An Boeing aircraft worker who went public with safety concerns and alleged retaliation by his company has died after a brief illness, weeks after another Boeing whistleblower died, attorneys for both men said Thursday.

Joshua Dean, 45, of Wichita, Kansas, died on Tuesday after receiving various diagnoses, including the flu, pneumonia, and MRSA, causing his family to want an autopsy, according to attorney Robert Turkewitz.

“He was a healthy individual who ate well and exercised,” Turkewitz explained to NBC News. “So it just seems odd that he went so fast.”

Dean had been sick for two weeks and was having difficulty breathing, necessitating the use of a ventilator.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Josh and his family,” said Brian Knowles, another attorney who represents Dean. “Josh’s death is a loss for the aviation community and the flying public.

He had remarkable fortitude to stand up for what he believed to be true and right, as well as to highlight quality and safety concerns.”

Turkewitz and Knowles also represented John Barnett, a 62-year-old Louisiana man who died on March 9 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Charleston, South Carolina, according to officials.

Barnett was in town for a deposition in his federal lawsuit against Boeing, which is scheduled to go before an administrative law judge later this year, according to his counsel.

Worked for Boeing for 30 Years

Barnett, who worked at Boeing for more than three decades, informed aviation authorities in 2017 about what he described as potentially “catastrophic” safety flaws with the 787 Dreamliner.

Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, claimed that supervisors failed to address manufacturing faults on the 737 MAX jets.

Although he was not a plaintiff, he is cited in a shareholder case against Spirit filed in 2023.

Dean reported the “mis-drilled holes” in the rear bulkhead of the MAX planes, submitting “formal written findings to his manager,” but Spirit “concealed the defect,” according to the lawsuit. These holes could cause cracks and jeopardize an aircraft’s structural integrity.

“I’m not saying they don’t want you to go out there and examine jobs. “Yes, they do,” he told NPR this year. “However, if you cause too much problems, you will receive the Josh treatment. “You’ll understand what happened to me.”

If you are too loud, we will silence you

Dean was fired from the corporation on April 26, 2023, in what he described as an act of revenge.

“I think they were sending out a message to anybody else,” Dean went on to say. “If you are too loud, we will silence you.”

Spirit replied in a statement that it mourns Dean’s death but declined to comment on his allegations. The supplier has stated to NPR that it strongly disagrees with the allegations in the litigation and is contesting the lawsuit in court.

“Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family,” Spirit spokesperson Joe Buccino stated in a statement. “This sudden loss is stunning news here at Spirit and for his loved ones.”

The stress of the past few years may have taken its toll on Dean, according to Turkewitz.

“We were told that stress can cause the immune system to weaken and makes you more susceptible to pneumonia, the flu and MRSA,” he went on to say. “He’d been under a lot of pressure for blowing the whistle, and he assumed he was fired as a result of it. He had been attempting to spread the word, but no one would listen.

Source: NPR, NBC

Air Canada posted a larger first-quarter loss than projected on Thursday, citing higher operating costs related to labor and aircraft maintenance, overshadowing early signs of a recovery in corporate demand. Air Canada’s shares fell 9% to C$18.58 in afternoon trading in Toronto.

North American carriers are grappling with rising expenses as they add flights and run older, less fuel-efficient planes, while a lack of new aircraft makes it difficult to benefit on robust travel demand.

According to Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s vice president of network planning, corporate demand is up 10% to 20% year on year into the second quarter, with new demand coming from the technology industry.

“We’re starting to see some very encouraging signals in corporate demand,” Galardo told analysts.

Canada’s largest airline did not experience the same first-quarter bounce in corporate travel that lifted U.S. airline profitability.

Montreal-based Air Canada has also stated that it is negotiating compensation with RTX engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney following issues with its geared turbofan engines, which have grounded seven of its A220 planes.

The carrier, which is currently in contract talks with its pilots, reported a 21% increase in labor expenses during the quarter.

Air Canada’s operating expenses increased 6% to C$5.22 billion ($3.80 billion), the airline reported, despite a revival in significant spending by corporate clients who had been mostly absent from the post-pandemic travel boom.

The airline confirmed its 2024 core profit estimate, estimating adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) in the range of C$3.7 billion to C$4.2 billion.

Air Canada posted a first-quarter adjusted loss of C$0.27 per share, compared to analysts’ average projections of a C$0.07 loss, according to LSEG data. Its quarterly operating revenue increased 7% to C$5.23 billion, exceeding Wall Street’s estimate of C$5.19 billion.

New seat selection fee for passengers: Getty Images

Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy

Air Canada has temporarily rescinded its proposal to levy a new seat selection fee for passengers booked on the lowest rates. Customers with rates that did not include free seat selection prior to check-in were randomly given a seat at check-in, with the option to change to another available seat for free, CTV News reports

However, some Air Canada customers received alerts earlier this month that the airline would soon charge travelers standard or basic rates to change their automatically allocated seats at check-in.

Kerry Berlinquette, an Ontario-based travel agency, posted a photograph of a warning she received on April 18 on her Facebook page.

“We’re introducing a new seating assignment process for Standard or Basic Fares,” according to the announcement.

