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There are some flights to the Middle East that have resumed but there is still disruption.
Some airlines have resumed flights to certain parts of the Middle East, as diplomatic efforts intensify to resolve the conflict following the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. However, many carriers continue to suspend flights, causing global travel disruptions. The following is an alphabetical update of the flight status for airlines: AEGEAN AIRLINES Thessaloniki-Tel Aviv flights have been cancelled by Greece's biggest carrier until 26th June. Dubai flights are cancelled up until August 31 and Erbil and Baghdad flights until September 30. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until the 28th of June. AIR CANADA Canadian Airlines has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until October 24. AIR EUROPA Spanish Airlines has canceled flights to Tel Aviv from June 28 until now. Air France-KLM Air France suspends its Tel Aviv, Beirut and Dubai flights until July 5, and until June 30, respectively. KLM has suspended flights from Riyadh to Dammam, Dubai and Dammam until August 9. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has suspended flights to Dubai and Riyadh through August 31. The U.S. carrier suspended service for the Atlanta-Tel Aviv routes through December 18. The airline plans to resume New York JFK to Tel Aviv flights on September 6 while Boston-Tel Aviv, which was scheduled to launch in late October, will now be delayed. FINNAIR Finnair has canceled its Doha flights up until October 2 while continuing to avoid the airspace over Iraq, Iran Syria and Israel. The airline will resume its Dubai flights in October, which are only operated during the winter. British Airways, owned by IAG, delayed the resumption its flights to?Doha and Riyadh to August 8th. Flights from Amman, Bahrain, Amman, Tel Aviv and Dubai will be paused for the summer season, and resumed on October 25. When it resumes, the airline plans to reduce its services to Dubai and Doha to just one flight per day, while dropping Jeddah from the list of destinations. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines has suspended its scheduled Tokyo-Doha and Doha-Tokyo flight until August 31, and Doha-Tokyo until September 1. Polish Airlines has cancelled all flights to Riyadh and Beirut until 30 June. LOT will begin operating its winter route from Dubai in October. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa has announced that it will resume Tel Aviv flights as soon as July 1, whereas ITA Airways has confirmed they will resume them on July 1. SWISS delayed?the resume of flights until August, and Brussels Airlines suspended its operations until October 24. The suspension of Dubai flights by SWISS and Lufthansa will continue until September 13th. Lufthansa and SWISS have suspended flights until October 24 to Abu Dhabi, Amman Beirut Dammam Riyadh Erbil Muscat and Tehran. Eurowings, a low-cost airline, has suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Beirut until July 9, Erbil and Beirut until June 30, and Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until October 24. ITA Airways also extended its suspension of flights to Riyadh and Dubai until July 31. MALAYSIA AIRLINES From July 2, the Malaysian airline will resume limited service to Doha. NORWEGIAN AIR Low-cost carrier has delayed the launch of Tel Aviv and Beirut indefinitely and no new start date has been set. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline announced that flights to Doha have been cancelled until 30 June. SINGAPORE Airlines In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended the suspension of its Singapore-Dubai flights until August 2. It also added services on Singapore-London Gatwick and Singapore-Melbourne routes between late March and October 24. TURKISH AIRLINES SunExpress, Turkish Airlines joint venture with Lufthansa has?cancelled' flights to Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, and Erbil, until July 14. WIZZ AIR Low-cost airlines have suspended flights from Europe to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until mid-September. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed. Elviira Lioma, Tiago Branao, Agnieszka Olesska, Bernadette HOG, Alexander Klyve Gudbrandsen, Romolo TOSIANI, Boleslaw LaSocki). Matt Scuffham and Alexander Smith edited by Susan Fenton, Milla Nissi-Prussak Jonathan Ananda Joe Bavier, Louise Heavens, Louise Heavens, Louise Heavens, Louise Heavens, Louise Heavens, Louise Heavens, Louise Heaven, Bernadette Hogg, Romolo Tosiani.
