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As the Middle East conflict escalates, airlines cancel more flights
The global air travel industry is still severely affected by the Iran war, which forced the closure of key Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi. This left tens or thousands of passengers stranded. The following is a list of the latest flights in alphabetical order. AEGEAN AIRLINES Flights to Tel Aviv and Baghdad have been cancelled until March 29. Flights to Dubai have been cancelled until the 28th of March and flights to Riyadh are suspended until the 14th. AIR BALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, said that all flights to Tel Aviv were cancelled until the 28th of March. All flights to Dubai are cancelled until March 30. AIR CANADA The Canadian airline cancelled all flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai and all flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv between May 2nd and March 28th. AIR EUROPA All flights from Spain to Tel Aviv have been cancelled until March 20. AIR FRANCE KLM Air France has canceled flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Dubai until March 15, and to Riyadh and Dubai until March 14. KLM has suspended flights to Riyadh and Dubai until 28 March, and flights to Tel Aviv for the rest of winter. CATHAY PACIFIC Hong Kong Airlines has cancelled all flights from and to Dubai, and from and to Riyadh up until March 31. U.S. airline has cancelled flights between New York and Tel Aviv up until March 31, and Tel Aviv-New York until April 1, Atlanta-Tel?Aviv flights have been delayed. Flights to Tel Aviv will now be paused till August 4 and flights back from Tel Aviv until August 5. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES El?AL has cancelled all regular flights until March 19th. EMIRATES The UAE airline announced that it was operating a reduced schedule. ETIHAD AERWAYS The UAE carrier announced that it has resumed limited commercial flights between Abu Dhabi, and a few key destinations. FINNAIR The 'Finnish airline has cancelled Doha flights and Dubai flights up until March 29. It is also avoiding the airspaces of Iraq, Iran and Syria. British Airways, owned by IAG, has cancelled all flights from Abu Dhabi to Amman until the end of this year, and all flights from Doha to Dubai, Doha to Amman and Tel Aviv to later in March. ITA AIRWAYS ITA Airways has extended the cancellation of flights to Dubai until March 28 and suspended flights from Tel Aviv till April 2. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines has suspended all flights between Tokyo and Doha scheduled to run from 28 February until 21 March, as well as Doha-Tokyo flights up to 22 March. The Polish airline announced that all flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv were cancelled until the end of March. LOT has also cancelled flights from March 31 until April 30 to Beirut and to Riyadh. LUFTHANSA GROUP Lufthansa and its partners, Austrian Airlines and Swiss Airlines, have suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Beirut until April 2 and Dubai to March 28. Flights from Tel Aviv to Beirut, Dubai, and Amman were suspended until April 30, and flights to Amman, Erbil and Dammam up to March 15. MALAYSIA AIRLINES Malaysia Airlines has suspended all flights from Doha to March 20. NORWEGIAN AIR The Nordic airline will begin flying to Tel Aviv from June 15 instead of April 1, and Beirut, respectively. PEGASUS Pegasus Airlines has cancelled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Amman Beirut Kuwait, Bahrain Doha Dammam Dubai Abu Dhabi and Sharjah until 31 March. Riyadh flights are cancelled up until March 23. QATAR AIRWAYS The airline operates a limited schedule of flights to and from Doha. It plans to start operating some flights on March 9 following a temporary authorization from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. SAUDIA AIRLINES Saudia suspended flights to Amman, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi until March 12 with some exceptional flights, and Moscow, Peshawar and Doha flights until?March 15 TURKISH AIRLINES Turkish Airlines has cancelled flights from Doha to Doha, Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Kuwait to Bahrain, Dammam, and Doha to Doha until March 19. Flights to Iran have been cancelled until March 20, according to the Turkish Transport Ministry. WIZZ AIR The low-cost carrier suspended flights from Europe to Israel and other destinations in the Middle East until September. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed; edited by Matt Scuffham, Milla Nissi, and Romolo tosiani)
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The Paris Mayoral race tests the support for green transformation
Marion Soulet cycles?to Paris City Hall along an formerly car-choked street that is now a bicycle path and a symbol for?the French Capital's urban green transform that will be tested in Sunday's mayoral elections. Soulet is pleased that the leftist mayor Anne Hidalgo has built about 1,000 km (620 miles) worth of cycle lanes over the past decade. She says this means that nearly half of 'Parisians ride their bicycles at least once per week. Soulet said that the more a city is redesigned for cycling, the more it will increase. She was speaking after stopping her ride on the Rue de Rivoli. People like it because is easy, cheap, and quick. Hidalgo's efforts and those of her predecessors who were leftists in City Hall during the last generation have resulted in the push to transform Paris into a "15 minute-city" with bike lanes, more trees, and less pollution. The ecological legacy of Hidalgo will be a major factor in the Sunday