French Railways boss warns heat-vulnerable travellers to avoid trains

Related News

• Minister: Germany deploys ships in the Red Sea to possible Hormuz missions

  Boris Pistorius said that Germany is deploying two ships in the Red Sea to prepare for a possible military mission in Strait of Hormuz. After U.S. president Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran that ended a war which has disrupted the global energy supply, officials from the shipping and insurance industries called for the immediate deployment of mine-clearing ships to the Strait. As we speak, the?minesweeper Fulda is sailing through the Suez Canal to the Red Sea," Pistorius said as he arrived in Brussels for a meeting of his NATO counterparts. Pistorius did not specify a timeline, but said that Iran and Oman would need to approve any minesweeping mission before it could be undertaken. He added that the success of any such mission would depend on the progress made in the talks between Iran and America. Shipping and maritime security experts have said that clearing the strait of'mines' could delay the return to normal shipping by several weeks. Germany will also send underwater drones, divers, and teams to protect vessels. France and Britain are pushing for a multi-nation naval mission. Diplomats report that Iran is strongly opposed to foreign military presence on the waterway. It could also seek to impose transit charges on shipping, a red line for European powers. Athens has said it is ready to provide assets to help de-mine, but the government's spokesman Pavlos Marinakis stated on Thursday that "there was no concrete decision made at the operational level." Sheila Cameron is the CEO of Lloyd's Market Association. She said that the threat of mines was a major barrier to the return of trade. Cameron's association, which represents the interests of Lloyd's of London insurers, said that "ongoing monitoring of seaways" is necessary to "provide reassurance to shipowners and crew." Jakob Larsen is the chief safety and security officer at shipping association BIMCO. He said that both sides must give credible assurances before traffic can return to its pre-conflict level. The threat of mines remains a concern, both immediately and in the future. Mine-free routes must be established. (Reporting and editing by Kirsten Doovan, Bart Meijer Renee Maltezou Jonathan Saul, Sabine Siebold)

• Riyadh Air, a Saudi-backed airline, has been granted permission to fly US routes

  The U.S. Transportation Department announced Tuesday that Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air won the rights to fly to and from the United States. Last week, the airline began its first London flight using its new Boeing fleet. Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's next national airline, will be launched in 2023. It is owned by Saudia's Public Investment Fund. USDOT stated that "the grant of this authority is in the public's interest." Riyadh Air informed the?USDOT last month when it requested approval that it intended to operate to more than 100 destinations Delta Air Lines, for example, has or is planning partnerships with at least 10 international airlines. Delta plans to launch nonstop flights to Riyadh in October from Atlanta. Last week, Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh, said that the company plans to deliver eight aircraft by the end of July and fly to 22 destinations by March 2027. Douglas describes it as "the largest global aviation startup in recent history" with up to 72 787s, 60 A321neos, and 50 A350s ordered. The airline is part of the plan for the oil-producing nation to diversify their economy by focusing on new industries like tourism, logistics, and technology. Douglas stated that Riyadh Air has so far announced routes to Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah and Manchester, with cities in India likely to follow.

• EU lawmakers continue to pay compensation for delayed flights

  The European Parliament agreed Monday that the EU should keep the current three hour flight delay threshold as the compensation threshold in its next set of airline passenger's rights. This agreement ended a decade-long debate. On 'Friday, the 27 member states agreed to maintain the current level compensation for airlines in case of delay. More than a decade before, the European Commission, which is the EU executive branch, proposed to reduce the amount passengers are entitled to. This issue pitted airlines who demanded greater flexibility in order to "remain competitive" against consumer protection organizations. Both sides have lobbied EU Institutions for many years. According to rules that have been in place since 2004, passengers who are delayed more than three hours may be entitled to compensation ranging from EUR250 ($290.05),?upto EUR600, depending upon the length of their flight. After years of debate the EU countries and European Parliament agreed to the status quo. The member states and the parliament have agreed that airlines can charge for large bags as long as they offer free small bags. They also agree to include the fee for cabin baggage in the basic ticket price. Consumers who choose to opt out of the agreement will receive discounts. The aim of the measure is to increase 'price transparency and comparison. These fees were widely criticized by consumer rights associations across the EU. This sparked a political fight in 2024 when the Spanish Consumer Rights Ministry fined low-cost airlines EUR179,000,000 for charging them. The airlines have appealed against the fine. These countries have also enacted rules allowing an accompanying adult?to sit near a child?without paying a fee, and forcing airlines to provide?more services in the event of missed connections. The law also prohibited airlines from forcing their passengers to download an app on their mobile phones to obtain a boarding card, a practice Ryanair began in November.

