Airlines

Two bodies found in undercarriage of plane at Colombia airport

The bodies of two young men, who may have been from the Dominican Republic, were discovered in the undercarriage of an Avianca plane in the Colombian capital Bogota during maintenance, the airline and the country’s attorney general’s office announced on Saturday.

Man found dead in undercarriage of plane at Gatwick airport(Opens in a new browser tab)

“At its arrival to the El Dorado airport in Bogota, staff from the airline discovered the bodies of two passengers who flew irregularly (stowaways) in the undercarriage of the aeroplane,” Avianca said in a statement, adding that the discovery was made on Friday evening.

Avianca offered condolences to the families of the two victims and stated that, although it inspects aircraft before every flight, authorities are in charge of ensuring the security of airports and their restricted areas.

According to a statement from the attorney general’s office, “the technical investigative body of the attorney general’s office is taking out urgent operations to determine the nationality and origin of the bodies aged between 15 and 20, Afro-descendent, which were located inside the aeroplane.”

Dead body found at Frankfurt airport in undercarriage of Lufthansa aircraft from Tehran(Opens in a new browser tab)

Although no identity documents were discovered with the victims, one was determined to be carrying Dominican Republic dollars, and a suitcase containing the men also included documentation from that nation. These findings “indicate that the males may have been on the aircraft since January 3,” when it was last in the Dominican Republic, the office stated.

The bodies had been frozen and partially thawed, according to the statement, and one had burns.

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Airlines

Qantas Engineers Stage Walkout Over Cost of Living Concerns

Tensions at Qantas reached new heights as base maintenance workers in Brisbane walked out of a hangar meeting hosted by the airline’s CEO, Vanessa Hudson.

The walkout was a clear display of displeasure and aimed to send a strong message to the company’s management about the growing frustrations within the workforce. The workers, represented by the Qantas Engineers Alliance, have been pushing for wage increases that reflect the rising cost of living.

In an open display of displeasure, Qantas Base maintenance workers walked out of a hangar meet hosted by the CEO Vanessa Hudson in Brisbane, also aimed to send a message to the management.

Qantas Engineers Alliance members have been demanding decent wage increases to match with… pic.twitter.com/y9EVjc46VM— FL360aero (@fl360aero) September 14, 2024

Despite ongoing discussions, the employees feel that their concerns have been overlooked, leading to this public show of dissent. The hangar meeting, meant to foster dialogue and address employee concerns, instead became the stage for a visible demonstration of dissatisfaction as the workers exited in unison.

For some time, the engineers and maintenance staff have expressed frustration over wage stagnation amid increasing inflation and living costs. Their demand is simple: a decent and fair wage adjustment that keeps pace with economic realities. The walkout underscores the workers’ determination to stand firm on their request for better pay and fair treatment.

As Qantas navigates its recovery post-pandemic, this incident highlights the growing internal challenges the airline faces, especially concerning its workforce. The maintenance staff’s actions have put additional pressure on the company’s leadership to address the wage concerns and avoid further escalation.