election. Hidalgo is not running, and his right-wing opponents are hoping to take advantage of voter fatigue due to the city's increasingly car-free environment, disruptions caused by roadworks, and mounting debt. Polls indicate that the winner of the election will be either Socialist Emmanuel Gregoire who wants to push the green agenda or former conservative minister Rachida Datti who believes the classic allure Paris has been destroyed. Sarah Knafo is a 32-year-old far right?nationalist who could complicate the situation for Dati, should she reach the second round of the election on 22 March. Knafo is polling above the 10% threshold required to enter a runoff. Dati, 60 years old, polls at about 30%, while Gregoire, 48 is around?33%. Dati, while greeting shoppers at the northern Paris market, said: "We are not in a battle of ideologies on mobility issues." "We want everything to be organized." URBAN TRANSFORMATION WINNS PRAISE, BUT ALSO?FACES CRITICISM Hidalgo is a city initiative that aims to adapt Paris' 2 million residents to the climate change, and to make it livable for ten million people in the metropolitan area. The City Hall has removed thousands of parking spaces on the streets and planted 130,000 new trees. The highways along the Seine River have been pedestrianised. According to data from the city hall, car traffic has dropped by more than 60% since 2002. The use of bicycles has also increased. The air pollution is better. Patrick Le Gales is an urbanist from Sciences-Po University in Paris. "But there has been?strong critics over cleanliness and debt," he stated, referring to an municipal debt of approximately 10 billion euros ($11billion), which is up 42% from 2020. Pierre Chasseray of the 40 Million Motorists lobby group said that Hidalgo has built a Berlin Wall between wealthy residents in Paris's centre and car-dependent suburbian residents who have no say on city decisions. He said: "We have a caricatured picture of the capital, with motorists on the one side and cyclists on another -- the good guys against the bad guys." Hidalgo is also facing viral social media posts that use the hashtag #saccageParis to highlight social blight – everything from chronic roadworks, to trash-strewn walkways. Gregoire attributed this to Hidalgo's being too "ambitious". He said, "We did a lot of things at once." "I would have selected a different schedule, primarily for reasons of quality implementation." DATI IS OUTFLANKED TO HER RIGHT? Dati is a lawyer with North African roots who has toned down her criticism of cycle lanes in order to condemn dirty streets. She released a video showing herself wearing a fluorescent jacket and joining the garbage crews as they made their rounds. She said, "The city has become increasingly dirty. It?hasn't been a secret to anyone." Dati’s increasing moderate stance in transportation issues, and the fact that she will be facing a trial for corruption charges which she denies, has given Knafo an opening. Knafo unveiled an Artificial Intelligence-generated plan to return cars along the Seine's banks and to stage interviews while driving through Paris. Soulet thinks Knafo is appealing to "a small group of Parisians...who want to turn back the clock."
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Senator calls for US watchdog to investigate Texas drone incidents
The top Democrat of the U.S. Senate 'Commerce Aviation Subcommittee called on Friday for a federal investigation into a recent incident of a government use of a laser based 'anti-drone - system in Texas. Senator Tammy Duckworth, who sent the letter to, requested that the inspectors generals of the Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security and Defense jointly investigate the use by the government for high-energy lasers against drones. She stated that the Texas incidents near the Mexican border raise serious questions about interagency coordination, notification procedures and aviation safety protocols. On February 25, the U.S. Military accidentally shot down a government drone using a laser-based system to combat drones. This led the FAA, in response, to extend a?area around Fort Hancock where flights were banned. The incident came after the FAA had banned flights at El Paso Airport for 10 days on February 18, due to the misuse of the laser system by Homeland Security without a complete safety review. After about eight hours, the FAA lifted the El Paso shut down order following White House intervention. Last week, the Pentagon and FAA announced that they were conducting high-energy laser tests in New Mexico to combat drones. This was to address FAA safety concerns. Pentagon officials have said that there are over 1,000 drone incursions on the U.S. border with Mexico each month. U.S. officials are increasingly concerned about the use by Mexican cartels of drones to drop drugs or monitor trafficking routes. Duckworth wants inspector generals review the decision-making processes leading to the use of the systems, and the FAA's decision of closing airspace. They should also evaluate "any risks posed by civilian aircraft, commercial operators or general aviation as well as medical evacuation flights, or other critical air operations. Steve Bradbury, the U.S. deputy transportation secretary, said that better coordination is needed. He said last week that the FAA needed to test so they could become "comfortable with (the laser system) limitations, how it is adjusted, and how it is controlled." Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Toby Chopra and Alexandra Hudson
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Fuel costs are increasing, so airlines are reducing their prices and cutting back on their outlook.
