Hainan Flies to Israel: Airline Pulse News and Notes for May 2, 2016

by Josh Lew
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Mon May 2, 2016

Photo courtesy of Thinkstock

SpiceJet Pilot Suspended for Midair Tryst
A SpiceJet captain has been suspended for allowing a flight attendant to sit in the cockpit on a flight from Kolkata to Bangkok. The incident only came to light after a sexual harassment complaint was lodged by one of the other cabin crew.

Hainan Airlines Becomes First Chinese Carrier to Serve Israel
Hainan Airlines has launched service to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. It is the first Chinese airline to provide scheduled commercial service to Israel. Flights from Beijing will take off three times per week.

Spirit Expanding in Philadelphia and South Florida
Spirit Airlines has launched flights between Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale. CEO Robert Fornaro touted the routes as a sign that Spirit is continuing to grow on JetBlue's turf in South Florida.

AirAsia Considering Putting International Headquarters in Thailand
AirAsia is considering setting up its main international headquarters in Thailand. The low-cost carrier has also mentioned that it might be willing to build its own airport in the country.

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Gibraltar is lobbying to be considered part of the European Union's aviation bloc. The tiny British territory on the tip of Spain, best known for its famous rock formation, argues that it should be included in any European Single Sky agreements because it is officially part of Great Britain.

Police in Miami claim that a man hacked into the frequent flyer accounts of American Airlines passengers and stole more than $250,000 worth of frequent flyer miles, which he used to take trips and rent cars all around the world.

United is still feeling the aftershocks of the scandal that forced its CEO to step down last year. Now, the salary of COO Greg Hart will be reduced by $1 million while his involvement in illegal payoffs to the New York Port Authority is investigated.

Vanilla Air has become the eleventh carrier to fly what is now one of the world's most competitive routes. The LCC has joined EVA, Jetstar, Cathay Pacific and a host of others on the ultra-busy Osaka-Taipei route.