Container operations suspended at Shanghai port.All flights canceled at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport.Typhoon Chanthu is expected to hit Shanghai on Monday night. In a statement issued today, Shanghai International Port Group announced that Shanghai’s container port has suspended container-related operations, as Typhoon Chanthu is expected to make landfall in the southern part of the city Monday night. Ningbo Meidong Container Terminal Co. in neighboring Zhejiang province suspended some container operations from Friday, the company said on its wechat account yesterday. Operations at major wharfs at the province’s Zhoushan port — home to some of China’s largest oil storage tanks and refineries — have been halted since Saturday afternoon. The port shutdowns are likely to further delay shipments and damage global supply chains, which are already struggling to deal with record exports from China and the effects of local COVID-19 outbreaks.  Also, all flights will be canceled at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport after 11am Monday because of the weather, while all flights through the Hongqiao airport in the west of the city will also be scrapped after 3pm the same day, according to an announcement by the Shanghai Airport Authority Sunday night. Shanghai government announced it will also shut all kindergartens and primary schools Monday afternoon and Tuesday, while some subway lines were suspended and parks and other outdoor tourist sites were shut Monday and Tuesday. Zhejiang province upgraded its emergency response to Chanthu to the highest level on Sunday, closing schools as well as suspending air and rail services in several cities, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Authorities have also suspended some high-speed rail services in the Yangtze River Delta.

Russia to resume air service with four more countries.Flights from Moscow to Kenya, Slovakia, Iraq and Spain restart.No flight from Russia to Afghanistan yet. Citing the national anti-COVID crisis center, the government of Russia announced today that the Russian Federation will relaunch regular scheduled passenger air service with Iraq, Kenya, Slovakia and Spain starting on September 21, 2021. “Russia resumes air service with Spain, Iraq, Kenya, and Slovakia from September 21,” the officials wrote on Russian Federation government’s Telegram channel. The flights to Egypt and Turkey from four more Russian cities – Pskov, Magadan, Murmansk, and Chita, will also be resumed from September 21. At the same time, the Russian authorities expressed their unwillingness to restore regular passenger air travel with Afghanistan. According to some Russian government sources, the decision on the preparation of regular civilian flights with Kabul and the provision of slots for them in the schedule by the Russian air carrier has not yet been made. It is still premature to talk about the commencement of civil flights there on a regular basis. In order to resume regular communication with Kabul, an appropriate decision of the operational headquarters will be required to prevent the import and spread of COVID-19 infection. All necessary airport infrastructure must be created in Kabul first to ensure the work of air traffic controllers in accordance with international civil aviation safety standards. It was reported earlier that Taliban authorities announced their desire to resume air traffic with Russia and Turkey.

Air Senegal launches flights to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport.Air Senegal announces Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport service.Both new US flights will be flown from Dakar, Senegal. Air Senegal, the national flag carrier of Senegal, today launched its inaugural flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the first of a new twice-weekly service between Dakar and the two US cities. Flight HC407 departed Dakar’s Blaise Diagne International Airport at 2:56am and landed at New York’s JFK Airport (Terminal 1) at 06:51 am today. Passengers bound for the Metropolitan Washington area continued with this flight after passing through Immigration and Customs in New York. The flight arrived at Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) at 11:08am where the flight was welcomed by a traditional water cannon salute. The return flight will depart Baltimore at 08:25pm via New York JFK (Terminal 1) for Dakar where it is scheduled to land at 12:25pm the following day. The new service will be operated on Thursdays and Sundays using a state-of-the-art Airbus A330-900neo aircraft, offering 32 flatbeds in Business, 21 seats in Premium Economy and 237 seats in Economy class, entertainment systems, in-seat power, and in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity. Air Senegal provides convenient connections for its USA passengers via Dakar in both directions to Abidjan, Conakry, Freetown, Banjul, Praia, Bamako, Nouakchott, Douala, Cotonou and Libreville. In 2019, over a million passengers flew between USA and West Africa which is expected to grow further with the launch of this new route. Senegal is a major West African regional business and tourist hub along with being the headquarters of the United Nations in West Africa. Ibrahima Kane, Chief Executive Officer at Air Senegal said: “Our aim is to provide a convenient and comfortable journey between USA, Senegal and West Africa. Dakar’s geographical location combined with Air Senegal’s multiple connections via its primary hub to all major West African cities will enable this new route to grow from strength to strength. In addition, we hope to stimulate American tourist demand to Senegal to explore its rich cultural history, world class beaches and exotic cuisine across the country”. Air Senegal, is the flag carrier of the Republic of Senegal. Created in 2016, it is state owned through investment arm Caisse des Dépots et Consignation du Sénégal. It is based at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar, Senegal.

