NEW YORK, N.Y. (BUSINESS WIRE) – JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced it has reached a new tentative agreement with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) for JetBlue’s inflight crew members.
“We’re pleased to share that the JetBlue and TWU negotiating committees have reached a new tentative agreement,” said Ed Baklor, head of customer care and programs, JetBlue. “Our inflight crewmembers have been on the frontline supporting and protecting JetBlue’s operation and our customers through the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am proud of the TWU and JetBlue teams for recognizing our environment and coming to the table with solutions. We look forward to bringing this contract to a vote with our inflight crewmembers.”
Britta Seeger, Mitglied des Vorstandes der Daimler AG, verantwortlich für Mercedes-Benz Cars Vertrieb & Marketing // Britta Seeger, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales & Marketing
Stephan Sturm will resign from the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG (XETRA: LHA.DE), which will go into effect after the Annual General Meeting on May 4, 2021. The Chairman of the Executive Board of Fresenius has been a member of the Lufthansa Supervisory Board since April 2015 and has chaired the Audit Committee since January 2018.
The Supervisory Board Nomination Committee has proposed that Britta Seeger fill the vacancy. The 51-year-old business economist has been a member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG (XETRA: DAI.DE) since 2017 and is responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales. The Bonn-born manager will be nominated for election at the Annual General Meeting on May 4.
The responsibility as Chairman of the Audit Committee, which is currently held by Stephan Sturm, will be transferred to Harald Krüger at the Annual General Meeting, according to the will of the Supervisory Board.
At a meeting today, the Supervisory Board also decided to extend Detlef Kayser’s (55) contract ahead of schedule for three more years until December 31, 2024.
Dr. Detlef Kayser has been a member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG since January 1, 2019. As “Chief Operations Officer” he is responsible for the operational processes and fleet and infrastructure management of the Lufthansa Group along with the Group-wide “ReNew” restructuring program.
JERSEY CITY, N.J., /PRNewswire/ — WynnBET, the premier casino and sports betting app from the global leader in luxury hospitality, Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN), announces that it received conditionally approved last week for sports gaming in Tennessee. The Sports Wagering Committee of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation’s Board of Directors approved WynnBET to operate its online sports betting app throughout the state, pending fulfillment of statutory and regulatory requirements to go-live.
Tennessee marks the ninth state that WynnBET has gained market access to as the Company fast-tracks its growth plan to meet the demands of the quickly moving online and mobile sports betting industry.
Inspired by Wynn Resorts unmatched expertise in customer service and sophisticated brand experience, the WynnBET app offers an ultra-intuitive and highly responsive interface that delivers hundreds of sports betting options to delight both aficionados and beginners alike. With its acquisition of BetBull in 2020, WynnBET is built on a foundation of highly social sports-betting technology and one-of-a-kind experiences so that wagering and winning can be a celebrated and shared experience.
WynnBET is currently available in New Jersey, Colorado, and Michigan. In addition, WynnBET has market access opportunities in Indiana[1]*, Iowa*, Massachusetts*, Nevada, Ohio*, and now Tennessee; and has submitted for licensure in Virginia. Such market access and licensure are subject to legalization and required approvals by regulatory authorities in each jurisdiction.
On behalf of EVA Air, we offer our sincere apology to frontline epidemic prevention teams, health-care workers and the general public for the impact on public epidemic prevention efforts our dismissed pilot’s regulation violations have caused.
We treat all our employees equally and apply the same standard to each and everyone who works at EVA, no matter what rank or title. If anyone is found to have violated epidemic prevention rules, we will immediately investigate and take disciplinary action if it’s warranted.
On December 23, 2020, after a thorough evaluation of facts and evidence, EVA’s Disciplinary Committee dismissed a Captain for violating epidemic prevention rules and filing an untruthful report. He disregarded Taiwan Civil Aeronautics Administration and Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Operational Principles, requiring Air Crew Members of Taiwan-based airlines to comply with health controls in addition to Article 43, Paragraph 2 of the Communicable Disease Control Act, stating “relevant personnel shall not refuse, evade or obstruct the laboratory testing, diagnosis, investigation…, jeopardizing the good name and reputation of the company.”
