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From CEO to Cabin Crew: Lufthansa CEO Works Trip As a Flight Attendant

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From CEO to Cabin Crew: Lufthansa CEO Works Trip As a Flight Attendant

The CEO of Lufthansa, Germany’s flag carrier, spent a day in the life of a flight attendant after becoming a supernumerary or ‘extra crew member’ on a recent journey to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He took to LinkedIn to share a cool experience he had last week.

Since April 2022, Jens Ritter has served as the CEO of Lufthansa Airlines, although 23 years ago, in Munich, he began his flying career as an Airbus A320 pilot. Before taking over the A320 at low-cost subsidiary Germanwings in 2014, Ritter began flying the larger Airbus A330 and A340 planes in 2008.

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Here’s how Lufthansa CEO describes his experience working as a flight attendant:

Sometimes, you need to change perspectives in order to gain new insights! This week, I accompanied our Lufthansa Airlines flight crew heading to Riyadh and Bahrain as “additional crew member”. What a ride!
I have been working for the Lufthansa Group for many years. But I have never had the opportunity to work as part of the cabin crew. And honestly, that was so interesting and also challenging! I was amazed by how much there is to organize, especially, if something doesn’t go as planned – for example the meals offered on the menu cards were not exactly the meals loaded on board.
It was so interesting to address the guests’ wishes individually, and to deal with the different energy everyone has. I used to fly as a pilot and so I thought I knew about the challenges a flight during the night entails. But to be present and attentive and charming – when the biological clock just tells you to sleep – was something entirely different. The crew was terrific and welcomed me into their team right away. With their support, I was able to give a hand in business class on the way to Riyadh. Back to Frankfurt, during the night, I took care of our guests in economy class. And honestly: I enjoyed every moment!
I was astonished how much I learned in these few hours. Deciding things in the office will be different after really feeling the decisions on board. Thank you to the amazing crew, the lovely guests and everyone involved for making this experience possible!

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It’s unclear whether the passengers knew the airline’s CEO was working, but hopefully they weren’t. Even though I would have delighted to witness a passenger act up and talk down to a flight attendant, as some passengers frequently do, just to discover that it was the CEO of the airline.

Ritter is not the sole chief making waves by actively engaging in cabin duties in recent times. Just a few months earlier, KLM’s CEO Marjan Rintel made headlines when she personally served passengers during a flight from Los Angeles to Amsterdam. However, opinions remain divided over these unconventional actions.

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While some customers argue that high-ranking officials should be prioritizing other responsibilities, detracting from their duties by such hands-on involvement, others rally behind this display of leadership, highlighting it as a testament to effective and relatable management.

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Akasa Air vs. Pilots: Delhi High Court Upholds DGCA’s Authority to Act in Case of Contractual Breaches

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Akasa Air vs. Pilots: Delhi High Court Upholds DGCA's Authority to Act in Case of Contractual Breaches

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is authorized to take action against pilots who violate civil aviation rules (CAR), the Delhi High Court ruled on Wednesday.

Akasa Air initiated legal action against pilots who had quit their jobs without giving the required notice by their contracts. In response to a request from the startup airline, which claimed it was in a crisis as a result of the sudden and abrupt resignation of 43 pilots who left the airline without providing the required notice period, the civil aviation regulator submitted written responses.

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However, the Court ruled that it is now unable to give any explicit instructions to the DGCA and MCA regarding how to respond to a future representation that Akasa might make against defaulting pilots.

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The court made it clear that there are no limitations on the DGCA’s power to take action in situations of pilot noncompliance in an interim judgment that offers relief to Akasa Air. The airline firm maintained that it is merely requesting a directive to the DGCA to decide their (Akasa’s) claims against pilots who may depart the airline in the future without serving the notice period, not that it is pressing for any action against the pilots who have already quit.

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The DGCA had stated that it lacked the power or authority to intervene in any employment contract and therefore was unable to affect the employment contract between the pilots and Akasa Air.

The aviation authority said that if Akasa Air doesn’t have enough pilots to continue operating flights, it would be in the interests of all parties if it complies with the requirement to keep a limited schedule.

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Global Airlines to contract Hi Fly to accelerate A380 Entry into Service

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Global Airlines to contract Hi Fly to accelerate A380 Entry into Service
  • Under the agreement, Global Airlines will benefit from Hi Fly’s expertise to accelerate the Entry into Service (EIS) programme for the airline’s new fleet.
  • Hi Fly, based in Lisbon, has significant A380 technical and operating experience.
  • First Global aircraft expected to fly to Europe in the months ahead, with a new registration of 9H-GLOBL

In a significant operational move, Global Airlines and Hi Fly have inked a contract to collaborate on the development and maintenance of the four A380 aircraft the new airline has agreed to purchase.

Hi Fly, the first company to operate the A380 on the secondary market, will collaborate with Global as it gets ready to launch operations to help the new carrier realize its goal of giving passengers the best possible experience when flying commercially.

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The EIS and Return to Service (RTS) procedures for Global’s first aircraft, which are anticipated to start in the coming months, are the organisation’s immediate priorities. However, with an affinity for the aircraft and confidence in its long-term potential and popularity, both businesses will look at further possibilities to deepen their partnership.

Hi Fly holds authorization to operate worldwide and currently operates 35,000 flights per year for a base of 140 airlines and governments on a global basis. 

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Lufthansa equips short- and medium-haul aircraft with new cabins

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Lufthansa equips short- and medium-haul aircraft with new cabins
  • −    Four makes eight: Large overhead compartments hold up to twice as many suitcases
  • −    For the first time on short-haul routes: holder for tablets and smartphones at every seat
  • −    More legroom with new ergonomic seats 

Customers of Lufthansa will soon enjoy a redesigned cabin environment on short- and medium-haul flights. It provides a great deal of comfort and luxury. The business will gradually outfit 38 Airbus A320s already operating for Lufthansa with the new cutting-edge cabin beginning in spring 2025.

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More space for carry-on luggage: The 40 percent larger compartments allow for the vertical stowage of carry-on items much more quickly and comfortably. As a result, huge overhead bins may accommodate up to twice as many carry-on suitcases or bags as the conventional “bins”.

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Each seat has a designated USB connector that can be used by Lufthansa to charge electronic devices. For the first flight ever, Lufthansa is providing a unique holder for tablets and smartphones in each seat. This allows visitors to watch films and television shows on their own devices much more conveniently without having to hold the gadgets in their hands or set them down on the folding table.

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Increased legroom: The new seats from the Italian company Geven also provide extra legroom with the same seat spacing, through the ergonomically shaped backrests.

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