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☆ Afghan Taliban criticises closure of main border crossing with Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Trucks loaded with supplies to leave for Afghanistan are seen stranded at the Michni checkpost, after the main Pakistan-Afghan border crossing closed after clashes, in Torkham, Pakistan September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Fayaz Aziz/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsKABUL, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The Afghan Taliban criticised the closure of its main border crossing with Pakistan this week after clashes between security forces, saying the halt in trade would see heavy losses for businesses. The busy Torkham border crossing closed on Wednesday after Pakistani and Afghan Taliban forces started firing at each other, according to local officials. The statement said the incident had started after Pakistani security forces fired at Afghan Taliban forces fixing an old security outpost near the border. Disputes linked to the 2,600 km (1,615 mile) border have been a bone of contention between the neighbours for decades.

Persons: Fayaz Aziz, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Charlotte Greenfield, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Afghan Taliban, Taliban administration's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Afghan, Torkham, Rights KABUL, Islamic Emirate

[1/3] Police stand on a road outside 'Bharat Mandapam', the main venue of the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, September 3, 2023. By convention, invitations issued by Indian constitutional bodies have always mentioned the name India when the text is in English, and the name Bharat when the text is in Hindi. However, the invites -- in English -- for the G20 dinner called Murmu the President of Bharat. In English, the South Asian giant is called India, while in Indian languages it is also called Bharat, Bharata and Hindustan. While some supporters of the name Bharat say "India" was given by British colonisers, historians say the name predates colonial rule by centuries.

Persons: Bharat Mandapam, Altaf Hussain, Droupadi Murmu, Bharat, Narendra Modi’s, “ Bharat, Alexander the, Krishn Kaushik, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Indian, Reuters, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, of States, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bharat, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Bharata, British, Greece

☆ Feel-good war on short flights misses the mark
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Bryan Woolston Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Sept 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Short flights within Europe are frequent flyers on wish lists of things to ban. But not all short flights are alike, and banning commercial hops makes less sense than targeting private jets. Limiting private jet travel would make a bigger difference, with fewer broad-based disruptions. Reuters GraphicsFollow @rebeccawire on XCONTEXT NEWSCountries such as France, Spain, Belgium and Germany have enacted or are considering measures to reduce or ban short flights. More than half of 2022 private jet travel was for distances of less than 750 km.

Persons: Bryan Woolston, Marjan, Davy, Stephen Furlong, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Airbus, LaGuardia, REUTERS, Bryan Woolston Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Greenpeace, International Energy Agency, KLM, Institute for Policy Studies, Air, Brussels Airlines, European Commission . Aviation, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Rights BRUSSELS, Europe, Germany, Spain, France, Africa, Belgium

☆ 'Revenge travel' could be here to stay - Irish hotel chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBLIN, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The post-pandemic trend of people prioritising travel could be a more permanent change in consumers' spending habits, the head of Ireland's largest hotel group Dalata (DHG.I) said on Tuesday. "Certainly 2, 3, 4 years before COVID people in their 20s would have been prioritizing travel and experiences over buying things. Crowley said there also seemed to be a lasting change in corporate bookings where travellers take fewer trips but stay longer and with Ireland's large multinationals spending far less on business travel than they did pre-COVID. The Dublin-based group said it had 750 million euros available to spend on adding more hotels. ($1 = 0.9248 euros)Reporting by Padraic Halpin Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Clayton, Dermot Crowley, Crowley, Dalata, Padraic Halpin, Mark Potter Organizations: DUBLIN, Reuters, Thomson Locations: United Kingdom, Dublin, London

☆ China to drop COVID antigen test requirement for inbound travellers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Europe category · August 28, 2023 · 6:16 AM UTCRussia said it shot down a Ukrainian drone flying towards Moscow in the early hours of Monday in an incident that once again briefly disrupted flights over the capital.

Locations: Europe, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow

☆ Kenyan minister apologises after main airport loses power in blackout
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A reflection from the windows show Kenya Airways planes parked at terminal within the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport near Nairobi, Kenya March 7, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNAIROBI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Kenya's transport minister apologised to the country late on Friday night after a widespread electricity blackout left passengers at the main airport in Nairobi grappling in darkness. Power went off in many parts of the country at 9.45 p.m. on Friday, the electricity distribution company Kenya Power (KPLC.NR) said in a statement, attributing the loss to "a system disturbance leading to the loss of bulk power supply". "I'm really sorry for what has happened at the JKIA with the blackout," Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Kenya Power said it had restored supply to the airport, five hours after the incident began.

