Virgin Atlantic’s largest pilots’ union — which the airline has yet to recognise — has started to ballot its members about industrial action that could lead to strikes over Christmas. In a letter to members, the Professional Pilots Union said anger at the airline’s recent review of pilot benefits was “merely a symptom” of its dissatisfaction with “the continued broken industrial landscape” within Virgin. The PPU represents 450 of Virgin’s 800 pilots but Virgin recognises only the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa). The letter continued: “The PPU has been in moderate industrial dispute with [Virgin] for two years . . . Despite considerable concessions from us there has been steadfastly no realistic engagement forthcoming.” It asked members to return ballot papers by Friday, December 7. Steve Johnson, spokesman for the PPU and a former senior Virgin Atlantic captain, said: “Unfortunately, the rhetoric from Mr Branson about the company looking after its staff does not seem to filter down to his senior management. We’re frozen out, and that’s unacceptable.”<br/>
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Shares in Jet Airways fell as much as 12.5% to 303.05 rupees on Monday, their biggest intraday percentage loss since Aug. 10, after Indian conglomerate Tata Sons ended speculation that a deal with the struggling carrier was imminent. Tata said Friday it is only in preliminary talks with Jet Airways and has not made a proposal to acquire a stake in the debt-laden airline. Reports of Tata Sons being close to buying a majority stake had sent Jet Airways’ shares higher last week. The carrier is undertaking a review of its business to cut costs and boost revenues in order to stay afloat. The airline is seeking funds by raising equity and selling a stake in its loyalty programme. The survival of 25-year-old Jet Airways, founded by entrepreneur Naresh Goyal, is crucial for a host of companies from which it leases over 100 of its fleet of 124 planes. The airline also has 225 Boeing 737 MAX jets on order. Jet, which owes money to vendors and employees alike, needs to urgently raise funds in order to meet its payments, a banking industry source told Reuters.<br/>
Vietnam startup carrier Bamboo Airways is eyeing 29 December for its first flight, which would keep with its timeline of starting operations before the end of the year. The 29 December date was disclosed by parent FLC Group in a statement related to an agreement between it and state-owned companies Petrolimix, Petrolimix Aviation Fuel and Petrolimix Insurance. Petrolimix Aviation Fuel will support the airline’s fuel, and the insurance arm will be the airline’s preferred insurance provider. In turn, the two units will make Bamboo their preferred provider. The statement adds that Bamboo will start operations with 10 aircraft, growing to 20 in the first quarter of 2019. Bamboo Airways received its air transport business licence in early November, but still needs an air operators’ certificate before launching services. The carrier had planned to start services on 10 October, but this date passed without a launch, apparently owing to holdups with its AOC. Bamboo's website is not yet selling tickets. The airline plans to link Northeast Asia to FLC resorts in secondary Vietnamese cities such as Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, Quang Binh, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang. <br/>
Norwegian Air Argentina rolled out complimentary Wi-Fi on domestic flights Nov. 16, making it the first carrier in the country to do so. The Norwegian Air Shuttle subsidiary began domestic operations Oct. 16. The LCC, which received its Argentinian air operator certificate in January, is flying a single 189-seat Boeing 737-800 on daily routes from Buenos Aires’ Aeroparque Airport (AEP) to regional Argentine cities Córdoba and Mendoza. Beginning Nov. 19, two new regional routes to Neuquén and Iguazú will open; the same day, the airline will also up its daily departures to Mendoza from one to three flights as the peak summer travel season revs up. Service to Bariloche and Salta is set to begin Dec. 3. Wi-Fi service will be implemented throughout the airline’s planned domestic fleet, CEO Ole Christian Melhus said. “It is a product that no other airline offers in the country, which gives us a very relevant competitive advantage,” he said.<br/>
A local tourism minister in Pakistan has allegedly set fire to his possessions in an Islamabad airport in protest at his flight being cancelled. Fida Husain, a minister in the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan, was summoned to Pakistan’s supreme court over the alleged “misbehaviour”. It comes after a Pakistan International Airlines flight from Islamabad to Gilgit scheduled for 7am was first delayed, then cancelled due to bad weather. A press release from the Supreme Court of Pakistan said: “As per media reports, the incident took place over a flight delay due to bad weather and the minister pushed the (official) so hard that he stumbled.” Footage circulated online of a row between a passenger – purportedly Husain – and an airport official. Later in the argument, the airport official starts to walk away and the passenger shoves him, causing him to temporarily lose his footing. In a separate video the same passenger is showed setting fire to his possessions, including what he says is an “expensive jacket”. Husain is due to appear before the Supreme Court on 3 December.<br/>
As British travellers wait to find out exactly what red tape will be imposed after Brexit, easyJet is adding to the confusion by misinforming passengers about current passport regulations. The UK’s biggest budget airline told a concerned traveller that a minimum of six months’ validity is required for international flights. But until 29 March 2019, British passports are valid for travel anywhere in the EU up to and including the date of expiry. Jacqueline Pyle contacted the airline ahead of a short family visit to Spain in February 2019. One grandchild has a passport that expires in June 2019. Pyle was concerned about previous incidents in which passengers who had valid passports for European flights had been denied boarding. In response to Pyle’s enquiry, an easyJet customer service representative wrote: “Your daughter will need a passport that has at least 6 months validity or more as their flight is an international flight.” She was also told: “Please also confirm with your embassy for further information regarding travel documents.” It is not clear whether the advice referred to a Spanish or British diplomatic mission. <br/>