• Sicily By Car founder under police protection after arson attacks

  Tommaso Dragotto said in a?interview on Friday that he was given a police escort following a?series of attacks?on?his business. The latest incident that prompted the decision to put the 88 year old under protection was the burning of a car depot for a Sicilian company in Palermo in the early morning hours of Thursday. Eleven vehicles were destroyed. In the past three months there have been two other arson incidents, and in March Italian media reported that shots were fired near the entrance of a company site. "Three (arson attacks) in 80 days is just too much." I didn't want to be escorted because it would have changed my freedom, my movements, and daily life. Dragotto said to La Stampa that he was told he could not refuse the escort. He said that he was never asked to pay money for protection to the mafia and that he refused any such request. "I will never pay and I won't start now", he added. After the attack on Thursday, Palermo's anti-mafia prosecutors, and police, said that eight people were arrested for extortion, and attempted murder, which was aggravated through mafia tactics. The Cosa Nostra Mafia in Sicily, which was a major force during the 1980s and 1990s, lost its influence after arresting their senior leaders. It remains a formidable organisation. Mayor Roberto Lagalla stated that the city had suffered in recent months from "a worrying increase of acts of intimidation and arson attacks against business owners, shopkeepers and citizens." (Reporting and editing by Alvise Armillini and Gavin Jones, with reporting by Mirko Moirelli)

• Hamburg Airport: Delays and cancellations after evacuation due to security concerns

  A spokesperson for the airport said that there would be significant delays on Friday at Hamburg Airport after a terminal was evacuated because of a security issue. "The federal police's precautionary measure has now ended, and passengers are passing through security again." The spokesperson confirmed that flight operations have resumed. "However, there will be a number of delays, some significant, all day long. "Flights will be cancelled all day long," she said without specifying the number of cancellations. A federal police spokesperson confirmed that the incident took place at 0945 local time (0745 GMT), when a man accidentally pressed an "emergency" button that opened escape routes and allowed unauthorised entry into a'security hazard area. The man was likely to have simply lost his way, said the spokesperson. (Reporting and editing by Linda Pasquini, Thomas Seythal - Additional reporting).

• German players will pay for 600 stadium trips to fans amid rising transport costs

  German players are offering to cover the costs of transport for 600 fans to attend their 'last Group E match against Ecuador on June 25 in New Jersey. The city authorities raised rail and bus prices from New York to New Jersey's MetLife Stadium several times, citing the increased pressure on public transportation systems. Fans who had already paid high prices for match tickets were angry. The German Football Association told the BBC that the players of the German national team had arranged free transportation to the final match of their group for 600 fans. "Captain Joshua Kimmich, his teammates and the New York Yankees will cover the cost of buses that will take fans from New York to the New Jersey arena for the match against Ecuador." Could not confirm the statement immediately. The cost of a round-trip train ride to the stadium, which usually costs $12.90 has been reduced from $150 after NJ Transit received a lot of criticism. Shuttle buses are now only $20 instead of the original $80. The last two World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, were free of charge for fans. On Sunday, Germany's four-time world champions will face Curacao in Houston. (Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

• Italy reduces its reliance on imported jet fuel amid disruptions caused by the Iran war

  Senior officials from the fuel producers and airport operators in Italy said that the refineries had increased jet fuel production this year to reduce the risk of a shortage for the airline industry due to the 'Iran War. The Strait of Hormuz closure has caused global jet fuel supplies to be disrupted, which has led to higher prices and forced suppliers of cargoes to reroute their shipments. According to the head of fuel producers' union UNEM, Italy imported 50% of its?5million tons of jet fuel annually. By 2026, it will increase domestic production to 70% to meet demand. UNEM President Gianni murano stated that "in addition to its national production, Italy imports significant quantities of?jet-fuel from the United States" and Turkey. This practice has been continued. Murano stated that the increase in Italian jet-fuel production was due to higher prices. He added that the 'Iran war' had changed the pricing structure of oil products and made jet fuel more costly than gasoline or diesel. Iran's blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which was a transit route for around 400,000 barrels of jet fuel per day, drove European prices to a record high of $200 a barrel in April. Carlo Borgomeo said that the rerouting some jet fuel imports helped the airline industry manage the disruptions caused by conflict. Borgomeo stated that Italy will not face any shortages of jet fuel for the rest of the year. Francesca Landini reported, Giulia Segrit and Keith Weir edited.