44% of Republicans said they would support a government requirement to provide proof of vaccination in order to fly.48% of Republicans would also support a mandate directly from commercial airlines.95% of Democrats would support either a government or commercial airline vaccine passport requirement. As the delta variant surges, nearly 65% of frequent flyers report that a vaccine passport would increase their confidence in the safety of air travel, according to a new report. While 90% of frequent flyers either fully or partially vaccinated against the virus, nearly one in 10 frequent flyers refuse to get vaccinated.   These numbers are encouraging because frequent flyers have high levels of vaccinations. However, if the FAA decided to implement a vaccine passport program, nearly one in 10 travelers would be barred from boarding the plane. The survey was conducted  using the Frequent Flyer Database, which includes more than 200,000 opt-in frequent flyers from across the United States. Nearly 65% of survey participants are more than 60-years-old, placing them in an at-risk category for severe illness from COVID-19. The travel industry was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic, with restrictions forcing travel and tourism to come to a screeching halt. Recovery has been slow. In the 2020 Frequent Flyer Survey, 60% of respondents said they had plans to travel in the next six months. Yet in this year’s report, 36% of respondents said they have not traveled since January 2020. But the appetite for travel is increasing. Nearly 70% of respondents said they have plans to travel by plane in the next six months, with 72% of those travelers planning personal trips.

Taliban reopens Kabul Airport for domestic travel.Ariana Afghan Airlines relaunches three domestic routes from Kabul Airport.Technical team from Qatar repaired parts of Kabul Airport traffic control system. Ariana Afghan Airlines announced in a statement on its Facebook page that it has resumed domestic flights between the capital city of Kabul and Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar. Ariana Afghan Airlines flights between Kabul and three major provincial cities in the west, north and south of the capital restarted after a team of aviation engineers from Qatar repaired parts of the air traffic control system last week and reopened the capital’s airport for aid and domestic services. Earlier, Qatar’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Saeed bin Mubarak al-Khayarin said a technical team had been able to reopen Kabul airport to receive aid. Lauding this as a step taken to return the country to relative normality after a tumultuous period, the ambassador added that the airport runway has been repaired in cooperation with Afghan authorities. But the Kabul airport is operating without radar or navigation systems, making it difficult to resume international civilian flights. Reopening the airport, a vital lifeline to both the outside world and across Afghanistan’s mountainous territory, has been a high priority for the Taliban as it seeks to restore order after they completed their lightning seizure of the country by taking Kabul on August 15.

Staff shortage leads to huge lines at Heathrow.Travelers forced to wait in lines for five hours.Packed queues posed a COVID-19 risk to thousands of airline passengers. Border Force staff shortage at London’s Heathrow Airport resulted to enormous lines and complete lack of any social distancing this week, as the limited number of personnel were unable to cope with those at the border. Airline passengers at Heathrow Airport have repeatedly experienced such conditions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this Friday, some Brits were reporting absolutely absurd queue times due to a Border Force staff shortage which kept travelers waiting in lines for FIVE hours. One passenger even reportedly fainted during the chaos. Heathrow Airport responded to complaints by claiming that the delays were due to Border Force conducting “Health Measure Checks to ensure passenger compliance with the UK Government’s latest entry requirements.” The airport did not address the lack of social distancing and lengthy, packed queues, however, which posed a coronavirus risk to thousands of airline passengers. On Saturday morning, travelers at Terminal 5 reported on social media that the queues had died down. According to local media, at least eight other incidents of long queues, crammed crowds, and a lack of access to water and bathroom facilities have been recorded between May and September. In December 2020 – just days before Christmas – hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Heathrow Airport as flights became overbooked with Brits trying to escape recently-announced Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions, which forced families to stay at home and away from loved ones over the holiday season.

