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After several months of disruptions for air travellers, there could be more turbulence ahead as the union representing Air Canada pilots prepares for a possible strike next month. The airline and pilots union have been negotiating for more than a year but remain far apart on compensation and other issues, the union said. Air Canada and the Air Line Pilots Association worked with a private mediator during the first half of this year and are now in conciliation. The pilots are now voting on whether to give their union a strike mandate. The earliest possible job action would be Sept. 17. "The pilots are frustrated," said first officer Charlene Hudy, chair of the master elected council, which represents pilots during negotiations with the airline. "We've seen a large gap between ourselves and our American counterparts, said Hudy. Right now, some of my American counterparts are making twice as much as I do and the pilots that I represent." The union is handing out lanyards, stickers and pins showing the phrase Strike Ready to its more than 5,500 members. Air Canada said they're seeing progress in the negotiations.<br/>

Air Canada plans to resume its flights connecting Ottawa and London Heathrow. The nonstop service is scheduled to start March 31, 2025. Flights will be operated four-times weekly with Air Canada’s Dreamliner fleet offering a choice of three cabins. “We are very pleased to solidify Air Canada’s leadership serving our country’s capital with the resumption of trans-Atlantic services beginning next spring,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President – Revenue and Network Planning at Air Canada. Galardo added: “In addition to London being a top global destination, Heathrow is one of the world’s primary global gateways as well as home to Air Canada’s largest international operations. Conveniently located together with our Star Alliance partner airlines in The Queen’s Terminal, Air Canada offers customers easy connections to a vast array of more than 30 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa with our airline partners. With continued demand for visiting friends, relatives, leisure and tourism, as well as supporting business and corporate travel, this route gives customers from both the National Capital Region and abroad direct, convenient international travel options to and from Ottawa.”<br/>

Star Alliance member LOT Polish Airlines makes visiting Europe even more attractive for travellers from India by adding the Canary Islands to its global route network. On 27th November 2024, the Polish flag carrier will start operating to Tenerife. The biggest island of the Canaries is located less than 300 kilometres off the West African coast and is commonly known as the “Island of Eternal Spring” due to its pleasant climate conditions. LOT Polish Airlines will be flying to Tenerife’s Reina Sofía Airport in the south of the island three times a week – Wednesday, Friday and Sunday – during the winter schedule season. The flights are operated by modern Boeing 737 MAX8 aircraft. The six-hour flights depart from Warsaw at 7:50h; the return flight departs at 13:55h local time. “After Athens, Lisbon, Larnaca, Lyon and several other cities, Tenerife is another new and highly attractive destination in Europe that we will soon be operating to” says Amit Ray, Director India, DACH Markets and Italy and Head of Global Corporate and Strategic Sales at LOT Polish Airlines. “Tenerife is a great and unique addition for leisure passengers touring Europe.”<br/>

An EVA Air flight hit strong turbulence on Sunday (Aug 11) on the way from Jakarta to Taipei, with six flight attendants injured in the incident. Taiwanese news channel Formosa News reported the incident happened during meal service about two hours into the flight. "The incident occurred at 4:55pm on Sunday, when EVA flight BR238 from Jakarta to Taipei encountered strong turbulence at an altitude of 37,000 feet," Formosa News reported. According to the airline, the aircraft involved was a Boeing 777-300ER. The flight departed Jakarta at 2.48pm local time on Sunday and landed safely at Taoyuan International Airport at 9:16pm the same day. In May, one passenger died of a suspected heart attack and 30 were injured after a Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence, flinging passengers and crew around the cabin and forcing the plane to land in Bangkok. The flight from London and bound for Singapore fell into an air pocket while cabin crew were serving breakfast before it encountered turbulence, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing.<br/>

Flights and bullet train services are scheduled to be suspended as Typhoon Ampil approaches Japan’s main island Friday, impacting travel during the country’s annual summer break. All Nippon Airways Co. said it will cancel 280 domestic flights, affecting about 60,400 passengers scheduled to fly to areas including Osaka, Fukuoka and Okinawa. Japan’s largest air carrier also canceled two flights Thursday evening. Disruptions from tropical storms this time of year has become an annual occurrence in Japan and other countries in the region. They’re also more severe, causing factories to halt production and companies telling employees to stay at home. The latest typhoon, categorized as a severe tropical storm, will be at its closest around midday Friday, according to weather forecasters. Japan’s weather agency urged for caution against high waves, landslides, flooding of low-lying areas, and rising or overflowing rivers in eastern Japan. Ampil is also likely to impact international routes, ANA and Japan Airlines Co. said, adding they will provide updated information. JAL will also cancel domestic flights. <br/>

China Airlines has sold two Boeing 747-400 freighters to South Korean operator Asiana Airlines. The deal, brokered by Aviation Management Solutions, is valued at more than W69.6b ($51m), according to stock exchange filings. Asiana says it is purchasing the jets to replace its fleet of aging freighters to “enhance punctuality”. The two aircraft bear the MSNs 30768 and 30765, according to Aviation Management Solutions. Cirium fleets data shows that MSN30768 has been registered N111VL and was formerly B-18711. It was delivered to the Taiwanese operator in 2002. According to China Airlines, the transaction of this freighter is valued at no more than $29m, with a projected gain of no more than $2.2m. <br/>