• Bolt, a ride-hailing service, expands into Italy to serve a market that is underserved

  Bolt, a ride-hailing app, launched its operations in Milan in the first phase of a campaign aimed at shaking up the Italian transport market. According to Bolt's CEO the Italian market is still largely?underserved?despite the presence and popularity of Uber in the U.S. Markus Villig, the founder and CEO of Estonia's Bolt, stated that Bolt would work with hundreds drivers in Milan who will either be official taxi drivers or private hire car chauffeurs. The company expects to provide millions of rides within its first year. The market in Italy has just begun. "We have a long term view," Villig stated in an interview. He added that Bolt plans to expand later in Italy in order to tap into the huge tourism industry. He said, "We can provide better products and services to our customers. We are also here to help drivers earn more money." Bolt is now active in 26 of the 27 countries that make up the European Union. DESPITE TRANSPORT SHORTAGE, APPS FACES PUSHBACK IN ITALY Italy's ride hailing sector is still governed under a framework from 1992 that separates taxis with a license and chauffeur-driven vehicles. Local authorities also tightly control the number of taxi permits. Italian antitrust authorities and critics say that the system is responsible for chronic shortages in major cities and long wait times, which regularly leave tourists and residents stranded. Uber has been operating in Italy for more than a decade. However, Italy does not permit ride-hailing companies that use drivers who do not have commercial licenses. Taxi unions have been very resistant to any reforms. Milan, with a population of approximately 3 million in the metro area, approved 450 new taxi licences last summer, the first major expansion for the city since 2003. At the time, the city had 4,853 active permits. Villig stated that there aren't enough drivers in Italy to drive the demand. The market in Italy would grow if regulators opened the door to new suppliers. It would be different." He has said that he doesn't expect Bolt to be profitable in the next five years. The taxi industry in Italy has been at a standstill for years. Attempts to expand their services have repeatedly led to strikes and protests on the streets by drivers. App-based platforms are still seen as a danger by many taxi drivers in a sector based on fixed municipal rates and limited licenses. This is one of the most politically sensitive battlegrounds for Italian transport. Three Italian taxi drivers were told by their unions that the arrival another ride-hailing app would cause a backlash and protests. One driver explained, "We use a meter with rates set by the municipality as this is a service provided to the public." Instead, apps set their prices, take commissions, and pay drivers several weeks later. This is not fair competition." Reporting by Inti and Mirko Landauro; editing by Joe Bavier

• Multiple injuries reported after two trains collided north of London

  The British Transport Police said on Friday that it was responding to media reports about a major collision between two trains, 60 miles north-east of London. Media reports claimed the incident resulted in'multiple injuries. The video was posted on Facebook and showed what appeared to be the front of a train intertwined with the?back of another train, both of which were still on the track. The East of England Ambulance Service sent multiple resources, including an air ambulance, to the accident on the rail south of Bedford and advised people to avoid that area. In a post to X, Heidi Alexander, the Transport Minister said she was "deeply worried"?by the reports of this collision. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service reported that crews were on the scene of a?railway incident just south 'of Bedford and also asked the public to stay away. East Midlands Railway said that it would not be able to run any services into or out of London until the end of today, while Thameslink reported that all lines between Luton and Bedford had been blocked because of an investigation. (Reporting and editing by Louise Heavens, Kate Holton and Sam Tabahriti)

• Ryanair extends CEO O'Leary's Contract to 2032 and offers a EUR150 million Bonus

  The budget airline announced on Friday that Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, has extended his contract until 2032. This deal includes a bonus plan which could pay the 65-year old Irishman over EUR150 million ($172 millions). Ryanair announced last month that negotiations to extend O'Leary's tenure to nearly 40 years had almost been concluded. O'Leary, who took over as CEO of the airline in 1994, has been the driving force behind the company's growth from a regional carrier to Europe's biggest by passenger numbers. If O'Leary remains with the group through April 2032, he would be able to buy 10 million shares for EUR26.70 a share if the annual 'profit' reached EUR4 billion. Or if the price of the share exceeded EUR42 on 28 consecutive days. Ryanair posted a record-breaking full-year profit after taxes of EUR2.26bn last month. At 1315 GMT its share price was EUR25.70, and the strike price of the agreement represented the market price prior to the Middle East conflict. The airline stated that achieving these ambitious targets would add substantial value to all Ryanair's shareholders. O'Leary did not answer directly an analyst last month when asked if this extension would be his last. O'Leary is expected to make up to EUR100 million from a previous share option plan after Ryanair hit the share price target he set in his last contract. O'Leary claimed that the payout was a good deal compared to footballers' salaries. The airline said O'Leary's compensation, which includes a "modest annual salary" and a "capped annual bonus", would be presented to shareholders at the annual general meeting in September for approval.