The dismissed pilot’s irresponsible disregard for the well-being of First Officers in the cockpit with him, ground crew and others he came in contact with also meets criteria for disciplinary termination under Article 12, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 4 of Taiwan’s Labor Standards Law. Following Articles 13.3.6 and 14.3 of its Pilot Administration Manual, EVA’s Disciplinary Committee made a unanimous decision to terminate the pilot, effective immediately.
The dismissed pilot failed to mention his own noncompliance or epidemic prevention rule violations by any other crew member in reports he submitted for the cargo flights he commanded. On the evening of December 17, a female First Officer who had flown with the dismissed pilot notified EVA that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and mentioned that the dismissed pilot had not worn a mask when they were on duty in the cabin. Following Central Epidemic Command Center guidelines, we began investigating the dismissed pilot on December 18. Another First Officer who had flown with the dismissed pilot tested positive for COVID-19 on December 19. EVA contacted both First Officers to ensure their wellbeing and verify details of the situation. The First Officers confirmed that the dismissed pilot had not worn masks when he was on duty in the cockpit with them though he was asked to do so. The EVA Disciplinary Committee considered this information within the evidence they reviewed.
The dismissed pilot is from New Zealand, the female First Officer is Taiwanese and the other First Officer, Japanese.
We also immediately began improving our epidemic prevention practices and management procedures. For example, we established more rigorous rules for crew members when they collect food during overseas layovers in hotels. We now require everyone to wear masks, goggles and gloves when they receive food. During flights, only one pilot at a time can remove his or her mask to eat or drink. We equipped our dormitories with new door locks that record all entries and exits. We also created a new reporting mechanism to make it easy for employees to report violations they may witness, regardless of the offender’s position in the company. EVA will investigate all reports of violations and take disciplinary action whenever it is warranted.
EVA strictly complies with all government epidemic prevention policies and requires all crew members and staff to follow applicable rules. Unfortunately, one irresponsible employee’s thoughtless behavior spoiled the hard-earned success that other EVA pilots, crew members and staff have worked so hard to achieve. While EVA does not ever cut corners in practices or procedures, this situation exposed vulnerabilities in our epidemic prevention efforts. We met with Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center and Civil Aeronautics Administration to discuss additional measures we can take to make our operations more secure. And we will use what we learned from this situation as we continue to do our best to strengthen and improve our epidemic prevention practices and management procedures.
The Qantas Group has today announced a reduction to its Group Management Committee as it continues to respond to the expanding COVID-19 crisis.
CEO of Qantas International, Tino La Spina, will leave the Group in light of what is likely to be the extended grounding of this part of the airline.
Responsibilities currently held by Mr La Spina will transfer to CEO of Qantas Domestic, Andrew David. Mr David’s role will change as a result, adding functional responsibility for Qantas International in addition to his existing responsibility for Qantas Domestic and Qantas Freight, reporting to Group CEO Alan Joyce. John Gissing (Group Executive of Associated Airlines and Services) will continue to have responsibility for regional carrier, QantasLink.
Mr Joyce said: “The COVID crisis is forcing us to rethink our business at every level. It’s increasingly clear that our international flights will be grounded until at least mid-2021 and it will take years for activity to return to what it was before. Under those circumstances, we’ve made the decision to consolidate the domestic and international business units under a single divisional CEO.
“Tino has done a superb job throughout his 14 years at Qantas. He’s a talented executive who brings his trademark enthusiasm to every challenge. I know I speak for the rest of the executive team and for the Board in thanking him sincerely for the huge contribution he has made, particularly as Deputy CFO and then CFO for most of that time.”
The change announced today will take effect from 1 September 2020.
As part of its response to the COVID crisis, the Qantas Group Management Committee took three months of zero pay in the last quarter of FY20 and is on reduced pay (65 per cent for the CEO and 85 per cent for other executives) until November 2020.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG has been informed by the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) of the Federal Republic of Germany that the WSF has approved the stabilization package for the company. The Executive Board also supports the package.