Persons: Thomas Mukoya, Power, Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya Power, Duncan Miriri, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Kenya Airways, Jomo Kenyatta International, REUTERS, Rights, Kenya Power, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Authority, Kenya, Thomson Locations: Nairobi, Kenya, Rights NAIROBI

☆ Djokovic missed playing big US events and excited to be back
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Playing singles in Cincinnati for the first time since 2019, the 36-year-old Serbian won the first set 6-4 against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who later retired with a back issue. "Winning it in 2018 obviously is a highlight for me, because it was the only Masters I hadn't won for years. "But I played well in the past and was really glad to have a chance to come back to the States. First match coming back," said Djokovic, who will meet fellow veteran Gael Monfils next. "It'll probably take a few sets for me to really get things going in a right way."

Persons: Novak Djokovic, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Katie Stratman, Djokovic, I've, hadn't, Roger, Federer, It's, Carlos Alcaraz, Gael Monfils, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Robert Birsel Organizations: Southern Open, Lindner, Tennis Center, Cincinnati, U.S, Serbian, Wimbledon, hardcourts, Thomson Locations: Mason, OH, USA, United States, U.S, Cincinnati, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Foreign tourism to Portugal registers best-ever first half
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - The number of foreign tourists visiting Portugal surpassed eight million in January-June, making it the best first half on record, official data showed on Monday. Tourism, a key driver of Portugal's economy, accounted for almost 15% of gross domestic product before the pandemic. Visitors from Britain made up the largest share of total arrivals in the first half, with over one million visitors, closely followed by the Spanish and U.S. markets. In June, the United States, which has significantly grown as a source of tourism to Portugal, represented the second-largest group of foreign visitors. ($1 = 0.9142 euros)Reporting by Patrícia Vicente Rua; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Patrícia Vicente Rua, Andrei Khalip, Bernadette Baum Organizations: National Statistics Institute, Spanish, International Air Transport Association, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, Britain, U.S, United States, Southern Europe

Travellers walk past an installation in the shape of five stars, at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, China April 24, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/file photoBEIJING, Aug 10 (Reuters) - China has lifted pandemic-era restrictions on group tours for more countries, including key markets such as the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia in a potential boon for their tourism industries. Just how much outbound Chinese tourism will bounce back for the latest group of countries remains to be seen. Shares in firms in the latest group of countries with large exposure to Chinese travel demand jumped on the news. China has never publicly acknowledged limiting group tours to South Korea.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Fumio Kishida, Don Farrell, Steve Saxon, Casey, Sophie Yu, Joyce Lee, Jamie Freed, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Beijing Daxing International, REUTERS, Japanese, Trade, Tourism, Weibo, McKinsey & Co, South, Grand Korea, Reuters, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Germany, Britain, Canada, Thailand, Russia, Cuba, Argentina, Nepal, France, Portugal, Brazil, Xinjiang, South Korean, U.S, Shanghai, Seoul

☆ Denmark to tighten border control after Koran burnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People demonstrate against the desecration of the Koran in Denmark, in Sanaa, Yemen July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah/File PhotoOSLO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Danish police are tightening border controls following recent burnings of the Koran that have affected the security situation, the justice ministry said late on Thursday, following a similar decision by Sweden earlier in the week. Tighter border controls will initially be in place until Aug. 10, it said. "The recent Koran burnings have, as the security police have said, affected the current security situation," Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said in the statement. The decision to tighten border controls with more checks of travellers arriving in Denmark follows a similar move by Sweden.

Persons: Khaled Abdullah, Peter Hummelgaard, Terje Solsvik, Tom Hogue, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Denmark, Sanaa, Yemen, OSLO, Sweden

[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

☆ Turkey curbs credit card use for foreign travel, in blow to sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Ceyda Caglayan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ISTANBUL, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Turkey's banking watchdog has stopped allowing credit card payments by instalment for foreign travel, such as flights, travel agency fees and accommodation, in a step seen dealing a blow to foreign travel operators. The move, which hit airline shares and was seen as curbing foreign currency outflows, was one of two measures announced by the BDDK watchdog late on Monday, which it said were among coordinated steps to strengthen financial stability. "The logic (of the step) is 'citizens shouldn't go abroad and spend foreign currency'," he said, adding that the foreign travel sector was also being hit by increasing difficulties faced by Turks in securing tourist visas. The credit card move also had an impact on airline share prices, with Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS) dipping 1.3% and the airline Pegasus (PGSUS.IS) dropping 2.3%. ($1 = 26.9618 liras)Reporting by Ebru Tuncay; Editing by Daren Butler and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Cem Polatoglu, shouldn't, Ebru Tuncay, Daren Butler, Emelia Organizations: Turks, Turkish, Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL

