Lufthansa's 'Economy Basic" is the latest salvo in the battle over carry-on luggage size.

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• Lufthansa offers discounted fares in Europe, but limits the number of free carry-ons.

  Lufthansa has announced plans for "Economy Basic", a new fare in Europe that will add a new option to the'struggle of passengers with size restrictions on carry-on luggage. The German airline group announced on Thursday that those who want to bring more baggage can add carry-on and checked luggage as an?add-on service within this special fare, or select a fare with increased?baggage allowances. The new low-cost fares will be available online from May 19 for all brands, starting with the first flights in April. The new fares will offer a discount on the existing "Economy Light", which will also include a rebooking option for a fee. Lufthansa said that this will allow "a clear and transparent selection tailored to each individual's needs". Lufthansa, a full-service European airline that offers basic fares with an additional charge for any in-cabin luggage beyond the personal item offered by a few large U.S. carriers like?United Airlines?, could set a trend. The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, which has pushed up jet fuel prices, has prompted airlines to raise fares and cut their financial outlook. American Airlines has increased the fees for checked bags by 10 cents each, for the first bag and the second bag. The third bag will be charged $150 on short-haul flights. The airline also reduced certain benefits for passengers in economy class.

• Lufthansa's 'Economy Basic" is the latest salvo in the battle over carry-on luggage size.

  Lufthansa Group announced plans for an "Economy Basics" fare, which adds a new spin to the 'fighting between 'passengers over size restrictions on carry-on luggage. The German airline group announced on Thursday that those who want to bring more baggage can add it as an add-on. The new low-cost fares will be available online from May 19, for all brands including Lufthansa and?SWISS. The "entry-level" fare is designed to complement the existing "Economy Light", which would then be enhanced with a rebooking option for a small fee. Lufthansa said that the enhanced fare structure allows for a "clear and transparent" selection, tailored to each individual's needs.

• Lufthansa loses its appeal in the state aid dispute with Ryanair

  The German airline 'Lufthansa' lost its appeal against a court ruling on Thursday that invalidated EU approval for state aid it received during the COVID epidemic. This confirmed a victory for Ryanair, the rival. The European Union Court of Justice rejected Lufthansa’s appeal. It upheld a General Court decision that invalidated the European Commission’s decision to clear recapitalisation of the airline. In a?statement, the court said that the Court of Justice dismissed Lufthansa’s appeal today and upheld the General Court’s ruling. The original ruling was made in 2023, following a legal challenge by Ryanair. "We note the European Court of Justice ruling. ?At a similar time, we'd like to highlight?that ECJ ruling can be taken into consideration by the European Commission investigation that has been going on since 2024. Lufthansa stated that it would engage in a constructive process, and was in constant contact with the?relevant institutions. Lufthansa has also been affected by strike action and is currently embroiled in an ongoing dispute with its pilots union regarding pensions. The group announced on Tuesday that it would be cutting 20,000 short-haul flight from its schedule until October. Earlier this month, the group announced the permanent removal of 27 CityLine aircraft citing higher jet fuel prices and industrial action costs. The European Commission or?Ryanair didn't immediately respond to our requests for comment. Reporting by 'Inti Landauro, Yun Chee Foo, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Ilona Wissenbach, and Mark Potter in Frankfurt. Additional reporting by Miranda Murray, in Berlin.

• German, French ministers differ over fighter jet decision timeline

  On Wednesday, the German and French defence ministers gave 'differing' timelines for a decision to be made on the Franco-German FCAS Fighter Jet Project. One said that the leaders of the two countries would decide soon. The other stated that mediators wanted more time to discuss this matter. The plans to create a futuristic system of air combat with Spain hang by a thin thread due to a public disagreement over the control between France's Dassault and Airbus which represents Germany?and Spain on the 100 billion euro ($117billion) project. The mediators tried to resolve the 'dispute' by April 18 but these efforts failed. It appears that the final decision is now in the hands of the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the French President Emmanuel Macron. Boris Pistorius, German defence minister, told reporters that the decision was made by the heads of state. I expect that a decision will be made this week about how to proceed. Merz and Macron will meet during this week's European summit in Cyprus. Catherine Vautrin, the French Minister of Defence, said at a hearing in parliament that the mediators from both countries had requested more time. They were supposed to deliver their conclusions on 18 April, to be exact. Vautrin stated that they requested an extra 10 days. The dispute centers on the?leadership? of the core fighter component of plans to create an 'interconnected fleet' of crewed aircraft and armed drones, under a digital umbrella. Insiders believe that Germany and France will abandon the?development?of the joint fighter plane but continue their cooperation?on drones, the so-called digital backbone or combat cloud. Macron is viewed as politically uncomfortable if he reverts the plan. Vautrin said there were three main?issues. These included intellectual property, workshare (the allocation of responsibilities) and certification concerns.

