Lufthansa Group is making another shift to its regional airline portfolio by transferring its Airbus A319s from Lufthansa mainline to Lufthansa CityLine, starting in 2019. The move became possible after Lufthansa CityLine and pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) agreed on new labour conditions for their approximately 650 pilots, which is securing a new aircraft type at the regional carrier. Lufthansa CityLine will start operating the first A319-100 from its Munich hub next spring; another five aircraft will follow by the end of 2020. “Lufthansa CityLine has been handling an important part of our feeder traffic at the hubs in Munich and Frankfurt for many years,” said Wilken Bormann, chairman of the supervisory board of Lufthansa CityLine and CEO of Lufthansa’s Munich hub. “Entering the A320 segment is a logical next step. With the new collective agreement, both negotiating partners have illustrated their will to jointly develop Lufthansa CityLine as a key component of the Lufthansa Group.” The parties have agreed on an extensive package, which includes a moderate salary increase for the next three years and a growth-related increase for 2021. <br/>
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Air NZ is looking at the zero gravity position of astronauts as a way of seating its long-haul passengers more comfortably as it continues secret work on its next-generation cabins. The airline has for much of the year been working in "Hangar 22" on new concepts for its long-haul interiors next decade. There is limited access to the secret site and airline staff and others working on the project are tight-lipped but it is understood the airline is tapping into Nasa's experience. Zero gravity sleep settings are similar to the position of astronauts when they launch. Through research in the US space programme, ideal seating positions have been found. Last year, Emirates unveiled zero-gravity seats in some of its first-class suites and car company Nissan has been working for a decade on zero gravity seats to mimic the weightlessness of space, where the human body can experience a neutral spine posture, easing stress on joints and muscles and the lower back. Although not under nearly the same strain as astronauts who at launch face up to 3Gs there are potential benefits of the Zero G position for passengers who face even longer flights in the next decade as ultra-long-haul travel grows. Air NZ will at the end of next month launch what will be its longest route to date, Auckland-Chicago, a distance of about 14,200km.<br/>