The buyers of insolvent Air Berlin's assets will likely be picked by mid-September, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as the race for the carrier's coveted take-off and landing slots in Germany heats up. Suitors have until Sept. 13 to make bids and present their business plans to the airline's administrator and lenders, two sources said. A committee of creditors overlooking the liquidation aim to come to an agreement who will buy what shortly thereafter, the sources said, with one of them saying the decision could come as early as Sept. 15. Another source cautioned that the schedule was ambitious because new suitors keep lining up. Air Berlin CE Thomas Winkelmann has said time is of the essence and wants a deal before the end of September. The carrier, which declined to comment, has been in talks with interested parties since it filed for insolvency on Aug. 15 after its major shareholder, Gulf carrier Etihad, denied it any further funding. Lufthansa, Thomas Cook's Condor, easyJet and Ryanair are among airlines interested in the carrier's business or parts of it, sources familiar with the negotiations have said.<br/>
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A German government bridging loan for insolvent Air Berlin has not yet been paid out but the timetable for disbursing the credit is on schedule, a spokeswoman for the Economy Ministry said Monday. “There are a few technical details but the credit is there and everything is progressing according to the timetable,” the spokeswoman said. The government has agreed a E150m loan to ensure that flights continue for a period of three months and to secure the positions of the airline’s 7,200 employees in Germany.<br/>
After being inundated with complaints from employees who said their uniforms caused itching, wheezing and other problems, American Airlines has decided to let its unions choose the next vendor. Thousands of flight attendants, ground workers and pilots reported allergic reactions to the uniforms produced by Twin Hill, prompting the Fort Worth-based carrier to end its partnership with the manufacturer and seek a new company to produce its uniforms. “We’re working together with each union to select a Frontline Uniform Advisory Team to shape our long-term solution toward a uniform that all team members wear with confidence,” the carrier said in a letter sent to employees Monday. American said it already narrowed its vendor search to 22 potential suppliers and each union will select five as finalists. The company said the process will take several months and include factory visits by union leaders and employees.<br/>
The Qantas Group has reshuffled its executive leadership team, effective November. Jetstar CE Jayne Hrdlicka will become CE of Qantas Loyalty and Digital Ventures, which will now also includes innovation, says Qantas. Gareth Evans will leave his post as chief executive of Qantas International to head the Jetstar Group. Alison Webster will be promoted from her role as executive manager of Qantas Freight, Catering and Airports to take over the post of CE of Qantas International. Andrew David, CE of Qantas Domestic, will assume responsibility for Qantas Freight, Catering and Airports. Olivia Wirth will take on responsibility for customer and digital strategy, in a new role of chief customer officer. This is in addition to her existing responsibilities for brand, marketing and corporate affairs. Andrew Finch will take on the responsibility for the office of the chief executive in additional to his current responsibilities as general counsel and company secretary. Finally, Jon Scriven, group executive of people and culture, will retire, with Lesley Grant stepping into the role and leaving the post of chief executive of Qantas Loyalty.<br/>