Lufthansa Group announces new executive appointment.New Head of Strategy & Organizational Development named.Jorg Eberhart will assume the position on November 1, 2021. On October 1, 2021, Jörg Eberhart, currently CEO of Air Dolomiti, will assume the position of “Head of Strategy & Organizational Development” at Lufthansa Group. He will succeed William Wilms, who was appointed to the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik on 1 September 2021. Jörg Eberhart has served as President and CEO of Air Dolomiti since 2014. During this time, he was also a member of the Executive Board of Lufthansa CityLine. Prior to this, he held a number of management positions at Lufthansa Group that  included being part of the establishment of Aerologic GmbH and the implementation of the SCORE project. Jörg Eberhart studied business administration at the University of Tübingen and holds a pilot’s license for the Airbus A320. The Lufthansa Group is an aviation group with operations worldwide. With 110,065 employees, the Lufthansa Group generated revenue of EUR 13,589m in the financial year 2020. The Lufthansa Group is composed of the segments Network Airlines, Eurowings and Aviation Services. Aviation Services comprises the segments Logistics, MRO, Catering and Additional Businesses and Group Functions. The latter also include Lufthansa AirPlus, Lufthansa Aviation Training and the IT companies. All segments occupy a leading position in their respective markets.

Plane crashed into industrial building in Connecticut.All people onboard Cessna Citation business jet killed in crash.Local firefighters are tackling the fire started by the crash. Rescue teams in Farmington, Connecticut are battling a fire at a local industrial complex that started after a Cessna Citation business jet crashed into the building on Thursday morning, apparently killing all four people onboard. Farmington Police Department confirmed that a plane had crashed into a building on Hyde Road, and said in a tweet that emergency services were on the ground working to “evacuate the immediate area”.  Four people were onboard the plane, reportedly a Cessna Citation business jet, according to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). None of the four is thought to have survived. Four people were onboard the plane, reportedly a Cessna Citation business jet, according to information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). None of the four is thought to have survived. According to Farmington police, there were no injuries reported inside the building, which is owned by the German tool manufacturer Trumpf. In imagery shared from the scene on social media, smoke could be seen billowing from the site of the crash, with firefighters tackling the sizable blaze that erupted from one section of the building. Farmington is located in Connecticut’s Hartford County, roughly 10 miles (16km) from the state capital.

With revenue still suppressed, airlines have a tough winter ahead of them.New COVID-19 variants could potentially reduce travelers’ willingness to fly.Labor costs will rise and financially difficult decisions must be made. European airlines are set to face a tough winter due to the ongoing pandemic and travel confidence likely remaining suppressed. Low fares will be key to stimulating demand as travel restrictions are likely to continue. With revenue still suppressed, airlines will have a tough winter ahead. During what is traditionally the offseason in Europe, the pandemic is likely to make operating conditions difficult. Although demand was beginning to return this summer, winter could be a different story. COVID-19 cases could potentially rise, and further variants may develop, reducing travelers’ willingness to fly. With numerous governments ending furlough support, including the UK, labor costs will inevitably rise, and financially difficult decisions must be made. A delicate balance must be struck between serving numerous destinations and keeping operating costs under control. Airlines must be nimble to ensure survival. Passengers may continue to delay travel plans this winter due to high uncertainty. Even though Europe’s vaccine rollout is progressing well, the Delta variant is a concern. With some countries struggling to contain the virus, travel restrictions look set to remain. Planning trips will continue to be complicated further by ever-changing restrictions such as the requirement for negative COVID-19 tests for entry into many territories. Furthermore, travel restrictions are the second biggest deterrent to travel, with 55% of respondents in the latest industry poll stating this reason for avoiding traveling. Route networks must focus on destinations with limited restrictions and an agile/responsive approach must be taken. Competition among airlines in Europe was fierce pre-COVID and often price was the determining factor for travelers when selecting an airline. With demand uncertainty likely this winter, encouraging booking will be a key goal. Lowering fares to stimulate demand will be a tactic deployed this winter to fill seats. This could attract the 57% of European respondents who rated price as the most important factor when selecting an airline brand, according to a recent poll. Price will be critical to encouraging travel in the interim and low-cost airlines are likely to be the dominant airlines this winter. With travelers continuing to travel closer to home, the expansive European network of these carriers should work to their advantage.

