Latest News
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There are some flights to the Middle East that have resumed but there is still disruption.
The Middle East is gradually getting back some of its flights as regional carriers rebuild their schedules following war-related disruptions, but the conflict continues to disrupt wider traffic flows. Middle Eastern airlines are adding capacity following the severe disruption caused by the Iran War, while many carriers outside of the Gulf continue to divert Europe-Asia flight to avoid the Middle East. The latest flight information is listed below alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES Thessaloniki-Tel?Aviv flights were cancelled by Greece's biggest carrier until June 26. Dubai flights are cancelled up until August 31. Erbil, Baghdad and Erbil flights will be cancelled until July 2. AIRBALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until the 28th of June. 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 up until the 28th of June. AIR FRANCE-KLM Air France has suspended flights from Tel Aviv until June 14 and those to Beirut and Dubai till June 17. Air France suspended flights to Riyadh until June 2. Tickets for the first flight, scheduled for June 6, are available on their website. KLM has suspended flights from Dubai to Riyadh until July 12, and until August 2 to Dammam and Riyadh. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has suspended its 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 flights starting September 6. It has delayed the launch of the Boston-Tel Aviv flight, which was planned for late October. FINNAIR It has cancelled all flights to Doha until October 2 and continues to avoid the airspaces of Iraq, Iran Syria, and Israel. The airline will resume its Dubai flights in October, which are only operated during the winter. IAG-owned, British Airways has 'delayed the return of flights to Doha and Riyadh to August 8th. Flights from Amman, Bahrain, Amman, Dubai, Tel Aviv and Dubai are suspended until the end of summer. They are expected to resume on October 25, 2010. When the flights resume, it plans to reduce service to Dubai, Doha and Riyadh to just one flight per day, while dropping Jeddah from its list of destinations. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines has suspended its scheduled Tokyo-Doha and Doha-Tokyo flight until August 1, as well as Doha-Tokyo until July 31. 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 as of July 1. SWISS delayed the return of flights to August, and Brussels Airlines suspended operations until October 24. The suspension of Dubai flights by Lufthansa SWISS and ITA Airways continues until September 13th. Until October 24, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS have suspended their flights to Abu Dhabi and other destinations, including Amman, Beirut and Dammam as well as Riyadh. Erbil, Muscat, Tehran and Riyadh are also affected. Eurowings, a low-cost carrier, has suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Beirut and Erbil until June 22, and to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until October 24. ITA Airways?also has extended the suspension of their?flights from Riyadh to June 30. MALAYSIA AIRLINES From July 2, the Malaysian airline will resume limited service to Doha. NORWEGIAN AIR The low-cost carrier has delayed the launch of Tel Aviv and Beirut flights until June 15. QANTAS Australia's national carrier has added flights to Rome, Paris and London to meet the increased demand for European routes. The number of flights to Paris is increasing to five return flights per week, up from three. Perth-Singapore will also increase from daily service to 10 flights each week. A new schedule will be implemented gradually for flights starting in mid-April. It will run through late July. ROYAL MAROC Moroccan airline said that flights to Doha have been cancelled until 30 June. SINGAPORE Airlines In response to increased demand, the carrier has extended?its Singapore - Dubai flight suspension until August 2 and added services on the Singapore - London Gatwick?and Singapore - Melbourne routes from late march until October 24. TURKISH AIRLINES SunExpress, Turkish Airlines joint venture with Lufthansa has cancelled flights until June 30, including to Dubai, Bahrain and Erbil. 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 Louma, Tiago Branao, Agnieszka Olesnska, Bernadette HOG, Boleslaw LaSocki, Romolo Tosiani, and Bernadette Hogg. Matt Scuffham and Alexander Smith edited by Milla Nissi, Susan Fenton, Jonathan Ananda, Milla Nissi-Prussak, and Jonathan Ananda.
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A Boeing 787 nose gear collapse caused injuries in Frankfurt
The nose gear of a Boeing 787?jetliner collapsed unexpectedly at a gate in Frankfurt airport, according to its operator Lufthansa. A spokesperson for the company said that passengers had not yet boardinged the plane in an email?statement. They added that ground staff and crew were on board at the time the incident occurred, first reported by Bloomberg News. The?company said that "multiple staff members were injured and are receiving medical treatment." Photographer spotted multiple emergency vehicles around the two engine widebody aircraft that was partially lying on its belly. Lufthansa reported that the incident happened at 12:45 pm (1045 GMT) and the plane was due to leave for Los Angeles on flight LH450. The company said that it was investigating "the exact circumstances" with the authorities. The 787 is relatively new for the group. It plans to phase out older, less efficient jets and simplify its fleet. (Reporting from Kai Pfaffenbach and Thomas Seythal, with editing by Linda Pasquini.)