• Airline cancels flights due to Middle East conflict

  The global air travel industry is still severely affected by the Iran War. Many people are unable to reach their destinations as planned after major Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi were closed. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES Greece's biggest carrier will resume its flights to Tel Aviv on?April 28. Flights from Heraklion, Rhodes and Larnaca will be available on May 3, May 3, and May 21, respectively. Thessaloniki-Tel Aviv flights are cancelled up until June 26. The airline has canceled flights to Beirut, Riyadh, Amman and Dubai until June 28. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, has announced that flights to Tel Aviv are cancelled until May 31, 2019. Dubai flights are cancelled until 24 October. AIR CANADA The Canadian carrier has canceled flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until September 7. AIR EUROPA Spanish Airlines has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv till May 31. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France has suspended Tel Aviv flights to Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until May 3. KLM suspends flights to Riyadh and Dubai until the 14th of June. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has suspended its flights to Dubai, Riyadh and cargo freighter service to Dubai and Riyadh up until May 31, and until June 30, respectively. In April, the airline will add extra flights to London and Paris to meet the surge in demand for travel to Europe. It intends to continue operating all scheduled flights after June. The U.S. carrier cancelled all flights between New York and Tel Aviv, and has delayed the start of its Atlanta to Tel Aviv route till September 5. The launch of the Boston-Tel Aviv route, originally scheduled for late October, was delayed. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES From April 27, the Israeli airline will be operating flights to around 40 active gateways. The cancellation of all flights to Dubai is in effect until May 31. EMIRATES The UAE airline announced that it will be operating a reduced schedule and flying to over 100 destinations. ETIHAD AERWAYS The UAE carrier has announced that it operates a commercial flight schedule from Abu Dhabi to around 80 destinations. FINNAIR Finnair has canceled its Doha flights up to July 2 and is continuing to avoid the airspace over Iraq, Iran Syria, and Israel. Dubai flights will only be resumed in October. British Airways, owned by IAG, will reduce flights to the Middle East once services resume. Jeddah is no longer a destination. From July 1, it plans to reduce the number of flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv from two daily flights to just one. Riyadh's two daily flights will be reduced to just one starting in mid-May. The changes will apply until the end of the summer season on October 24. One Dubai service will restart on October 16. Iberia Express, the Spanish low-cost carrier of IAG, has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 31. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines suspends scheduled Doha-Tokyo and Tokyo-Doha flight schedules until June 1. Japan Airlines will operate additional flights between Tokyo, London and Doha on April 25. The Polish airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv till May 31. The airline also cancelled flights from March 31 until May 30 to Beirut and Riyadh. The airline will operate its winter route from Dubai to October. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa Cargo and Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Edelweiss and Swiss have suspended flights from Dubai and Tel Aviv to May 31 and from Abu Dhabi to Amman, Beirut Dammam, Riyadh Erbil Muscat and Tehran to October 24. ITA Airways has extended its suspension of flights from and to Tel Aviv and Riyadh till May 10. Flights from and to Dubai have been suspended until May 31. Eurowings, a low-cost airline, plans to suspend its flights to Tel Aviv and Erbil from May 11 to May 14, and Dubai Abu Dhabi and Amman till October 24. MALAYSIA AIRLINES Malaysian Airlines has suspended flights to Doha up until June 14. NORWEGIAN AIR The low-cost airline has delayed the launch of its Tel Aviv, Beirut and Beirut services until June 15. PEGASUS Pegasus Airlines, Turkey's national airline, has cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman Beirut, Kuwait Bahrain Doha Dammam Riyadh Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah and Abu Dhabi until June 1. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline cancels flights to Doha until June 30, and to Dubai until May 31, QANTAS Australia's flag airline is adding more flights to Rome and Paris in response to a surge in demand for European destinations. Flights from Perth to Singapore will be increased from daily to ten flights per week. A new schedule for flights will be implemented gradually from mid-April until late July. QATAR AIRWAYS The airline said that it would be expanding its international flight network with more than 150 destinations starting on?June 16th. SINGAPORE Airlines In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended the suspension of Singapore-Dubai flights until May 31. It will also add services on Singapore-London Gatwick (late March) and Singapore-Melbourne (late March-October 24). TURKISH AIRLINES SunExpress, Turkish Airlines joint venture with Lufthansa has cancelled flights from Dubai to April 30. WIZZ AIR Low-cost carrier suspends flights from Europe to Amman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until mid-September. All flights to Medina are suspended indefinitely. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed. Elviira Loma, Tiago Branao, Agnieszka Olenka, Bernadette HOG, Boleslaw LaSocki, Romolo Tosiani. Sumana Nady, Joe Bavier Mark Potter Milla Nissi -Prussak, Susan Fenton and Susan Fenton edited the book.

