.<br/>
Meridiana SpA, Italy’s second-largest airline, said a holding company of its owner the Aga Khan has signed a preliminary accord on a partnership with Qatar Airways. The memorandum of understanding between the Gulf carrier and Alisarda lays out conditions for a transaction to be completed in the first half, Meridiana said Thursday. Under European law, Qatar Air could buy as much as 49% of the Olbia, Sardinia-based carrier. “The two parties have agreed upon the pillars of the business proposition, which envisages a reinforcement of Meridiana with the objective of making it a solid player in the very competitive European aviation industry,” the Italian airline said.<br/>