BLOOMBERG Qantas Airways illegally sacked 1,700 ground workers during the pandemic, Australia’s top court ruled, delivering a further blow to the reputation of the country’s most-complained-about business. The High Court of Australia dismissed Qantas’ appeal against an earlier judgment that found the airline axed the employees unlawfully. Qantas now faces penalties and compensation payments to affected workers. Qantas outsourced ground-handling …

BLOOMBERG US passenger airline shares sank by the most since July after American Airlines Group Inc and discount carriers warned that higher fuel costs, labour costs and flagging interest in domestic travel were hurting their bottom lines. American slashed its third-quarter earnings outlook on a jump in jet fuel prices and payment of roughly $230 million in retroactive salary under …

BRUSSELS / WAM Members of European Parliament (MEPs) approved a new law to increase the uptake of sustainable fuels, such as advanced biofuels or hydrogen, in the aviation sector. The RefuelEU aviation rules are part of the “Fit for 55 package”, the EU’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and …

NEW YORK / WAM His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will lead the United Arab Emirates’ delegation to the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78) in New York from September 18-26. HH Sheikh Abdullah will present the UAE’s policy priorities and vision for international peace, security, and cooperation in his  September …

ABU DHABI / WAM Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination (ZHO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates Transport to enhance their partnership on providing the best services of ZHO’s members of determination. Under the MoU, the two sides will cooperate to carry out an initiative to sew uniforms for Emirates Transport’s bus drivers and supervisors by people …

ABU DHABI / WAM Martina Strong, the United States ambassador to the UAE, and the accompanying delegation visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. During the visit, they were accompanied by Dr Youssef Al Obaidli, the Director General of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, on an insightful tour where they were acquainted with the mosque’s cultural message, which revolves around coexistence, tolerance, …

SHARJAH / WAM A delegation from the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) visited the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), which is considered the largest exhibition and conference in broadcast and media technologies in the world. The event, organised from  September 15-18 in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, is witnessing participation of more than a thousand exhibitors from 170 countries around the world. The …

ABU DHABI / WAM As part of the ongoing operational readiness trials for the new Terminal A ahead of its opening in November, Abu Dhabi Airports is conducting its largest live trial and testing exercise to date, with more than 6,000 volunteers selected from the community in Abu Dhabi. The operational trials involve playing an essential part in robust simulations …

DUBAI / WAM Ducab Group, one of the biggest end-to-end energy solutions providers and manufacturing firms in the United Arab Emirates, has cemented its position as an effective partner in supporting Emirati professionals, reporting remarkable progress in its Emiratisation strategy, with UAE Nationals now making up 72 percent of the company’s upper management, 26 percent of middle management, and 40 …

ABU DHABI/ WAM Norberto Carlos Escalona Carrillo, ambassador of Cuba to the UAE, praised the UAE’s effort in “achieving a COP that provides real solutions, based on concrete and measurable actions, to the climate crisis we face.” In his statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), ambassador Carrillo said that the vision expressed by the organisers is clear in terms …