“When customers enter the check-in flow, our system will automatically assign a free seat for those who have not purchased a seat in advance.” If customers want to alter their automatically allocated seat, they can do so for a charge.

“It stinks. It was awful enough having to compete for a seat 24 hours before the flight. “Just another money grab,” one Facebook user said in response to Berlinquette’s post.

“It’s frustrating when traditional airlines behave like budget airlines,” a Reddit user commented on April 24. “They have abolished free checked baggage, and now they have removed the chance to select free seats upon check-in. “What will happen next?”

The message, which said that the change will take effect on April 24, sparked a flood of complaints from furious customers on Facebook, X, and Reddit.

Following significant criticism, Air Canada sent a comment (opens in a new tab) to airline industry news website Pax News, confirming the policy change.

“What has changed, and is consistent with our branded fares, is that after seats are assigned at check-in for no fee, customers who now wish to change to a different seat from the one we assigned them will have to pay the same fee they would have paid prior to check-in,” the airline wrote to Pax News. The airline would continue to assign seats to ensure families on the same booking are seated together for no fee, as per Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations.

“This is the practice at other airlines, including some in Canada.”

However, on April 26, Air Canada suspended the new cost. The flag carrier refused to clarify whether consumer backlash had influenced the decision and declined to address CTVNews.ca’s queries about why it had implemented the fee and how long the pause would stay.

“We paused the implementation for operational reasons to ensure a smooth rollout for our customers and employees,” an unnamed spokesman told CTVNews.ca in an email on Monday.

“We will communicate next steps at the appropriate time.”

Air Canada would not be the first Canadian airline to impose a price for seat selection after check-in. However, airlines that charge a seat selection fee, such as Flair and Porter, are typically low-cost carriers with lower base tickets than Canada’s flag carrier.

One exception is WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline after Air Canada, which charges a price for seat selection.

Source: Reuters, CTV

President Joe Biden has labeled Japan and India as “xenophobic” countries that do not welcome immigrants, lumping the two alongside enemies China and Russia as he attempted to explain their economic circumstances and contrasted the four with the United States on immigration.

The remarks, made at a campaign fundraiser Wednesday evening, came just three weeks after the White House hosted Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a lavish official visit, during which the two leaders celebrated what Biden called a “unbreakable alliance,” particularly on global security issues.

The White House welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a state visit last summer.

Japan is a vital US ally. India, one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific, despite disparities on human rights.

AP According to Washington writer Sagar Meghani, President Biden has lumped together two critical allies and two rivals.

At a hotel event attended primarily by Asian Americans, Biden stated that the approaching presidential election was about “freedom, America, and democracy” and that the country’s economy was prospering “because of you and many others.”

“Why? “Because we welcome immigrants,” Biden explained. “Think about it. Why is China’s economy slowing so badly? Why is Japan facing trouble? Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they are xenophobic. “They do not want immigrants.”

The president continued, “Immigrants are what make us powerful. This is not a joke. That is not hyperbole; we have an influx of workers that want to be here and contribute.”

There was no quick response from the Japanese or Indian governments. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Biden was making a broader statement about the United States’ immigration policy.

“Our allies and partners know well in tangible ways how President Biden values them, their friendship, their cooperation, and the capabilities that they bring across the spectrum on a range of issues, not just security-related,” Kirby said Thursday morning when asked about Biden’s “xenophobic” remarks. “They understand how much he completely and utterly values the idea of alliances and partnerships.”

Biden’s remarks occurred at the opening of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and he was introduced at the event by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., one of two senators of Asian American origin. She is the national co-chair for his reelection campaign.

Japan has acknowledged its demographic decline, as the number of newborns born in the country in 2023 declined for the eighth consecutive year, according to figures released in February.

Kishida has referred to Japan’s low birth rate as “the biggest crisis Japan faces,” and the country has long been recognized for taking a more closed-door approach to immigration, however Kishida’s government has recently modified its policy to make it easier for foreign workers to come to Japan.

Meanwhile, India’s population has grown to become the world’s largest, with the United Nations predicting it will reach 1.425 billion. Its population is also predominantly youthful.

Earlier this year, India passed a new citizenship law that expedited naturalization for Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians who fled Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. However, it excludes Muslims, who constitute the majority in all three countries. This is the first time India has established religious qualifications for citizenship.

John Kirby defended Biden’s remarks

National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication John Kirby defended Biden’s remarks: Getty Images

In a press briefing on Thursday, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication John Kirby defended Biden’s remarks.

“Look, I think the broader point the president was making, and I think people all around the world recognize this, is that the United States is a nation of immigrants and it’s in our DNA,” Kirby told reporters at the White House. “We are stronger for it. We are not going to walk away from this. And that’s the larger point he was making.

When asked why the president singled out two ally nations to illustrate his point, Kirby declined, emphasizing that Biden’s intention was to commend the United States rather than disparage Japan or India.

“I am making a wider argument about our country, our country. “Our allies understand how much the president respects them, values their friendship, and appreciates their contributions,” Kirby answered. “And you don’t have to look honestly very far, very hard to see that bear out in the things that we’ve been doing in the Indo-Pacific with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines.”

Source: AP