The package provides for stabilization measures and loans of up to EUR 9 billion.
The WSF will make silent participations of up to 5.7 billion euros in total in the assets of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Of this amount, approximately EUR 4.7 billion is classified as equity in accordance with the provisions of the German Commercial Code (HGB) and IFRS. In this amount, the silent participation is unlimited in time and can be terminated by the company on a quarterly basis in whole or in part. In accordance with the agreed concept, the remuneration on the silent participations is 4% for the years 2020 and 2021, and rises in the following years to 9.5% in 2027.
Furthermore, the WSF will subscribe to shares by way of a capital increase in order to build up a 20% stake in the share capital of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. The subscription price will be 2.56 Euro per share, so that the cash contribution will amount to about 300 million Euro. The WSF may also increase its stake to 25% plus one share in the event of a takeover of the company.
In addition, in the event of non-payment of remuneration by the Company, a further portion of the silent participation is to be convertible into a further shareholding of 5% of the share capital at the earliest from 2024 and 2026 respectively. The second conversion option, however, only applies to the extent that the WSF has not previously increased its shareholding in connection with the above-mentioned takeover case. Conversion should also be possible for dilution protection. Subject to the full repayment of the silent participations by the company and a minimum sale price of EUR 2.56 per share plus an annual interest of 12%, the WSF undertakes, however, to sell its shareholding in full at the market price by 31 December 2023.
Finally, the stabilization measures are supplemented by a syndicated credit facility of up to EUR 3 billion with the participation of KfW and private banks with a term of three years. This facility is still subject to the approval of relevant bodies.
The expected conditions relate in particular to the waiver of future dividend payments and restrictions on management remuneration. In addition, two seats on the Supervisory Board are to be filled in agreement with the German government, one of which is to become a member of the Audit Committee. Except in the event of a takeover, the WSF undertakes not to exercise its voting rights at the Annual General Meeting in connection with the usual resolutions of ordinary Annual General Meetings.
The stabilization package still requires the final approval of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board of the company. Both bodies will come together shortly to adopt resolutions on the stabilization package. The capital measures are subject to the approval of an extraordinary general meeting.
Finally, the stabilization package is subject to the approval of the European Commission and any competition-related conditions.
Norwegian is pleased to announce that two Nordic banks have obtained credit committee approval to provide a guarantee for the required 10 percent for the first tranche of 300 million Norwegian kroner (NOK). Norwegian will secure the necessary headroom to pursue further guarantees from the Norwegian Government.
Government measures On Thursday 19 March, the Norwegian Government proposed a guarantee of NOK 6 billion for the Norwegian airline industry, of which up to NOK 3 billion is directed to Norwegian. The guarantee will be up to 90 percent from the Norwegian Government provided that financial institutions contribute with the remaining 10 percent. The guarantee scheme will consist of three tranches with a maximum two years maturity.
Since Thursday evening Norwegian has worked with banks and financial institutions and is pleased to announce that two Nordic banks have obtained credit committee approval to contribute with the 10 percent required in guarantee for Tranche I and to provide the NOK 300 million in financing backed by the guarantee from the Norwegian Government. The Company is working with the banks and the Norwegian Export Credit Guarantee Agency (“GIEK”), who will administrate the guarantee scheme, on the documentation in order to obtain the NOK 300 million in liquidity as soon as possible.
The Company is now working with GIEK and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to clarify the criteria and terms related to the remaining tranches under the scheme and to obtain further guarantees from financial institutions in order to back such remaining tranches. Norwegian will update the market with its further plan of action and implications for its stakeholders as soon as the criteria and terms have been finalized. The Government guarantee scheme is crucial for the Company as the current state of the capital markets in combination with the challenging times for the airline industry limit the options available. The first NOK 300 million will create necessary headroom to pursue the remaining tranches of the guarantee scheme.
Operational update Currently, most of the fleet is grounded and Norwegian has reduced its operations to a minimum. The airline will now primarily operate domestically in Norway and Sweden and between the Nordic capitals, in order to deliver on its corporate responsibility of maintaining critical infrastructure so that people and necessary goods and medical supplies can be transported during this unprecedented crisis. The limited schedule will remain in place until further notice. In addition, Norwegian has conducted repatriation flights together with the authorities in order to get citizens of Norway, Denmark and Sweden back home.
