Southwest Airlines said on Monday it had named Tom Doxey as its CFO. The Dallas-based carrier added that the appointment would take effect from March 10. Doxey, an industry veteran, began his career in financial planning and fleet management roles at Allegiant Air and US Airways, but most recently served as the president of Breeze Airways. In January, Southwest announced that its current CFO, Tammy Romo, would retire after a career spanning over three decades at the airline.<br/>
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A Moscow-bound Boeing 777-300ER Aeroflot Airlines plane with 346 people onboard made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Monday night following a landing gear problem. The Moscow-bound flight SU277 departed Phuket Airport at 3.20pm on Monday and circled above the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand for five hours before seeking an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport. There were reports that after takeoff, the nose gear of the plane retracted but its cover failed to close. The pilots then circled the plane over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand to burn off fuel before landing the plane safely at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said the plane landed at 9.11pm and stopped at parking bay 115. He quoted Aeroflot as reporting that 15 crew members and 331 passengers would stay at a hotel outside the airport pending a substitute flight.<br/>
Etihad Airways’ new service to Atlanta, which is set to launch four-times a week on July 2, is proving so popular that the airline has decided to make it a daily flight from November 1. The frequency increase on the route between Zayed International Airport (AUH) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the UAE’s only non-stop connection to Atlanta and will provide even greater flexibility and convenience for travellers, the airline said. The service will be operated using the airline’s latest Airbus A350-1000 featuring 44 Business class seats and 327 economy seats, promising extraordinary experiences and award-winning service for guests in all cabins. Jurriaan Stelder, Senior Vice President Network and Alliances at Etihad Airways, said: “Since announcing our flights to Atlanta in November, we’ve seen great interest from guests, and that’s why we have decided to step up to daily flights on this already very popular route. “Connecting Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest by passenger volume, with our growing global network means seamless one-stop connections to some of Atlanta’s most popular South Asian destinations including Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Karachi. It also offers more opportunities for guests to visit our wonderful home Abu Dhabi as part of a stopover break or a longer holiday.”<br/>