News notes from around the interweb:
- How quaint, Canada has competition concerns over Air Canada acquiring Air Transat because of the routes they both (used to) operate in common. How six weeks ago! The cynic in me wonders whether Air Canada might even lobby the government to scuttle the deal, as United did with their planned acquisition of US Airways two decades ago, now that conditions have changed?
- The 10 most financially fragile airlines
- Menzies Aviation has laid off 17,500 staff there just aren’t many planes to service.
- The empty Wyndham in downtown Austin lights up the sky.
Wyndham putting on a heartwarming light display during these dark times
- American Airlines reservations agents have greater job security, new federal subsidies aside, than counterparts at many other airlines – with customers getting vouchers for future travel, American doesn’t have the ability to redeem those vouchers online. However agents still have to go to work in call centers and American continues to eliminate home-based reservations agents. Maybe time to reconsider that?
- Japan Airlines re-opens its Tokyo Haneda first class lounge on Sunday (HT: @xJonNYC) Someday…
It also offers a new ramen menu and Japanese craft beer. Due to the impact of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) spread from China, the service contents have been partially changed, including the cancellation of buffet-style meals for the time being. Staff wear masks and gloves to serve customers. 
On fragile airlines, while I wish VA all the best and hope they come out in some form on the other side to provide critical competition to Qantas Group, I also have transferred all my Velocity points to SQ Krisflyer over the weekend. While this comes with quite a penalty of 1.55 to 1, realistically its also the form in which I have used almost all my points in the past and would likely do going forward. I just do not think that a second national carrier is (or should be) a high priority of the Australian government right now. Sad times…
You should have seen the Fairmont earlier this week. It was awesome
@ Jerry — Which Fairmont?