Tag: United Airlines

Unpaid leave or termination, these 2 international airlines warn unvaccinated employees

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Two major airlines — Canada’s WestJet and United Airlines in the US — have said their employees would be laid off or sent on unpaid leave if they fail to get their COVID-19 shots.

Last month, United Airlines had asked all its 67,000 employees to get vaccinated by September 27. Those who refuse to get vaccinated will not be permitted within the workplace from October 2, the airline said.

However, the airline would consider exemptions on religious and medical grounds. On September 8, the airline informed its staff that employees who have been exempted from the vaccine mandate would be sent on unpaid leave from October 2.

United Airlines may consider exemptions on religious or medical grounds, but those exempted will be sent on unpaid leave till the pandemic ‘meaningfully recedes.’ Canadian airline WestJet’s mandate is stricter: Get vaccinated by December 1 or leave.

Employees, whose request for religious exemption has been denied will be allowed an additional five weeks to get vaccinated and get their first shot by September 27, failing which their employment will be terminated.

The medical staff will look into requests for medical exemptions, while those based on religious beliefs would be handled by office personnel.

Flight attendants and pilots whose exemptions have been approved will not be allowed to return to work until the pandemic “meaningfully recedes,” the company said in a memo sent to its employees.

Canadian airlines WestJet has also asked its staffers to get fully vaccinated by October 30.

“Once we reach October 30, those (unvaccinated) individuals will then be placed on an unpaid leave for the month of November so that they can ultimately make that final determination and get the information that they need, if they so choose (to) go down the path of getting that first vaccine and then the second one four weeks after,” Richard Bartrem, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for WestJet, told Global News.

“In the event that that’s not the case come December 1, they would no longer be WestJet employees, unfortunately,” he said.

Vaccination certificates will be mandatory for new recruits in WestJet.

Other airlines have also come out with vaccine mandates in the wake of a surge in COVID-19 cases spurred by the Delta variant. Unvaccinated employees of Delta Air Lines will have to shell out $200 extra on a monthly basis for the health cover premium provided by the company. American Airlines and Alaskan Airlines will stop paid leave of unvaccinated workers.

Also read: Uber vaccinates 1 lakh drivers, says mass vaccination only way to defeat pandemic

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

United Airlines rerouting some flights to avoid Afghanistan airspace

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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United Airlines said late Sunday it is rerouting some flights to avoid Afghanistan airspace after insurgents took control of the presidential palace in Kabul as US-led forces departed and Western nations scrambled on Monday to evacuate their citizens.

Also Read: Who are the Taliban and what are their goals?

“Due to the dynamic nature of the situation we have begun routing affected flights around Afghanistan airspace,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.

The changes impact several of United’s US to India flights. The US Federal Aviation Administration in July imposed new flight restrictions over Afghanistan for US airlines and other US operators.

Catch all the latest updates on Afghanistan here.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

United Airlines orders 270 Boeing, Airbus jets worth $30 billion

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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United Airlines on Tuesday unveiled its largest-ever order for 270 Boeing and Airbus jets worth more than USD 30 billion at list prices as it seeks to grow domestically after the pandemic.

The order for 200 Boeing 737 MAX and 70 Airbus A321neo planes, confirming details reported by Reuters on Monday, will replace older, smaller mainline jets and at least 200 small regional jets between 2022 and 2026, the airline said.

That will allow America’s third-largest airline by revenue to boost the number of seats it has across its domestic network, which lags major rivals, by almost 30 percent and get better use out of hubs.

Chicago-based United is the most exposed US airline to international travel, which suffered heavily during the pandemic and is rebounding more slowly than domestic travel.

Chief Executive Scott Kirby said the fleet shake-up would “accelerate our business to meet a resurgence in air travel”.

The deal includes 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 150 MAX 10, accelerating recovery for the MAX in the wake of a two-year safety crisis overlapping with a COVID-19 travel slump.

However, it maintains European rival Airbus’s grip on a lucrative segment for the largest, long-range single-aisles, where Boeing has been losing sales to the A321neo.

The MAX 10, which made its first flight this month, is the largest member of the MAX family and holds up to 230 seats.

The Airbus A321neo is slightly larger and has more range, giving United extra capacity at constrained airports like Newark and San Francisco that play a key role in its growth plans.

“That’s one of the primary reasons that the order includes both jet types,” Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said.

A United spokesperson said it had the option to convert the MAX order to other variants before they were built.

The new Boeing and Airbus jets will include new interiors as part of a sweeping cabin overhaul.

