Pilots of Brussels Airlines will strike on May 14 and 16 in a dispute over pay and conditions, the airline said. The unions of pilots formally notified the airline last week of its intention to strike, potentially from May 11. The airline said it regretted the action, which would affect more than 60,000 passengers booked on 557 flights into and out of Brussels on the two days. Pilots want a pay hike, a better work-life balance, improved career prospects and the possibility of earlier retirement. Some 80% of them voted to strike. Union leaders have said some of the concerns relate to uncertainty over the future of the airline within Lufthansa. Brussels Airlines says it has made a number of offers to address such concerns.<br/>
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An African woman and her children were kicked off a United flight after a fellow passenger complained that she had a “pungent” odour, according to a racial discrimination lawsuit filed against the company. The incident involving the passenger, a white male, happened two years ago, when Queen Obioma, a Nigerian citizen, and her two children were boarding a flight from Houston to San Francisco. The family had flown from Lagos, Nigeria, and were on the second leg of a three-flight journey to Ontario, Canada. Obioma saw that the other passenger had sat in her assigned seat in the business-class cabin, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Friday in federal court in Houston. The passenger refused to move, so a flight crew member, instead, asked Obioma to sit elsewhere in business class. Later, before take-off, Obioma went to use the bathroom. On her way back to her seat, the same passenger was standing in the aisle and blocking her from getting to her seat, the lawsuit said. She said “excuse me” three times, but was ignored. After several minutes, Obioma managed to squeeze her way to her seat. But just after she sat down, a crew member told Obioma to go outside the aircraft, where another employee told her that she will be removed from the flight. The lawsuit said the pilot had personally requested that she be removed because the male passenger, who was not identified, had complained that her smell was “pungent” and he was not comfortable flying with her. Crew members refused to let Obioma back onto the aircraft and removed the entire family from the flight. A spokesman said the company has not been served with the lawsuit and is unable to comment because of the pending litigation. The lawsuit alleged that United Airlines discriminated against Obioma and her children during the incident on March 4, 2016 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston because they were black.<br/>
Asiana Airlines’ OZ552 departing from Istanbul, Turkey crashed into the tail of Turkish Airlines’ A321 plane Sunday, breaking its wing as well as the other plane’s tail and causing a fire. According to Asiana, the plane was moving on the taxi way at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport at around 5:30 p.m. local time. Its wing accidentally hit the tail of Turkish plane which was parked. The air carrier said none of the people on board were hurt, and the crash was not severe. The fire that broke out on the Turkish plane was extinguished. A total of 222 passengers and 16 flight attendants were on board the plane. Passengers were offered accommodation at nearby hotels some six hours after the accident occurred, according to reports. While an investigation is underway to find out which side has been at fault, the company said it had substituted the damaged plane with another one, which will depart Istanbul at 12:40 p.m. Monday. <br/>
New Zealanders travellers between Christchurch and Singapore will soon have the additional choice of an SIA A350-900 aircraft. It follows the recent introduction of SIA flights from Wellington to Singapore via Melbourne, SIA GM New Zealand, Simon Turcotte said. The Christchurch service will begin in January 2019 with the A350-900 Airbus which has higher ceilings, larger windows, and wider body. The new aircraft have fewer seats at 253 compared with the current Boeing 777-200ER which has 312 seats - but there are more premium class seats on offer to make the airline more money per flight. The new A350-900 has a standard seating pattern of 42 business class fully reclining seats, 24 in premium economy class with partly reclining seats, and 187 economy class standard seats. By contrast the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft had fewer of the more expensive premium seats. All the seats on the new service are described as "next generation". Turcotte said the company was introducing premium economy class on the route for the first time.<br/>