• Wall Street Journal April 22,

  These are the most popular stories from?the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and?has no?guarantee for their accuracy. Iraqi and U.S. officials said that the Trump administration has frozen security programs with Iraq's military as well as suspended U.S. dollars shipments. This is a way to increase pressure on Baghdad, to demantle powerful Iranian backed militias. Kevin Warsh, the Fed's nominee for chair, told senators that he would make a radical departure from recent monetary policy. He also promised to maintain independence from President Obama who has frequently expressed his desire for looser monetary policies. Amazon.com is launching a GLP-1 treatment program through its One Medical primary healthcare arm. United Airlines has said that it has already adjusted its schedule to take into account the volatile and high fuel prices. These are partly due to disruptions caused by the war in Iran. Attorney General Letitia J. James of New York filed lawsuits against the crypto exchanges Coinbase & Gemini accusing them of operating prediction market that violates state gambling laws. Medicare will extend its short-term program that pays for weight-loss medications such as Eli Lilly's Zepbound or Novo Nordisk Wegovy. This will ensure seniors will have access to these popular drugs next year.

• GE Aerospace maintains outlook despite fuel price surge that slows growth of flights and tests airlines

  GE Aerospace announced on Tuesday that it is on track to reach the top end of its profit forecast for 2026, but it is bracing itself for a more challenging backdrop?of higher oil prices, fuel shortages and slower growth globally, despite not expecting a recession. The warning from the engine manufacturer comes at a time when a rise in jet fuel costs following the Iran War is emerging as a new stress test for airlines, its main customers. This will squeeze margins and lead to capacity cuts in certain markets. GE Aerospace's forecast of adjusted profit between $7.10 and $7.40 per share in 2026 assumes that Brent crude prices will remain high through the third quarter, before easing at year-end, along with near-term fuel supply constraints. Fuel shock hits the outlook The Ohio-based firm said that its outlook includes a cautious second half. This could include airlines cutting back on maintenance, delaying engine shipments, and cutting spending, if business activity is weakening. The company also anticipates a flat or?low single-digit increase in flight departures for this year. This is down from a previous estimate of'mid-single digits,' signaling a cautious view on airline activity. CEO Larry Culp said the company would have increased its forecast?if it weren't for the uncertainty. He cited a strong quarter and a high level of visibility into the second. In an interview, he stated that "every time we've seen these moments they can trigger a delayed softness but then?we come back roaring." GE Aerospace's shares fell about 1% during early trading. DEMAND FOR SERVICES HOLDS UP Aircraft departures drive GE's Services business. More flying leads to more engine wear and maintenance. The company stated that the slowdown will be uneven. Middle East is expected to experience greater pressures in the near term, while other regions are more resilient. GE is expecting only a small impact on revenue and profits this year due to the sticky nature of maintenance contracts for engines that are already in use. In the past, service demand has lagged behind declines in air travel for about an year. This buffer can be used even if airline activity is weakening. This cushion is further reinforced by a strong demand. GE has already locked in a large part of its maintenance workload for 2026. Many engines are already in service or scheduled to be serviced, and the demand for spares continues to exceed supply. According to the company, there has been no significant change in customer behaviour so far. Airlines continue to follow their planned maintenance schedules. Culp stated that even if customers are hesitant to start work, other customers will be ready to help. He said that he was aware of a number of airlines who were waiting behind him and would gladly take his place in line. "I'm not aware of a customer trying to reschedule a shop visit at this time." Culp stated that any impact of weaker flying would more likely delay than destroy demand. The tight supply of aircraft is also a boon for GE. As Boeing and Airbus deliveries continue to fall short of demand, airlines are extending their fleets' lives. This is a factor that contributes to the need for engine maintenance. GE engines are used in a significant number of flights around the world, giving them a broad exposure. The company's own supply chain is improving, which helps it to increase output. The 'quarter saw a sharp increase in engine deliveries, largely due to better availability of materials. GE has said that it does not expect any changes to the schedule for its GE9X program, which powers Boeing’s 777X, despite a durability issue previously revealed involving a sealing. The company has said that it has found the cause of the problem and is working on a solution. According to LSEG, the company's adjusted earnings for the first quarter came in at $1.86, exceeding analysts' expectations of $1.60. Reporting by Rajesh Singh in Chicago, and Shivansh in Bengalur Editing by Arun K. Koyyur and Mark Potter