United, which unlike major rivals did not retire aircraft during the pandemic despite having one of the oldest US fleets, said it plans to fly the first MAX 8 with the new interior this summer and the MAX 10 and A321neo in early 2023.

The order includes 25 737 MAX “white tails”, or orders cancelled by other buyers during a lengthy safety grounding.

The airline, which received USD 10.5 billion in government aid during the pandemic, devoted a large part of its release to a pledge to create 25,000 unionized jobs as part of the purchase.

United’s use of 50-seat jets will fall to less than 10 percent of its domestic departures versus about one third currently, Nocella said.

The order also serves to replace United’s ageing Boeing 757-200 fleet, though the airline has not yet decided on a replacement for its 757-300s, he told reporters.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US extends 3rd round of support for airlines, at least 27,000 jobs saved for now

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The third round of government support for US airlines has helped in saving at least 27,000 jobs for now across two major airlines of the country, American and United Airlines.

The US Congress approved on March 10 a $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the latest relief package to fight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes as a huge relief for US airlines as the plan also includes a $14 billion payroll assistance package.

This will be the third extension of the Payroll Support Program, which was the first part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, And Economic Security (CARES) Act of April 2020.

As a result of the fresh financial aid, American airlines has cancelled its plan to furlough its 13,000 employees, sending a wave of hope among its workers.

“For our 13,000 colleagues who received Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices last month, those are happily canceled- you can tear them up! We will also soon share details about the status of voluntary leave and early out applications, once all application windows close,” American Airlines wrote to its team members on March 10.

Once the rescue plan bill gets President Joe Biden’s signature, it will become a law and US-based airlines will be able to benefit from the payroll assistance program through September 2021.

While the news is a bright spot for the airline, American airlines also cautioned that it will need more time until vaccines are out in full force for travel demand to significantly improve.

Simultaneously, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby also wrote in a LinkedIn post that its frontline workers will now receive paychecks and healthcare through September.

“By extending PSP, our teams will be able to remain current in their training and ready to match expected future demand,” Kirby wrote.

In January 2021, United airlines had said that the jobs of nearly 14,000 employment were at risk because the second round of financial aid package was expiring in spring.

The move is also expected to have a positive impact on the employees of other major airlines of the US such as Delta and Southwest.

Back home in India, airlines have often sought direct financial aid to help the sector tide through the crisis. The inclusion of aviation turbine fuel under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime has also been a long-pending demand of domestic airlines.

The Indian government, however, has capped airfares for all domestic sectors and permitted airlines to operate with 80 percent capacity, with an opinion that these steps will help the Indian aviation sector tide through the pandemic.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

United Airlines’ Boeing 777 accident, explained

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A take-off; an engine failure; a massive fire; debris falling in the neighbourhoods and then, thankfully, a safe return to the airport. All this in 20 minutes.

A Boeing 777-200 plane operated by the United Airlines, with 231 passengers and 10 crew onboard, took off on Sunday from Denver and was headed to Honolulu when its right engine failed and was forced to return, but not before a “Mayday” call from the pilot.

“Mayday, aircraft just experienced engine failure, need to turn immediately,” according to audio from the monitoring website liveatc.net which was reviewed by Reuters. There were no injuries to anyone — neither on the ground nor on the flight.

A video taken from inside the aircraft, now viral on social media, shows the engine on fire, wobbling, as the pilots attempted a safe landing at the Denver International Airport. The Boeing 777 planes are equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines. The one involved in the Sunday incident too had the same the engine

The investigation

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have opened an investigation into the incident. The FAA was quick to suggest the airlines conduct a more frequent inspection for the type of hollow fan blades, “unique” to the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engine, “used solely on Boeing 777 planes”.

According to a report in the Associated Press, the investigation revealed that one of the two fan blades of the engine which broke off showed “signs of metal fatigue or hairline cracks from the stress of wear and tear.” Investigators say they believe the one with wear and tear broke off first, causing the second one to chip off too.

The chairman of the NTSB said the investigating officers will inspect the maintenance records for the engine and fan blades, adding the debris, too, shall be examined on Tuesday.

Planes grounded

As a result of the ongoing investigation and following the FAA advisory, at least 69 planes were grounded in the United States, Japan and South Korea. These three are the only countries using Boeing 777 fitted with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines. The United Airlines said while the incident had compelled it to ground 24 of its Boeings, 28 others in its possession will remain parked.

Regulators in Japan ordered Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways to ground 32 planes. Similarly, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines in South Korea, have said they will ground their Boeing 777s.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Boeing recommends airlines suspend use of some 777s after United incident

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Boeing Co said it recommended suspending the use of 777 jets with the same type of engine that shed debris over Denver at the weekend after US regulators announced extra inspections and Japan suspended their use while considering further action.

