THAI reported an operating loss of THB3.69b (US$111.8m) in Q3, up 103% year-on-year from 2017. THAI president Sumeth Damrongchaitham, who has pledge to cut and then eliminate the airline's losses, blamed the bleak July-to-September financial results "partly" on natural disasters, decreasing numbers of Chinese tourists and rising oil prices. Sumeth said the loss came despite a 2.2% rise in total revenue of THAI and its subsidiaries - THB47.95b between July 1 and Sept 30, including income from passengers, excess baggage, freight and mail. But operating costs hit THB3.69b, up THB1.87b compared with the same 3-month period last year. Passenger loads dropped slightly to 77.5%, compared with 78.2% in the corresponding period of 2017. <br/>
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Thousands of passengers were stranded at Mumbai Airport Thursday after more than 20 domestic and international flights were delayed by a flash strike called by Air India's ground staff. The staff, employed by Air India Transport Services Limited (AIATSL), were protesting non-payment of Diwali bonuses and demanding reinstatement of 4 sacked employees. AIATSL provides ground handling services to Air India across several airports in the country. Workers are also disgruntled that the pick up-and-drop services for female employees has been discontinued. "We are not going to end our strike unless and until the authorities assures us that they will consider our demands," A union official said. "If needed, we will take this strike nation-wide". There was an average delay of over 2 hours. <br/>
More than 25,000 United Airlines flight attendants say the battle is not over yet to get management at the carrier to reverse a decision announced Monday to cut flight attendant staffing on international flights operated on the carrier’s fleet of wide-body Boeing 787 Dreamliners and narrow-body Boeing 757 aircraft. Though the decision to drop 1 flight attendant from on-board staffing seemed sudden when announced Monday, sources at the Association of Flight Attendants said talks about United international cabin staffing were going on behind the scenes for months. As United flight attendants plan their next move to the get the cuts reversed, they do not have any clear-cut language in their current contract with the company that would provide leverage. <br/>