Lebanon's aviation regulator?performed a safety audit on Middle East Airlines after pilot groups expressed concerns that crews are being asked to fly near airstrikes, and penalized for reporting safety incidents. Letters seen by show. The audit focuses on the Beirut-based flag airline MEA which has kept Lebanon in touch through war, financial collapse and even when many foreign airlines have avoided Middle East airspace due to'missile and drone risk' since the Iran War began on February 28, In a statement released?on? Wednesday, the MEA stated that it would continue to fly "after obtaining international guarantees" that the airport will remain...

The Middle East is slowly getting back on the map as airlines rebuild their schedules following the war disruptions. However, the conflict continues disrupting wider traffic flows. Middle Eastern airlines added capacity following severe disruptions linked to the Iran War, but many carriers outside the Gulf still divert Europe-Asia flight to avoid the Middle East. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece’s largest carrier has cancelled flights between Thessaloniki and Tel 'Aviv until 26 June. Dubai flights are cancelled through August 31. Erbil and Baghdad flights will be canceled until July 2. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian...

The head of fuel for the International Air Transport Association said that many airlines are being impacted by price fluctuations in the jet fuel markets. Daniel Chereau said that some airlines who have more sophisticated hedging strategies can get a little cushion. He was speaking at the S&P Global Energy Middle East Petroleum?and Gas Conference. The impact of the crack spreads on jet fuel refinery profits, also known as profit margins, is not good for the airline industry. According to LSEG, in North West Europe the crack spread of jet fuel peaked in March at a record high of?over $121....

India approved a fuel stabilisation fund of 100 billion rupees ($1.05 billion), on Wednesday, to keep the cost of jet fuel down for airlines that are being hit by rising fuel costs due to the Iran war. The government announced that the assistance would be provided in the form of interest-free advances for oil marketing companies to cover the under-recoveries, the gap between market-linked jet fuel prices and the moderated rate charged to airlines. The measure "will help protect and maintain domestic and international air services,?ensuring continuity of service," was added. IndiGo shares, India's biggest?airline reversed their course and?traded up...

The foreign ministry announced on Wednesday that an Iranian attack targeted 'civil facilities' in Kuwait including the international airport and diplomatic missions. The statement didn't specify which diplomatic missions had been damaged. The attack marks an increase in tensions for the oil-rich Gulf nation, which has been relatively calm since April 8, when a ceasefire was declared in the?Iran war. Iran launched a salvo of missiles and drones against Kuwait, a close U.S. ally as well as other Gulf states. State news agency reported that the early morning attack at Kuwait International Airport resulted in several injuries and forced authorities...

Unions protested against the government's labour re-form plans, and a second general strike in six months caused disruptions across Portugal on Wednesday. Trains were stopped, hundreds of flights cancelled, and schools closed as a result. After talks with unions failed, Portugal's centre-right minority government will likely pass a bill that proposes changes to more than 100 articles of labour code in order to increase productivity and spur economic growth. Tiago 'Oliveira', the head of Portugal's biggest umbrella union CGTP which called for the general strike said that the reform will worsen the conditions of workers by entrenching the precarious nature,...

European shares fell marginally Wednesday, as renewed hostilities over the Middle East pushed oil prices up and dampened hopes for an imminent peace agreement. However, Inditex (the owner of Zara) gained after reporting that the summer had started well. The pan-European STOXX 600 Index?dipped by 0.1% to 624.32 at 0805 GMT. The?U.S. military said it 'thwarted Iranian missile attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait and other regional targets. The U.S. military claimed it had 'thwarted Iranian missile strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait, and other regional targets. Brent crude prices rose by 2%. The U.S. president Donald Trump's comment that talks with Iran were...

Hong Kong's leader, who led his government's largest delegation ever on a tour of Uzbekistan after Kazakhstan, arrived on Wednesday. The group was on a promotional tour to promote the city's?Chinese rule as a financial gateway and business hub to China and Southeast Asia. The visit by a 70-member delegation?that includes 40 business leaders is part of Hong Kong's efforts to connect resource-rich countries along Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative to China's largest off-shore finance hub in order to boost trade and financial activities amid increasing geopolitical tensions and soaring demand for strategic natural ressources. Lee, who will be in...

According to letters seen by, Lebanon's aviation regulator has launched a safety review of Middle East Airlines after pilot groups expressed concern that crews are being forced to fly "close to airstrikes" and punished for reporting safety incidents. The audit focuses on the Beirut flag carrier that has kept the country 'connected' through war and financial collapse, even though many foreign airlines avoided large areas of Middle East airspace due to missile and drone -risks -since the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran began. MEA has around 20 planes that fly in the Middle East and Europe, as well as...

As regional carriers rebuild their schedules following war-related disruptions, some airlines are slowly restoring flights to the Middle East. However, the conflict continues disrupting wider traffic flows. Middle Eastern airlines increased capacity following severe disruptions linked to the Iran War, but many carriers outside the Gulf still divert Europe-Asia flight to avoid the area. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES Thessaloniki-Tel Aviv flights are cancelled until June 26 by Greece's largest airline. Dubai flights are cancelled until August 31. Erbil and Baghdad flights will be cancelled until July 2. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, has announced...

EasyJet, a British budget airline, has attracted the attention of?U.S. Castlelake, an investment firm, is considering a takeover. Analysts say that while easyJet called the timing of this takeover "highly opportunistic", its low valuation, slots in key airports, and stable fleet make it an attractive target for a takeover. Chris Beauchamp is the chief market analyst for trading platform IG. Shares Underperform Rivals Potential suitors are attracted to the British carrier because its shares have performed better than those of competitors like Ryanair. Jaime Rowbotham, a Deutsche Bank analyst, wrote that EasyJet had 'looked 'cheap' for a while. He added...

These are the most popular?stories from the Wall Street Journal. ? The accuracy of these stories has not been verified by the site. -?Alphabet has announced plans to issue equity worth $80 billion, of which $10 billion will go to Berkshire Hathaway to fund AI capital expenses. Blackstone, a manager of alternative assets, announced that it had raised $13.1 billion in private equity funds for Asia. This was more than its initial target. It is also the largest fundraise ever made by Blackstone. Andrew Left, 55, an eminent?short seller in Los Angeles, has been convicted of securities fraud by a...