Prague Airport to reinforce passenger checks on arrival.Prague Airport will strengthen the control of the currently valid conditions for entry into the country.From September 1, 2021, the arrival procedure for all passengers flying to Prague Airport will be adjusted. As per the new protective measure implemented by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, Prague Airport, the Foreign Police of the Czech Republic and the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic will strengthen the control of the currently valid conditions for entry into the country. Together, the parties thus respond to the gradually increasing traffic at Prague Airport and the possibility to visit the country for tourist activities by foreigners. From 1 September 2021, the arrival procedure for all passengers flying to Václav Havel Airport Prague will be adjusted. Until further notice, the changes implemented at both Prague Airport terminals will affect tourists as well as citizens of the Czech Republic and the EU+ countries returning to the Czech Republic. The airport continues to encourage passengers to thoroughly review the implemented rules in advance. Before their departure to Prague, they should have prepared, and ideally printed out, all documents, arrival forms and confirmations of non-infectivity, if required. “We are coordinating the new model with representatives of the Ministry of Health and other security forces present at the airport. We are also increasing our personnel capacity and reinforcing the technical equipment to speed up the entire check-in process on arrivals. Passengers can help accelerated the Czech arrival checks, too, by having reviewed the current conditions and prepared all documents in advance,” Jiří Kraus, Vice-Chairman of the Prague Airport Board of Directors, said.

Taliban to restart operations at Khamid Karzai International Airport.Kabul’s airport will be operational within days.Taliban took over Kabul and entire Afghanistan on August 15. Taliban representative announced today that Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport will resume normal operation in just a few days. “We are ready to resume the airport’s operation. We will do it within days,” Anas Haqqani, a ranking member of the Taliban said in an interview. Haqqani described the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan as a “great” event and called the day when evacuation ended a “historical” day. The United States finished the evacuation of civilians from Kabul and their entire mission in Afghanistan on August 30. The decision to end the US operation in Afghanistan that began in October 2001 and became the longest US overseas campaign in history was announced by President Joe Biden on April 14, 2021. After this decision was announced, the Taliban embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Hamid Karzai International Airport, also known as HKIA, is located 3.1 miles (5 km) from the city center of Kabul in Afghanistan. It serves as one of the nation’s main international airports and as one of the largest military bases, capable of housing over one hundred aircraft. Hamid Karzai International Airport was previously named Kabul International Airport and locally as Khwaja Rawash Airport, though it continues to be officially known by some airlines by the latter name. The airport was given its current name in 2014 in honor of former President Hamid Karzai.

Russian flag carrier announces scheduled flights to Egypt’s Red Sea resort cities.Aeroflot will operate Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh flights daily.Aeroflot’s Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh flights will operate from Moscow. Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot issued announced today that has launched the sale of tickets for direct scheduled passenger flights from Moscow, Russia to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. According to announced schedule, Aeroflot will operate one flight from Moscow to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh daily, starting from October 1, 2021. Since August 27, Russia has tripled the number of regular flights to Egypt on the Moscow-Hurghada and Moscow-Sharm el-Sheikh routes – from 5 to 15 flights per week on each route following the decision of the federal operational headquarters for the fight against COVID-19. According to the Federal Air Transport Agency, nine airlines, including Aeroflot, have received the opportunity to operate flights on these routes, in addition to Rossiya. Previously, Aeroflot did not operate regular flights to these destinations. PJSC Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, commonly known as Aeroflot, is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation. The airline was founded in 1923, making Aeroflot one of the oldest active airlines in the world. Aeroflot is headquartered in the Central Administrative Okrug (District), Moscow, with its hub being Sheremetyevo International Airport. The airline flies to 146 destinations in 52 countries, excluding codeshared services.

