Air India has unveiled a three-class configuration on its newly inducted Airbus A320neos used for domestic and short-haul international routes. The carrier says it has refitted two new A320neos (VT-RTW and VT-RTZ) with eight seats in business, 24 extra legroom seats in premium economy and 132 seats in economy class. Fleets data shows that both newly-delivered jets are leased from SMBC Aviation Capital. This marks the first time that Air India has introduced premium economy class on narrowbody aircraft. Customised by seat manufacturer Collins Aerospace, the seats in all three cabins combine ergonomic contouring and a patented comfort system to offer enhanced passenger comfort. "The upgrade of the narrowbody fleet, which operates on domestic and short-haul international network, complements the upgraded widebody experience now available on our A350 fleet and new Boeing 777s, and on all other widebodies as they are refitted over the next two years," says Air India's chief executive Campbell Wilson. Air India plans to introduce the three-class configuration to its entire full service narrowbody fleet over the next year. Vistara, which Air India is set to merge with, already offers a premium economy product on its A320s and A321s, plus its long-haul focused 787-9s.

Boeing's chief executive has admitted to a panel of US senators that he has not spoken with employees that raised allegations of retaliation for blowing the whistle on safety concerns and chose not cite cases of action taken against managers that may have taken retaliatory action against those whistleblowers. Senator Richard Blumenthal, chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcomittee on Investigations, opened an 18 June hearing in Washington DC – dubbed "Boeing's broken safety culture: CEO Dave Calhoun testifies" – by disclosing that current Boeing employee Sam Mohawk has alleged that he was told by supervisors to conceal evidence from the US Federal Aviation Administration showing "that Boeing is improperly documenting, tracking, and storing parts that are damaged or otherwise out of specification, and that those parts are likely being installed on airplanes". Additionally, Mohawk alleges that speaking up about non-conforming aircraft parts has led to managers taking retaliatory measures against him. Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, also cited earlier instances of alleged retaliation against employee whistleblowers at Boeing, among them John Barnett, whose death in March has been determined to be a suicide. "After whistleblower John Barnett raised his concerns about missing parts, he reported that his supervisor called him 19 times in one day, and 21 times another day," Blumenthal told Calhoun during the 18 June hearing. "And when Barnett asked his supervisor about those calls, he was told, 'I'm going to push you until you break'. He broke." Blumenthal adds: "When whistleblower Sam Mohawk raised concerns about Boeing's concealment of non-conforming parts, he was put in charge of completing corrective action investigations with an impossible deadline, and then threatened with formal discipline, including firing." In response to a question from Blumenthal asking how he can reassure senators in the room that Boeing is going to "end this broken safety culture", Calhoun said: "I'm going to start by assuring you that I listened to the whistleblowers that appeared at your hearing. Something went wrong. And I know the sincerity of their remarks." Blumenthal subsequently asked Calhoun how many Boeing employees have been fired for violating the company's stated code banning retaliation against anyone who speaks up to report a concern. "I don't have that number on the tip of my tongue, but I know it happens – I know it," Calhoun responded. "I am happy to follow up and get you that number." Blumenthal then asked: "Who have you fired and how have they been disciplined?" Citing privacy concerns, Calhoun declined to cite specific examples of disciplinary action taken by Boeing against employees who have violated the code banning retaliation. He promised senators that he would "most certainly get back" to the subcommittee on its request for specific information about such disciplinary action. Subcommittee ranking member Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, asked Calhoun if during his time as Boeing chief executive he has spoken to whistleblowers at the company. "I have not spoken directly to the whistleblowers," Calhoun responded. Johnson then asked: "Exactly what are you doing, then, to investigate the whistleblower complaints? Do you just turn it over to your counsel?" Calhoun said that Boeing has "a team" to manage whistleblower allegations. We have an ethics hotline and a team of investigators. The most important thing in every whistleblower out of the chute is to make sure we understand the substantive issue that is being discussed." Separately, Blumenthal complained to Calhoun about "complete gobbledygook" that had been sent to the subcommittee by Boeing in response to its requests for information about the company's safety culture. Displaying a sheet showing a long block of dense copy, Blumenthal asked Calhoun: "Are you able to make sense of this?" "No sir," Calhoun said, adding: "I would describe it precisely as you did, and I can't justify, and I will most definitely follow up." Boeing announced in March that Calhoun will step down from his role at the end of 2024 amid a wider shake-up of leadership at the US airframer.

WestJet has cancelled about 40 flights affecting 6,500 passengers from 18-19 June in anticipation of a strike by aircraft maintenance engineers after negotiations between the carrier and the union representing them broke down. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) representing WestJet had issued on 17 June a 72-hour notice that it intended to strike starting 20 June, 9pm eastern Canada time. In response, the carrier says it has started cancelling and consolidating flights, “in order to park aircraft in a safe and organised manner” and “minimise the potential for being stranded and ensures the airline can avoid abandoning aircraft in remote locations.” The strike notice came after WestJet cancelled negotiations scheduled for 19-20 June after a tentative agreement was rejected by 97.5 percent of voting aircraft maintenance engineers, states AMFA. Following the rejection of the tentative agreement, the carrier had asked the Canadian government to “impose” on its aircraft maintenance engineers the same contract, the union adds. In its statement, the carrier says it is waiting for a response on behalf of the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to intervene under the Canada Labour Code. “If accepted, this action would refer both WestJet and AMFA to arbitration for a first collective agreement and prevent labour action by either party,” WestJet says. "Following the memberships' nearly unanimous decision to reject a generous tentative agreement that would have made our Aircraft Maintenance Engineers the highest paid in the country, with a take-home pay increase of 30 to 40 per cent in the first year of the proposed agreement, it is clear that the bargaining process has broken down,” says Diederik Pen, president of WestJet Airlines and Group chief operating officer. Meanwhile, the union representing WestJet has slammed the carrier, describing its aircraft maintenance as “in [a] state of collapse”, citing an increase in the number of aircraft operating with Minimum Equipment Lists (MELs) identifying inoperable equipment. "In May 2023, WestJet’s fleet operated with 101 MELs. One year later, in May 2024, that number had increased 115% to 218. By May 27, 2024, that number had increased to 257." "The current state of WestJet flight operations reflects a peeling back of important layers of protection. While the affected aircraft may be 'airworthy' in a legal sense, they are flying air passengers at a lower level of safety and the trend is disturbing," states AMFA.