star

When the pay strike at South African Airways is eventually settled, the quantum of the increases awarded to workers will only partly determine who wins and who loses. The South African Cabin Crew Association and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, which represent more than 3,000 staff at SAA, have indicated they’d consider 6.5% raises, not far off the carrier’s last official offer of 5.9%. A bigger sticking point is whether SAA buckles to union demands and freezes plans to cut 944 posts. Any settlement that is contingent on a guarantee of job security would be a major setback to SAA’s plans to turn itself around after 7 consecutive years of losses and wean itself off the govt bailouts that have enabled it to continue operating. <br/>

South African Airways is suspending its Hong Kong service for 3 weeks owing to losses it is incurring on the route, which have deepened as a result of the political unrest in the territory. The airline, which is already coping with network disruption from industrial action, says it will halt the Johannesburg-Hong Kong flights from Nov 23. This suspension will remain in effect until Dec 14. SAA says the losses on the route are "significant" and have been "exacerbated" by the months of political tension driven by protests against the govt. CCO Philip Saunders said: "By suspending these flights, we can concentrate on resuming more regional services at the earliest opportunity and make better use of all our resources.” Monthly passenger numbers at Hong Kong airport suddenly fell by more than 12% in August to fewer than 6m. <br/>

An Ethiopian Airlines flight in Burundi was disrupted when a man locked himself in a bathroom on the plane and claimed to have a bomb, a passenger and authorities said Thursday. A Twitter post cited local police as saying they eventually broke down the door and arrested the man in the incident. Security authorities in Burundi said passengers on the flight from Addis Ababa, were evacuated and no threat was found. Their statement called the unidentified man a “suspected terrorist.” Air traffic at the airport in Bujumbura continued normally, the authorities said. Ethiopian said the flight ET817 “reported air rage by one unruly passenger” who created a false bomb alarm during landing. The airline apologised for “any inconvenience.” <br/>

TAP is to open new transatlantic services with its long-range Airbus A321LR fleet, operating to Montreal, Boston via the Azores, and a new Brazilian destination. It will take its North American network to 11 destinations with the 6-times-weekly Montreal link. The airline will also complement its current nonstop operation to Boston next year with a service via the Azores archipelago, stopping in Ponta Delgada. Boston is a hub for TAP partner JetBlue Airways. TAP describes the expansion as part of a strategic "conquest" of the North Atlantic. But it will also expand its network in Brazil to 11 destinations with the addition of flights to the coastal city of Maceio, south of Recife. TAP says the new Brazilian connection, to be served 3 times weekly, is its first in 5 years. CE Antonoaldo Neves says the A321LR is a "true game-changer". <br/>