US citizens warned not to travel to Canada.US State Department raises Canada travel advisory level to 3.Travel between US and Canada not recommended due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic The United States Department of State has increased the travel alert level for Americans travelling to Canada, advising all US citizens to reconsider going to the country amid amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The latest travel advisory issued by the US State Department, upgraded Canada to Level 3, which says ‘Reconsider travel’. The US State Department issued a statement saying that it had re-categorized travel advisories from Level 2 — “exercise increased caution” — to Level 3 — “reconsider travel” — on the advice of the CDC, due to “a high level of COVID-19 in Canada.” The US State Department, along with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also warned against travel to Switzerland, among other countries because of rising number of new cases of COVID-19 infection. In the past seven days, over 21,000 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Canada. At the same time, over 900,000 new COVID-19 cases were recorded last week in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

80% of Singapore’s population fully immunized.Singapore to ease COVI 19 pandemic-related restrictions.Singapore citizens and residents will be allowed to travel again. Singapore has become the world’s most vaccinated country with 80% of its 5.7 million people fully inoculated against COVID-19, the island-state government officials said. Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung “We have crossed another milestone, where 80% of our population has received their full regimen of two doses,” Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a Facebook post yesterday. “It means Singapore has taken another step forward in making ourselves more resilient to COVID-19.” The development gives the tiny city-state the world’s highest rate of complete vaccinations. Other countries that have high vaccination rates include the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay and Chile, which have fully inoculated more than 70 percent of their populations. Reaching this milestone sets the stage for further easing of COVID-19 pandemic-related curbs in Singapore. According the the officials, large gatherings such as the New Year Countdown will resume and “businesses will have certainty that their operations will not be disrupted”. Singaporeans will also be allowed to travel again, at least to countries that have also controlled the virus. Singapore, which began its vaccination campaign in January, relied mostly on the jabs developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. Singapore has logged a total of 67,171 cases and 55 deaths since the pandemic began.

Bangkok Airways restarts BKK-USM, BKK-CNX, BKK-HKT, BKK-THS and BKK-LPT flights.Bangkok Airways continues to support Thailand’s re-opening projects.All passengers are required to strictly follow guidelines issued by each provincial office and/or destination. Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited announces the resumption of its five routes which are Bangkok – Samui, Bangkok – Chiang Mai, Bangkok – Phuket, Bangkok – Sukhothai and Bangkok – Lampang, starting from 1 September 2021 onwards.  Flight schedules for the resumed routes will be as follows:  Bangkok – Samui (v.v.) 3 flights daily Bangkok – Chiang Mai (v.v.) 5 flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) Bangkok – Phuket (v.v.) 5 flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) Bangkok – Lampang (v.v.) 4 flights per week (Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday), *starting from 9 September 2021 onwardsBangkok – Sukhothai (v.v.) 3 flights per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), *starting from 16 September 2021 onwards  In addition to that, the airline continues to support Thailand’s re-opening projects which are Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus by offering the following services: Bangkok – Samui (v.v.) (sealed-route flights) which accommodate transit/transfer international passengers, connecting from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Koh Samui (2 flights per day)  Samui – Singapore (v.v.), available 3 flights per week (Monday, Thursday and Sunday) Samui – Phuket (v.v.) available 5 flights per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday)  All Bangkok Airways passengers are required to strictly follow guidelines issued by each provincial office and/or destination. Passengers can check announcements, orders, and travel procedures, for each destination prior to travel from the related authorities such as: The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)  Airports of ThailandDepartment of Airports