In order to reduce cost, Norwegian has temporarily laid off approximately 90 percent of its workforce and will continue to implement additional cost measures going forward.
(Reuters) – Former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley has resigned from Boeing Co’s board after opposing its bid for government financial assistance due to the crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
“I cannot support a move to lean on the federal government for a stimulus or bailout that prioritizes our company over others and relies on taxpayers to guarantee our financial position,” Haley said in a letter to the company’s management released by Boeing on Thursday.
“I have long held strong convictions that this is not the role of government.”
Haley, a former South Carolina governor, has often been mentioned as a future presidential candidate. “The board and executive team are going in a direction I cannot support,” she wrote.
When asked to respond to Haley’s concerns, Boeing said only the company appreciated her service on the board and wished her well.
Boeing this week said it was seeking on behalf of itself and the aviation manufacturing industry at least $60 billion in government loan guarantees and other assistance. The sector faces huge losses from the coronavirus pandemic as airlines halt flights and some delay orders.
A Senate Republican proposal introduced Thursday would allow aviation manufacturing firms like Boeing to seek collateralized loans and loan guarantees from a $150 billion fund but not provide any cash. The final decision on eligibility would be up to the U.S. Treasury.
“We are not bailing out the airlines or other industries – period,” said Senator Richard Shelby, a Republican who chairs the Appropriations Committee.
To ensure the government is compensated for risks in making loans, the U.S. Treasury could seek equity, warrants stock or other instruments to ensure the government participates in any gains.
Haley’s resignation letter was dated Monday, the same day Boeing confirmed it was in talks to seek short-term assistance from the U.S. government.
Boeing has racked up nearly $19 billion in costs tied to its 737 MAX aircraft, which has been grounded for the past year after two fatal crashes in five months. The company has been working to win approval for the plane to return to service.
(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru and David Shepardson in Washington and Michelle Nichols in New York; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Tom Brown)
WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) – A former Boeing Co employee who warned of problems with 737 production will testify on Wednesday at a U.S. House hearing on the Federal Aviation Administration review of the grounded 737 MAX.
The aircraft has been grounded since March after two fatal crashes in five months killed 346 people. Federal officials say the FAA is not expected to authorize the plane to fly until January at the earliest.
Former Boeing employee Edward Pierson, who had worked as a senior operations manager in the flight test and evaluation unit, will testify before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the panel said in a notice.
Pierson’s concerns were referenced at an Oct. 30 hearing — though he had not been named previously.
“All my internal warning bells are going off and for the first time in my life, I’m sorry to say that I’m hesitant about putting my family on a Boeing airplane,” Pierson wrote to Boeing management in mid-2018 before the first crash, according to an email obtained by the committee. He warned “the alternative of rushing to build is far riskier.”
Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Monday that “although Mr. Pierson did not provide specific information or detail about any particular defect or quality issue, Boeing took his concerns about 737 production disruption seriously.” He added that after Pierson retired and raised the issue again as recently as this year “those concerns received renewed scrutiny at the highest levels of the company.”
Johndroe added “the suggestion by Mr. Pierson of a link between his concerns and the recent MAX accidents is completely unfounded.”
Pierson could not immediately be reached on Monday.
Representative Albio Sires, a Democrat, on Oct. 30, questioned Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg about concerns raised by a Boeing employee about Boeing’s 737 production and his recommendation that production be halted. Sires said the employee wrote directly to Muilenburg in December 2018 after he had retired.
Johndroe confirmed Monday Pierson was the employee referenced by Sires.
“He raised some good concerns. We went back and took a look at his concerns and in some cases we identified areas where we thought his issues had already been addressed,” Muilenburg said at the hearing. Boeing did not slow production after Pierson’s concerns.
