(SINGAPORE) Qantas Airways is scrapping first- class cabins complete with sheepskin-covered mattresses, while Air France- KLM Group is ripping out some of its cheapest seats as airlines reconfigure planes to win downgraded business travellers.

(LONDON) British Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis urged cabin crew at British Airways on Sunday to call off their planned strikes this month, saying it threatened the company's very existence.

(HONG KONG) Boosted by strong Chinese New Year traffic, passenger and cargo traffic at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) surged 17 per cent and 30.1 per cent respectively in February year on year, to 3.9 million and 257,000 tonnes, the Airport Authority of Hong Kong announced on Sunday. Air traffic movements also rose by 4.9 per cent from the same month in 2009, to 22,270.