Months after the underwater search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was called off, an American company is offering to resume the hunt for the missing airliner. Ocean Infinity, a Texas-based firm that specialises in seabed exploration technology, said Friday that it has submitted an offer to search for the remains of the Boeing 777 that disappeared more than 3 years ago with 239 people on board. The company declined to reveal the exact terms of the proposal, but said it's willing to "take on the economic risk of a renewed search." The group said the company expects a "fee" for the search only if it is successful in finding the aircraft's wreckage. "We believe this offer should be accepted without further delay," the families said, describing it as a "win-win." <br/>
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American Airlines will start paying travel agents a US$2 commission on flights booked directly with airline channels, the carrier has announced. American’s new program marks a shift away from the approach taken by major international airlines, including Lufthansa and British Airways, which charge agents a fee of up to $18 to book directly with airline channels, according to Travel Market Report. By offering the incentives, American is attempting to pull business away from Global Distribution Systems. Instead, American is incentivising the use of New Distribution Capability. American has its own NDC, and the airline has said it is working with several third parties to offer additional approved connections soon. “We expect the program to be adopted over time,” American says. <br/>
It’s time for Cathay Pacific boss Rupert Hogg to go to the back of the plane. With the company expected to announce another loss this week, Cathay Pacific needs to shift strategy from being the region’s top airline for premium fliers and make a bigger effort to woo some of the millions of mainland leisure travellers who have enriched its state-owned rivals in China, analysts say. Wednesday, CE Hogg may report a loss of HK$1.2b (US$153m) for the 6 months through June. That would potentially put Cathay on course for the first back-to-back annual losses in its 70-year history. The company last month warned of a “disappointing” first-half. Cathay is caught between budget carriers luring regional tourists and deep-pocketed, state-owned competitors on the mainland that offer cheaper, long-haul flights without the need to fly via Hong Kong. <br/>