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Two Aeroflot flight attendants are to have their gender discrimination claims against the airline heard in court in Moscow this week in the first case of its kind to involve a major, state-controlled Russian company. The two women, both in their 40s, are suing after the Russian carrier photographed and measured all flight attendants and, their claim argues, took those women who were a Russian size 48 (a UK size 14) or larger off the much coveted – and better paid – long-haul international flights. They are among hundreds of female Aeroflot employees who say they’ve been discriminated against. Aeroflot denies the Russian women’s claims. “Aeroflot does not place geographical restrictions on where individual members of cabin crew may fly,” said Vladimir Alexandrov, the airline’s deputy chief executive for legal matters. <br/>

Air France-KLM shareholders Monday backed Delta Air Lines and China Eastern Airlines taking minority stakes in the Franco-Dutch airline. Delta in July said it planned to acquire a 10% stake in Air France for E375m, valued at the time at about US$437m, as the long-time partners aim to strengthen their position on the lucrative trans-Atlantic market. China Eastern, a Delta partner in China, also would buy 10% of Air France. The two carriers will spend a total of E751m to acquire the stakes in Air France. A large majority of Air France-KLM voting shareholders backed issuing the new shares to Delta and China Eastern at a general meeting in Paris Air France-KLM CE Jean-Marc Janaillac told shareholders the deal would strengthen the carriers’ control over trans-Atlantic flights. <br/>