Ryanair began talks Friday with the union behind the first pilots strike in the carrier’s 32-year history, as it continues to meet labour representatives following its surprise move just before Christmas to recognise unions. Sources described the talks between Ryanair and officials of Germany’s Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union in Frankfurt as “constructive” and said they will form the basis for real negotiations over the coming months. A spokesman for Ryanair and representatives from VC declined to comment. The carrier met the Irish Airline Pilots Association Wednesday and British Airline Pilots Association Thursday. However, the VC engagement is seen as the major step forward, after members of that union directly employed by Ryanair held a 4-hour walkout Dec 22nd. <br/>
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Ryanair strengthened its dominance of Europe’s discount-airline market in 2017 by adding more customers than any of its rivals, even as a scheduling foul-up contributed to its smallest gain in passenger numbers in 3 years. The company filled 12m more seats in 2017 than a year earlier, while second-ranked EasyJet said Friday that it flew 7.2m more passengers in the period. No-frills airlines continued to gain market share across Europe last year, with the top 6 adding a combined 44m passengers. Ryanair accounted for almost 30% of that total, despite a botched reworking of pilot leave that led to cancellations of thousands of flights and forced the company to accept unionisation after crews gained bargaining power. The 10% advance in passenger numbers marked Ryanair’s weakest growth rate since 2014. <br/>
Two jets collided on the ground at a Toronto airport, setting the tail of one aircraft alight and prompting passengers to evacuate the other via an emergency slide. Both WestJet and Sunwing confirmed that their planes were involved in the collision at 18:19 local time at Toronto Pearson International, the second such incident at the airport in 5 months. Several hours after the collision the airport said all WestJet passengers were safely at the terminal, adding that one of the airport's fire personnel was undergoing hospital treatment. "At this time, airport operations have not been significantly affected by the incident but continue to be challenged by the extreme cold weather conditions," the airport said. The panicked shouts and cries of those aboard were audible on one Instagram video shot by a passenger inside the WestJet plane. <br/>
Following the Dec 2017 launch of 8 international routes and subsequent indications of improving yields, Volaris increased its profit guidance for Q4 2017 to 27%-29%, the airline said Jan 5. In its Dec 2017 preliminary traffic statement—which reported a 3.1% year-over-year increase in passenger traffic for the month of December and 11.1% YOY traffic growth for the full year—Volaris said a “quarter-over-quarter yield improving environment” led the company to increase its Q4 adjusted EBITDAR margin guidance. The increase reflects an actual average exchange rate of MXP19.16 per US dollar and average economic fuel price per gallon of $1.90, Volaris said. The airline did not provide specific revenue or yield figures for the month. <br/>
As 2017 ended, Alaska Air Group’s management scrambled to impress Wall Street by curtailing costs. Yet the focus on cost controls has left its own employees seriously disgruntled with management — and worried that the cost-cutting campaign will damage the company in the battle with Delta Air Lines over its hometown Seattle market. Some disaffected Alaska Airlines pilots, still angry at management’s handling of contract negotiations last fall, are deliberately slowing Alaska’s airport traffic in minor but perceptible ways. In December, flight attendants rose up against the latest small cost-shaving measure that had been planned for January — taking away the free Biscoff cookies on flights leaving after 10 am, a move that would supposedly save US$3m per year. “Man, it’s a race to the bottom,” said one flight attendant. <br/>