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Airbus delivered 81 planes in May, after the China bottleneck eased
Airbus delivered 81 aircraft in may, up from a year earlier. This was partly due to planes released after a regulatory stand-off with China. Airbus declined to comment on delivery ahead of the monthly update scheduled for Friday. It delivered 51 jets in May 2025. Airbus announced in April that deliveries were delayed in the first quarter of this year due to "administrative issues" in China that have since been resolved. Two people familiar with the situation said that China appeared to be holding up the delivery of new Airbus aircraft in order to exert pressure on European regulators regarding the certification of the C919 passenger jet, which is not yet granted. According to the?La Tribune, who first reported on the standoff May 11, about?20 aircraft were affected by this hold-up. In response to a Bloomberg article on the regulatory dispute, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency stated that work on validating C919 "progresses with the full co-operation" of Chinese officials and the manufacturer COMAC. Bloomberg reported that this problem had been ongoing for several months. Analysts say it is too early to know if 'May's' acceleration will be enough to eliminate concerns about Airbus's ability to 'achieve its target of 870 deliveries this year', which depends also on wider supply-chain problems. A350 deliveries have been delayed by missing cabin equipment or engines, as well as the slow delivery of parts from the former Spirit AeroSystems factory in the United States. Rob Morris, a UK-based analyst, said Airbus would need to maintain a strong momentum over the next few months in order to remain on track. He added that Airbus is "making progress" towards clearing their stored inventory. (Reporting and editing by Kirby Donovan; Tim Hepher)
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Bulgaria reports that the expansion of its gas infrastructure is progressing according to schedule
Rumen Radev, Bulgaria's Prime Minister, said that the country's energy infrastructure expansion is?progressing and?running on schedule. In an effort to counter Russian influence in southern Europe, last year the United States signed a long term deal to export liquefied gas to Greece, then through Bulgaria and Romania, to Ukraine via the so-called Vertical gas Corridor. This route would also allow for gas flows to flow the other way. Radev stated that Bulgaria is meeting its commitments, in a statement made in Sofia with the Greek Prime Minister KyriakosMitsotakis. Radev stated that the Vertical Corridor was being implemented "on time". We have finished the works in Southern Bulgaria, and are now working on the northern Bulgaria. As part of this scheme, Bulgaria is also working to increase capacity of its existing?gas pipe with Greece from 2 billion cubic meters to 5 billion. Radev said that Bulgaria was interested in taking a part in the management of Kavala in northern Greece, as a part of a Greek and Bulgarian rail freight corridor scheme. The scheme aims to connect northern Greece's port cities?to Bulgarian ports on the Black Sea and Danube without having to cross the Bosporus Strait. Mitsotakis stated that the matter was mainly a concern for 'the private investors that now manage a part of the port. But he said if a scheme could be developed that involved Greek investments into Bulgarian infrastructure, it would make sense. (Reporting and editing by Kirsten Doovan; Additional reporting by Alex Lefkowitz)
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German AfD official meets with Putin advisor, Gazprom chief
A senior member from Germany's far right Alternative for 'Germany (AfD), met with one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top advisors, as well as the director of energy 'group Gazprom. He called for a reopening the Nord Stream Gas Pipeline. Markus Frohnmaier, the AfD's spokesperson for foreign policy, attends Putin's economic showpiece in St Petersburg despite warnings by Germany's Foreign Ministry, which stated that it "explicitly warned the AfD about these trips". Frohnmaier posted on social media that he met with Alexei Miller, CEO of Gazprom, and Kirill Dimitriev, Putin’s special envoy to invest and cooperate in the economy, on Wednesday. Western sanctions have been imposed on Dmitriev Miller and Gazprom because of Russia's