• Spanish consumer group challenges Volotea’s fuel-related surcharges

  Facua, a Spanish consumer group, demanded an investigation on Monday into the low-cost carrier Volotea’s new pricing policy that links ticket prices with fuel costs. This could result in a possible post-purchase charge of up to 16 euros. Volotea in Spain's northern Asturias region introduced the temporary policy a few days ago after oil & jet fuel prices soared because of the U.S. - Israel war on Iran. The company said that 97% customers have since decided to continue with their travel plans. Facua reports that it's the first Spanish airline to implement surcharges. Facua asked Spain's Consumer Affairs Ministry (Ministry of Consumer Affairs) to review this policy. They argued that it could violate consumer protection laws which prohibit "altering ticket prices" after purchase. The ministry's spokesperson confirmed that it received Facua’s complaint and will study it. The?European Consumer Organisation(BEUC) supports Facua, citing EU transparency rules that require airlines to disclose upfront all charges included in the final ticket cost. BEUC stated that passengers with valid tickets are entitled to board the aircraft without any additional charges. Volotea announced on Monday that the measure only applied to bookings made after March 16th, and that passengers who purchased tickets before then were not affected. The airline said that the mechanism was transparent, did not aim to generate profit and was based on a predefined table and Brent crude price rather than airline discretion. Volotea stated that the mechanism was transparent and did not seek to make a profit. It was based upon the Brent crude price, a predefined chart, and not airline discretion. Volotea's "Fair Travel Promise", a policy that aims to offer "more flexibility and transparency to passengers in the face of volatile energy prices", has stated earlier. It allows passengers to cancel or change their bookings up to 4 hours before departure. According to the policy, seven days prior to departure, the airline will review publicly available fuel prices and adjust fares. If prices rise above a certain level of reference, the airline may add a?surcharge upto 14 euros per person per flight, or refund the difference in case prices drop. Although Volotea refused to give oil reference prices,?Facua stated that the maximum surcharge corresponds to oil prices above $105 per barrel. Oil prices between $65 and $75 are exempt from surcharges, but passengers may receive refunds of $30 if the price drops below this level.