The moves involving Pratt & Whitney 4000 engines came after a United Airlines 777 landed safely at Denver International Airport on Saturday local time after its right engine failed.

United said the next day it would voluntarily and temporarily remove its 24 active planes, hours before Boeing’s announcement.

Boeing said 69 of the planes were in service and 59 were in storage, at a time when airlines have grounded planes due to a plunge in demand associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The manufacturer recommended airlines suspend operations until US regulators identified the appropriate inspection protocol.

The 777-200s and 777-300s affected are older and less fuel-efficient than newer models and most operators are phasing them out of their fleets.

Images posted by police in Broomfield, Colorado showed significant plane debris on the ground, including an engine cowling scattered outside a home and what appeared to be other parts in a field.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its initial examination of the plane indicated most of the damage was confined to the right engine, with only minor damage to the airplane.

It said the inlet and casing separated from the engine and two fan blades were fractured, while the remainder of the fan blades exhibited damage.

Japan’s transport ministry ordered Japan Airlines Co Ltd (JAL) and ANA Holdings Inc to suspend the use of 777s with P&W4000 engines while it considered whether to take additional measures.

The ministry said that on Dec. 4, 2020, a JAL flight from Naha Airport to Tokyo International Airport returned to the airport due to a malfunction in the left engine about 100 kilometres north of Naha Airport.

That plane was the same age as the 26-year-old United Airlines plane involved in the latest incident.

United is the only US operator of the planes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The other airlines using them are in Japan and South Korea, the US agency said.

”We reviewed all available safety data,” the FAA said in a statement. ”Based on the initial information, we concluded that the inspection interval should be stepped up for the hollow fan blades that are unique to this model of engine, used solely on Boeing 777 airplanes.”

Japan said ANA operated 19 of the type and JAL operated 13 of them, though the airlines said their use had been reduced during the pandemic. JAL said its fleet was due for retirement by March 2022.

Pratt & Whitney, owned by Raytheon Technologies Corp, was not available immediately for comment.

A spokeswoman for South Korea’s transport ministry, speaking before Boeing recommended suspending operations, said it was monitoring the situation but had not yet taken any action.

Korean Air Lines Co Ltd said it had 12 of the planes, half of them stored, and it would consult with the manufacturer and regulators and stop flying them to Japan for now.

In Feb. 2018, a 777 of the same age operated by United and bound for Honolulu suffered an engine failure when a cowling fell off about 30 minutes before the plane landed safely. The NTSB determined that incident was the result of a full-length fan blade fracture.

Because of that 2018 incident, Pratt & Whitney reviewed inspection records for all previously inspected PW4000 fan blades, the NTSB said. The FAA in March 2019 issued a directive requiring initial and recurring inspections of the fan blades on the PW4000 engines.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US orders extra inspection of some Boeing 777s after United incident, Japan suspends use

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US regulators announced extra inspections on Boeing Co 777 jets using the same type of engine that shed debris over Denver on Saturday, while Japan went further and suspended their use while it considers what action to take. The regulatory moves involving Pratt & Whitney 4000 engines came after a United Airlines 777 landed safely at Denver International Airport on Saturday after its right engine failed.

United said on Sunday it would voluntarily and temporarily remove its 24 active planes of the type from its schedule.

Images posted by police in Broomfield, Colorado showed significant plane debris on the ground, including an engine cowling scattered outside a home and what appeared to be other parts in a field.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its initial examination of the plane indicated most of the damage was confined to the right engine, with only minor damage to the airplane.

It said the inlet and casing separated from the engine and two fan blades were fractured, while the remainder of the fan blades exhibited damage.

Japan’s transport ministry ordered Japan Airlines Co Ltd (JAL) and ANA Holdings Inc to suspend the use of 777s with P&W4000 engines while it considered whether to take additional measures. The ministry said that on Dec. 4, 2020, a JAL flight from Naha Airport to Tokyo International Airport returned to the airport due to a malfunction in the left engine about 100 kilometres north of Naha Airport.

That plane is the same age as the 26-year-old United Airlines plane involved in Saturday’s incident.

United is the only US operator of the planes, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The other airlines using them are in Japan and South Korea, the US agency said.

“We reviewed all available safety data following yesterday’s incident,” the FAA said in a statement. “Based on the initial information, we concluded that the inspection interval should be stepped up for the hollow fan blades that are unique to this model of engine, used solely on Boeing 777 airplanes.”

Japan said ANA operated 19 of the type and JAL operated 13 of them.