The global aviation industry has been thrown into turmoil by a surge in jet fuel costs, largely due to the ongoing U.S./Israeli war against Iran. Airlines have raised fares and revised their financial forecasts. In recent days, jet?fuel costs have increased from $85 to $90 per barrel to $150 to $200 per barrel for an industry where fuel can account for as much as a quarter or more of the operating expenses. Here is an alphabetical list of the ways airlines are responding to this issue: AEGEAN AIRLINES The Greece-based carrier said on 12 March that it expected suspended Middle East flights as well as a sharp rise in fuel prices to "significantly impact" its first-quarter earnings. AIR FRANCE-KLM On March 12, the French airline announced that it would be increasing long-haul ticket prices in response to rising jet fuel costs. The airline said that cabin fares will increase by 50 euros ($57.32). per round trip. AIR NEW ZEALAND Due to the unprecedented volatility of global jet fuel markets, the airline suspended its fiscal 2026 earnings forecast on March 10. Price increases for domestic flights are NZ$10 ($6), while short-haul international flights will be NZ$20. Long-haul flights will see a price increase of NZ$90. Further price, schedule and network changes may occur if jet-fuel costs continue to rise. CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS Hong Kong Airlines announced on March 12 that it will increase fuel surcharges for all routes starting on March 18. The airline cited a doubled in jet fuel prices from the beginning of the month. In March, the company announced that it reviewed fuel surcharges every month and kept them at $72.90 per flight between Hong Kong and Europe and North America. CEBU AIR On March 13, the Philippines-based airline addressed the ongoing Middle East crisis, citing the sharp rise in fuel costs as a major concern. It stated that it would continue to review its pricing and distribution strategies in order to minimize the negative impact of rising fuel costs. HONG KONG Airlines Fuel surcharges will increase by 35.2% on flights between Hong Kong, the Maldives and Bangladesh. The biggest increases are expected to occur for flights between Hong Kong to Nepal and 384 Hong Kong Dollars ($49). British Airways' owner IAG stated on March 10, that it did not plan to raise ticket prices immediately. It had hedged a large amount of fuel in the short to mid-term. PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS On March 12, the Pakistani carrier announced that it would increase domestic and international flight fares up to $100 and $20 respectively. The airline cited higher fuel surcharges. QANTAS AIRWAYS The Australian airline announced on Tuesday that it will increase fares for its international routes during the week of March 9, and is considering expanding capacity on existing Europe routes. SAS (Scandinavian Airlines), The dominant airline of the Nordic countries announced on 10 March that it had made a temporary adjustment to its prices due to the rising cost of jet fuel. THAI AIRWAYS The Thai-based airline said that it would increase fares by 10% to 15% in order to combat rising fuel costs. UNITED AIRLINES Scott Kirby, the airline's CEO, said on March 6, he expected a "meaningful hit" to the carrier’s first-quarter earnings due to the soaring fuel prices. VIETNAM Airline According to local officials, the Vietnam-based airline has requested assistance from the government to remove an environment tax on jet fuel. Operating costs for Vietnamese airlines are up by 70% as a result of rising jet fuel prices. Reporting by Mireiamerino and Marleenkaesebier, Editing by Matt Scuffham.
