United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says he is optimistic about Boeing’s recovery after meeting with the manufacturer’s new CE. It’s an upbeat change of tune from the head of United, a top Boeing customer that has been among the most publicly frustrated about the plane maker’s problems, which have led to delayed deliveries of dozens of aircraft. Kirby and Boeing’s new CEO, Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, had lunch earlier this week in the Dallas area. Kirby said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday that he “was not only encouraged by what I heard, but I also came away with a renewed confidence that Boeing is on the right path and will recover faster than most expect.” United has 484 unfilled orders with Boeing, according to the manufacturer’s website. Ortberg also met with American Airlines CEO Robert Isom earlier this week, according to a person familiar with the matter who wasn’t authorized to speak with the media.<br/>
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Inside Newark Liberty International Airport, Lufthansa Airlines just debuted its revamped lounge, set to benefit travelers flying to Europe on board the airline's daily flights. This week Travel + Leisure got an early look at the the brand-new 6,370 sq. ft. lounge in the airport's Terminal B. The space is complete with natural wood tones and calm lighting to create a welcoming environment and has different zones for every type of situation including a conversation area, an independent work area, and even private rooms that can be utilized for video or audio phone calls. "We come from the hustle and bustle, and very often traveling is stressful, so our overall picture that we want to give is just an oasis of calm," Lufthansa Airlines' Head of Customer Experience and Lounges Jessica Scheibach shared with T+L during an interview inside the lounge. There are also perfectly positioned coffee, cold beverage, and bar areas that allow traffic to easily flow through without a cluster of passengers in one area. Scheibach highlighted the focus on charging devices, as there are a variety of updated wireless, USB-A and USB-C chargers throughout the space. During various lounge visits, the Lufthansa team would see people crouching on the floor or hunting for chargers, and the new lounge looks to solve this problem. “We call it inclusive charging, because very often our travelers may not have the adapters, and then with all the USB plugs, they don't have to have the local adapters, but they can put it right in there,” Scheibach said while gesturing to one of the many the wireless charging stations in between each seat in the lounge. <br/>
Typhoon Ampil edged closer to Japan’s main island of Honshu on Friday, forcing major Japanese airlines to cancel flights and the government to issue a warning against possible landslides and flooding. JAL and ANA canceled some 90 international flights, impacting more than 15,000 passengers. The two carriers also scrapped about 560 domestic flights, disrupting roughly 104,000 travelers who were looking to fly to destinations such as Okinawa, Osaka and Fukuoka, they said. Disruptions from tropical storms have become more frequent in Japan, with the weather agency warning residents to stay indoors and be aware of water hazards and companies urging employees to return home early. The latest typhoon, categorized as a severe tropical storm, will be at its closest around midday Friday, according to weather forecasters. “While some people might be planning to spend leisurely time at the beach, we urge residents of potentially impacted areas to not approach the sea and rivers,” Satoshi Omatsu, director of the river management office at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, said at a news conference. The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to be careful of high waves, landslides, flooding of low-lying areas and rising or overflowing rivers in eastern Japan. It issued heavy rain and storm warnings for Tokyo. Some foreign airlines’ operations were also impacted. Korean Air Lines Co. said 12 of its flights between Japan and South Korea will be suspended on Friday and Saturday. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said that its Japan flights are currently operating normally, adding that it is “closely monitoring the potential impact of severe tropical storm Ampil.”<br/>