Iran says it will replace A380 Airbus planes with A350 planes if the conditions for their delivery are not met as agreed – an announcement that has now cast doubts if the advanced planes that the country had earlier said wanted for long-distance flights to the Americas will ever be available to Tehran. Farhad Parvaresh, the managing director of Iran Air, has been quoted as saying that Iran may even go for other Airbus models if any problem occurs over the delivery of A380s. In January, Iran signed a major deal worth over US$27b for the purchase of 118 planes from Airbus. Iran Air CE Parvaresh has said that 16 planes will be A380s that will be – if no problem occurs – delivered to Iran from 2021. He added that 16 planes will also be A350s which he said are even more advanced than A380s. <br/>
unaligned
After 5 years of negotiations, Southwest Airlines’ ground crew workers narrowly approved a new contract Friday, marking a victory for the airline at a time when it’s embroiled in labour strife with several of its largest employee groups. Members of the TWU Local 555, which represents more than 12,000 ramp, operations, cargo and other ground workers, approved a tentative agreement reached in December by a 50.4% to 49.6% margin. The 5-year deal includes a 20% pay increase over the life of the contract, as well as a slight bump in retirement compensation and retroactive pay that will be doled out in lump sums ranging from US$509 to more than $12,000. The agreement comes at a time when Southwest is in contract negotiations with 6 other employee groups, including its pilots and flight attendants. <br/>
Two more major users of London City —CityJet and Flybe—have joined BA in voicing concerns over any increase in charges to be imposed by a new owner for the inner-city facility. The airport was put up for sale by current owners Global Infrastructure Partners in August 2015. Press reports have indicated that a price tag of US$2.9b has been affixed to the airport, which has a heavy bias toward business passengers, particularly from the nearby Docklands financial district. BA warned that any attempt by new owners to recoup their costs by increasing landing and other charges could lead to it cutting back its services at LCY. Now CityJet has issued a similar warning. CityJet executive chairman Pat Byrne said that any increase in charges “brings into question the long-term sustainability of airline operations at LCY.” <br/>
Nok Air will cancel 20 domestic flights Feb 23 even as it faces an investigation into earlier cancellations and the threat of having its license suspended. An official at the airline said that passengers affected had been contacted and offered compensation or alternative flights. "These are normal cancellations and we informed passengers 3 days in advance, which is in line with the (transport) ministry's regulations," she said. Nok Air is under investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand after 3,000 passengers were affected by flight cancellations last Sunday following a pilot strike. Monday, deputy transport minister Omsin Chivapruek said Nok Air's operating license could be suspended if there were more flight cancellations. <br/>