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Air Canada’s pilots have decided to join much larger pilot union Air Line Pilots, International. The flight deck crew for the largest Canadian airline, which had been collectively represented by the Air Canada Pilots Association, voted “overwhelmingly” to approve a merger with the larger union, the two labour groups said in a joint statement on 1 May. About 92% of ACPA’s approximately 4,500 pilots participated in the vote, with 84% in favour of the merger, they say. ACPA was the largest such union in Canada, representing both passenger and cargo pilots flying for Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge. ALPA currently represents more than 69,000 pilots at 39 US and Canadian airlines. “With this historic vote, Air Canada pilots have signalled, unequivocally, they want to join the world’s largest pilots union in negotiating strong contracts, establishing better working conditions, and advancing aviation safety,” the labour groups add. The final step in the merger will take place later this month when the executive board of ALPA will vote to ratify the agreement. The tentative agreement was signed in March following several major contract wins for ALPA at various airlines in North America. Pilots across the industry have been winning hefty pay raises amid the pilot shortage and more general wage inflation, with US carriers such as Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines recently concluding new contract negotiations.<br/>

Lufthansa Group CE Carsten Spohr says the first of the airline’s new Airbus A350-1000s will arrive in the fleet in 2026. ”The Airbus A350-1000 is the big sister of the Airbus A350-900,” Spohr said in prepared remarks published on 1 May ahead of the company’s annual general meeting next week. “So far, we are not flying the A350-1000. All the more reason for us to look forward to the first deliveries. They will start in 2026.” In March, the German carrier ordered 15 more Airbus A350s, including its first -1000s, and seven additional Boeing 787s, for delivery from the middle of this decade. The deal covers 10 A350-1000s and five of the smaller -900s. The group already operates 21 A350-900s and the additional commitment means it has 33 more -900s to come. “With a fuselage length of almost 74 meters, it is about seven meters longer [than the -900 version]. Due to the longer fuselage, the aircraft has a capacity that is about 15% higher than the A350-900’s, with a slightly shorter range,” he adds. The company also holds orders for 20 777-9s, deliveries of which have been delayed until the middle of this decade. “We should have been operating this aircraft in service for two years already,” Spohr tells shareholders of the 777-9, in prepared remarks. ”But, unfortunately, Boeing has major delays. As a result, it will probably take until 2025. We do not expect the first delivery before then.” In all, the company has placed orders for “almost 200 new aircraft”, Spohr says. “With a listed value of $48b in total [and] delivery dates until 2030… it is by far the biggest investment programme in our corporate history.”<br/>

Together with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the German airline Lufthansa is transforming its Airbus A350-900 into a climate research aircraft from 2024. For the first time, scientists from the Lufthansa Group successfully tested the measuring probe system in flight after attaching it to the bottom fuselage of the A350. In the airspace above southern Germany, Lufthansa pilots finished a flight programme planned with the certification authorities. Following this will be routine passenger flights in 2024 and the Airbus will gather thorough climatic data for the European research infrastructure IAGOS-CARIBIC. The Lufthansa company has been committed to climate research since 1994 and has since equipped several long-haul aircraft with special measuring instruments, which include the IAGOS-CARIBIC. “We want to make flying more sustainable,” said Jens Ritter, Lufthansa Airlines CEO. “That is why we have been supporting climate research for decades. Our aim is to make a valuable contribution to climate research. The data that our aircraft will collect worldwide in the future will help to improve today’s atmospheric and climate models and thus their informative value for the future climate on earth”.<br/>

Turkish Airlines has announced intentions to extend its nonstop flight services with a new long-haul route from Istanbul to Sydney, which would take 17 hours. Turkish Airlines’ intentions to operate a nonstop flight between Istanbul and Sydney have re-emerged as part of the airline’s strategy for the coming decade. The airline was supposed to inaugurate the route in 2015, but the debut was delayed until now. According to Executive Traveller, the proposed 17-hour flight would be feasible by introducing new aircraft, such as the Airbus A350-1000 or Boeing 777X, as part of the airline’s strategy to increase its fleet size to over 800 planes by 2033. While Turkish Airlines intends to be the first airline to offer direct flights between Turkey and Australia, other airlines have recently announced plans for long-distance routes. El Al has announced intentions for a nonstop flight from Tel Aviv to Melbourne beginning in the middle of 2024, making it the first direct connection between Israel and Australia.<br/>

Korean Air's takeover of Asiana Airlines is under the spotlight after Hanwha Group gained the green light to acquire Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. Korean Air has gained approval from competition authorities from 11 countries and is currently awaiting approval from the US, the EU and Japan. Adjustments to the airlines' combined operation cannot be initiated until the mandatory reporting countries give their approval. The US Department of Justice received additional information related to the acquisition from Korean Air in August last year and extended the review period the following November. The EU is conducting an in-depth review with a deadline of Aug. 3, and pre-consultations with Japan are underway. The outline of the combination of the two airlines' operations under Korean Air is expected to be revealed in the second half of this year, but some believe the process may continue until the first half of next year due to the EU's stricter standards. Some industry officials predict that Korean Air may have to hand over its overseas airport slots to foreign airlines as a way to alleviate monopoly concerns and gain the approval of the EU, which could weaken Korea's aviation competitiveness. <br/>

Air New Zealand is launching a search for a Kiwi designer to create new uniforms for its pilots, flight attendants and ground crew. Expressions of interest are now open for those who can come up with a fresh look, which will replace the current uniform designed by Dame Trelise Cooper and introduced in 2011. The process will be open to all New Zealand designers, who have until May 14 to register their interest. The airline will then select designers to be part of a competitive pitch process. Air New Zealand expects to roll out the new uniforms to its more than 5000 customer-facing staff in 2025. It will also be revising grooming standards as part of the update. Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said the uniform was one of the airline’s most important brand assets, alongside the koru, and recognised around the world. “It’s often the first thing travellers coming to Aotearoa see... it’s the first visual representation of the country,” she said. But after 12 years with the current uniform, and following the airline’s announcements about new inflight offerings, it was time for a change to ensure the uniform “reflects the business, our people, and New Zealand as a country into the future”.<br/>