☆ Exclusive: U.S. quietly inspects Israeli crossings for its Palestinian dual-nationals
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Since the trial period began, Palestinian Americans already say there is a difference. The allies have sought to limit publicity around the trial period, which comes amid unusually intense strains between their leaderships over wider Palestinian policies and other issues. One official told Reuters the trial period has been "going smoothly," without significant hold-ups for Palestinian American travellers. The Arab American Institute Foundation puts the number of Americans of Palestinian descent at between 122,500 and 220,000. An Israeli official gave lower figures, saying that out of 70,000 to 90,000 Palestinian Americans worldwide, about 15,000 to 20,000 were West Bank residents.

Persons: Abdul Jalil Juda, Ben Gurion, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nidal al, Nuha Sharaf, Dan Williams, Peter Graff Organizations: Ben Gurion, West Bank, U.S, Visa, Reuters, Embassy, Israel's National Security Council, Israeli, Palestinian, ., City University of New, of Homeland Security, State Department, Arab American Institute Foundation, West Bank ., Thomson Locations: Israel, JERUSALEM, Palestinian, Israeli, West, Washington, United States, Ben, Jordan, Jerusalem, U.S, American, City University of New York, The U.S, Gaza

☆ Investors still see blue sky ahead for Europe travel stocks as boom abates
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Danilo Masoni | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"For many people, the pandemic is now over, and this is time now for travelling far from home," said Corinne Martin, fund manager at Ofi Invest in Paris. The point at which China announced the end of health restrictions in 2022 was probably the best moment to jump into travel stocks. They remain buyers, noting how at 11 times 2024 earnings, the stock displays an unjustified discount and prices no growth. "Now, vacation budget is no more a variable families adjust," said Jerome Schupp, fund manager at Prime Partners in Geneva. European travel and leisure earnings are seen rising 63% this year and 23% in 2024, according to Refinitiv Datastream.

Persons: Corinne Martin, Ofi's Martin, Martin, Goldman Sachs, Jerome Schupp, Schupp, Cristina Matti, Andrea Scauri, Lastminute, Refinitiv, Lucy Raitano, Conor Humphries Organizations: MILAN, Ofi Invest, Paris . Airlines, Royce, World Tourism Organization, China, Traders, Paris Olympics, UEFA European Football, Ryanair, Europe's, Prime Partners, Visa, Air, Thomson Locations: Paris, Europe, Germany, Geneva, Air France, Lemanik, London

[1/6] German tourist Kevin Khani and Austrian tourist Georg Riedlbaur use an automated translation window at the Seibu-Shinjuku station in Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File photoTOKYO, July 31 (Reuters) - As Japan enjoys a post-pandemic resurgence in tourism from around the globe, Seibu Railway is testing out an automated translation window to help confused foreigners navigate one of Tokyo's most complex transportation hubs. Kevin Khani was among foreign travellers who got turned around in the Seibu-Shinjuku station recently and found the VoiceBiz window helpful. Across the road from the Seibu station is Shinjuku's central Japan Railway (JR) station, which is the busiest in the world, with some 3.6 million people passing through daily. Weary from a 1 a.m. flight arrival, French tourists Isabelle and Marc Rigaud used the translation window to try to find their way from the Seibu station to the JR station.

Persons: Kevin Khani, Georg Riedlbaur, Kim Kyung, Harry Potter, Ayano Yajima, Toppan, Isabelle, Marc Rigaud, Tom Bateman, Rocky Swift, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Seibu, REUTERS, Japan, Seibu Railway, Seibu Holdings, Kansai International, Japan Railway, Thomson Locations: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, United States, Europe, Seibu, Alibaba

☆ EasyJet reports record Q3 results on back of summer travel demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - Britain's easyJet (EZJ.L) posted a record pretax profit of 203 million pounds ($262.5 million) for its third quarter, above analysts' forecasts, on the back of an ongoing rebound in summer travel demand and limited disruption despite ongoing strikes. The airline said it also expected to report record pretax profit for its fourth quarter, the July to September period, as costs per seat flattened with oil prices stabilizing. However easyJet's CEO Johan Lundgren warned about the potential impact of limited airspace availability and air traffic control strikes in Europe. EasyJet holidays also saw bookings more than double year-on-year for the winter. ($1 = 0.7734 pounds)Reporting by Joanna Plucinska and Paul Sandle; Editing by Sarah Young and Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Johan Lundgren, Lundgren, Joanna Plucinska, Paul Sandle, Sarah Young, Jan Harvey Organizations: Airlines, Thomson Locations: Europe

☆ Netflix trading volume giving off bullish signs, says Simpler Trading's Danielle Shay
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNetflix trading volume giving off bullish signs, says Simpler Trading's Danielle ShayDanielle Shay, VP of options at Simpler Trading, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss Netflix pricing in earnings moves, factors of overhead price resistance for Tesla, and short-term bearishness for Travellers heading into earnings.