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, FAA Aircraft Certification Service Executive Director Earl Lawrence and a member of the FAA’s Technical Advisory Board, Matt Kiefer, as well as former FAA employee G. Michael Collins will also testify.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Dan Grebler and Lisa Shumaker)
CHICAGO, Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) today announced that Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer, will transition to the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of United Airlines Holdings, Inc. in May 2020. As CEO, Munoz has transformed United’s culture and set new standards of operational and financial performance. J. Scott Kirby, President, will succeed Munoz as Chief Executive Officer.
“With United in a stronger position than ever, now is the right time to begin the process of passing the baton to a new leader,” Munoz said. “One of my goals as CEO was to put in place a successful leadership transition for United Airlines. I brought Scott to United three years ago, and I am confident that there is no one in the world better equipped to lead United to even greater heights. It has been the honor of my career to lead the 95,000 dedicated professionals who serve United’s customers every day. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Scott in the months ahead and supporting the company’s ongoing success in my new role.”
Kirby was recruited to United Airlines by Munoz in August 2016, after a three-decade career in the commercial airline business. His appointment reflects a commitment from Munoz and the Board to preserve leadership continuity and demonstrates confidence in the airline’s strategy and current trajectory.
“When I joined United as CEO, I laid out ambitious goals to build a new spirit of United by regaining the trust of our employees and customers – and I’m proud of how far we’ve come,” Munoz said. “Along with the successful implementation of the plan our team laid out in January 2018, United’s operational and financial performance isn’t just better – it’s better than ever. By instilling a culture of ‘proof not promise,’ we have transformed United even faster than we expected and there’s an incredible sense of excitement about the future.”
Kirby, a highly-regarded industry leader, has played a pivotal role in enabling United’s cultural transformation and successfully executing the company’s strategic growth plan.
“I am honored to be named the next CEO of United and to succeed Oscar, whose leadership has been truly transformational for United Airlines,” Kirby said. “I look forward to working with Oscar, the Board, our established leadership team and every United employee as we drive forward our proven strategy and focus on being the airline customers choose to fly and return to time and again.”
Munoz will serve as Executive Chairman for a one-year term and will continue to work closely with Kirby, the Board and the United team in shaping United’s employee and customer-centric culture. He will also lead the company’s Board and continue to engage on behalf of United with a range of external stakeholders.
As part of this transition, United’s current Chairman, Jane Garvey, will retire from the Board in May 2020 after more than a decade of exceptional service, including serving as Chairman since May 2018. At the request of the Board, Garvey agreed to remain in her role for a year beyond the Board’s mandatory retirement age.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I cannot thank Oscar enough for his outstanding leadership and commitment to United, and we are pleased that we will continue to benefit from his expertise and experience in his role as Executive Chairman,” Garvey said. “Oscar became CEO at one of the most challenging points in United’s history, and his focus on putting customers and employees first has transformed United’s culture today and successfully positioned the company for tomorrow. One of Oscar’s greatest legacies is the best-in-class leadership team he has built, and we have full confidence that Scott is the ideal candidate to lead United into the bright future that lies ahead.”
The company also announced that Ted Philip will become Lead Independent Director following the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Philip joined the Board in July 2016 and chairs the Nominating/Governance Committee. He also currently serves on the Board of Directors of Hasbro, Inc. and BRP Inc.
“I could not be more excited about the opportunity that we have at United over the next several years to fulfill this airline’s incredible potential,” Philip said. “I am proud to work alongside Oscar in guiding United’s Board and leadership team, and I am eager to get to work on delivering for all of our stakeholders. The entire Board and I want to thank Jane for her many contributions to United over the last decade, including her highly successful tenure as Chairman.”
All of the changes announced today will take effect following the company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled for May 20, 2020.
Every customer. Every flight. Every day.
In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers’ best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today’s news, United recently announced that MileagePlus miles will now never expire, giving members a lifetime to use miles on flights and experiences. Customers now have more free on board snack options as well, with a choice of Lotus Biscoff cookies, pretzels and the Stroopwafel. The airline also recently released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry, introduced ConnectionSaver – a tool dedicated to improving the experience for customers connecting from one United flight to the next – and launched PlusPoints, a new upgrade benefit for MileagePlus premier members.
