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Air France-KLM is unlikely to name a new leadership team before the end of August or early September, sources close to the matter said. The airline has been hunting for a new boss to fill a gap left by the abrupt departure of CE Jean-Marc Janaillac in May, after staff rejected a pay proposal aimed at ending strikes that have resulted in heavy losses. Air France KLM reported its Q2 results Wednesday but did not give clues on the CE search. "The initial timetable was - 'Let's strive for an announcement before end-July.' It was the will of the nomination committee to identify a candidate before the end of the month," said one of the sources. But disturbances ranging from media speculation about the potential candidates to AccorHotels voicing an interest in buying a stake in Air France KLM, had complicated the process, said the sources. <br/>

China Eastern Airlines and Japan Airlines will apply to form a joint venture for international and domestic operations. The cooperation, if approved by the airlines’ govts, will cover services between the 2 home countries, China Eastern said. JAL added the carriers are also proposing to include domestic networks, reaching more than 50 cities in Japan and more than 80 in China. “Most,” not all, of the two companies’ domestic routes will be included in the deal, China Eastern said. The airlines further intend to cooperate in relation to frequent flyers, ground service and expansion of sales channels, the Chinese partner added. They want to begin the JV in the Japanese fiscal year that will start in April 2019, JAL said. The two airlines have been codesharing since 2002, but a JV takes such an arrangement a step further. <br/>