conflict in Ukraine. Frohnmaier has repeatedly called on Germany to resume energy supply with Russia. He said that the meeting?with Miller was focused on the pipeline, and the full resumption in Russian gas deliveries to Germany. Frohnmaier stated that Germany is in a downward economic spiral. The high cost of electricity is a major factor. "This is why we must put all options back on the table including the recommissioning?Nord Stream, and the resumption trade relations with Russia." Gazprom confirmed that the meeting took place with Frohnmaier. Dmitriev posted on his X page: "Looking forward?to?building a GREAT FUTURE with AfD, -Germany's most populous party." The End of Russian Energy Hurts the German Economy, AFD Ascendant Germany's economic system was built over decades on cheap Russian energy. Before Moscow's invasion, Russia provided Germany with over a third its crude oil imports as well as more than half its natural gas. Germany is still reeling from the impact of the Nord Stream Pipeline shutdown, which was caused by explosions that occurred in September 2022. Berlin had to scramble to find an alternative supply. The blasts damaged two of Nord Stream 1’s pipelines. Nord Stream 2 is due to be completed in 2021 and has one pipeline intact. However, Germany halted the project, which never started operations. Russia accuses Ukraine of being the perpetrators, but Kyiv has denied this involvement repeatedly. Opinion polls indicate that the AfD is gaining ground on the conservatives of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who are in a coalition government with the Social Democrats, a centre-left party. With two key state elections in eastern Germany in September, the AfD is hoping to ?win power for the first time in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and polls show it could also take the largest share of votes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The party has criticized Merz for his'strong support of Ukraine' and said it would like to restore relations with Moscow. Frohnmaier, after meeting Dmitriev on X, said: "In a world where many are more comfortable with confrontation rather than dialogue... genuine dialogue is more important than ever." (Reporting and editing by Joe Bavier; Additional reporting in St Petersburg by Vladimir Soldatkin)
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Report: US investor Castlelake contacts MSC to bid for easyJet
Corriere della Sera, an Italian newspaper, reported that Castlelake, a U.S. investment company, is interested in MSC, which is the largest shipping group in the world, as a possible partner for a takeover bid of 'British budget airline easyJet. EasyJet's shares were up by 2.3% at 0803 GMT. They are up about 15% since Castlelake announced last week that it is in the preliminary stages of considering an easyJet takeover. The price would be over 403.23 pence a share. According to British takeover rules, the firm only has until 26 June to either make a bid or walk away. Analysts say that while easyJet called Castlelake's timing as "highly opportunistic", the low valuation of the carrier, its slots at major airports and stable fleet make it an attractive takeover target. Corriere, citing sources familiar with the discussions, reported that if Castlelake decided to "present a formal offer for 'easyJet" by the deadline it hoped to team up with MSC in order to ensure that its bid met EU ownership rules. The article also stated that MSC was a possible suspect and that it had been contacted by two other sources. MSC and easyJet refused to comment on the reports. Castlelake has not responded to the request for comment. MSC is a Swiss-based global group that includes container shipping, logistics operations, terminal and inland transport, as well as passenger cruises. It's run by Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte. It also holds a 49 percent stake in the Italian high-speed railway operator Italo. The report said that a combination with 'easyJet' would allow MSC control of the leisure travel chain, from flights to cruises, similar to the German travel group TUI. EasyJet owns and operates a holiday package business that was launched in 2019. This business is a major contributor to the company's profits, boosting its overall performance. (Reporting from Giulia Segreti, Rome; and Tuhina Ankita Bora, Pushkala Aripaka, Bengaluru. Editing by Gianluca Smeraro and Louise Heavens.
