American Airlines strike looms, United slows hiring, and Boeing lifts off: Airline news roundup
The president of Emirates had some advice for Boeing. The CEO of United Airlines wants more competition in the plane manufacturing space. Boeing finally did a crewed launch of its Starliner spacecraft. And labor negotiations are heating up for American Airlines and its flight attendants.
Take a moment to catch up on what’s been happening in the world of airlines.
Qatar Airways is splitting a big plane order between Boeing and Airbus
One of the big names in long-haul flying is about to make a couple of large purchases, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Boeing’s next CEO should be a ‘hands-on’ engineer, Emirates leader says
The president of Emirates Airline has more to say about how Boeing should be trying to run its business. During an aside with journalists, Tim Clark said that the manufacturer’s problems are “fixable and salvageable” — and gave the company some pointers on what to look for in a new chief executive officer.
Boeing’s troubles have trickled down to United Airlines’ hiring
Boeing’s ongoing production and delivery delays are continuing to have an effect on the airline industry. Reuters reports that an executive from United Airlines told reporters on Tuesday that its hiring plans for the year have been sharply curtailed as it waits on planes from the manufacturer.
Boeing Starliner carrying two astronauts makes it safely to International Space Station
The Crew Flight Test for Boeing’s long-running CST-100 Starliner project has finally made it into space.
Boeing and Airbus need more competition, United Airlines CEO says
Most global airlines buy their planes from one of two businesses: U.S.-based Boeing or France-based Airbus. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby thinks there should be a more diverse array of options for carriers looking to add to their fleets.
American Airlines offered flight attendants a 17% raise as a strike looms
American Airlines just made a partial concession during its ongoing contract negotiations with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (AFPA), the union representing its flight attendants. Reuters reports that the carrier offered to immediately raise pay for the position by 17%, plus work out changes to its profit-sharing agreement.
American Airlines flight attendants rejected a 17% raise and a strike is getting closer
American Airlines needs to offer a bigger pay raise if it wants flight attendants to stay off the picket line, according to their union. Reuters reports that the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents the airline’s flight attendants, rejected a 17% raise offer on Wednesday that the carrier had put forward earlier this week.
A flying taxi firm just got the green light to begin U.S. commercials flights
One of the companies trying to mainstream the usage of so-called electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles got a key go-ahead from the Federal Aviation Administration. The company, Archer Aviation, which has been trying to help create a market for the aircraft as emissions-free flying taxis, announced Wednesday that it received permission to begin operating them commercially as part of a broader testing regimen.
American Airlines is facing pressure from the NAACP over discrimination incidents
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People issued a warning this week to American Airlines. The criticism stemmed from an incident in which Black passengers were ushered off a flight for what they said in a recent lawsuit were unfounded complaints of “body odor.”
A major airline group will make it easier for passengers to move between carriers
It might soon become easier for people making multi-leg trips to get there without a hassle. Bloomberg reports that the CEO of Oneworld, a global airline alliance, said at the annual International Air Transport Association meeting that it is working on a new policy that would let passengers and their luggage check in once — even if they’re flying on multiple airlines. Members of Oneworld include American Airlines, British Airways, Qatar Airways, and Alaska Airlines.