South African Airways held talks with global carriers including Emirates about strengthening commercial relationships and taking on excess its cabin crew, though stopped short of asking for cash investments. The loss-making state airline has been on a roadshow to meet code share and other potential partners to discuss ways they could assist with its revival effort, SAA said Monday. SAA commented after Johannesburg-based newspaper City Press reported both Emirates and Etihad were in talks with SAA about a partnership, citing the UAE’s ambassador to South Africa. SAA is in the throes of a financial crisis that has led CEO Vuyani Jarana to call for an aviation-industry investor to help it return to profit and avoid further government bailouts. Gulf airlines have been mooted as candidates, given their routes linking major African cities with Middle Eastern hubs and other Asian and European destinations. Emirates and SAA are working closely to enhance their code-sharing agreement but there are no plans to invest, an Emirates spokesperson said Monday. Etihad declined to comment. SAA has met Emirates, Turkish Airways, Qatar Airways, Kenya Airways, Air Mauritius, Unite Airlines and Singapore Airlines, the company said.<br/>
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United will end its daily service between Newark Liberty and San Jose, California, in October, just a year and a half after entering the market. The carrier will discontinue the route it serves primarily with a 166-seat Boeing 737-800 on 26 October, after serving the market since March 2017, FlightGlobal schedules data show. United cites low demand for its decision to end service between Newark and San Jose, the airline says. It continues to serve the Bay Area airport from Chicago O'Hare, Denver and Houston Intercontinental. The airline followed Alaska Airlines into the Newark-San Jose market, following the Seattle-based carrier's expansion at the New York City-area airport with the removal of federal slot restrictions in October 2016. United operates a large hub at San Francisco International airport, 54km northwest of San Jose airport, which it serves from Newark. In May, the carrier announced plans to deemphasise connections at Newark and instead focus on being New York's "hometown airline" at the airport. Separately, United will add two new routes from its Denver International airport hub this fall. <br/>
The Queensland government wants answers after Air China decided to suspend its direct flights from Beijing to Brisbane. The government worked hard to secure the route, and touted it as a big win for Queensland's tourism industry when it was announced last year. But it is now asking questions about Air China's decision to divert flights out of Beijing to other Australian cities from September to January. Brisbane Airport Corporation said the decision was out of its hands. "BAC understands the service suspension is due to fleet availability, a factor beyond our control, which Air China is working to restore as soon as possible," it said in a statement on Monday. "We remain committed to the Beijing-Brisbane route as a key inbound market for Queensland trade and tourism and vital non-stop destination for Australian exporters and business people flying outbound." Four flights a week from the Chinese capital have brought 35,000 passengers to Queensland since last December.<br/>
Asiana Airlines plans to compensate passengers affected by flight delays caused by disruptions in the supply of onboard meals earlier this month. The breakdown in meal supplies attracted major media attention in Korea. The carrier said the issue began July 1 and was resolved by July 5, with major delays occurring between these dates. The problems were linked to a change in inflight meal providers. Asiana said 100 international flights were delayed by at least an hour because of the meal issues. Passengers on these flights will be reimbursed 10% of the base one-way fare, or 20% if their flights were delayed by more than four hours. The carrier also said it will offer compensation to passengers who did not receive inflight meals or were provided with an alternative. These passengers have already been offered vouchers, but Asiana said the compensation is being provided “due to a moral responsibility.”<br/>