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Major Gulf markets gain on US-Iran peace deal hopes
The major Gulf stock exchanges rose slightly on Thursday in the early trading after Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement ceasefire. This boosted optimism for a larger deal to end the U.S. War with Iran, even though tensions were simmering. A joint statement issued by the U.S. State Department following talks in Washington said that the Israel-Lebanon truce is conditional on the complete cessation from fire of the Iran-aligned Hezbollah and the evacuation?of all their operatives?from the South Litani Sector. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, suggested Wednesday that progress could be made in negotiations with Iran by this weekend. Iran had earlier struck Kuwait, damaging the airport and injuring many, while the U.S. military conducted strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. After a period in which tensions had eased and progress was perceived, the markets remained cautious, according to Ahmad Assiri. Research strategist at Pepperstone. Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index rose?0.1%? in choppy trading. Dubai's main stock index rose 0.3%. The sharia compliant lender Dubai Islamic Bank? grew by 1.3%, and toll operator Salik added?1.3%. In Abu Dhabi the index rose by 0.2%. The Qatari index rose?0.3% with Industries?Qatar adding 0.3%. Brent futures were down 87 cents or 0.89% at $96.92 per barrel as of 0458 GMT. (Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
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Russian officials claim that Ukrainian strikes have killed four people in Crimea
Kremlin officials in the area?said? that four Ukrainians were killed in the Russia annexed Crimea peninsula on Thursday, a day after Moscow and Kyiv exchanged strikes against each other's towns. Sergei Aksyonov is the Russia-appointed leader of Crimea. He said that Ukrainian forces have struck a non-residential area of Simferopol - the peninsula's principal administrative town - killing three and injuring 7. Aksyonov said later on Telegram one person was killed and three?wounded after a Ukrainian drone hit a commuter rail in eastern Crimea. Ukraine has not yet commented. The local governor of Sevastopol in?Crimea, who is now based in Russia, said that air defence units intercepted over 20 Ukrainian drones. He did not mention any casualties but did say that drone debris had damaged a few buildings. After public protests in Kyiv forced a Moscow-friendly Ukrainian president to flee the country, Russia annexed Crimea and seized it in 2014. This was long before its full-scale invasion in 2022. Crimea is popular with Russian tourists. After increasing Ukrainian attacks on oil industry targets in Russia, the region has taken steps to combat fuel shortages. STALLED TALKS The U.S.-brokered negotiations aimed at bringing an end to this more than four-year old war have stagnated as Washington is focused on its war against Iran. Local and regional officials reported that Russian shelling killed three civilians on Wednesday in Kramatorsk - one of Ukraine's "fortress towns" near the frontline - and injured eight others near Dnipro. Ukraine's emergency services reported that on Thursday firefighters were putting out a fire in the Boryspil region outside of Kyiv, after a drone attack?hit an industrial facility, leaving one person injured. The acting regional governor of Bryansk in Russia's border area claimed that a Ukrainian drone had?killed a crane driver. A strike by Ukraine on the oil industry of Moscow included an attack on a terminal at St Petersburg, on Wednesday. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said that such strikes allow Ukraine to "end this war on an equal footing". 23 people were killed by?attacks in Ukrainian cities Tuesday, after Moscow announced it would launch a "systematic" strike in response to a drone attack against a dormitory on Russian-occupied territory. Ukraine denies that it attacked the dormitory. (Reporting and writing by Yuliia Dyesa, Olena Harma, Jekaterina Glubkova in Moscow and Ron Popeski, Mark Trevelyan and Timothy Heritage).
Singapore Airlines is in negotiations for a major new jet order.
Singapore Airlines (SIA), according to two industry sources, is in discussions with Airbus and Boeing about buying at least '50' of the?largest jets of the industry. This will be part of a?next growth phase starting next decade.
They said the Southeast Asian carrier was looking for offers to purchase more 400-seat Boeing 777Xs, the largest model in the industry, or the slightly smaller Airbus A350-1000s. The talks are still in their early stages but may include options to purchase dozens of additional jets.
SIA stated that it reviews fleet'renewal plans regularly and refused to comment on any "confidential discussions" we might or might not be having. Airbus and Boeing declined comment.
SIA is one the world's largest buyers of long haul jets. It has a reputation of meticulously negotiating aircraft contracts that influence fleet decisions around the globe.
Last month, it said that it would expand its capacity despite the fact that some competitors were cutting flights due to rising oil prices.
The airline has been a long-time operator of the Boeing 777 Mini-Jumbo and was a very early customer of its successor, the 777X. However, the 777X has experienced significant delays.
Larger Variants
Sources?said that the?Singapore discussions could also help manufacturers like Airbus gauge demand for larger aircraft still in the planning stages.
Airbus announced last year that it was looking at a larger A350, "dubbed the A350 2000", to compete more directly with 777X. However, it played down reports about an imminent project.
It first floated the idea 10 years ago during an SIA 'contest, when Boeing was mulling over its own 777X extension.
Boeing has agreed to revisit "studies" for a bigger plane after Emirates ordered more 777X in November last year. However, it is cautious due to the limited demand for a jumbo-sized aircraft and its focus on industrial recover. Reporting by Tim Hepher & Julie Zhu. Barbara Lewis, Mark Potter and Barbara Lewis edited the report.
(source: Reuters)