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IndiGo, Air India seek government support during Iran crisis, sources say
Three sources said that IndiGo, India's largest airline, is asking New Delhi to reduce fuel taxes, and along with rival Air India they are also pressing for private airports in the Middle East to lower their charges. The conflict in the Middle East has made it more difficult for the carriers to make ends meet. IndiGo and Air India face a double blow as the Iran War makes it hard for carriers to access Middle East airspace, at a time that Indian airlines are banned from Pakistani airspace because of 'diplomatic tensions' between New Delhi & Islamabad. IndiGo flies to the UK via Africa, while Air India adds a stop to some flights to North America. Three?sources who are all familiar with this matter said that the airlines are lobbying for the Indian government to offer financial relief specifically in relation to aviation-related charges and taxes. IndiGo wants to reduce the tax burden on aviation turbine fuel, which accounts for 30-40% (or more) of an airline's costs. However, this fuel is subject to a federal tax rate of 11%, and state taxes that can reach as high as 29 percent, according two sources. IndiGo, Air India, and the Indian civil aviation ministry have not responded to comments. IndiGo controlled 63.6% of the domestic market in January while Air India Group held 26.5%. GROWING FINANCIAL CHALLENGES IndiGo and Air India have also asked for the rationalisation of some charges at privately owned airports. These include fees charged to passengers. They claim that these are higher at private airports in certain cases and should be reduced. Cirium data shows that the two largest?international carriers in the country did not operate 64% their 1,230 scheduled flights from February 28, when Israel and the U.S. launched their campaign against Iran to March 9. Last week, HSBC stated that the current'situation' in the Middle East will have a "significant impact" on the profitability and cost of Indian airlines. Air India also requested that the Indian government reduce the local taxes on premium-economy tickets from 18% to 5%, according to one source. According to reports, the airline owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines has predicted a $600 million annual loss due to a ban on Pakistani airspace that began in April 2025. The airline was sold by the Indian Government in 2022 and reported a $433 million loss last year. (Reporting Aditya KALA, Abhijith GANAPAVARAM; Editing Kirsten DONOVAN)
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Trump: US will escort vessels in Strait of Hormuz "if necessary" - Fox News interview
Donald Trump stated that the United States would escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, if necessary. He also said in an interview with Fox News that was aired Friday that they were going to strike Iran "very heavily" over the coming week. When asked about helping oil tanks pass through the key shipping strait in question, Trump replied: "We'd do it if we needed to." You?know, I hope that everything goes well. We're going see what happens." He did not give any other details. He said in an interview with Fox's Brian Kilmeade, which aired a part of the program "Fox & Friends", that "we're going?to be hitting them...very hard" over the coming week. His comments are made as the 'United States and others' face soaring oil and gas prices, with the 'U.S.-Israel war now in its 14th day and?oil hovering around $100 a barrel. (Reporting and editing by Toby Chopra; Susan Heavey)
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Partially resumed flights restore some gold flow from Dubai's key hub
Three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Friday that the resumption in some flights to 'Dubai' has allowed for gold flows from this major global trading hub?to partially resume this week. Since the U.S. and Israel war against Iran began on February 28, deliveries of physical gold from and to Dubai, a major hub that supplies Switzerland, Hong Kong and India, have been affected. One source said that the traffic is still constrained but some deliveries have resumed. He declined to be identified because he wasn't authorised to talk to media. Due to the high weight-to-value ratio of gold, it is transported by air due to insurance and security concerns. FlightRadar24 data showed that Dubai flights were 37% higher than usual as of Thursday. Another source said that the reduced flight traffic increases insurance and ground transportation fees for bullion delivery. Gold is currently trading at a lower price than London, which will help to ease the impact on India, as it is a major consumer of gold. Traders expect India's demand for gold to be subdued over the next two weeks. A Mumbai-based dealer at a private bank said, "Only limited flight (from Dubai) has resumed, which is helping to bring in some 'bullion. But demand in India is still weak." (Reporting and editing by Polina Deitt and Rajendra Jhadhav)
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US airlines' loyalty and profits are reshaped by credit-card cash
Since years, the fortunes and success of U.S. Airlines have been determined by fuel costs, fares, and how full their cabins are. A growing portion of their cash is now coming from co-branded cards. This trend can be seen in the way loyalty programs reward travellers. United Airlines announced last month that regular members who do not have its card would earn 3'miles per dollar spent on eligible flight, while cardholders earn 6'miles. The airline said that regular members would need to have a United card in order to earn miles for basic economy tickets. American Airlines no longer offers AAdvantage Miles and Loyalty points on basic economy flights. Delta Air Lines allows customers to use their co-branded American Express card to qualify for elite status. The reason is evident from a review of the filings made by major U.S. Airlines between 2021 and 2025. Banks pay airlines billions in payments for loyalty points and other rewards tied to the programs. In some years, this money is equal to operating income. This money is not tied to ticket sales. It's a distinction that has a new relevance, as the Middle East conflict has pushed jet-fuel prices up and squeezed airline margins. It also makes