Delta pilots are expected to keep existing rules in their new labour contract that prevent the carrier from flying aircraft above a certain weight on regional routes, in a blow to Embraer and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose latest models exceed that limit. The pilots' new contract will keep what is known as a "scope clause," which restricts planes heavier than 86,000 pounds and with more than 76 seats from being flown on regional routes, two sources familiar with the matter said. Voting results on the new contract are expected on Dec. 1. The clause effectively protects well-paid pilot jobs at major airlines, as it prevents the carrier from using bigger planes on outsourced regional routes, which generally pay less well and have inferior working conditions. When planemakers such as Brazil's Embraer and Japan's Mitsubishi designed their latest regional jets, with heavier but more fuel-efficient engines, they expected the scope clause to have loosened, but unions have managed to hold on to it. UBS analyst Darryl Genovesi said it was unlikely the carriers would fly the E2 on only mainline routes, due to higher costs. "This puts the viability of the E175-E2 at risk since most of the demand for it originates at those three airlines," Genovesi wrote in a note to clients. Regional carrier SkyWest Inc , which operates flights for Delta, among others, is the launch customer for the E175-E2, with 100 firm orders.<br/>
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Delta is apologising for not removing a passenger from a flight to Pennsylvania who rudely professed his support for President-elect Donald Trump and insulted those who didn’t. The (Allentown) Morning Call first reported on a video posted on Facebook by a fellow passenger on the Tuesday flight from Atlanta to Allentown. The video shows the man standing in the aisle, yelling and insulting Hillary Clinton supporters. In the video, the man asks loudly: “We got some Hillary b-tches on here?” Referring to Trump’s victory, he says: “If you don’t like it, too bad.” Delta said on its website Saturday that it is “sorry this disruption happened” and says the airline is responsible for “ensuring all customers feel safe and comfortable.”<br/>
Korean Air has announced that it will suspend all Incheon-Siem Reap direct flights from February next year due to low passenger demand. “Due to low demand and to increase profitability, Korean Air will suspend two routes. From early February 2017, Korean Air will suspend the Incheon to Siem Reap Cambodia route and from late February the Incheon flight to Jedda, Saudia Arabia will cease operation,” the Khmer Times on Fridy quoted the company as saying. The statement also added that Korean Air would now be focusing more on its in-demand routes, as part of its efforts to revamp its global operations. Korean Air’s Phnom Penh office confirmed the company’s plan of scrapping the four direct return flights a week from Incheon to Siem Reap.<br/>