Persons: Danielle Shay Danielle Shay, Tesla Organizations: Netflix, Travellers

[1/3] People cool off near the Spanish Steps, during a heatwave across Italy, as temperatures are expected to rise further in the coming days, in Rome, Italy July 18, 2023. They have added fresh urgency to talks this week between the United States and China, the world's top greenhouse gas polluters. "Whilst most of the attention focuses on daytime maximum temperatures, it is the overnight temperatures which have the biggest health risks, especially for vulnerable populations," it said. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service says 2022 and 2021 were the continent's hottest summers on record. In a large part of the territory, night-time temperatures were in the top 5% of the highest recorded at this time of year.

Persons: Remo Casilli, John Kerry, Xi Jinping, Carlo Spanu, Anita Elshoy, Elshoy, AEMET, Talim, Angelo Amante, Emma Farge, Giselda, Crispian Balmer, Angeliki Koutantou, Emma Pinedo Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Matthias Williams, Janet Lawrence Organizations: REUTERS, World Meteorological Organization, WMO, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, Europe, U.S, Asia Italy, ROME, Asia, United States, Sardinia, Lazio, heatwaves, Death, China's, Greece, Swiss, India, South Korea, China, Beijing, North America, North Africa, Sicily, Sulcis, Norway, Spain, Catalonia, Aragon, Mallorca, Andujar, 44.9C, Toledo, Dervenochoria, Athens

NO CANCELLATIONS YETDemand for travel has soared again this summer as tourists leave behind years of pandemic restrictions, and travel companies say the heat hasn't caused many cancellations - yet. Stories of tourists being airlifted off Italian beaches or ferried away in ambulances from Athens' Acropolis have flooded European media in recent weeks. Italy's Environment Ministry warned in a report this year that foreign tourists would in future travel more in the spring and autumn and choose cooler destinations. Greek authorities closed Athens' ancient Acropolis during the hottest part of the day on Friday to protect tourists. In Spain, high vacation demand is expected in coastal destinations in the north of the country and on Spanish tourist islands, where summer temperatures tend to be cooler, according to a report from national tourism association Exceltur.

Persons: Miguel Sanz, Anita Elshoy, Elshoy, Sean Tipton, Sanz, Dalphna Niebuhr, Daniel Otero, Rebeca Vazquez, Renee Maltezou, Elisa Anzolin, Angelo Amante, Corina Rodriguez, Catherine Evans Organizations: Travel Commission, EUROPE Tourists, Reuters, Ministry, Thomson Locations: ROME, Europe, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Bulgaria, Norway, Rome, Sicily, Athens, EUROPE, American, Greece, Mykonos, Spain, Bilbao, Italy, Madrid

☆ Home Is Where the Horses Are for a Threatened Culture
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Mary Turner | Eric Nagourney | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

There is the world, and then there is Appleby. Appleby as in the annual Appleby Horse Fair, where thousands of Irish Travellers and Gypsies gather in northwest England for the rare pleasure of being not shunned by communities, but embraced. “When we come to a place like Appleby Fair and sit around the campfires, it gives a sense of place, a sense of belonging, a sense of ancestry,” said Billy Welch, an organizer. “We feel for that week that we are actually home.”

Persons: Appleby, ”, Billy Welch Organizations: Irish Travellers, Appleby Locations: Appleby, England

European travellers are already on high alert over worries about air traffic control problems arising from both the reduced air space available due to the Ukraine war, plus staffing issues and industrial action at some locations. "Given the scale of the industrial action, disruption, delays and cancellations are inevitable across the airport," Unite said in its statement. Concerns over air traffic control delays already prompted easyJet to axe 2% of its summer flight schedule, mostly from Gatwick, on Monday. On the strike-affected days, 4,410 flights are due to depart from Gatwick, equating to over 840,000 potential passengers, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Britain's busiest hub, Heathrow Airport, agreed a pay deal with security workers in June, avoiding multiple days of walk-outs throughout the summer which had been planned by Unite.

Persons: EasyJet, easyJet, William James, Sarah Young, Sachin, Mark Potter Organizations: Gatwick, Menzies Aviation, DHL Services, Gatwick's, British Airways, DHL, Airlines, Financial Times, Heathrow Airport, Unite, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, London, TUI, Gatwick, Europe

[1/7] Nadine, a 43-year-old tourist from the U.S., wearing a sumo wrestler costume, tries to spar against former sumo wrestler Towanoyama on the sumo ring before tourists from abroad, at Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka in Tokyo, Japan June 30, 2023. Beneath its vaulted roof is a sumo ring and 14 tables where patrons pay 11,000 yen ($76) to eat breaded pork cutlets before watching - and joining - the action. Another former sumo wrestler, Yasuhiro Tanaka, started the restaurant after founding a company to give ex-wrestlers a second career as actors in commercials and movies. "But no, it was really, really amazing." "As sumo wrestlers, we couldn't really play around at all," said Tanaka, 47, who admitted he wasn't a particularly strong competitor.

Persons: Nadine, Towanoyama, Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka, Issei Kato, Ohtori, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Jose Aguillar, Jumbo, Aguillar, Fumio Kishida, Tanaka, Rocky Swift, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Netflix, Thomson Locations: U.S, Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, Koto, Monterrey, Mexico

☆ Norwegian Air to buy regional peer Wideroe for $106 mln
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OSLO, July 6 (Reuters) - Norwegian Air (NAS.OL) has agreed to buy domestic peer Wideroe for 1.13 billion crowns ($106 million) as the reborn airline looks to strengthen its position in its home region. "The transaction is expected to provide significant benefits for travellers, employees and shareholders, and to strengthen the combined Norwegian and Wideroe as a key part of critical domestic infrastructure," Norwegian Air said in a statement. An important part of the regional infrastructure, Wideroe owns 40 Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, and three Embraer E190-E2 jets, with seat numbers in each plane ranging from 39 to 110. The deal comes only two years after Norwegian Air emerged from bankruptcy protection with a smaller fleet and its debt almost wiped out, having raised cash. Norwegian Air said the two carriers had very limited overlap on routes, and it saw potential annual synergies from the acquisition of 200-300 million crowns ($18.8-28.2 million).

Persons: Privately, Wideroe, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Anna Ringstrom, Mark Potter Organizations: Bombardier Dash, Embraer, Norwegian Air, Boeing, Victoria, Thomson Locations: OSLO, Norwegian, Scandinavia's

☆ A consumer group is calling for stronger action against airlines who cancel flights and fail to give refunds, saying no UK airline has been fined in 20 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

UK airlines should face stricter rules over cancellations and giving refunds, a consumer group says. says 2.3 million people in the UK weren't refunded for flights they couldn't take in the pandemic. But the US just fined British Airways $1.1 million for delaying refunds since the pandemic. is calling for stricter regulation of airlines operating in the UK and stronger fines against them, saying airlines have engaged in 'unlawful' behavior for 20 years. However, in the US BA was fined $1.1 million for unpaid refunds during the pandemic after its Transportation Department received 1,200 complaints about BA delaying refunds, per the release.

Persons: fining, Rocio Concha, Concha Organizations: British Airways, Civil Aviation Authority, CAA, Transportation Department, UK's Department, Transport Locations: EasyJet

☆ Hong Kong's international dragon boat races return after 4-year hiatus
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Participants splash water during a ceremony in between races during Tung Ng or Dragon Boat Festival at Aberdeen fishing port in Hong Kong, China June 22, 2023. The two-day event, organised by Hong Kong's tourism board and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, drew more than 4,000 paddlers from 160 teams including from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and internationally, its tourism body said. Can't think of a better way to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival than with my team and the rest of Hong Kong and Asia," said Shirleen Ho, 41, a member of the Australian National Dragon boat team. While dragon boat originated in China's southern Lingnan region more than 1,000 years, the modern version began in Hong Kong, a special Chinese administrative region, around 40 years ago. The competition is one of many events the Hong Kong government is holding to boost tourism and reinvigorate its economy after sealing its borders for more than two years.

Persons: Tung Ng, Tyrone Siu, Shirleen Ho, Joyce Zhou, Farah Master, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: REUTERS, Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, Australian National, Hong, Thomson Locations: Aberdeen, Hong Kong, China, Tyrone Siu HONG KONG, Hong, Hong Kong China, Taiwan, Asia, China's, Lingnan, Victoria, British

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