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Two Southern California women were removed from a Spirit Airlines flight before it could take off because they were wearing crop tops, according to the airline and reports. Tara Kehidi and Teresa Araujo were initially wearing sweaters when they boarded their flight from Los Angeles to New Orleans on Friday, the women told KABC during an interview. Due to the plane not having air conditioning before taking off, the women removed the sweaters, thus unveiling their crop tops. "We were wearing crop tops… just like a little bit of stomach showing," Tara Kehidi said, per KABC. At some point, the women were approached by a male flight attendant and told to "put something on" before walking away, the women told the Los Angeles-based TV station. "He's telling both of us (to) put our sweaters on," according to Kehidi, per KABC. "And then we're like 'Oh, can we see a dress code? Like, is there a policy that says we can't wear crop tops on the plane?" Araujo said the women were "kind of embarrassed" because they felt like they were being "treated like criminals," KABC reported. "Everyone in the plane was looking at us," Araujo said. In a statement obtained by USA TODAY, a Spirit Airline spokesperson said, "Our Contract of Carriage, a document all Guests agree to upon making a reservation with us, includes certain clothing standards for all Guests traveling with us."<br/>

Thousands of passengers across Europe are expected to experience disruptions to flights in late October as Italian pilots are planning a four-hour walkout. Pilots from the budget airline easyJet are set to go on strike on 27 October for four hours between 1pm and 5pm, and while the window is a short one, aviation experts say that this could have a knock-on effect on the rest of the flight timetable that weekend. The strike, organised by the Italian transport union UIL Trasporti who are representing the pilots, will affect flights coming in and out of three Italian cities, Milan, Naples and Venice. Anton Radchenko, aviation expert and founder of AirAdvisor, has warned that easyJet passengers should be prepared for flight disruptions on the Sunday before the October half-term starts for UK schoolchildren. “EasyJet is the UK’s biggest airline, especially in terms of passenger volume, so thousands of passengers across Europe will directly be impacted by these pilot strikes on 27th October," he told the Mirror. “Our message is: be prepared for disruption and understand your rights as a passenger,” he added to the Daily Express. EasyJet passengers have already been severely affected by strikes this year after 232 of 1,138 flights to and from Portugal were cancelled by the airline in August due to a three-day strike by its cabin crew in the country, causing chaos for holidaymakers travelling to its popular tourist destinations.<br/>

Cypriot-based carrier Tus Airways will have a majority share controlled by its newest investor under an agreement between the company’s shareholders. The carrier’s ownership had already been split equally three ways between Israel’s Global Knafaim Leasing, US entrepreneur Kenneth Woolley, and two partners – Ami Cohen and Arnon Englander – from the Holiday Lines Group. Cohen and Englander had taken a one-third share in the carrier earlier this year, and this investment agreement included a call option. Global Knafaim states that Cohen and Englander will acquire equal shareholdings from itself and Woolley. This will take their interest in Tus Airways to 75% and leave Global Knafaim and Woolley with 12.5% each. Exercise of the option and the acquisition of the shareholdings will involve a total consideration of about $2.1m. Tus Airways uses a fleet of three Airbus A320 jets, two on services within its own network and the third for wet-lease operations.<br/>

Air Serbia has introduced a third Airbus A330-200, expanding its widebody fleet, during a ceremony at Belgrade. It is also expecting a fourth to arrive by the end of this year. The carrier’s latest A330 – originally delivered to Etihad Airways in 2014 – was previously operated by Air Belgium. It was flown from an airfield on the Belgian-Dutch border to the Serbian capital on 4 October. Air Serbia says it carries a special livery to promote Expo 2027 which will be held in Belgrade – and that the next A330 will also feature the scheme. “From Chicago and New York in the West, to Tianjin and Guangzhou in the East, the national airline’s aircraft will present Serbia and Expo 2027 to a global audience,” says CE Jiri Marek.<br/>

Russian operator Aeroflot Group is to create a single training entity which will supply pilots for all airlines within the company. Aeroflot will select graduates and students from civil aviation education institutions as part of the project. Along with the main Aeroflot operation – which carried 25m passengers last year – the group includes Rossiya and Pobeda, which took the total to 47m. It states that crews will undergo training on Airbus A320-family and Boeing 737 jets, as well as Yakovlev Superjet 100s. “A single human resource of young flight personnel will emerge, which will be distributed between the Aeroflot Group airlines depending on the crew needs for each carrier,” it adds. Aeroflot previously provided initial training for up to 60 flight-school graduates per year. It says that, through the “large-scale” unification project, it will increase its training and flight detachment to 300.<br/>

Gulf Air is gearing up for significant expansion as it grows its network and strengthens its position in the hyper-competitive Middle East market. Speaking to Skift, Group CEO Jeffrey Goh confirmed that the airline is considering additional widebody planes to support ambitious growth, with the United States firmly in its sights. The carrier was one of the first commercial airlines in the Middle East and will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year. However, in recent decades, Gulf Air has been overshadowed by its larger neighbors in Qatar and the UAE. The fresh management team, led by Goh, is aiming to put Bahrain back on the global radar. “In the case of the United States, we are looking at it very keenly. But flying to the U.S., you have to address many regulatory hurdles,” Goh said. “We are doing that. We have connectivity ambitions, I have a list. The U.S. is one of many destinations on our list.” The CEO added that he had his “fingers crossed” that a North American route could be launched in 2025. Bahrain’s aviation market is relatively small but strategically important. The Kingdom is positioned at a crossroads of global air routes and is well-placed to tap into Europe-Asia traffic flows. For example, a stopover in Bahrain can add just 90 minutes to the typical flying time between London and Bangkok. Despite its east-meets-west location, Gulf Air has faced financial challenges in recent years. The company struggled to achieve profitability amid competition from regional giants including Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad.<br/>

Oman Air will offer travellers in the sultanate four weekly flights from Muscat to Rome – their first-ever direct connection to the ‘Eternal City’, starting December 20, 2024 – one of the most important announcements of a new route in five years. “Our new direct flights to Rome represent an exciting step in our transformation. Marking our second destination in Italy, this key route not only enhances our European offerings, but also marks the start of our strategy to maximise the utilisation of our narrow-body fleet,” said Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air. “As one of the most visited cities in the world, Rome is a perfect addition to our network. We are thrilled to offer our guests seamless and convenient access to the destinations they want to go to, while continuing to set new standards for service and hospitality.”<br/>

Cebu Pacific has acquired regional compatriot AirSWIFT in a deal worth Ps1.75b ($30.8m). The acquisition – the subject of speculation in recent months – will see Cebu Pacific enter into a share purchase agreement with AirSWIFT parent company Ayala Land for 100% shareholding of the regional operator. Cebu Pacific did not disclose a timeline for the acquisition, but notes that there will no changes to AirSWIFT’s operating schedules once the deal is completed. AirSWIFT is a “boutique carrier that caters to the domestic leisure travel market”. It operates a fleet of four ATR turboprops – comprising two ATR 72-600s and two ATR 42-600s – to tourist spots like El Nido, Boracay and Bohol. “Following its purchase, Cebu Pacific will eventually add El Nido to its routes, widening its network which will contribute to growth opportunities, and leveraging its operational expertise to be able to offer more cost-effective options for its growing customer base,” says Cebu Pacific. The airline in July confirmed reports it was in discussion with Ayala Land over a possible acquisition, but stressed there was nothing firm yet.<br/>