Aviation

British Airways cancels 1,500 further flights.

Most British Airways passengers may be affected for the summer vacation because the carrier has cancelled some of the scheduled routes, affecting almost 10,300 flights. Because to the continuous crew shortage and strike, the airline is unable to provide planned flight services to passengers. Delta Airlines, based in the United States, is also affected. The majority of the airline operates with full services, although British Airways is currently cancelling important services from Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

Although BA will mostly restrict routes with multiple daily flights, over 100,000 travelers planning to visit popular vacation destinations like as Malaga, Palma, and Faro may be affected.

1,000 BA flights will be cancelled at Heathrow and Gatwick alone during the next two weeks. The airline has advised customers to visit the carrier’s website for more information on flight cancellations and refund procedures.

We're experiencing high call volumes due to current disruption. We'll contact you if your flight has been cancelled. To check the status of your flight go to https://t.co/2Ty8CEO0Dq or if you would like to refund/rebook, please log in to your booking online #BritishAirways

— British Airways (@British_Airways) July 6, 2022

London:

British Airways on Wednesday axed another 10,300 short-haul flights through the end of October, with the aviation sector battling staff shortages and booming demand as the pandemic recedes.

“The whole aviation industry continues to face into significant challenges and we’re completely focussed on building resilience into our operation to give customers the certainty they deserve,” the airline said in a statement, having already announced hundreds of flight cancellations this summer.

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.