An Air Canada Boeing 737 Max 8 landed safely in Idaho after experiencing an in-flight emergency Tuesday when pilots received a warning light in the flight deck, airline and airport officials said. The issue was determined to be a faulty cargo hold indicator, Air Canada said in an email, without elaborating. Boeing has been under intense scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers since January, when part of the fuselage on a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet blew out midflight, exposing a gaping hole and forcing pilots to make an emergency landing. It's the deepest crisis for the iconic aircraft manufacturer since a pair of deadly crashes involving Max jets in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia. On Tuesday, Air Canada said Flight 997 from Mexico City to Vancouver, Canada, diverted to Boise Airport as a precautionary measure after the warning light came on. The aircraft landed normally at 10:59 a.m. and was met by first responders, airline officials said. The plane will stay in Boise at least overnight, according to airline officials. The 122 passengers and six crew members were waiting in Boise on Tuesday for a different jet to take them to Vancouver, airline officials said. No injuries were reported, Boise Airport officials said in a post on Facebook. Boeing officials didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday. Airline executives have expressed their frustration with Boeing, and even minor incidents involving jets the company produced are attracting extra attention.<br/>
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South African Airways is formally seeking a new CE to pursue an alternative strategic course after the collapse of its privatisation effort. The airline is advertising for five senior management positions – including the chief – having been led, for the past three years, by an interim team. South Africa’s government had been negotiating a revised privatisation deal with a consortium, Takatso Aviation, which had originally agreed to take a 51% share of SAA. But the two sides were unable to reach a new pact and the process was terminated in mid-March. As a result, Takatso will not be appointing its own SAA managers. “The board has deemed it necessary to have a properly constituted and permanent executive team to pilot the airline’s strategic plan into the future,” says the carrier. Chair of the interim board Derek Hanekom says filling the management posts is a “positive and decisive step” intended to provide “organisational stability” and a “predictable direction” for SAA’s expansion. He adds that interim CE John Lamola supports the measure as a natural step in the airline’s development.<br/>
Trouble for Air India is mounting with aircraft technicians planning a strike later this month after its pilots voiced concerns last week about being overworked and underpaid. Technicians at AI Engineering Services — a state-run maintenance, repair and overhaul firm and an erstwhile Air India unit — will strike on April 23 due to various issues affecting their “well-being” and “professional growth,” All India Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Union wrote in a letter dated April 8 to the CEO. A representative for Air India said the situation is being monitored closely. The unrest among aviation workers risks thwarting India’s air travel boom. Pilots and aircraft engineers are crucial to support the country’s rapid fleet expansion after IndiGo, Air India and Akasa placed orders for more than 1,100 aircraft combined. The strike will further roil India’s aviation industry that saw hundreds of flight cancellations last week after some piots at Vistara, jointly owned by Air India’s owner Tata Group and Singapore Airlines Ltd., called in sick en masse due to fatigue and pay cuts. The airline is cutting back 25 to 30 flights a day to create a buffer in its rosters to prevent more cancellations. AI Engineering’s biggest client is Air India. Its staff are upset over lack of career advancement opportunities because they haven’t been promoted in the past seven years, according to the letter. The management promised a revised pay structure for technicians who have worked for at least two years with the firm but hasn’t followed through. The contractual employees, who form 75% of the company’s workforce, feel discriminated because they have to serve longer notice periods and aren’t given as many benefits as the permanent staff, the letter said. A representative for AI Engineering said the management has initiated discussions with the union to resolve the issue. <br/>
Air New Zealand has restarted seasonal flights between Cairns and Auckland. Twice-weekly A321neo flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays commenced earlier this month and will run until 26 October, with an additional Thursday service to begin on 25 June. The previous Cairns-Auckland service ended in October last year. “We’re thrilled to welcome our seasonal services back to Cairns and look forward to welcoming even more Aussies onboard over the next few months,” said Air New Zealand’s general manager of Australia, Kathryn O’Brien. “The seasonal Auckland to Cairns service provides the perfect excuse for a getaway to explore New Zealand.” According to O’Brien, the route connects to 20 destinations around New Zealand, including Queenstown, Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough. “Whether you’re an adventure seeker, looking for a family getaway or a solo traveller, New Zealand has something for everyone, including stunning snow-capped mountains and pristine beaches,” she said. Richard Barker, CEO of Cairns Airport, said the winter peak service has proven “highly popular” among Cairns and Tropical North Queensland locals looking to ski and explore New Zealand. “Non-stop flights from Auckland also offer a seamless tropical getaway for New Zealand holidaymakers, placing Cairns, Port Douglas and the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef just hours away, and provide a vital link for those with family and friends on either side of the Tasman,” he said.<br/>