Pratt & Whitney, owned by Raytheon Technologies Corp, was not available immediately for comment.

Boeing said its technical advisers are supporting the US National Transportation Safety Board with its investigation.

A spokeswoman for South Korea’s transport ministry said it was monitoring the situation but had not yet taken any action.

In Feb. 2018, a 777 of the same age operated by United and bound for Honolulu suffered an engine failure when a cowling fell off about 30 minutes before the plane landed safely. The NTSB determined that incident was the result of a full-length fan blade fracture. Because of that 2018 incident, Pratt & Whitney reviewed inspection records for all previously inspected PW4000 fan blades, the NTSB said. The FAA in March 2019 issued a directive requiring initial and recurring inspections of the fan blades on the PW4000 engines.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

American Airlines moves ahead with worker recalls even as Trump balks at aid deal

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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American Airlines said on Wednesday it is moving forward with plans to bring back furloughed workers and give them paychecks by Dec. 24, even after President Donald Trump threatened to veto a coronavirus relief bill. Trump’s threat on Tuesday to veto the USD 892 billion coronavirus relief bill approved by Congress this week, which includes USD 15 billion for airlines to bring back furloughed workers and pay them through March, left millions of Americans in limbo.

”While this is an unexpected development, we are moving forward with recall plans and furloughed team members will receive funds in their accounts on Christmas Eve as planned,” a spokeswoman for American said.

Nearly 8,000 American Airlines flight attendants have already received recall letters, the company said, and similar letters are going out in phases to other employees across the company.

The letters, sent by email and FedEx, ask flight attendants to either accept the recall or resign by Jan. 4. American furloughed nearly 19,000 employees after a first federal payroll support package for airlines expired in October.

United Airlines, which furloughed around 13,000 of its employees, has also pledged to recall them if Washington approves fresh aid. It did not reply to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

United Airlines to operate daily flights on Delhi-Chicago, Bengaluru-San Francisco routes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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United Airlines on Thursday said it will operate daily flights on the Delhi-Chicago route from December this year and the Bengaluru-San Francisco route from spring next year. ”Together with the airline’s existing services from New Delhi and Mumbai to New York/Newark and New Delhi to San Francisco, United will offer more nonstop services from India than any other U.S carrier,” the airline said in a press release.

United said it will operate flights on the Delhi-Chicago route and the Bengaluru-San Francisco route using its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Marcel Fuchs, United’s Managing Director International Sales, said, first-ever nonstop service between the two international technology hubs, Bengaluru and San Francisco, we are proud to open up new opportunities for both business and leisure travellers.

Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, special international passenger flights have been operating in India under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

United Airlines to cut 16,370 workers, many more going without pay

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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United Airlines said on Wednesday it is preparing to furlough 16,370 workers when federal aid expires on Oct. 1 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the airline industry, though one union said many more people will be without pay.

United’s cuts include 6,920 flight attendants, but the union representing them said 14,000 will not have a paycheck in October unless Congress acts to extend USD 25 billion in aid. This is because many have opted for leaves that will provide healthcare but no money, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA International President Sara Nelson said. ”United’s furlough announcement does not tell the full story,” she said.

Airlines have been lobbying Washington for a second stimulus package to protect jobs through March while the industry awaits a recovery. The first USD 25 billion, which covered airline payrolls, expires this month, but talks have stalled as Congress has struggled to reach agreement on a broader coronavirus assistance package.

Chicago-based United had over 90,000 employees before the pandemic brought the industry to a near standstill in March. It warned in July that 36,000 jobs were at risk of involuntary furloughs as demand remained weak. US  passenger airlines are still collectively losing more than USD 5 billion a month as 30 percent of planes remain parked. Passenger travel demand is down about 70 percent and, on average, planes that are flying are half-full.

Some 7,400 United employees have opted to take early retirement or departure packages and the company is working through several other voluntary temporary leave programs to further reduce the number of furloughs, United officials said, without providing specific numbers.

The leaves would give the company flexibility to call back staff once travel returns, they said. United’s furloughs will also affect around 2,850 pilots, 2,010 mechanics and 1,400 management and administrative positions, among others, though negotiations continue with pilots to reduce the final number.

Rival American Airlines last week said it would lay off 19,000 workers without federal aid. Including voluntary departures or leaves, its 140,000 pre-pandemic workforce will shrink by 30 percent.

Delta Air Lines plans to lay off nearly 2,000 pilots, but has not yet numbered potential cuts for its other workers.  President Donald Trump has said his administration would help US airlines but has not given any details. Congress also approved another USD 25 billion in loans for airlines under the first stimulus package, but not all of them are tapping the funds.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow