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REUTERS/Ammar Awad/ Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK/LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Travelers are canceling or postponing planned vacations to the Middle East and North Africa due to fears of the Israel-Hamas conflict worsening, and as touring companies have also altered itineraries and canceled flights. Travel operators say the war is affecting demand for travel to nearby nations including Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. German airline Group Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Thursday their Middle East bookings have not been affected by the war, with only an initial dip when the conflict started. Spanish travel agency Essentialist said it has canceled 75% of trips to the extended Middle East and Northeast Africa region. The conflict's effect on travel demand to the Middle East may extend beyond the holidays and even just neighboring countries.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Israel, Todd Elliott, Konrad Waliszewski, Willie Walsh, Kathleen Oberg, Patrick Scholes, Essentialist, Matt Berna, Khaled Ibrahim, Doyinsola Oladipo, Joanna Plucińska, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean Group, International Air Transport Association, Group Lufthansa, AS OMAN, Marriott, Intrepid Travel, Americas, East Travel Alliance, Thomson Locations: Damascus, Jerusalem's Old City, East, North Africa, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Orlando , Florida, Israel . Washington, Cyprus, Lebanon, Valencia, Spain, Spanish, Northeast Africa, Australia, Norway, Sharm el Sheikh, Oman, UAE, New York, London, Chicago

SAS filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection last year as it struggled to slash costs and debt amid strikes by pilots. SAS hopes to raise 9.5 billion Swedish crowns ($863 million) in new equity and convert 20 billion crowns of debt into equity. They could include Sweden's family-owned Wallenberg foundation, which currently holds a 3.4% stake in SAS, or Danish pension funds, he said. Once that is done, SAS can begin proceedings to exit chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which could be late this year or next year, Pedersen said. It is not clear if SAS will be taken off the Swedish stock market after exiting bankruptcy protection.

Persons: Johan Nilsson, Apollo, Jacob Pedersen, Gerald Engstrom, Pedersen, Johannes Birkebaek, Jacob Gronholt, Mark Potter Organizations: SAS Airbus, Kastrup, Scandinavian Airlines, TT News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, Scandinavia's, SAS, U.S, Italy's ITA Airways, Portugal's TAP, WHO, Apollo Global Management Inc, European Union, Wallenberg, Private, Lufthansa, ITA Airways, Thomson Locations: Kastrup, Denmark, Rights COPENHAGEN, Danish, Copenhagen, EU, Europe, SWEDEN, NORWAY, Swedish, Sweden, Private Swedish

[1/2] An Airbus A380 of German air carrier Lufthansa is seen at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, February 12, 2019. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File PhotoBERLIN, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The boom in holiday travel shows no signs of ending, German airline group Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Thursday, as advance bookings for this winter and next year were already a double-digit percentage above the year-earlier level. "Demand will remain exceptionally strong for the foreseeable future," Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr told journalists during a conference call as the group published better-than-expected quarterly profits. British Airways owner IAG (ICAG.L) said the outlook for summer travel was encouraging, although it was "mindful" of uncertainty in the wider economy. For the German airline, Spohr said an unimpeded trend towards more premium-class flights, especially among leisure travellers, has underpinned yields and he expected ticket prices to remain at current levels for the foreseeable future.

Persons: Kai Pfaffenbach, Carsten Spohr, Spohr, Maria Sheahan, Josephine Mason, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Airbus, Lufthansa, REUTERS, Ryanair, British Airways, IAG, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Europe's

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