• Airline cancels flights due to Middle East conflict

  The global air travel industry is still severely affected by the Iran War. Many people are unable to reach their destinations as planned after major Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi were closed. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES The largest airline in Greece has cancelled flights to Riyadh, Amman and Tel Aviv until June 27 and to Beirut and Beirut till June 26. The airline cancelled flights to Erbil, Baghdad and Dubai until June 29, and also to Erbil, Baghdad and Baghdad. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, says that flights to Tel Aviv are cancelled until May 31, 2019. Flights to Dubai have been cancelled until 24 October. AIR CANADA The Canadian carrier has canceled?flights? to Tel Aviv and Dubai up until September 7. AIR EUROPA Spanish Airlines has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv till May 31. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France has suspended Tel Aviv flights to Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until May 3. KLM suspends flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai until May 17, and until June 14. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has suspended its flights to Dubai, Riyadh and cargo freighter service to Dubai and Riyadh up until June 30, and until May 31, respectively. In April, the airline will add extra flights to London and Paris, as well as Zurich, to meet the increased demand for travel to Europe. It intends to continue operating all scheduled flights after June. The U.S. carrier cancelled flights between New York and Tel Aviv, and delayed the start of its Atlanta-Tel Aviv routes until September 5. The launch of the Boston-Tel Aviv flight, originally scheduled for late October, was delayed. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES The Israeli airline said that it will?continue to gradually expand its operations and, from April 27, will operate flights to around 40 active gateways. EMIRATES The UAE airline announced that it will be operating a reduced schedule and flying to over 100 destinations. ETIHAD AERWAYS The UAE carrier said that it operates a commercial flight schedule from Abu Dhabi to around 80 destinations. FINNAIR The Finnish airline has cancelled all flights to Doha until July 2 and continues to avoid the airspace over Iraq, Iran Syria, and Israel. Dubai flights will only be resumed in October. British Airways, owned by IAG, will reduce flights to?the Middle East? when services resume. Jeddah, as a destination for good, will be permanently dropped. From?July,? it plans to reduce the number of flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv from two to one per day. Riyadh will be reduced from two daily flights to one starting in mid-May. The changes will be in effect until the end of the summer season on October 24. One Dubai service will restart on October 16. Iberia Express, the Spanish low-cost carrier of IAG, has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 31. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines suspends scheduled Doha-Tokyo and Tokyo-Doha flight schedules until May 10. Japan Airlines has also announced additional flights between Tokyo, London and Doha on April 25. The Polish airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv till May 31. The airline also cancelled flights from March 31 until May 30 to Beirut and Riyadh. The airline will operate its winter route from Dubai to October. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa and Swiss Airlines suspended flights from Dubai and Tel Aviv to October 24, and Amman, Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Dammam and Riyadh to October 24. Lufthansa Cargo will remain the same except for Tel Aviv, which is suspended until April 30. ITA Airways has extended its suspension of flights from and to Tel Aviv and Riyadh till May 10. Flights from and to Dubai have been suspended until May 31. Eurowings, a low-cost airline, plans to suspend flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut through April 30, and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until October 24. MALAYSIA AIRLINES Malaysian Airlines has suspended all flights to Doha till?June 14 NORWEGIAN AIR The low-cost carrier has delayed the launch of its Tel Aviv, Beirut and Beirut services until June 15. PEGASUS Pegasus Airlines, Turkey's national airline, has cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman Beirut, Kuwait Bahrain Doha Dammam Riyadh Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah and Abu Dhabi until June 1. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline cancels flights to Doha until June 30, and those to Dubai till May 31. QANTAS Australia's national carrier has added flights to Rome, Paris and other European destinations to meet the increased demand. The number of flights to Paris is to increase to five return flights a week, up from three. Perth-Singapore will also go from daily service to 10 flights. A new schedule for flights will be implemented gradually from mid-April until late July. QATAR AIRWAYS From June 16, the carrier will expand its international flight network to include more than 150 destinations. SINGAPORE Airlines In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended the suspension of its Singapore-Dubai flights until May 31. 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 from Dubai to April 30. WIZZ AIR Low-cost carrier suspends flights from Europe to Amman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until mid-September. All flights to Medina are suspended indefinitely. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed. Elviira Loma, Tiago Branao, Agnieszka Olenka, Bernadette HOG, Boleslaw LaSocki, Romolo Tosiani. Editing by Sumana Nady, Joe Bavier Mark Potter and Milla Nussi-Prussak

