WestJet workers are getting a new look as the airline revamps its uniforms with an eye to gender inclusivity. The Calgary-based carrier says the new blue pantsuits, skirts and dresses with teal accents are meant to be gender neutral, so workers can select the uniform that is most authentic and comfortable to them. "We have a lot of people who are part of the spectrum and I think it’s very important for people to present themselves as they are by wearing the uniform they want to wear so they can comfortable at work and be confident about who they are," said Jody Tamuyao, a transgender flight attendant with Westjet. She added, "when I look my best and feel great about myself, I do better at work." The uniforms also include redesigned name tags with space for staff to denote which pronouns they prefer people use when addressing them. Instead of selecting items from a "men's" or "women's" category, the uniforms are part of two collections called "Lakes" or "Rocky Mountain." "We really wanted to open people's ability to express themselves authentically and who they are," said Leah McDonald, director of training and uniforms. "It's really, what collection do I feel best in and really can express myself," added McDonald. Some of the collection remains form-fitting with traditional lines, while some updated pieces have a looser fit with stretchy fabrics and functional components like added pockets.<br/>
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Ryanair CE Michael O'Leary raised further doubts on Wednesday over Boeing's ability to fulfil an order of its 737 MAX aircraft on time and will meet the planemaker in Seattle this month to discuss production problems. Ryanair, a major Boeing customer, has ordered 210 of the more fuel-efficient model and had received 73 by June. O'Leary said a further 51 of the 197-seat aircraft were due by the end of April, including 21 by the end of this year. "We are concerned that Boeing will not meet those deliveries. They are running late at the moment, there are problems with production in Seattle and we want to understand those problems," O'Leary told a news conference. "They say they can. We doubt their capacity to deliver. We were supposed to get 21 aircraft this side of Christmas. They are now mumbling it might be 17, it might be 15. It's difficult to get any specifics out of Boeing."<br/>Asked about O'Leary's comments, a Boeing spokesperson said the planemaker valued its partnership with Ryanair and is committed to supporting the airline. O'Leary said Ryanair had agreed during discussions with Boeing last week to go to Seattle to establish when it would be getting the 51 aircraft, which it said were needed to ensure continued growth next year.<br/>
Aeroflot Group has signed an agreement for the purchase of 339 aircraft, including 210 of the Irkut MC-21 twinjet, during an economic conference in Vladivostok. The agreement also covers 89 of the Irkut SSJ-New – a revised version of the Superjet 100 – plus 40 Tupolev Tu-214s. Deliveries of the aircraft, under lease, will run from 2023 to 2030. Two SSJ-New airframes will be delivered next year, and the fleet renewal will ramp up from 2024, when the first six MC-21s and seven Tu-214s will be handed over. Aeroflot chief Sergei Aleksandrovsky says the agreement is the largest purchase order in the company’s history. “Signing of this agreement clearly demonstrates to the whole world that Russia is a great aviation power with great potential and rich experience in the field of aircraft construction, capable of producing reliable and modern aircraft,” he adds. The intended distribution among Aeroflot Group carriers, which include Aeroflot itself as well as Rossiya and budget airline Pobeda, has not been disclosed. Russian trade and industry minister Denis Manturov says the government will subsidise the purchase to ensure operators do not carry “additional financial burden”. Initial serial-production aircraft are “more expensive”, he says, and the cost will be compensated. “With the increase in serial production, we will move away from this additional measure,” says Manturov. The agreement was signed at the Eastern Economic Forum which opened on 5 September.<br/>
Pieter Elbers has become the chief executive of Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo, effective 6 September. The carrier announced the former KLM chief’s assumption of the role in a stock exchange disclosure. Elbers succeeds Ronojoy Dutta, whose last day at the carrier was on Friday 2 September. In May IndiGo announced that Elbers would succeed Dutta, a former United Airlines executive, from 1 October. According to his LinkedIn profile, Elbers was KLM for nearly 30 years. He was president and chief executive of the carrier from October 2014 to July 2022. He served as Ramp Loading Supervisor at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport from October 1992 to June 1995, before moving into route network planning and other executive roles. Elbers joins India’s dominant airline group, with 60% domestic market share. Following the rigours of the coronavirus pandemic, IndiGo has yet to return to consistent profitability. <br/>
With a full recovery for aviation in sight, stumbling blocks such as the<br/>tourism fee the Thai government plans to collect should be set aside as an influx of travellers can create more economic impact than a small levy, according to Tony Fernandes, CE of Capital A and acting group CE of AirAsia X. Two long-haul carriers -- Malaysia's AirAsia X Berhad and Thai AirAsia X -- have rebounded strongly after the former completed its debt restructuring in March, while the latter is entering the rehabilitation process and must gain approval from creditors after the Central Bankruptcy Court accepted the case. "We can restart at the right time as more countries are reopening borders, particularly Japan and South Korea in Northeast Asia, which is our main destination," he said. Fernandes said AirAsia X can return to profitability even though China's borders remain closed as its airlines are planning new routes to Europe next year, namely London and Istanbul for AirAsia Berhad and key cities in eastern Europe such as Prague, Vienna and Budapest for Thai AirAsia X. However, if China lifts entry restrictions, this could be a big bonus for growth, he said. As Malaysia starts to reopen, AirAsia X Berhad will be able to see a full recovery of seat capacity by Q2 2023, matching the top line at pre-pandemic levels by the second half of 2023, said Mr Fernandes. Thailand might see the slowest recovery because of complicated entry restrictions initially, but soon after Thailand Pass registration and other requirements were lifted in July, travel demand was robust as tourists still want to visit the nation, he said. Thai AirAsia X flies three jets to Seoul and Tokyo and plans to add inaugural services to Sydney and Melbourne in December. AirAsia X Berhad has routes to Seoul, Busan, New Delhi, Tokyo, Osaka and Sapporo.<br/>