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Trump insists Iran agreed to nuclear inspections
Donald Trump, the U.S. president, insisted Tuesday that Iran has agreed to allow nuclear inspectors for a long time into the future despite Iran's?statements that it has not. "Iran is fully and completely agreeing to the highest level Nuclear Inspections for as long as possible (Infinity!!! In a post on social media, he said: "Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!! This will ensure 'Nuclear Honesty' "If they didn't agree to this, no more negotiations!" Iran denied that it had started discussions about its nuclear program, or agreed to welcome?International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to the country. Trump said the United States would also leave ships in the Strait o f?Hormuz if it became necessary to reimpose the blockade on Iranian ports. He said this was "at this stage, highly unlikely." He also said that 19,000,000 barrels of crude oil flowed through the Hormuz Strait Monday. After the first round of talks in a?so-called peace agreement, the United States has?waived Iran sanctions for 60 days. Trump said on Tuesday that the?funds?that the U.S. Treasury will release funds that will be placed in escrow and under U.S. management. The money will then be used to buy medical and food supplies exclusively from the United States. "These are items that Iran desperately needs." Trump wrote: "This is a humanitarian crisis, and I believe it's necessary to help NOW, before its too late." (Reporting and editing by Susan Heavey; Doina chiacu)
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Fuel shortages in Russia and restrictions on sales
Russian regions are restricting fuel sales due to a lack of certain grades of gasoline and diesel and long lines at the filling stations. This is because Ukrainian attacks on oil refining facilities have disrupted supply. The following are statements by Russian regional authorities and companies on the current situation: CENTRAL RUSSIA Surgutneftegaz, Tatneft and the authorities in Tver announced on the 20th of June that temporary restrictions were introduced for individuals at the Surgutneftegaz & Tatneft gasoline stations because of increased demand. Igor Artamonov, the Governor of Lipetsk, said that several filling stations in the region, including?the cities?of Lipetsk, and Yelets were suffering from shortages of certain grades. Kommersant reported that Tambov Governor Evgeniy Pryshov had imposed restrictions on the sale of cans and other containers in order to reduce panic buying. Regional media reported that authorities in the Vladimir region stated on June 21, "temporary logistics difficulties" caused long queues at fuel stations. Sales were limited to 30-60 litres of gas per vehicle. Alexander Avdeev, the Governor of Vladimir region, urged residents to limit their travel and not stockpile fuel. A regional ministry reported on June 19 that increased demand in the Kaluga region led to long queues at gas stations. It said that reserves were available and volumes are being replenished to ensure Ai-95 and Ai-92 for two weeks as well as diesel and Ai-92 for three weeks. The Kommersant newspaper reported that private gas stations in parts of Tula region were running out of certain grades of fuel, but the major networks did not have any supply problems, according to Governor Dmitry Milyayev. SOUTH AND WESTERN RUSSIA Anna Kasyanenko, the regional agriculture minister, told local media that some Rostov-region filling stations ran out of gasoline because major refineries had cut production. Local media reported that some stations in?Makhachkala have restricted gasoline sales to a maximum of 20 litres for each vehicle. Diesel is also limited to a maximum of 50 litres. CRIMEA AND SEVASTOPOL The Crimean government has suspended summer camps for children and tourist activities until September, citing fuel shortages as well as security concerns. From June 21, fuel stations in Crimea stopped all sales of fuel to businesses and individuals. Sevastopol has also imposed restrictions on fuel sales, public transport and cafes. VOLGA REGION Local media report that Tatneft stations in Udmurtia have stopped selling Ai-95. Rustam Minikhanov, the Tatarstan leader, held a meeting in June after lines formed at certain stations. Authorities have announced temporary limits to prevent panic-buying. From June 23 to 30, the Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin has announced a temporary limit of 30 litres for each vehicle. On June 15, Governor Vyacheslav Federishchev announced that a regional network has introduced restrictions on the sale of fuel at its filling stations in?the Samara Region. SIBERIA Marina Kozharina said that on June 16th, the Irkutsk Region Minister of Agriculture was concerned about the fuel situation in the region. Irkutsk, according to Governor Igor Kobzev, had switched over to a manual system of distribution by June 22. The new system prioritizes emergency services, transportation, municipal utilities, and agriculture. On June 23, Governor Andrey Travnikov of Novosibirsk announced that there would be restrictions at filling stations. Vitaly Khotsenko, the Omsk governor, said on June 22 that similar measures will be implemented to prevent panic buying and speculation. FAR EAST Amur.life reported that authorities in the region announced restrictions on petrol sales at stations to avoid what they called "artificial panic" among the local population. Dmitry Demeshin, the Khabarovsk governor, said that on June 16, gasoline sales were restricted in Sovetskaya gavan and Vanino due to a shortage of supplies. (Reporting and editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak).