Russian civil aviation regulator authorizes 9 airline to launch Egypt resort flights.Scheduled flights to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheik to launch in a week or two.Airlines will need at least a week to launch sales and form a network of flights. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency announced today that 9 Russian air carriers will be authorized to start regular scheduled flights from Russia to Egyptian Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. “Airlines will be given the right to operate one flight a week on each route to Hurghada and Sharm EL Sheikh. Also on the routes Moscow – Hurghada and Moscow – Sharm El Sheikh, the number of flights increases from 5 to 15 flights per week,” Russian civil aviation regulator said. Aeroflot and S7 airlines will launch flights from Moscow, Rossiya, which is already flying to Egypt, will increase the frequency of flights. Ural Airlines, Azur air, Nordwind, Ikar, Red Wings, S7, and Yamal will launch flights from the regions. However, Russian airlines will need at least a week to launch new flights to Egypt. Carriers will need time to launch sales and form a network of flights. “Russian airlines will not open new flights to Egypt in the near future, quotas were distributed only yesterday – carriers will need at least a week to start sales and form a schedule,” the agency’s official said. Along with proposing to increase the number of regular flights to Egypt, Russian Federal Air Transport Agency also advocates the start of charter flights to the country. “The agency is working with interested federal executive authorities to submit proposals to the operational headquarters to increase the number of regular and start charter flights to the resort cities of Egypt, both from Moscow and from other regions of the country,” the agency’s statement said.

Dominican Republic, Czech Republic and South Korea are the first three countries, to which Russia has fully resumed flights.Flights to Prague are performed by Rossiya from St. Petersburg, and Aeroflot and Czech Airlines from Moscow. Flights to the Dominican Republic were opened in August, with only Azur Air performing charter flights there. Russian civil aviation authorities and anti-coronavirus crisis center announced that all existing restrictions on flights to the Dominican Republic, South Korea and the Czech Republic have been lifted starting Friday, August 27. Dominican Republic, Czech Republic and South Korea are the first three countries, to which Russia has fully resumed flights since restrictions were started to be imposed amid the pandemic, with the remaining countries still covered by the mechanism of flight quota arrangement. Moreover, the center has decided to increase quotas for regular flights to Egypt starting Friday. As of now no Russian or foreign air carrier has reported additional flights opened to those countries. Flights to Prague are performed by Rossiya from St. Petersburg, and Aeroflot and Czech Airlines from Moscow. The Czech Republic remains closed for tourists as only passengers with citizenship or residence permit, or those arriving for studies or medical treatment can enter the country. South Korea is also fully closed for tourists. All those entering the country (only citizens or passengers holding residence permits) will be required to be quarantined for 14 days. Moreover, last April the country abandoned visa-free travel with Russia and suspended visas issuing. Only Aeroflot performs flights to the country. Flights to the Dominican Republic were opened in August, with only Azur Air performing charter flights there. Aeroflot has also announced its interest in the destination, though the company has not yet announced the exact date of the beginning of flights.

Russia and San Marino working on visa-free travel deal.Russia-San Marino visa-free travel agreement to be signed soon.Tourism between San Marino and Russia is popular, according to Minister Lavrov. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced today after talks with visiting San Marino’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Luca Beccari, that an agreement on visa-free travel regime between the two countries is almost completed and will be officially ratified in the nearest future. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with visiting San Marino’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Luca Beccari “We have an agreement in principle to speed up the work on an intergovernmental agreement on visa-free trips for the two countries’ citizens. The agreement is almost ready and I think we will organize its signing soon,” Russian Foreign Minister said. According to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Russia hopes that as soon as the sanitary and epidemiological situation normalizes, the sides will “enliven tourist exchanges, which are very popular.” San Marino is a mountainous microstate surrounded by north-central Italy. Among the world’s oldest republics, it retains much of its historic architecture. On the slopes of Monte Titano sits the capital, also called San Marino, known for its medieval walled old town and narrow cobblestone streets. The Three Towers, castlelike citadels dating to the 11th century, sit atop Titano’s neighboring peaks.  San Marino is not a member of the European Union or European Economic Area. However, it maintains an open border with Italy. Since San Marino is only accessible via Italy entrance is not possible without entering the Schengen Area first and therefore Schengen visa rules apply de facto. Foreign visitors staying more than 10 days in San Marino must have a permit from the government. San Marino signs independent visa-free agreements which are of symbolic value for foreign citizens but do have effect on San Marino passport holders.[1] San Marino has signed such visa-free agreements with Argentina, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Finland, Hungary, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom for ordinary passport holders. In addition, agreements were also signed with Azerbaijan, Gambia, Moldova, Eswatini, Tunisia, Turkey, and Uganda for diplomatic and service passport holders.

