Austrian Airlines has finished installing premium economy seats on its 11 long-haul aircraft, as part of a US$18.5m investment. A total of 228 premium economy seats were installed, the airline said. The seats, installed with a pitch of up to 97cm, are equipped with footrest, central armrest with fold-out table, in-seat power and a USB port. Austrian has equipped its 767s with 18 premium-economy seats by reducing 10 seats in business and 11 in economy class. The 777s are configured with 24 premium-economy seats by reducing 10 business and 20 economy-class seats. Austrian CCO Andreas Otto previously said he is expecting a return of investment within one to two years. <br/>
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United is considering whether to add an upgraded economy section to US flights -- a feature typically reserved for overseas markets. The carrier for months has been readying a new "Premium Plus" section with bigger seats and improved dining options. While the company previously said it would add the class to international routes, it's now considering it for domestic ones, too, president Scott Kirby said Tuesday. A United spokeswoman declined to provide any details about the premium features in the domestic version. United would be unique among the major US carriers if it goes forward with a domestic version of premium economy. <br/>
A dog died on a United plane after a flight attendant ordered its owner to put the animal in the plane's overhead bin. United said Tuesday that it took full responsibility for the incident on the Monday night flight from Houston to New York. United called it "a tragic accident that should never have occurred, as pets should never be placed in the overhead bin." The dog was in a small pet carrier designed to fit under an airline seat. Passengers reported that they heard barking during the flight and didn't know that the dog had died until the plane landed at LaGuardia. The cause of the dog's death was not immediately known. United is investigating the incident and has offered to pay for a necropsy. <br/>
More than 150 United employees gathered in Terminal 2 at Chicago O'Hare for a rally Tuesday. The rally was designed to demonstrate the carrier's support for a controversial US$8.5b O'Hare expansion project proposed two weeks ago by Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago's aviation commissioner. The rally took place despite growing concern in certain circles about the proposal. American Airlines, which has a major hub at O'Hare along with United, has been crying foul almost since the moment Emanuel unveiled it. AA maintains United was unfairly awarded five gates as part of the expansion plan and new lease agreements being negotiated. United says American is lying about the alleged preferential treatment. <br/>
South African Airways suspended two executives including CFO Phumeza Nhantsi following unspecified allegations made against them in a forensic probe of the state-owned airline. Musa Zwane, who was acting CE for two years until November, has been placed on leave pending a disciplinary hearing, an SAA spokesman said Tuesday. The airline won't comment further while the probe is ongoing and both executives are presumed innocent, he said. South Africa's new president has pledged to clean up state-owned entities that have been embroiled in allegations of mismanagement and corruption. Last week, a government auditor said SAA failed to properly value assets or correctly record irregular or wasteful expenditure. <br/>