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Court rules that UK approval of Gatwick airport expansion is legal
The?High Court of London ruled that Britain's approval for Gatwick Airport expansion was legal. This allows the country's 2nd busiest hub to proceed with its plan to add millions more passengers by 2030. Last year, the government approved the?opening? of a?second runway? at Gatwick Airport, located 30 miles (48km) south-east of London. However, two environmental groups brought a lawsuit over noise and air pollution. Both the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign and Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions said that they would appeal Tuesday's decision. GOVERNMENT HAS BACKED NEW RUNWAY The government said that the increased use of sustainable aviation fuel does not conflict with the net-zero goals. It has also backed the construction of a new airport runway at Heathrow. Keir Starmer has announced that he will step down from his position as Prime Minister after less than 2 years. He has supported infrastructure projects such as airport expansion to grow Britain's stagnant economic growth. In the case against Gatwick Airport, Judge Tim Mold dismissed two claims for a judicial review, saying that the reasons given by the government to approve the expansion were "rational, and supported by adequate, proper and understandable reasons". Mould rejected the argument about the environmental impact of the development, saying that it was not in contradiction for the government to claim it wouldn't affect its ability meet carbon reduction targets. A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "We are pleased that the High Court has upheld our approval for expansion at Gatwick Airport." This project will bring 14,000 new jobs for local residents and PS1 billion per year to all corners of the UK. NEW RUNWAY 'COULD BE ?OPEN BY END OF ?DECADE' After the ruling, a spokesperson for Gatwick stated: "We look forward to bringing our plans to life and will announce more details in due time." Gatwick is owned by VINCI Airports & Global Infrastructure Partners. The new runway will be open by the end decade. It could provide a PS1billion boost to the UK economy through trade and tourism, and create 14,000 jobs. Andy Burnham, Starmer's most likely successor, could still sabotage the expansion of London?s two largest airports, which are both operating at near capacity. He has warned in the past that the expansion of Heathrow airport could deprive the north of England the investment they need. (Reporting and editing by Michael Holden, Jan Harvey, and Sarah Young)
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Lobby says that the increase in rail tariffs may raise farm costs and cause cargo to be transported by road.
According to the UCAB 'farmer lobby', the planned increase in freight rates by Ukraine's'state railway Ukrzaliznytsia' could increase farmers' logistic 'costs' by $5 to $7 a metric ton. This would accelerate a'shift' of cargo from rail to road transport. Ukraine's Economy Ministry said that it proposed to increase freight tariffs by 30 percent from August 1, in order to stabilize Ukrzaliznytsia’s financial situation. Ukrzaliznytsia said that the higher tariffs will only increase transport costs by a small amount, $3.2 per metric tonne of ore, and $3.6 per tonne of grain when shipped over the entire route of up to 466 miles (750 km). Ukrzaliznytsia's CEO Oleksandr Ptsovskyi said this month that his firm would need to raise its tariffs by at least 45% to restore its finances. The rail remains an important part of Ukraine’s logistics network. It carries both passengers and freight. The government is under pressure to reduce its debt because of increased spending on infrastructure and security. Ukraine traditionally transported its main export cargoes - grain, ore, and metals - to ports via rail. However, higher tariffs may prompt companies to switch to trucks. UCAB stated that "higher rail logistics costs" could make 'road transport' economically?viable in many more areas. The report noted that "trucks are used in areas closer to ports now, but a tariff hike could extend the zone where they are competitive up to 300-400 km away from the 'ports. The metallurgical industry has?opposed the proposed?tariff hike, warning that it could result in the closure of key companies and the loss of 300,000 jobs. (Reporting and editing by Alexander Smith; Pavel Polityuk)
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RTE, the French grid operator, plans a pilot project to accelerate grid connections
Forrest Crellin & America Hernandez PARIS, 23 JUNE - Emilie Piette said at a Tuesday power conference that France would begin a pilot program later this year to shorten the "queue" for sites seeking an electrical grid connection. She added that the programme would move projects which are already built and operational up to the front of a queue. France hopes to attract data centres, and other industrial projects that require high power demands with its abundance of?nuclear energy. But the long wait times for a connection to grid has proven to be a stumbling-block. Today, the first-come, first-served rule applies. It will be first-come, first-served tomorrow, thanks to a pilot program for Ile-de-France that aims at de-saturating zones most in demand in the second half this year. She added that there are currently 33 gigawatts of projects awaiting a 'grid connection.' The demand is growing by 10% per year. RTE must invest EUR8 billion (USD9.1 'billion) by 2030 to build these lines. France has tried to overcome the gap by offering to repurpose industrial sites that are already connected to the grid.