• European shares fall as markets ponder hawkish US Federal Reserve

  Investors increased their bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve rate increase later this year?after policymakers struck a more hawkish tone. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed 0.3% lower and ended a five-day streak of gains. The regional bourses showed mixed results, with France, Germany and Italy posting gains and Spain and Italy declining. The FTSE 100 in Britain ended the day 1% down as heavyweight healthcare and energy stocks weighed. In June, the Bank of England held interest rates at 3.75% because it deemed it premature to increase rates due to uncertainty regarding 'inflation pressures. Oil and gas shares in Europe fell 1.5%, as oil prices dropped to their lowest levels since the first day of trading during the Iran War. U.S. president Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran to end a war that has disrupted the global energy supply. The interim ?pact has brought relief for markets, with energy-price-sensitive travel and leisure shares rising 0.8% on Thursday. But despite the relief, it was short-lived due to monetary policy uncertainties. NEW FED CHAIRMAN The Fed in the U.S. held rates at the same level on Wednesday but nine policymakers predicted a rate increase this year. The Fed's statement on Wednesday removed any guidance regarding future rate movements, a sign of the influence of the new Fed chairman Kevin Warsh. "Transitions such as this are unsettling to markets." Steven Blitz is the chief U.S. economic at GlobalData.TS Lombard. He said that political and economic volatility will?confront and confound Warsh's plan to get the Fed in his promised land. According to LSEG data, the European Central Bank increased borrowing costs last week. Traders expect another 25 basis-point rate increase by year's end. Mining shares fell 3.1%, and were the largest decliners in the STOXX major subsectors. Commodities suffered from a stronger dollar. Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Stellantis were all at the bottom of the list. BMW fell 4%, after falling 8.3% in the previous session following a shocking profit warning. Accenture's cut in its full-year guidance caused a sharp drop among European IT service firms. Capgemini fell 8.9%, a six-year low, while Cancom, Atos, and Reply all saw declines between 2% to 6.9%. Edenred rose 17.2% after the French voucher company confirmed that it was approached by investment funds following media reports about possible takeover interests from investment firm BC Partners.

• There are some flights to the Middle East that have resumed but there is still disruption.

  Several airlines have resumed flights to certain parts of the Middle East, as diplomatic efforts intensify to resolve the conflict that erupted after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran. However, many other carriers continue to suspend flights, causing global travel disruptions. The following is an alphabetical update of the flight status for airlines: AEGEAN AIRLINES The largest airline in Greece has cancelled flights between Thessaloniki and Tel Aviv until the 26th of June. Flights from?Dubai to Erbil,?Baghdad and?Baghdad are all cancelled 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 cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv up until the 28th of June. Air France-KLM Air France suspended flights to Tel Aviv until June 23, Beirut until 24 June and Dubai until 30 June. 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, 2018. The airline plans to resume New York JFK-Tel?Aviv service on September 6. However, the launch date of Boston-Tel?Aviv, originally planned for October, has now been pushed back until further notice. FINNAIR Finnair has cancelled all Doha flights until October 2 and continues to avoid airspace in Iraq, Iran Syria, and Israel. The airline will resume Dubai flights in October, which are only operated during the winter. British Airways, owned by IAG, delayed the resume of its flights to Doha and Riyadh to August 8th. Flights from Amman, Bahrain, Amman, Tel Aviv and Dubai will be paused for the remainder of the summer and resumed on October 25. When the flights resume, it plans to reduce service to Dubai, Doha and Riyadh to just one flight per day, and drop Jeddah from its 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. ITA Airways also confirmed they would resume the flights from July?1. SWISS delayed the return of flights to Tel Aviv until August, while Brussels Airlines suspended its operations until October 24. The suspension of Dubai flights by Lufthansa SWISS and ITA Airways continues until September 13th. Lufthansa has suspended all flights to Abu Dhabi until October 24, as have SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Beirut Airlines, Dammam Airlines, Riyadh Airlines, Erbil Airlines, Muscat Airlines, and Tehran Airlines. Eurowings, a low-cost carrier, has suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Beirut and Erbil until July 9; to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until Oct 24. ITA Airways also extended its suspension of flights to Riyadh through 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 dates have been determined. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline announced that flights to Doha have been cancelled until 30 June. SINGAPORE Airlines The carrier has extended the suspension of its Singapore-Dubai flights until August 2. It also added services to Singapore-London Gatwick, and Singapore-Melbourne from late March until 24 October in order to "meet increased demand". 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.