Bombardier called the special SWISS airline flight "the most important take-off in the history of the CSeries." The CSeries CS100 is the first newly designed airliner of its kind in decades. SWISS flew the plane's first passenger flight Friday from Dublin to Zurich. And we were aboard.<br/>Also on board were about 100 passengers including CEOs from some of the world's most important airlines -- demonstrating support for an aircraft that's not quite in commercial service yet. SWISS' first CS100 commercial flight with paying customers is set for July 15. With the CSeries, Bombardier is attempting to challenge Airbus and Boeing in their bread-and-butter market of 120-160 seaters. Outfitted with 118 seats in a single-class cabin, this flight didn't offer the same cabin configuration that SWISS plans to roll out in July. That will boast 125 seats by the German manufacturer ZIM.<br/>
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United Continental and its flight attendants have agreed to extend mediated contract talks this month after scheduled discussions ended last week without a deal for unified work rules and benefits, they said on Monday. US federal mediators directed the parties to resolve contract language issues next week ahead of a new final mediation session during the week of June 20, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said in an online notice. United said in a separate online bulletin that it was "committed to bringing this negotiation to a successful close." Flight attendants from United and Continental Airlines, which merged in 2010, still staff separate flights and operate under different work rules. Furloughs by the merged company's previous management strained labor relations, and the parties entered federal mediation in November 2015. A single contract for all flight attendants would mark an achievement for new CE Oscar Munoz. His appointment in September led to a "marked improvement" at the negotiating table, the union said. He has stressed that employees are integral to improving customer satisfaction scores that have lagged those of its peers.<br/>
Air India, who is set to announce its first profit in nearly decade, will continue to make money even if oil rises to $60 a barrel, an airline board member said Thursday. The Indian government said in March that state-owned Air India would report a Rs8-crore ($1.25m) profit for the 12 months to March 31 compared to a Rs2,636.18-crore ($394m) loss in the previous year. It last made a profit in 2007-2008. Air India has been able to turnaround years of losses largely due to the collapse in the oil price that has slashed the airline’s operating costs, board member Pankaj Srivastava told Gulf News in Dublin at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual meet. But operating costs have increased for many airlines in the past four months with oil benchmark Brent crude rallying by 80% to $50 a barrel Friday. “It’s hardening again. So I expect it’s going to stabilise at $55/$60 … [and] with that kind of pricing we would still be profitable,” Srivastava said. The increase in the oil prices comes as carriers caution that fare margins are under pressure from currency fluctuations and a glut of seats. Air India is considering launching flights to Spanish cities Madrid or Barcelona, though it is likely to fly to Madrid and start the services in November, Srivastava said.<br/>
Close to 300 people on a flight from Washington, D.C. to Beijing had an unexpected stop in Winnipeg when their plane suffered a mechanical problem. Scott Marohn with the Winnipeg Airports Authority says the Air China Boeing 777-300 developed some type of problem with one of its two engines on Saturday evening and wished to land in the city. Marohn says it was an emergency landing, but the plane landed safely and the passengers and crew stayed in Winnipeg overnight while Air China flew in another aircraft. Marohn says Air China, as well as its partner in Winnipeg, Air Canada, are investigating the cause of the malfunction.<br/>