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Sources say that the premiums for Russian ESPO blends are now near parity with ICE Brent in China due to weak demand.
Three?trading'sources' said that the Russian Far East ESPO blend crude differentials to be delivered to?China between July and August have fallen to parity with ICE Brent. This is due to weak Chinese demand, as well as expectations of a higher global supply after a??U.S.Iran peace agreement. India, the second largest buyer of Russian crude, is also seeing a softer price trend. This further reduces Moscow's revenue, which was already being squeezed by lower oil prices. The U.S. waiver of Iranian oil could push ESPO blend differentials to a discount compared to the ICE benchmark in China. According to one source, Russian oil suppliers stopped offering on Tuesday after the announcement. Sources said that cargoes for delivery in July-August are trading at parity with?ICE Brent or at a slight premium of less than $1 a barrel delivered into Chinese 'ports. Some June-July cargoes sold at discounts to benchmark Brent. However, traders said that this was a small percentage of all transactions. After refining losses caused by high oil prices and low demand, several teapots located in China's main oil-refining hub of Shandong Province, scheduled maintenance for June or July. Shandong Yulong Petrochemical - a major Russian oil purchaser - shut down one of its crude?units for maintenance about two weeks back. The shutdown of the 200,000-barrels-per-day crude unit is expected to last around ?a month. Two traders said that the average operation rate for Shandong teapots has dropped below 50% in recent weeks, to its lowest level this year. Teapots' profit margins have also increased, largely due to the sharp fall in Brent prices. Local consultancy Oilchem estimated Shandong independent refining companies' average profits at 126 Yuan ($18.58). The company had been losing money for the last two months. Despite lower prices, ESPO blend?export volume remains robust. It has been above 1 million bpd most of this year according to traders and shipping data.
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India's Akasa Airlines targets a 30% capacity increase this fiscal year
The airline announced on Tuesday that it plans to increase passenger capacity by 30 percent in the current fiscal year, following a revenue rise of 37% and a smaller loss. The unlisted airline didn't disclose revenue or income figures but added that they were considering?using the Indian government’s loan guarantee and pricing stabilisation schemes? for the industry. This month, the government approved a $1billion fuel stabilisation fund to keep the price of jet?fuel in check after it soared following the Iran War. Jet fuel is the most expensive expense for airlines. Akasa reported that it had reduced its cost per available seat kilometer by 4% over the past year, and that margins were up?by 60 percent as a result of restructuring. It added ten Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the year ending March. Akasa Air has a 5.4% market share in India's domestic aviation industry, which is dominated primarily by Air India and?IndiGo, owned by the Tata Group. (Reporting and writing by Abhijith?Ganaparavam, Kashish Tandon, Editing by Christian Schmollinger & Edwina Gibbs).
The PM has announced that Poland will be adding a second LNG vessel to the Gdansk floating terminal.
The Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Tuesday that Poland will build a floating LNG terminal in Gdansk with a second regasification vessel. This is due to the overwhelming interest of shippers.
"The commercial interest is large enough for the project to not require budget involvement," Tusk told reporters before a cabinet meeting in Warsaw. The two terminals in the Baltic, along with a portfolio of LNG contracts, will allow Poland to become a hub of fuel deliveries from the U.S.
Gaz-System, the Polish gas pipeline operator, will be able to move forward with the project due to the interest from the market. According to 'the company plans', the second floating storage and regasification?unit (FSRU) will have a technical capability to regasify a?additional 4.5 bcm (bcm ) of gaseous?fuel per year.
Gaz-System has begun construction of an LNG terminal in Gdansk, with a capacity of 6.1 billion cubic meters of gas a year. (Reporting by Marek Strzelecki, Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Pawel Florkiewicz)
(source: Reuters)