United said Friday that it would require all US employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus starting this fall. It was the first major airline to establish such a mandate and the latest in a small but growing number of businesses to do so. Also on Friday, Amazon, the second-largest private employer in the country, and JPMorgan Chase revived mask mandates for vaccinated workers. “We hope this will only be required for a few weeks,” Amazon, which had been allowing vaccinated employees to go without face coverings, wrote to its warehouse workers on Friday. “Everyone can do their part to speed our return to normal by getting vaccinated.” JPMorgan, the nation’s largest bank, said unvaccinated employees must be tested at least twice a week and would not be allowed to attend indoor employee events with 25 or more people. The company’s operating committee also said in a memo that the firm “will continue with our previously stated return to the office schedule,” even as many companies, including the financial firms BlackRock and Wells Fargo, have postponed their mandatory return plans. Amazon had already told its corporate employees that they wouldn’t be recalled to the office until January, pushing back a deadline that had been set for early September. But it has not indicated any changes to its vaccination policy, which encourages but does not mandate immunization. Hours after United’s announcement, Frontier Airlines, a much smaller carrier, said it, too, would require vaccines for all employees. Frontier’s mandate begins on Oct. 1. United’s employees will be required to upload proof of vaccination within five weeks of a vaccine’s full approval by the Food and Drug Administration or by Oct. 25, whichever comes first. Those who provide proof by Sept. 20 will receive a full day’s pay, excluding pilots and flight attendants who have already received a union-negotiated bonus for getting vaccinated. So far, about 90% of United’s pilots and 80% of its flight attendants have been vaccinated, the airline said.<br/>
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Turkish Airlines expands its operations in the United States with the launch of its eleventh destination in the country and the second in the state of Texas, which corresponds to Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW), the busiest airport in Texas and the second from the United States during 2020. With the addition of Dallas / Fort Worth), the airline strengthens its international network to one of the main metropolises in the United States and a key destination for its expansion. The flight Istanbul – Dallas / Fort Worth begins its operations on September 24, 2021 with four weekly frequencies operated with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft configured with 30 business class seats and 270 economy class seats. <br/>
Air New Zealand expects an even higher 2022 fiscal year loss as the trans-Tasman travel bubble continues to disrupt travel between nations. The airline said it expects a loss of NZ$530m before tax and one-off items, compared with its previous forecast of NZ$450m. The carrier updated its loss expectations following its original forecast on 18 June. “The airline continues to assess the impact of this temporary suspension on passenger demand,” the statement said. “In conjunction with an expectation that demand on the Tasman may be slower to recover following the re-opening of a travel bubble and that there remains a risk of future suspensions.” In late July, PM Jacinda Ardern announced the trans-Tasman bubble would undergo a two-month suspension due to the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Australia. This followed not long after the closing of its borders to Victoria in early July because of the Delta variant spreading.<br/>
Taiwan’s two largest carriers remained in the black in the second-quarter earnings, despite a resurgence of infections on the island. While China Airlines saw its operating profit slip year on year, compatriot EVA Air rebounded with a significant increase in profit. As for EVA Air, its second-quarter operating profit rose significantly to NT$801m, nearly four times higher than the NT$184 million profit it made in 2020. The carrier saw a 25% increase in revenue, to NT$24.2b, while costs and expenses rose 22.3% year on year to NT$23.4b. EVA Air swung back to a modest net profit for the period, at NT$144m, compared to a NT$614m net loss in 2020. Both carriers did not provide any discussions for their financial results. During the period, Taiwan witnessed a fresh wave of coronavirus infections, caused primarily by the more contagious Delta variant. Cases peaked at end-May, with more than 500 new cases reported on 28 May, the worst spike in a long while for Taiwan, which is largely seen a success story in keeping the pandemic out of its borders. Story has China Airlines details.<br/>