Alaska Airlines canceled dozens of US West Coast flights Friday as off-duty pilots picketed in several major cities over an impasse in nearly three years of contract negotiations, and the airline said more cancellations were possible through the weekend. More than 120 Alaska Airlines flights were canceled — about 9% of its operations — and about 15,300 passengers were affected, the airline said in a statement. Canceled flights included 66 in Seattle; 20 in Portland, Oregon; 10 in Los Angeles; and seven in San Francisco, according to the flight tracking website flightaware.com. At the same time, pilots held a rally and picket line in all those cities, according to a union website. Pilots with the Air Lines Pilots Association also protested last week in New York City outside the airline’s Investor Relations Day in a precursor of Friday’s picket. Those on the picket line Friday said they were off-duty and were not to blame for the canceled flights. “It takes everyone at Alaska to run a successful and reliable operation. Today, we fell short. We’re grateful for all employees who are working hard to get our guests to where they need to go,” the airline said in the statement that did not mention the picketing. The cancellations come as air travel rebounds to pre-pandemic levels and demand is surging as many Americans head off on spring break for long-delayed vacations. Frustrated travelers vented on social media about botched vacation plans and reported that there was up to a 10-hour wait to speak with an airline representative about rescheduling flights. Many said they couldn’t fly out for a day or two.<br/>
unaligned
Alaska Airlines announced that it has launched new, gender-neutral uniform guidelines for flight attendants. "We have updated our uniform guidelines, effective today, to provide more freedom and flexibility in individual and gender expression," the airline said in a statement on Monday. The airline said it will also collaborate with Seattle designer Luly Yang to develop gender-neutral uniform items for frontline employees, such as flight attendants, customer service agents and uniformed lounge employees. The announcement comes after a 2021 allegation by an Alaska Airlines employee that the airline's uniform policy discriminated against employees whose gender expression does not fit the male and female dress codes, particularly nonbinary employees -- those whose gender identity falls outside the binary of "male" or "female." The previous policy required flight attendants to wear either "male" or "female" uniforms. The airline also regulated other aspects of dress, like hairstyle, makeup and jewelry, based on workers' assumed gender. The American Civil Liberties Union stated in a letter at the time that Alaska's uniform policy violated Washington's Law Against Discrimination, which prohibits discrimination based on "sex" or "gender identity, self-image, appearance, behavior, or expression." "I don't want to be forced into a binary uniform that excludes me and leads to me being misgendered at work," Justin Wetherell, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant and flight attendant instructor based in Seattle, said in an ACLU statement at the time. The airline responded at the time saying flight attendants since 2020 had the freedom to order "any pant or parka style and have been able to select the uniform kit of their choice, regardless of gender identity." The latest update to the uniform policy will allow for more flexibility in personal expression for flight attendants of all genders, Alaska Airline said. All flight attendants will be permitted to wear fingernail polish, makeup, two earrings per ear and a nose piercing.<br/>
The world is moving towards more electrified-forms of travel, a shift that is not lost on JetBlue Technology Ventures. The venture capital arm of JetBlue Airways counts among its investments an electric air taxi startup, hydrogen fuel cell developer, and, now, a battery developer that could power the whole ecosystem. JetBlue Technology Ventures participated in a $13m fund raising round by Electric Power Systems. The company develops battery systems for primarily for the new propulsion systems needed for electric aircraft but also for other transportation applications, including for cars, trucks, and boats. The scalability of those batteries will ultimately determine the success of all of the electric air taxis or aircraft being pitched in the market because, without batteries, electric aviation would be stuck on the ground. “The electrification of aviation will grow in importance as a method for reducing the carbon footprint of the industry as a whole,” said Amy Burr, the president of JetBlue Technology Ventures. Electric Power Systems “will play a key role in the development of electric aircraft.” <br/>
EasyJet has cancelled around 100 flights on Monday, including 62 from the UK, blaming higher than usual levels of staff absence due to Covid. The airline said it had tried to offset the problem by using standby crew but was forced "to make some cancellations in advance". It comes amid rising demand for travel as the Easter school holidays begin. Airports are also struggling with staff shortages that have led to long queues for security and check-in. EasyJet, one of Europe's biggest airlines, said the cancellations were a small part of its schedule on Monday, which is around 1,645 flights. "As a result of the current high rates of Covid infections across Europe, like all businesses, easyJet is experiencing higher than usual levels of employee sickness," a spokesman said. "Unfortunately it has been necessary to make some additional cancellations for today and tomorrow. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause." He said affected customers had been contacted and could rebook on alternative flights or receive a voucher or refund. Airports have also seen staff shortages at time when demand for travel is picking up following the end of travel restrictions. Passengers at Manchester Airport have faced long queues for check-in and security, leading some to miss their flights at the start of the Easter holidays. There have also been complaints about extensive waits in the baggage reclaim halls.<br/>
IndiGo’s CCO Willy Boulter is stepping down in July, the second senior executive to leave the low-cost carrier in two days. In comments made in a Bloomberg Television interview on 31 March, Boulter says it was “sort of a personal decision” to leave the carrier. “I’ve been in the airline business a long time. I’m 64, and it’s time to maybe take not a full-time role,” he adds. IndiGo, which confirmed Boulter’s departure, tells FlightGlobal it has not named a replacement for the commercial chief position. Boulter’s decision to leave the carrier came a day after former finance chief Jiten Chopra quit to “pursue other interests”. The carrier then named GE veteran Gaurav Negi to take over the position. Boulter, who joined IndiGo in 2018, has held management positions in several major carriers, including Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic Airways, as well as Etihad Airways. The departure of the two senior executives follows airline co-founder Rakesh Gangwal’s decision in February to step down from the board of the airline’s parent company, as he plans to reduce his stake over the coming years. It also comes as the Indian aviation sector is seeing signs of post-pandemic recovery, following the decision to fully reopen international borders. <br/>