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British Airways’ male pilots and cabin crew are to be allowed to have piercings and wear makeup for the first time, after the airline updated its guidelines with non-gender-specific rules. All employees in uniform can wear mascara, false eyelashes and earrings from Monday, as well as carry accessories including handbags, an internal memo told staff. Staff are urged to use “subtle shades” of makeup and aim for a “natural look”, according to the updated rules. Nail polish is permitted for all, although black and neon nails are still off-limits. “Man buns” will also be permitted under updated hair grooming rules. It follows similar moves by rivals, notably Virgin Atlantic, to update its policies to reflect the diversity of modern society. The national carrier is also believed to be trying to update its image to reflect its branding campaign “a British original”, which it says is a celebration of the airline’s people, customers and the nation; it is also hoping to boost staff morale after the layoffs and pay cuts imposed during the pandemic. BA said: “We are proud of all of our colleagues at British Airways and we are committed to an inclusive working environment. We have worked with our people to create updated guidelines for grooming, beauty and accessories, allowing our colleagues to bring the best, most authentic version of themselves to work every day.” The carrier still insists on a greater level of restraint than rivals Virgin Atlantic, which recently said its staff could choose whichever uniform they prefer to wear, regardless of gender. BA’s insistence on retaining gender-specific uniforms for staff has not changed.<br/>

A dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways over grounded A350 jets rose to the attention of French and Qatari leaders, according to a French official and internal Airbus emails recently released as part of a UK court battle. The two leaders discussed the issue last December during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Doha, the French official told Reuters on Wednesday. Reuters was unable to determine the nature or outcome of the discussion. The exchange marks the first confirmation that a bitter contractual and safety dispute spilled beyond the courtroom. The dispute has led to fractured ties between the two companies and the unprecedented cancellation of large-scale orders. "(We) confirm that the subject was brought up along with other aspects of the bilateral economic relationship," the official said, speaking on behalf of Macron's office. Qatar's government communications office declined any comment on the matter. The French official was responding to a Reuters query about previously unreported emails released last month in court documents as part of the UK court fight between Qatar Airways and Airbus over combined claims for damages approaching $2b. The emails were supplied to the airline by Airbus under legal disclosure procedures ahead of a provisionally scheduled mid-2023 trial, barring a settlement before then. Airbus declined to comment on Thursday ahead of a new procedural hearing in a division of the High Court in London on Friday. A spokesperson for Qatar Airways could not immediately be reached for comment.<br/>

The new chief executive of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. faces many challenges when he starts on Jan. 1, from reviving the carrier’s international network after the Covid crisis to appeasing unhappy pilots. Cathay said Wednesday that Ronald Lam, 50, will replace Augustus Tang as CEO, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report. The Cambridge University graduate takes over with Hong Kong’s main airline still in a tight spot after Covid travel restrictions left it operating at bare-bones capacity for much of the pandemic. While Hong Kong has opened its borders to quarantine-free travel again, rules like mandatory mask-wearing still linger, and Cathay has said it will take at least two more years to fully recover. Other airlines are bouncing back faster. Like his predecessor, Lam grew up in Hong Kong and spent most of his career at Cathay, having joined as a management trainee in 1996. He is currently chief customer and commercial officer, as well as chairman of low-cost unit HK Express, which he helped integrate after its 2019 acquisition. He also spearheaded a new e-commerce strategy to expand non-flying revenue during Covid. Lam is only Cathay’s fourth ethnically Chinese CEO, and this is the first time the company has appointed consecutive leaders from Hong Kong. “I have been impressed by his long-term vision for the company, his intellect, and his determination to see the group succeed,” Cathay Chairman Patrick Healy said in a statement on Lam’s appointment. “He is without doubt ready to lead our organization.” Lam certainly has his work cut out. Story takes a look at an initial to-do list for the new CEO.<br/>

Malaysia Airlines Bhd is considering ordering 25 single-aisle jets, probably Boeing 737 Max on top of an existing firm order for 25 of those planes, according to CEO Izham Ismail. “Our future network requires 50 narrowbody aeroplanes, so we have still got space for 25,” Izham said on the sidelines of an annual meeting of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines in Bangkok. “We have to make some decision by next year.” Deliveries from the existing Max order are due to begin in 2024. An order for 25 Max costs about $1.2 billion, based on prices compiled by aircraft appraiser Avitas Inc. “We continue to work with our customers to meet their fleet requirements,” a Boeing spokesperson said. “We do not disclose ongoing customer discussions.” Malaysia Airlines’ passenger traffic is back to 76% of pre-Covid levels, with a full recovery domestically, and should reach 82% by year-end, Izham said. China accounted for 17% of capacity before the pandemic and the country may start reopening by the second quarter next year, Izham said. “We don’t have enough aeroplanes,” he said. The airline is focusing on shifting passenger capacity from domestic to international markets amid concerns of overcapacity among carriers in Malaysia, the CEO said. Other challenges include high fuel prices, rising interest rates and a strong dollar in 2023.<br/>

Five major Australian companies have teamed up with Qantas Airways to contribute towards the costs for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) used by the carrier on flights out of London's Heathrow Airport, Qantas said on Friday. The SAF program, initiated by Qantas, allows the five corporate majors to opt paying for the SAF to reduce around 900 tonnes of their air carbon emissions instead of choosing traditional carbon offset methods. The companies are state-owned Australia Post, accounting firm KPMG Australia, financial conglomerate Macquarie Group, local arm of Boston Consulting Group, and oil and gas major Woodside Energy. Under the program, members will pay for the incremental cost of up to 10m litres of SAF sourced by Qantas at London's Heathrow Airport, which is around 15% of the fuel consumed by the carrier on flights out of London. From 2025, member contribution will rise to a further 20m litres of SAF each year sourced out of Los Angeles and San Francisco, Qantas said. New South Wales-based Qantas, which has committed to using 10% SAF in its overall mix by 2030, and upping it to about 60% by 2050, said corporate demand was a "key step" in developing a local SAF industry.<br/>