Ryanair boss ‘hopeful and optimistic’ about ending strike action by pilots and cabin crew October 9, 2018 Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has said he is "hopeful and optimistic" that the airline will not be damaged further by strikes with its pilots and cabin crew this year. O'Leary, who has previously said the airline will put up with strikes to defend its low-cost business model, said: "I am hopeful and optimistic that we [...]
Virgin will reach space in ‘weeks, not months’ says founder Branson, but tickets could set you back £250,000 October 9, 2018 Virgin Galactic will reach space “in weeks, not months”, founder Richard Branson has said. The company's shuttles will be capable of leaving the earth’s orbit soon and the billionaire will be on one of them in just a few months, with commercial passenger flights launching soon after. “We’re more than tantalisingly close now,” Branson told CNBC. [...]
Volkswagen car deliveries drop nearly 20 per cent as new emissions testing hits October 9, 2018 The number of cars delivered by Volkswagen fell nearly 20 per cent last month due to the introduction of new emissions testing rules, the manufacturer said. A total of 485,000 vehicles were delivered throughout the world in September, 18.3 per cent down on the same month last year, with Europe experiencing a severe fall following the introduction of the [...]
Last call: Uber drivers to stage 24hr strike in London today October 9, 2018 Hundreds of Uber drivers are set to stage a 24-hour walkout across London today, in addition to protests in Nottingham and Birmingham, over workers' rights and demands for increased wages. The strike is being organised by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), and is scheduled to begin at 1pm. A separate demonstration is also expected to be [...]
Mercedes sales drop in Europe as new emissions testing regime creates backlog October 8, 2018 European sales of Mercedes-Benz plummeted in September as the firm battled a vehicle testing backlog. Globally the company sold eight per cent less last month, with Europe especially badly hit, dropping by almost a tenth. Producers have been hit by a backlog caused by new European testing standards introduced on 1 September. Mercedes was particularly [...]
Airbus close to appointing commercial aircraft boss Guillaume Faury as next chief exec October 8, 2018 Airbus is close to appointing its plane-making boss Guillaume Faury as its new chief executive, according to reports today. Faury would step in for Tom Enders, who in December announced he would not stay on after his current term expires next year, having led the company since 2012. Airbus had promised to name his successor before the [...]
Jaguar Land Rover to shut Solihull factory for two weeks amid trade tensions and weak China demand October 8, 2018 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to shut down its Solihull plant for two weeks, blaming economic uncertainty and dampened demand for its cars in China. Staff will be sent home on full pay for a fortnight from 22 October as the British car manufacturer stops producing any vehicles, as it tries to match supply to [...]
Aston Martin shares slide again, as luxury brand’s stock continues to drop October 8, 2018 Shares in newly listed Aston Martin have fallen again on its first full day of trading, following a challenging week when the company fell short of its targeted valuation. At one point this morning the company’s stock was trading down 96p at 1,604p per share. Shares later recovered a little, down 5.4 per cent to [...]
Club 18-30: Sun sets on booze-fuelled party holidays as millennials look for social media friendly trips October 8, 2018 Club 18-30, the travel brand promising sun, sea and sex to teenagers going abroad without their parents for the first time, will close down at the end of the month after losing ground with millennials. Thomas Cook, which bought Club 18-30 in 1998, decided to end the brand after failing to sell it over the [...]
Crossrail faces handover to government if costs continue to rise October 7, 2018 The government could take over the reins of Crossrail from its fellow joint sponsor Transport for London (TfL) if a lid is not kept on the costs of the £15.4bn project. The Sunday Times first reported that in Crossrail's sponsor agreement, signed in 2008, there is a clause that entitles the Department for Transport (DfT) [...]