• CORRECTED: Airlines cancel flights due to Middle East conflict

  The global air travel industry is still severely affected by the Iran War. Many people are unable to fly to their destinations as planned after major Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi were closed. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES The largest airline in Greece has cancelled flights from Tel Aviv to Beirut and Tel Aviv to Amman. It cancelled flights from Erbil to Baghdad and Dubai to June 29. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, has announced that flights to Tel Aviv are cancelled until May 31. Dubai flights are cancelled up until October 24. AIR CANADA The Canadian carrier has canceled flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai and other destinations until September 7. AIR EUROPA Spanish Airlines has canceled flights to Tel Aviv till May 31. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France has suspended Tel Aviv flights to Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until May 3. KLM suspends flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai until May 17, and until June 14. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has suspended its flights to Dubai, Riyadh and cargo freighter service to Dubai and Riyadh up until June 30, and until May 31, respectively. In April, the airline will add extra flights to London and Paris, as well as Zurich, to meet the increased demand for travel to Europe. It intends to continue operating all scheduled flights after June. The U.S. carrier cancelled all New York-Tel Aviv flight and has delayed the start of its Atlanta to Tel Aviv route till September 5. The launch of the Boston-Tel Aviv flight, originally planned for late October has been postponed until further notice. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES Customers who had planned to leave Israel between April 18 and May 1 have been denied access to their flights, including return flights. From April 13, the number of destinations will be increased to 30 and then gradually increase throughout the month. EMIRATES Emirates Airlines has announced that it will be operating a reduced flight schedule to more than 100 locations. ETIHAD AERWAYS The UAE carrier said that it operates a commercial flight schedule from Abu Dhabi to around 80 destinations. FINNAIR The Finnish airline has cancelled all Doha flights up until July 2 and continues to avoid airspace in Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Israel. The airline will only resume its Dubai flights by October. British Airways, owned by IAG, will reduce flights to the Middle East once services resume. Jeddah is no longer a destination. The plan is to reduce the number of flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv to one per day starting in July. Riyadh will be reduced from two daily flights down to just one starting in mid-May. The changes will apply until the end of the summer season on October 24. One Dubai service will restart on October 16. Iberia Express, the Spanish low-cost carrier of IAG, has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until May 31. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines suspends scheduled Doha-Tokyo and Tokyo-Doha flight schedules until May 10. Japan Airlines has also announced additional flights between Tokyo, London and Doha on April 25. The Polish airline has suspended flights to Tel Aviv till May 31. The airline also cancelled flights from March 31 until May 30 to Beirut and Riyadh. The airline will operate its winter route from Dubai to October. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa and Swiss Airlines have suspended flights from Dubai and Tel Aviv to October 24, and Amman, Beirut and Dammam to Riyadh. Lufthansa Cargo will be the same except for Tel Aviv, which is suspended until April 30. ITA Airways has extended its suspension of flights from and to Tel Aviv and Riyadh till May 10. Flights from and to?Dubai have been suspended until May 31. Eurowings, a low-cost airline, plans to suspend its flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut through April 30, and to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until October 24. MALAYSIA AIRLINES Malaysia Airlines has suspended all flights to Doha till June 14. NORWEGIAN AIR The low-cost carrier has delayed the launch of Tel Aviv and Beirut flights until June 15. PEGASUS Pegasus Airlines, Turkey's national airline, has cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman Beirut, Kuwait Bahrain Doha Dammam Riyadh Dubai Abu Dhabi Sharjah and Abu Dhabi until May 1. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline cancels flights to Doha until June 30, and to Dubai until May 31, QANTAS Australia's national carrier has added flights to Rome, Paris and other European destinations to meet the increased demand. The number of flights to Paris will be increased from three to five weekly return flights, and the Perth to Singapore service will go from daily to ten flights per week. A new schedule will be implemented gradually for flights starting in mid-April, and running until late July. QATAR AIRWAYS The airline said that it would be expanding its international flight networks, offering services to 150 destinations from June 16th. SINGAPORE Airlines In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended the suspension of Singapore-Dubai flights until May 31 and added services on Singapore-London Gatwick (late March) and Singapore-Melbourne (late March-October 24). TURKISH AIRLINES SunExpress, Turkish Airlines joint venture with Lufthansa has cancelled flights from Dubai to April 30. WIZZ AIR Low-cost carrier suspends flights from Europe to Amman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi until mid-September. All flights to Medina are suspended indefinitely. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed. Elviira Loma, Tiago Branao, Agnieszka Olenka, Bernadette HOG, Boleslaw LaSocki, Romolo Tosiani. Editing by Sumana Nady, Joe Bavier Mark Potter and Milla Nussi-Prussak