September 11 dead honored on 20th anniversary of attacks.President Biden calls for unity on the 20th Anniversary of 9/11.Memorials held in New York City and around the country. On the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Americans have come together to remember and honor nearly 2,977 victims who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Today’s somber ceremony at the September 11 Memorial in New York City began with a moment of silence at 8:46am (12:46 GMT), the exact time first of two hijacked passenger jets crashed into New York City’s World Trade Center. Relatives of the victims then began to read aloud the names of 2,977 people who perished in the attacks, an annual ritual that lasts four hours. “We love you and we miss you,” many of them said as somber violin music played at the official ceremony, attended by dignitaries including President Joe Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. At Ground Zero in New York City, 2,753 people, from all over the world, were killed in the initial explosions, jumped to their deaths, or simply vanished in the inferno of the collapsing towers. At the Pentagon, an airliner tore a fiery hole in the side of the superpower’s military nerve center, killing 184 people in the plane and on the ground. And in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the third wave of hijackers crashed into a field after passengers fought back, sending United 93 down before reaching its intended target – likely the US Capitol building in Washington. The remembrances have become an annual tradition, but Saturday takes on special significance, coming 20 years after the morning that many view as a turning point in US history. In a painful reminder of those changes, only weeks ago US and allied forces completed a chaotic withdrawal from the war the US started in Afghanistan shortly after the attacks in retaliation – which became the longest war in US history. Today’s memorials come as national discord is overshadowing any sense of closure amid anger about the messy Kabul evacuation, which included 13 US soldiers killed by a suicide bomber.

Air Astana increases Istanbul frequencies.Air Astana adds more Kyiv flights.Air Astana resumes direct London flights from Nur-Sultan. Air Astana introduced an additional frequency between Kyiv and Nur-Sultan on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, with the capitals of Kazakhstan and Ukraine now connected three times a week on Mondays. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The airline also operates flights between Kyiv and Almaty on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Air Astana will additionally launch a third frequency between Istanbul and Almaty on 17, September 2021, with flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, as well as a service between Istanbul and Nur-Sultan on Thursdays. Air Astana also resumes direct flights from London to Nur-Sultan twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays starting on September 18, 2021. Passengers are kindly requested to follow entry requirements before flight on Air Astana’s website. Air Astana is the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, based in Almaty. It operates scheduled, domestic and international services on 64 routes from its main hub, Almaty International Airport, and from its secondary hub, Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport.

Aeroflot suspends pilots for refusing COVID-19 jabs.Suspended pilots refused to sign up for vaccine against coronavirus.Pilots’ union complained to Aeroflot CEO, calling suspension a discrimination. Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot, which is majority-owned by the Russian state, sent least six unvaccinated pilots on unpaid leave or vacation without pay, the carrier’s spokesman said. Six pilots working for Russia’s main international airline have been grounded and suspended from duty under rules allowing companies to effectively dismiss staff who refuse to sign up for a vaccine against COVID-19 virus. A spokesman for Aeroflot said that six pilots had been put on sick leave, without pay, because they had chosen not to receive a jab. However, the number of suspended pilots was miniscule compared to the overall size of Aeroflot’s workforce, with 2,300 pilots in the company’s cockpits. The pilots’ labor union complained to Aeroflot CEO Mikhail Poluboyarinov of discrimination, arguing that unvaccinated flight attendants and technical support staff do not face similar dismissals. Igor Delduzhov, the President of the Sheremetyevo Trade Union of Flight Personnel, based at Aeroflot’s Moscow hub airport, has hit out at the decision to remove the flight staff. According to him, the harsh response to those choosing not to get vaccinated is unwarranted, given around 84% of staff have reportedly already been immunized. “No other Russian airline has similar suspensions,” Deldyuzhov said in a letter on the union’s website.

