~theguardian-world | Bookmarks (15)

Passengers numbers this year predicted to hit 82.4m but airport’s future uncertain, with proposed £6bn sale in doubtHeathrow is expecting its busiest ever summer holiday season but faces uncertainty over its long-term future as the proposed £6bn sale of the UK’s biggest airport remains in doubt.The airport said on Wednesday that the summer getaway this year was expected to be “the busiest on record”...

Carrier says three-week grounding of 737 Max 9 planes after Alaska Airlines blowout cost it profitUnited Airlines has blamed a $200m (£161m) hit to its earnings in the first three months of the year on the mid-flight blowout that forced it to ground many of its Boeing planes.The US carrier said the three-week grounding of 737 Max 9 jets after a cabin panel blew...

Incident involving Southwest flight will add to pressure on plane maker as it shakes up leadershipUS airline regulators have launched an investigation after an engine cowling on a Boeing plane fell off during takeoff and struck the wing flap, the latest in a series of safety problems facing the aircraft manufacturer.The Southwest Airlines flight 3695 rose to about 10,300 ft (3,140 metres) before returning...

The airline is adding more than 20m rewards seats on international and domestic flightsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastQantas has unveiled long-awaited changes to its frequent flyer program, boosting the number of reward seats available and changing the way those seats are priced. What does Monday’s announcement mean for...

Court hears workers suffered psychological distress after losing jobs and took medication to cope Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastA major union is hoping to force Qantas to pay millions in compensation to former workers whose jobs were illegally outsourced during the Covid-19 pandemic.The Transport Workers Union (TWU) is suing the airline in the federal court over...

New scrutiny of planemaker’s 787 Dreamliner over terrifying drop adds to safety crisis after cabin panel blowout on 737 Max 9 jet Another Boeing jet is facing scrutiny after the planemaker told airlines to check the cockpit seats of 787 Dreamliners following a terrifying drop during a flight from Sydney to Auckland.Dozens of people on Latam Airlines Flight 800 were said to have been...

Essex-based hub to pass into hands of private-equity firm after agreement on £194m debtSouthend airport is to pass into the control of the US private-equity group Carlyle after an agreement to settle a debt, in the latest takeover of a UK firm by a foreign company.The London-listed aviation group Esken, formerly Stobart Group, said it had reached a deal over the £193.75m debt that...

US justice department scrutinizing whether door blowout violated 2021 agreement with Boeing after two fatal plane crashesThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is giving Boeing 90 days to come up with a plan to fix quality problems and meet safety standards for building new planes, as the justice department reportedly reviews whether a mid-flight plane door panel blowout in January violated a previous settlement agreement...

Hrdlicka’s abrupt departure comes as airline’s owners plan to push ahead with relisting on stock exchangeGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastVirgin Australia’s chief executive, Jayne Hrdlicka, has abruptly stepped down after almost four years in charge, raising questions about the timing of the airline’s much-hyped relisting on the stock exchange.On Tuesday, the airline announced that Hrdlicka had...

Company claimed its chatbot ‘was responsible for its own actions’ when giving wrong information about bereavement fareCanada’s largest airline has been ordered to pay compensation after its chatbot gave a customer inaccurate information, misleading him into buying a full-price ticket.Air Canada came under further criticism for later attempting to distance itself from the error by claiming that the bot was “responsible for its own...

US regulator makes announcement hours after CEO says planemaker will only allow jets to fly when ‘100%’ certain of safetyThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved an inspection and maintenance process to allow grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to return to service, following a cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight.“The exhaustive, enhanced review our team completed after several weeks of information...

Air Astana, which is 49% owned by the British defence firm, announces plans to float on London stock marketKazakhstan’s national airline has announced plans to float on the London stock market, bringing a potential windfall to BAE Systems, which has been an investor for more than two decades.Air Astana, which is 49% owned by the British defence company, hopes to list in London and...

Planes await inspection by aviation regulators after panel blowout on Alaska Airlines flight amid heightened safety concernsBoeing must acknowledge “our mistake”, its CEO has said, after the cabin panel of a 737 Max 9 jet blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight last week.Dozens of Max 9 planes have been grounded following the incident, awaiting inspection amid heightened concerns around safety. Alaska and United...

Aircraft model has been grounded after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines-operated plane mid-flight on SaturdayUnited Airlines has found loose bolts and other “installation issues” on multiple 737 Max 9 aircraft, it said on Monday, referring to the Boeing model that has been grounded after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines-operated plane mid-flight over the weekend.The industry publication Air Current reported that...

Chunk of fuselage also broke away, forcing emergency landing shortly after takeoff from Portland, OregonAlaska Airlines is grounding all Boeing 737 Max 9 planes after a window and a chunk of fuselage on one of the aircraft blew out in mid-air shortly after takeoff.An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 had to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Portland, Oregon, on...