The parent company of Brazilian airline Gol has started talks with rival Azul to "explore opportunities," both airlines said on Monday, following media reports earlier this year that pointed to a potential merger. Azul added in a securities filing it has not signed or formalized any new agreement regarding a potential business combination with Gol, which is controlled by Latin American airline holding company Abra Group. Abra Group was formed in 2022 to combine Gol and Colombia's Avianca under a common holding company jointly controlled by the main shareholders of both firms. Last week, Gol and Azul announced a codeshare agreement connecting their networks and frequent flyer programs, a move that reignited speculation about a potential merger between the Brazilian airlines. Gol filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States earlier this year, after struggling with heavy debt and delayed deliveries from planemaker Boeing. Abra Group is Gol's largest secured creditor.<br/>
unaligned
Aer Lingus pilots are likely to have completed voting on interim Labour Court proposals meant to broker a deal with the airline in a dispute over pay by about the end of this week. The court last week recommended that Irish Airline Pilots Association (Ialpa) accept pay increases totalling 9.25% and that the pair restart talks on deadlocked issues at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Ialpa’s executive recommended that members reject the proposal in a ballot due to start on Tuesday. A result is likely around the end of the week. The pilots’ trade union maintains that the Labour Court proposals fail to resolve core issues affecting its members, but says they will ultimately decide if Ialpa should accept the recommendations. Aer Lingus said on Friday that it accepted the recommendation and would look to take the interim steps that it set out. A crunch issue between the pair is calculating the cost of extra summer leave flexibility for pilots that Ialpa agreed with Aer Lingus in 2019, the Labour Court’s recommendation indicates.<br/>
Turkish Airlines’ recently spun-out low-cost operator AJet is to add in-flight connectivity under an agreement disclosed during AIX in Hamburg on 28 May. TCI Aircraft Interiors has signed an agreement with satellite specialist Turkstat to provide the service. The partners says the in-flight connectivity system will deliver high-speed Internet connectivity. Under the project the service will be implemented across AJet’s entire fleet. AJet, which rebranded from AnadoluJet earlier this year as part of its expansion plans, had a fleet of 98 Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies as of the end of March 2024 and is in the process of expanding its fleet with new-generation aircraft. ”This significant initiative is not only a major step for AJET but also enhances TCI’s and Turkstat’s operational and service capabilities on a global scale,” the partners say.<br/>
A Virgin Australia flight from Perth to Melbourne was forced to turn around and land shortly after taking off after a male passenger allegedly ran naked through the cabin and knocked a crew member to the floor. Australian federal police officers met VA696 when it returned to Perth airport on Monday evening and arrested the man after the plane was turned around an hour into the flight to Melbourne. A Virgin spokesperson said on Tuesday that the flight – which normally takes about three and a half hours – returned due to a “disruptive passenger” who was “offloaded” by police. “The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority and we sincerely apologise to guests impacted,” the spokesperson said. The federal police said it had been alerted to the incident by airport staff and “officers arrested a man after he allegedly ran naked through the aircraft mid-flight and knocked a crew member to the floor”. Sterling, a passenger on the plane who gave only his first name, said that one hour into the flight “all of a sudden I hear this running up the aisle and the guy’s got no clothes on and he’s just charging towards the front of the plane”. The 23-year-old mining engineer had been flying to Melbourne for his university graduation on Tuesday morning. He told Guardian Australia he was initially alarmed at the sight of someone charging towards the cockpit. Sterling said that after the man allegedly knocked over the flight attendant, there was “a lot of yelling and screaming” near the cockpit. “Initially you think, God forbid, it could be an attack. It’s really distressing being on a plane in that situation.” Sterling continued: “One good Samaritan, this big guy in business class, jumped up straight away to intervene and then these two other guys later got up and tackled him to the ground.” The man was pinned down before being handcuffed and walked to the back of the plane, he added.<br/>