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Air Canada has begun retrofitting the cabins of its Airbus A320-family aircraft, a process that is expected to continue through 2025. The Montreal-based carrier rolled out the changes – including new exterior cameras, upgraded seating, larger overhead bins, Bluetooth audio and colourful LED lighting throughout the cabin – during its first revenue flight with a redesigned A321 on 21 October. The exterior cameras are a first for commercial narrowbody aircraft, Air Canada says: ”Customers can now watch their flight live thanks to a new first-in-class narrowbody tail and belly camera system providing high-resolution, real-time video of the aircraft exterior.” The carrier’s remaining 14 A321s and eight A320s will be retrofitted starting in the fourth quarter, bringing those aircraft in line with the carrier’s A220s and Boeing 737 Max aircraft, which compose the majority of its narrowbody fleet. ”These upgraded fleet interiors will align the A320s and A321s to the highly popular A220 experience, further strengthening our industry-leading product offering,” says Mark Nasr, Air Canada’s executive vice-president, marketing and digital. The retrofitted cabins decrease the overall weight of Air Canada’s A321s by 240kg (529lb), which stands to reduce the carrier’s annual consumption of jet fuel by 2.4m litres once its A320-family fleet is completely upgraded. Air Canada will report its Q3 financial results during an earnings call scheduled for 30 October. <br/>

An MP was stopped from boarding a flight to Canada with other members of parliament “because his name was Mohammad”, the Commons heard on Monday. Mohammad Yasin, Labour’s MP for Bedford, was due to fly to Canada with other MPs from the Commons levelling up, housing and communities committee when he was delayed for questioning “for a considerable period” at airports in both countries last week. Clive Betts, the chair of the committee, said the incident was unacceptable because of its “racist and Islamophobic nature”, and that he would write to the Canadian high commissioner in the UK. He added that his colleague was asked if he was carrying a knife or any other weapon and where he was born when he was taken aside by officials from Air Canada. Yasin then underwent similar questioning from officials on his return trip to the UK, MPs were told. Betts, who had raised a point of order about the “serious incident”, told the Commons: “When the committee checked in for their flights at Heathrow, all Members got through with the exception of the member for Bedford, who was delayed for questioning for a considerable period. “He was told it was because his name was Mohammad.” Betts added: “The questioning was undertaken by officials from Air Canada and we believe the Canadian government, and despite him already having been given a visa to enter Canada. After proving he was an MP with the help of my committee clerk, he was eventually allowed through. “At Montreal airport, the same issues were raised by Canadian immigration. On return at Toronto airport on the way back, he was again challenged and got on his flight with the assistance of my consul general, who was very helpful.” Betts went on to say Yasin “has received apologies from the parliamentary secretary to the Canadian minister for immigration and Air Canada” but “given the racist and Islamophobic nature of these challenges”, he plans on “writing to the Canadian high commissioner”.<br/>

Scandinavian operator SAS is entering a codeshare agreement with Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways, following Etihad’s opening of a Copenhagen route. The codeshare will take full effect from the end of December. SAS is undergoing a corporate restructuring, known as ‘SAS Forward’, and is currently under US Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The airline is a member of Star Alliance but, as part of a rescue financing agreement involving Air France-KLM Group, SAS is intending to leave the alliance to join SkyTeam. Etihad is non-allied but has partnership agreements with several operators across the various alliances.Chief revenue officer Arik De says the agreement with SAS will allow “more seamless travel” between northern Europe and Etihad’s Abu Dhabi base. “The tie-in gives our guests one-stop access across Scandinavia to destinations including Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, Gothenburg, Bergen and Aarhus,” states De. SAS CCO Paul Verhagen adds that the codeshare will offer passengers onward links beyond Abu Dhabi to destinations including India, the Seychelles and Sri Lanka.<br/>

Korean Air has decided to retain workers of Asiana Airlines Inc. on condition that Asiana agrees to sell its cargo business to win antitrust approval from European Union (EU) regulators for the two carriers' merger, industry sources said Monday. According to the sources, Korean Air, the larger of Korea's two full-service airlines, plans to seek approval for the decision to retain Asiana Airlines' workers at a company board meeting scheduled next Monday. The decision comes as Asiana Airlines, the smaller of the duo, is also set to hold its own board meeting on the same day to decide whether to sell its cargo business. The EU antitrust regulators have raised concerns that Korean Air's acquisition of Asiana may restrict competition in the markets for passenger and cargo air transport services between the EU and South Korea. Unionized workers at Asiana Airlines have expressed opposition to such a move to sell off the cargo division, citing concerns of possible layoffs. Korean Air plans to submit formal remedies to address such concerns to the European Commission (EC), the EU's executive body, by the end of the month. The two companies' board meetings are expected to be watched closely by stakeholders and EU regulators, as it could potentially make or break the acquisition deal that has been pursued for the past three years.<br/>

Unionized workers of Asiana Airlines on Tuesday protested the company's merger deal with its larger rival Korean Air, as the company is expected to soon decide whether to sell its cargo division to win antitrust approval from EU regulators for the two carriers' merger. At a press conference held in front of the government complex in central Seoul, the company's labor union argued the merger of Asiana Airlines and Korean Air "is not in the interest of the nation, the convenience of the people nor the development of the aviation industry." The union said the ultimate goal of the deal was "the dismantling of Asiana Airlines." It also raised questions over Korean Air's reported decision to retain Asiana workers following the completion of the takeover. According to industry sources, Korean Air has decided to retain Asiana Airlines workers on the condition that Asiana agrees to sell its cargo business to win antitrust approval from EU regulators. Korean Air, the larger of Korea's two full-service airlines, plans to seek approval for the decision to retain Asiana Airlines' workers at a company board meeting scheduled for next Monday, according to the sources. Asiana Airlines, the smaller of the duo, is also expected to hold its own board meeting on the same day to decide whether to sell its cargo business.<br/>