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More than 400 co-pilots and captains have resigned from the embattled Jet Airways in the past 7 months. National Aviators' Guild (NAG), the airline's pilots union, reportedly told its members that 410 pilots have left Jet Airways between September last year and March 31, 2019, which has left the airline with 1,527 pilots on its payroll. In the communique, the NAG also told its members about several airlines planning to wet lease Jet Airways' grounded aircraft. Rival airlines wet leasing Jet Airways' aircraft could help employ some of the staff that became unemployed after the debt-laden carrier suspended operations last week. "Wet lease plans are being looked at and clarity will be provided when modalities will be worked out and a concrete plan is available," reported the NAG. <br/>

Etihad Airways recently revealed that it uses some 27m single-use plastic coffee cup lids every year. That revelation was enough to encourage Etihad to take action and, Monday, it became the first major airline to make a long haul flight with no single-use plastics on board. To achieve this feat - which coincided with World Earth Day - it needed to replace no less than 95 different single-use plastic items. "Anything that reduces the impact of air travel on the planet has to be welcomed, and Etihad is making a bold move in the right direction," Simon Calder, senior travel editor at The Independent, said. However, Calder had reservations about how seriously both airlines and customers are about reducing the impact that flying has on the environment. <br/>"Airlines like to stage publicity stunts to try to emphasise their green credentials," he said. <br/>