British Airways plans to launch services where its business class section is even plusher while economy seats rival those of budget carriers. Alex Cruz, chairman of British Airways, discussed the idea back in April when revealing the airline's new aircraft. Speaking of the recent issues that have beset BA, including the numerous strikes, Cruz said the airline had to change its strategy. “We are falling behind,” he said. “We have work to do.” Cruz went on to outline plans which would focus on making sure BA's economy cabin was competitive enough to rival increasingly low-cost fares, while investing GBP400m to seriously upgrade its long-haul business class offering, and creating business class seats on UK domestic services. He said the move would make British Airways a “fantastic, unbelievable, 10 out of 10” airline. <br/>
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The circumstances that brought down Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 remain one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries, but the carrier's CE said he believed a breakthrough can be made within the next 4 years. "(Given) the advances in scientific research around the location where the aircraft may have gone down ... I personally would be very surprised if in the next 3 or 4 years, we don't get a breakthrough. I think that's the timescale we're looking at," the airline's CE, Peter Bellew, said Wednesday. Bellew also said the airline expected to turn profitable by the second half of next year as its focus on growing the business-class segment is yielding results. The company is also looking to re-list on the local stock exchange the following year, he said. <br/>
Several hundred workers who maintain American Airlines planes picketed Wednesday at the carrier's home airport, calling for higher pay and an end to shifting maintenance work overseas. The demonstration underscored conflict between the airlines, which struggled for years but are now earning huge profits, and their union work forces. Helped by a bankruptcy restructuring, less competition, lower fuel prices and new leadership, American Airlines Group earned US$2.7b last year. "They are not going to hoard it all to themselves," said John Samuelson, president of the Transport Workers Union. "The TWU work force is going to get their fair share in this contract negotiation." The transport union and another union have been negotiating with American for a new contract since late 2015. <br/>