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American Airlines and its pilot union have begun negotiations to improve their tentative contract agreement on Tuesday ahead of a crucial vote on the contract, according to a union memo seen by Reuters. The Texas-based carrier's pilots are due to start voting Monday on a new four-year deal that provides for a pay increase of about 42% and other benefits. But the Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents them, warned ratification was in "jeopardy" after United Airlines raised the benchmark in its pilots' contract. "Our respective bargaining teams have committed to working around the clock beginning tonight for the next few days to address crucial improvements," APA's head Ed Sicher told the pilots in a memo on Tuesday. US union employees are piling pressure on their employers for better contracts amid frustration with stagnant pay, high healthcare costs, scanty sick time and uncertain scheduling. In the memo, Sicher said American Airlines CEO Robert Isom has "acknowledged that significant improvements must be made" to the agreement. A union spokesperson said the talks began on Tuesday and will continue on Wednesday. American Airlines declined to comment. On Tuesday, the company said it would work with the union to take care of its pilots. American's union has said United's contract will lead to at least a 2% pay gap between American and United pilots. United's contract also offers better back pay, as well as more days off for junior pilots and sick time, it added.<br/>

Flight Centre boss Graham “Skroo” Turner has accused the federal government of deliberately keeping airfares up by rejecting Qatar Airways’s application to double its flights to the country. Turner, who founded the $4.7b travel agency business, said the decision was “ridiculous”, after unveiling a bullish profit upgrade ahead of the group’s full-year results in August. “The cost of airfares is a huge problem for travellers. I think it’s the most ridiculous decision I’ve ever seen. We have Australian airlines like Qantas, which do not have the capacity for additional services, and yet we’re rejecting Qatar’s extra capacity,” he said. Qatar Airways applied to add 21 flights to its services from Doha into Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane last year. Transport Minister Catherine King confirmed the additional bilateral air rights were not being considered on Monday, as reported by The Australian Financial Review. She did not outline why. Although supported by most of the tourism and aviation sector, as well as the National and Liberal parties, the application was opposed by Qantas. It was also opposed by five Australian women who were subjected to invasive searches at Hamad International Airport by Qatari federal police ahead of their flight with the airline in 2020. The women were part of a larger group who were forced to undergo internal examinations after a newborn baby was abandoned in a bin at the airport. The women are now seeking damages from Qatar Airways and the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority – which are both owned by the Qatari government – over the incident.<br/>