Cathay Pacific flight attendants have complained that the distribution of meals is taking longer since the carrier added more seats to its flights. Starting this April, the airline increased the number of seats per row from 9 to 10 in economy class on some Boeing aircraft. As a result, each seat has been narrowed from 46.99 to 43.43 centimetres. The Flight Attendants' Union conducted a survey last month, where members said they were overwhelmed by the increased workload. Although there are more seats on the plane, the union told the media that the number of crew members remained the same, meaning each flight attendant has to serve more passengers. The union also said there have been an increasing number of complaints from passengers, and hopes the airline can review its plan to add more seats on aircraft. <br/>
oneworld
Relatives of Chinese passengers who were aboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 said Friday they refuse to accept the latest report on the plane's disappearance 4 years ago and demand the search be restarted. About 100 relatives gathered in Beijing to hear chief investigator Kok Soo Chon discuss the report prepared by a 19-member international team. It reiterated Malaysia's assertion that the plane was deliberately diverted and flown for over 7 hours after severing communications. But it said the cause of the disappearance cannot be determined until the wreckage and the plane's black boxes are found. Chinese citizens made up 152 of the 227 passengers on board the March 8, 2014, flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. Twelve crew members were also on the plane. <br/>
American Airlines appears determined to make sure it doesn’t leave more than 70,000 employees out of the loop as it goes about the lengthy process of designing, testing, manufacturing and finally rolling out new uniforms from Lands' End for tens of thousands of employees by 2020. These will replace Twin Hill uniforms believed to be tied to symptomatic reactions, including hives, headaches, respiratory issues and other problems that thousands of AA flight attendants, pilots and other workers. Brady Byrnes, the executive overseeing the latest uniform project at the carrier, has emphasised that American is taking great pains to ensure that AA employees are actively involved in every step of the process. Some 1,000 frontline AA employees will start a 4-month wear test of the proposed Lands’ End uniforms in November. <br/>
International Airline Group reported strong half-year profits Aug 3, despite the dual headwinds of rising fuel prices and continuing strikes by French air traffic controllers. The group posted net profits, before exceptional items, of E835m (US$968m), up 24% on 2017’s restated figure of E669m (before exceptionals) for the equivalent period. Beneficial exceptional items to the tune of E573m added to the latest figures, taking IAG’s total post-tax profits to just over E1.4b. In guidance for the year, IAG expects that, at current fuel prices and exchange rates, its operating profit for 2018 will show an increase year-on-year. Both passenger unit revenue and non-fuel unit costs are expected to improve at constant currency. Revenue for the 6 months was up 3.1% at E11.2b. <br/>
Willie Walsh, CE of IAG, has said it is looking to sell its shares in Norwegian Air after failing to negotiate a takeover. IAG bought 4.6% of Norwegian this year as a prelude to discussing a takeover, but had two proposals rebuffed. Walsh said: “We’re not going to keep the shares, we’re not an investor. We bought that small stake to initiate a conversation and if that conversation is not going anywhere, as it’s not, we’re not going to hold on to those shares.” Norwegian has said it has received several expressions of interest from “serious players” including rival airlines such as Lufthansa Group. “We are happy to have IAG as an investor. Needless to say, they are not the only interested party that has approached us,” said Bjorn Kjos, the carrier’s CE. <br/>