Worsening tensions between Boeing and the FAA threaten new delays in the return of the 737 Max. But even after regulators sign off, airlines will still have weeks of work before passengers fly on the beleaguered plane. Southwest Airlines is anticipating a month or more of preparations after the Max wins approval to fly from the FAA. With speculation mounting that Boeing won’t be able to complete the regulatory process until February, Southwest is starting to doubt whether it can make good on its plan to restore the Max to its flight schedule in early March. The carrier had 34 planes when they were ordered parked, and had expected to receive 41 more this year. That means it will have at least 75 planes to absorb into its fleet when the grounding is lifted. <br/>
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Jetstar has now cancelled more than 50 flights Sunday as staff continue rolling strikes across the country. The Australian Federation of Air Pilots says the union’s Jetstar pilots will undertake 4-hour work stoppages Sunday. Jetstar has cancelled 54 flights in advance to minimise disruption to travellers, according to a travel alert issued by the company. A similar strike Saturday caused the proactive cancellation of more than 40 flights. The pilots’ action comes after baggage handlers and ground staff stopped work Friday at Sydney airport, Melbourne’s Tullamarine and Avalon airports, and in Brisbane, Cairns and Adelaide. Staff are striking in protest over pay and health and safety concerns they say the airline has not addressed. Jetstar said the strikes were “unjustifiable”. <br/>
Jetstar workers at Sydney airport were in danger of being crushed or “ingested” by operational aircraft or colliding with moving planes and engine fans, according to a SafeWork NSW inspection. Jetstar has been issued 2 official notices by SafeWork, after an inspection Thursday at the airline’s domestic terminal at Sydney airport. In one case, it was found that ground staff were are at risk from the “frequent malfunctions” of a power unit used to push the planes back from the gate. The notices came the day before Jetstar baggage handlers and ground crews began industrial action to ask for a pay rise and safer working conditions. The TWU union said: “SafeWork NSW’s investigation of Jetstar confirms what workers have been telling us for months: that staffing levels at the airline are dangerously low.” <br/>
An Irish High Court judge hopes to rule next week on whether Ryanair can prevent its operations chief Peter Bellew from joining arch-rival EasyJet until 2021. Ryanair has argued that Bellew possesses information of competitive value and that he is bound by a non-compete clause. Former Malaysia Airlines boss Bellew denies he is subject to the clause and plans to start working with the British airline at the start of 2020 after completing a 6-month notice period. The court hearings have included assessments of Bellew's performance and an allegation, rejected by Ryanair CE Michael O'Leary, that he was bullied. Judge Senan Allen said Friday he would endeavour to make his judgement by Dec 20 but that if he could not, he would hand it down Dec 23. <br/>
At least 3 bidding groups including private equity firm Apollo have emerged as buyers of Thomas Cook's German airline Condor, Germany's Wirtschaftswoche said Friday. Condor, which has remained profitable, has drawn interest from suitors after Germany granted a E380m (US$419m) bridging loan to avoid insolvency following the collapse of parent company Thomas Cook. Apollo, which already owns Volotea, is exploring partnerships with German travel operators DER Touristik and Schauinsland Reisen to improve its chances of clinching Condor, Wirtschaftswoche said. Binding offers for Condor will be submitted before Christmas, Wirtschaftswoche added. <br/>