• EU jet fuel stock could be released if the disruption to Hormuz continues

  An?EU spokesperson said on?Friday that the?European Union was prepared to coordinate a release?of?jet fuel stocks if disruptions to the Strait?of Hormuz persisted, even though Iran temporarily reopened this key waterway. European regulators and airlines have warned that flight cancellations and aircraft groundings could disrupt summer travel, if jet fuel supply bottlenecks in the Middle East related to the Iran War do not ease soon. Iran announced on Friday that it will reopen the Strait Of Hormuz for commercial shipping after a ceasefire in Lebanon. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said that a U.S. navy blockade would continue until an agreement with Tehran was reached. Hapag-Lloyd, a shipping?firm, said that it would not transit the Strait of?Hormuz until it had assessed?Iran?s announcement. There are currently no fuel shortages within the EU. "We are preparing, however, for possible shortages of jet-fuel," said the EU spokesperson in a press release. The bloc could release its reserves if the Strait remains disrupted. If the situation in the Strait of Hormuz persists, the EU is preparing for a coordinated release of jet fuel. The spokesperson said that Iran's announcement?did not change current plans and it would become clearer next weekend whether or not the strait is open. The comments are the most direct the 'EU has made so far. They follow an earlier call by Germany's biggest aviation lobby to release Europe's strategic jet-fuel'reserves' in support of the sector. Next week, the 'EU will also announce plans to optimize refinery capacity in order to address an upcoming jet fuel shortage. (Reporting by Joanna Plucinska. (Editing by Hugh Lawson, Mark Potter and Hugh Lawson)

• As tensions over Iran show, Lufthansa grounded planes and easyJet bookings fell.

  EasyJet, a British airline, said that its bookings were?lagging behind last year's figures. Lufthansa in Germany was the first major airline to ground aircraft due to high fuel prices as airlines accounted for the cost of the Iran War. Investors have warned easyJet that it may need to revise its outlook for the entire year, as uncertainty about jet fuel supplies, and the impact of war, could lead to other revisions. Wizz Air announced that its net profit would be cut by 50 million euros ($59 million). Air France-KLM will report its first quarter results on April 30 after adding a fuel surcharge to its tickets. Dutch carrier KLM (a subsidiary of Air France KLM) announced on Thursday that it will cut 160 flights due to fuel prices in the next month. Analysts predict that further capacity cuts, grounded flights, and surcharges will be implemented. Markets will closely monitor airline results to get a better idea of how the war is impacting their fragile revenue and profit margins. Nigerian airlines warned on Thursday that they may stop flying because of high jet fuel costs, and the European Union is set to announce measures to increase refinery capacity following warnings from European airports about an impending fuel crunch. The conflict in the Middle East is causing near-term uncertainty about fuel prices and customer demand. EasyJet reported that the booking curve had shortened as expected in recent weeks. This has resulted in a lower than usual forward visibility. EasyJet shares dropped by up to 9%. Ryanair, Wizz Air and other airlines also fell. Lufthansa's shares fell 1.36% by 1416 GMT, shortly after the announcement. Analysts and investors have said that easyJet may need to revise their forecast for the year. However, the strength of the airline's holidays business and its balance sheet could help shield it from the current turmoil. Dudley Shanley said, "We expect the forecast to come back in FY26," adding that lower bookings and yields are contributing to investor scepticism. Later Bookings, More Domestic Travel The Iran War has sent jet-fuel prices soaring. This has upended the global aviation industry, forcing airlines to increase fares, curtail growth plans, and rethink their forecasts. EasyJet CEO Kentonjarvis stated on a press call that travelers are booking closer before their travel dates. There has been a shift in the initial travel patterns to domestic city destinations. We're seeing a shift towards a later booking period. If there's any shift in travel, it is a slight move away from the eastern Mediterranean and a small amount towards the western Mediterranean," Jarvis said, adding that travel was slowly improving to Cyprus, Egypt, and Turkey. Lufthansa launched several new flights into Asia to take advantage of the shifting demand due to war. It promised to continue with its restructuring strategy and promised investors a more cost-efficient, streamlined company. The decision to ground 27 planes for its CityLine subsidiary and four older jets for its core carrier Lufthansa has rattled unions. In recent weeks, pilots and cabin staff at Lufthansa have been involved in costly and disruptive strikes. Summer Fuel Hedged The airlines have stated that it is hard to predict the demand in 2026, as travelers fear price increases and travel chaos. EasyJet's Jarvis stated that 30% of the seats for the July to September fourth quarter were sold. However, load factors (the percentage of seats filled by paying passengers) was uncertain. He said that it would depend on the market conditions in late summer and the outcome of the conflict over the next two weeks. EasyJet had warned that the Iran War would increase ticket prices at the end of the Summer and have impacted bookings. It said it had well hedged fuel volatility, with 70% summer fuel fixed at $706 per ton. Nevertheless, the hedges will start to unwind towards the end the summer. This could result in higher fares. "Pricing will be protected for the short-term." Jarvis told reporters that if the price of fuel continues to rise, it will affect all industries.