Ggood morning.
The extent of the staff shortage in the airline sector has come to light after an airline asked its executives to carry baggage.
Qantas has written to head office bosses seeking 100 volunteers to quit their office jobs for three months and handle bags instead.
They are asked to load and unload luggage, and to drive vehicles that transport bags between planes and terminals. Applicants must be able to move suitcases weighing up to 32 kg.
Meanwhile, the JetBlue boss has said the US budget airline is having to hire staff because of the rate at which people are leaving the industry.
It comes as the industry struggles with widespread staff shortages as companies struggle to cope with a strong rebound in demand after the pandemic.
5 things to start your day with
1) Britain really isn’t working – and the collapsing NHS is to blame – Economic inactivity has risen in the UK, despite a decline in most of the developed world
2) Generation rent ‘failed by government on housing’ – Redrow boss warns after Truss and Sunak vow to dump housing targets
3) Vegetable shortage threatens as Europe fights heat wave – Lack of water and chaos in shipping mean shoppers have less choice
4) Why Europe is experiencing a bigger inflationary crisis than Britain – The UK suffers less inflation than the average EU country
5) Amazon workers plan wave of strikes as wage row escalates – Company hit by spontaneous strikes last week
What happened overnight?
Shares fell in Hong Kong this morning, with the Hang Seng index falling 0.7 percent.
The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.4 percent and the Shenzhen Composite Index on China’s second exchange also fell 0.4 percent.
Tokyo’s shares traded within a narrow range. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index opened low, then rose 0.2 percent. The broader Topix index reduced losses and fell by 0.06 pc.
coming today
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