airlines more vulnerable to changes in bank strategy, credit conditions, and political decisions. CHEAPEST FARES, FEWER REWARDS The airlines are changing the loyalty program rules to focus on credit card spending, which makes it harder to earn rewards for low-cost fares. The value of frequent flyer membership has declined over the years, according to Jay Sorensen. He is the head consultant at IdeaWorks. Its 2025 U.S. Domestic Reward Report shows that reward "payback", which links cash fares with award prices, has fallen by half since 2019. This is because several airlines have reduced or eliminated mileage earning on their cheapest tickets. David Robertson, of the Nilson Report, said that some consumers might abandon airline cards if they feel that redeeming miles is out of their reach. This could lead to pressure from banks who buy miles in bulk. The airlines reject the notion that cards will replace flying as the primary way to earn rewards. Alaska Airlines' loyalty chief Kevin Scott stated that non-cardholders continue to "earn meaningful value by flying." He said that co-branded cards are meant to enhance the program and not replace traditional earning. BILLIONS? FROM BANKS Although the amounts are different across the industry, the totals are high. Delta will receive $8.2 billion from American Express by 2025, which is roughly 14% of its adjusted operating revenue. This cash amount is 1.4 times the adjusted operating income. Delta's spokesperson confirmed that some of the cash received is immediately recognized as revenue, while other amounts are deferred until all miles have been redeemed. American reported receiving $6.2 billion from partners and co-brands in cash by 2025, which is roughly four times the adjusted operating income. The airline is expecting its new cobranded credit card agreement to Citi to help it narrow its profit gaps with rivals Delta & United. Alaska's loyalty revenue accounted for about 16% total revenue. CFO Shane Tackett said that the co-branding partnership helped stabilize results during demand fluctuations. The?business' also links airlines closer to their bank partners and credit cycle. Delta Airlines claims that nearly all its marketing agreement cash comes from American Express. Southwest Airlines, on the other hand, says that most of the points it sells are sold to JPMorgan Chase. Brian Riley, payments analyst, says that banks tighten lending in times of recession and reduce co-branded marketing. This slows new account growth, and can affect airline earnings over the next two to three quarters. POLITICAL PRESSURE Merchants and legislators are also putting pressure on the credit-card loyalty model to change the fees that help fund rewards. A bipartisan bill known as the Durbin Marshall proposal in the U.S. Congress would require more competition for payment-network routing. Supporters say this would lower merchant costs. Airlines for America, a trade group, warned that the bill could threaten airline credit-card benefits, citing a similar regulatory shift which affected debit-card incentives. They also said that consumers valued airline loyalty programs. Merchants and consumer group disagree. Dylan Jeon, of the National Retail Federation, said that premium reward cards have the highest interchange rate, and that merchants pass those costs onto consumers. Researchers say that high interchange fees in the U.S. help to fund generous rewards. Research shows that caps in Europe, Australia and other countries have reduced rewards and increased annual fees, leading some cards disappear. Separately President Donald Trump proposed a 10% cap on credit card interest rates for a year, which banks and airline groups said could harm rewards programs. SCRUTINY REGULATORY The regulatory scrutiny of airline rewards programs has also been a topic of discussion. The U.S. Department of Transportation spokeswoman said that the department had asked American, Delta Southwest, and United for information in 2024 about their reward programs and policies. The Department of Transportation is reviewing the responses from all four airlines. John Breyault is vice president for public policy at National Consumers League. He said that a stronger disclosure was needed, as airlines could change the earning and redemption value without giving clear notice to customers. Breyault stated that "the modern airline is just a huge rewards program which happens to fly planes." (Reporting and editing by Matthew Lewis in Chicago, with Rajesh Kumar Singh reporting from Chicago)
Investors monitor Middle East tensions as TSX futures remain flat
The futures linked to Canada's major stock index were muted Friday. The main cash index is on course for a second consecutive weekly decline, as investors remain on edge due to rising crude oil prices and inflation fears.
As of 6:36 a.m., March futures for the S&P/TSX Composite Index edged up 0.07%. ET, whereas futures for Wall Street’s main indexes are mixed.
Donald Trump called Iran's leaders "deranged scumbags", as the Middle East war approached its two-week mark on Friday. Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Iranian Supreme leader, pledged on Thursday to block?the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures in May were hovering around $101 per barrel and heading for weekly gains due to supply disruptions. Gold prices rose slightly on the day, while silver spot prices fell more than 1%.
Canada's major stock index will decline for a second week in a row as concerns about inflation resulting from the surge in oil prices dampen risk sentiment globally. The industrials and IT sectors took the biggest hit this week.
The oil price surge has pushed the Canadian benchmark down by more than 4% compared to levels before the conflict began on 28th February. In the last session, the index closed at its lowest level in a month.
Investors will be looking for clues about the future of interest rates as they await the?Canadian jobs data, which is due before the bell. The U.S. GDP and inflation readings are also due later that day.
Brokerage RBC has downgraded the rating of Canadian oil and natural gas royalty firm Freehold Royalties from "outperform" to "sector perform", while Canaccord Genuity has upgraded civil contractor North American Construction from "hold" to "buy".
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(source: Reuters)