Aviation

Air Canada sent a passenger’s cats from Toronto to San Francisco without him – and then told him to go collect them

After the owner was separated from the trip, Air Canada assists passengers in reuniting with his animals.

After the owner was separated from the trip, Air Canada assists passengers in reuniting with his animals. Abbas Zoeb checked in for his July 6 flight on Air Canada from Toronto to San Francisco, but his travel plans were delayed when they were refused boarding owing to visa complications.
His two cats, Mimi and Bubba, had already been relocated to San Francisco, which presented a bigger issue. While his pets would “under no circumstances” go without him, according to Zoeb of Insider Air Canada, his luggage might.

He was told, however, that the cats had in fact been sent to the US without him after waiting for several hours.
Even worse, according to Zoeb, Air Canada advised him to either try to travel to San Francisco on his own or contact a local to collect cats for him. He stated, “I informed that was ridiculous and I had no one to collect them.

Abbas’ cats, Mimi and Bubba, were in the kennel for more than 15 hours. Abbas Zoeb Close to midnight and more than 15 hours after being separated from your pets Zoeb is finally reunited with the two cats at the Toronto airport.
“My pets were treated like discarded baggage and I was worried the whole time because no one could tell me where they were,” Zoeb said. “When I picked up my pets, they were visibly tired and not feeling well ,Both sneezed.”

According to an update posted on the airline’s website, Air Canada is no longer allowing pets to be checked into the hold area where Zoeb says his cats were placed. The airline cited “longer than usual airport delays” for the new rules, which are in effect through September 12.Passengers who wish to fly with their pets must now take them on board as hand luggage or send them via Air Canada Cargo, the update says. The airline confirmed this policy in an email to Insider. “I’m glad they don’t take pets anywhere because I don’t want any pet parent going through the same thing as me,” Zoeb added.

Many passengers have complained to Air Canada about misplaced luggage, and one passenger even accused the company of losing a bag holding the ashes of her deceased parents.

According to Air Canada, there are currently facing a problems with airport capacity, baggage management at airports, and third-party service providers for things like passenger screening, customs, and air navigation. In order to address these problems as they relate to airline operations, we are working closely with these partners and the governments.

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Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.