Airport Technology lists five of the top tweets on airlines in Q2 2022 based on data from GlobalData’s Travel and Tourism Influencer Platform.

The top tweets are based on total engagements (likes and retweets) received on tweets from more than 164 airlines experts tracked by GlobalData’s Travel and Tourism Influencer platform during the second quarter (Q2) of 2022.

The top tweets on airlines in Q2 2022: Top five

1. Guillaume Faury’s tweet on the Qantas and Airbus partnership for sustainable aviation fuel

Guillaume Faury, CEO of airline company Airbus, tweeted on the airline and aerospace company Qantas and Airbus have collaborated with a common goal of producing and delivering large volumes of affordable, sustainable aviation fuel. The Australian Government announced that the two companies would be investing a total of $200m to bolster Australia’s sustainable aviation fuel sector.

The article detailed that sustainable fuels help in cutting greenhouse gas emissions by about 80% compared to traditional fuels, and can also be used in the existing engines without the need to modify them. Experts claim that the move to sustainable fuels is the easiest way for the aviation sector, especially for medium and long-haul flights, to cut emissions, the article detailed.

Despite Australia exporting tonnes of feedstock, such as canola and animal tallow, each year, which can be converted into sustainable fuel, the country lacks a commercial domestic sustainable aviation fuel sector. The funding is expected to lower emissions and sustain jobs and industries, the article noted.

Username: Guillaume Faury

Twitter handle: @GuillaumeFaury

Likes: 271

Retweets: 46

2. Simon Calder’s tweet on the UK government ordering airlines to cancel summer flights

Simon Calder, a travel journalist and broadcaster, shared an article on the Department for Transport (DfT) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ordering airlines to cancel flights for the months of July and August rather than days or hours ahead. In a joint letter to the airlines, the government bodies ordered airlines for early cancellations and to maintain a more robust schedule, and to prevent late-notice on-the-day cancellations, the article detailed.

The ruling implied that many flights booked for July, August, and September would have to be cancelled. In addition, passengers would have to re-book their flights choosing other departures, the cost of which will be borne by the airline grounding their flights or cancelling for a refund, the article further noted. The letter was specifically targeted easyJet, Britain’s largest budget airline that has already cancelled about 60 flights every day, a majority of them to and from the London Gatwick airport.

Wizz Air, the third biggest European carrier also cancelled some flights on short notice, after Ryanair and easyJet. The move was made by the government to de-risk the summer period to encourage airlines to deliver a schedule that could be maintained, the article highlighted.

Username: Simon Calder

Twitter handle: @SimonCalder

Likes: 240

Retweets: 45

3. Jamie Freed’s tweet on US assisting China in the crashed Boeing jet investigation

Jamie Freed, an aviation and defence correspondent, tweeted on the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirming that it is helping the Civil Aviation Administration of China in the investigation of its China Eastern Flight 5735 that crashed on 21 March in southern China. According to an NTSB spokesperson, US investigators were helping China to download the cockpit voice recorder from the China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 at its Washington laboratory.

The article further noted that China’s need to send an importance piece of evidence to Washington for help depicted the urgency of the investigation despite the countries being at odds with each other. The China Eastern Flight 5735 crash caused 132 deaths and is expected to be China’s biggest aviation disaster since the past 28 years. The article highlighted that the recovery crews had retrieved a second black box, the flight data recorder, from the wreckage.

Username: Jamie Freed

Twitter handle: @Jamie_Freed

Likes: 99

Retweets: 27

4. Jon Ostrower’s tweet on the need for airlines and FAA to meet the rising air travel demand

Jon Ostrower, editor-in-chief at the aviation news agency the Air Current, tweeted on passengers demanding airlines to meet the rising air travel demand. The article shared detailed how the US airline industry had told the Congress that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must ensure that the country’s airspace and air traffic control can handle the rising air travel demand. Trade group Airlines for America (A4A), for instance, had earlier stated that the industry was aggressively working on aligning schedules with the available workforce, but that the FAA also needed to take steps to handle the growing demand.

The Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Edward Markey questioned A4A, which represented the American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and other airlines after over 2,700 Memorial Day weekend flights were cancelled, the article detailed. The senators stated that the number of delays and cancellations during the weekend raised questions over airline decision-making. The airline industry is bracing itself for the summer as air travel demand has been accelerating amid staff shortages resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the article further noted.

The FAA had stated in a May letter that it would improve air traffic control at its Jacksonville, Florida centre after unfavourable weather and space launches caused the scrambling of flights. Meanwhile, FAA facility staffing challenges have significantly impacted California, Florida, and New York operations.

Username: Jon Ostrower

Twitter handle: @jonostrower

Likes: 73

Retweets: 8

5. The Points Guy’s tweet on Delta to pay flight attendants for working while boarding flights

The Points Guy (TPG), a travel website, shared an article on the Delta Air Lines looking to pay flight attendants for working while boarding flights, the first airline to do so in the US. Earlier, flight attendants were paid only when the aircraft door closed, and not for assisting passengers down the aisle, for placing luggage in the overhead compartment, or for any changes in seating arrangements, the article noted.

However, starting 2 June, flight attendants with Delta would be earning between $16.10 and $36.19 per hour, based on their seniority levels. Additionally, the shortest minimum boarding time for domestic narrow-body aircraft would be extended from 35 to 40 minutes, resulting in additional time for the attendants to be paid for.

As a result, flight attendants could expect to earn an extra of $10.79 to $30.04 per flight, based on the type of aircraft, flight, and one’s rank, the article detailed. Delta further announced that boarding pay will come in addition to a 4% pay rise for all flight attendants. The pay increase comes at a time to prevent flight attendants to join the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), a union representing flight attendants across the US, the article highlighted. Delta’s flight attendants are the only ones among the major US airlines to not belong to a union or have a collective bargaining clause in place.

Username: The Points Guy

Twitter handle: @thepointsguy

Likes: 72

Retweets: 5