Lufthansa starts operating its first aircraft with Single-Aisle Airspace cabin.More than 80 of Lufthansa’s A320 jets to be equipped with new cabin.Lufthansa continues to focus emphatically on premium product for its guests. Lufthansa has started operations with its first A320 Family aircraft – an A321neo – featuring Airbus’ new Single-Aisle Airspace cabin. In doing so, the airline becomes the first operator in Europe to introduce the new Airspace cabin features for passengers on board A320 Family aircraft. In 2018 Lufthansa Group, a long-time A320 Family customer, chose to equip more than 80 of its new A320 Family aircraft on order from Airbus with Airspace cabins. The new Airspace features include: slimmer sidewall panels for extra personal space at shoulder level; better views through the windows with their redesigned bezels and completely integrated window shades; the largest overhead bins for 60% more bags; the latest full LED lighting technologies; LED-lit ‘entrance area’; and new lavatories with hygienic touchless features and antimicrobial surfaces. “Lufthansa has once again made a choice of innovation and passenger appeal, raising the bar for the flying public at large to experience next-level, Airbus leading cabin innovations”, said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “I am delighted to welcome one of our long term partners, Lufthansa, to become the first European operator for the A320neo Family Airspace cabin. I can’t wait to fly on one of these aircraft.” “Regardless of the crisis, we continue to focus emphatically on a premium product for our guests,” emphasizes Heike Birlenbach, Head of Customer Experience, Lufthansa Group. “For us, premium means providing high-quality, individualized and relevant offers for all our passengers at all times. With the new Airspace Cabin, we are significantly improving the travel experience on short-haul routes and setting a new industry benchmark.” Lufthansa has been operating the A320-family since the 1980s and has been the very first operator of the A321 and the A320neo. The airline group is one of the biggest Airbus operators worldwide. At the end of July 2021, the A320neo Family had received more than 7,400 orders from over 120 customers worldwide.

European summer air travel reached 39.9% of pre-pandemic level.The picture was mixed, with some destinations doing better than others.Bookings slowed towards the end of summer period. New research reveals that international flights to European destinations in July and August reached 39.9% of pre-pandemic levels. This is significantly better than last year (which was 26.6%), when the COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread lockdowns; and vaccines were not yet approved. However, the picture was very mixed, with some destinations doing considerably better than others. Also, the outlook is not improving, as bookings slowed towards the end of the summer period. Looking at performance by country, Greece was the stand-out. It achieved 86% of July and August arrivals in 2019. It was followed by Cyprus, which achieved 64.5%, Turkey, 62.0% and Iceland, 61.8%. Greece and Iceland were amongst the first countries to make widely publicized claims that they would accept visitors who had been fully vaccinated and/or could show a negative PCR test and/or could show proof of recovering from COVID-19. The countries which fared worst were those which rely more on long haul tourism, such as France and Italy and those which imposed the most onerous and volatile travel restrictions such as the UK, which languished at the bottom of the list, achieving just 14.3% of 2019 levels. Excluding low-cost carriers, intra-European flights made up 71.4% of arrivals, compared with 57.1% in 2019. The relative disappearance of long-haul visitors, who typically stay longer, spend more and focus their attention on cities and sightseeing, was underlined in rankings of the best and worst performing local destinations. Travel to London was particularly disappointing; it was at the bottom of the list of busiest European cities, achieving just 14.2% of 2019 arrivals. That list was headed by Palma Mallorca, also a major beach resort destination, reaching 71.5% of 2019 levels and by Athens, a gateway to numerous islands in the Adriatic, at 70.2%. The next best performing major cities were Istanbul, 56.5%, Lisbon, 43.5%, Madrid, 42.4%, Paris, 31.2%, Barcelona, 31.1%, Amsterdam, 30.7% and Rome, 24.2%. By comparison, leisure destinations proved to be much more resilient. A ranking of all major local destinations (ie: those with a market share over 1%) was dominated by traditional seaside holiday hotspots or the gateway to them. The leaders were Heraklion and Antalya, which exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 5.8% and 0.5% respectively. They were followed by Thessaloniki, 98.3%; Ibiza, 91.8%; Larnaca, 73.7% and Palma Mallorca, 72.5%. Aside from the macro trends, certain destinations fared relatively better or worse for more locally specific reasons. For example, Portugal, which is a favorite destination of UK holidaymakers, suffered when the UK changed its designation from green to amber in June; and Spain suffered at the end of July when Germany warned against all but essential travel. When one considers how dreadful things were for tourism in Europe last year, this summer has been a very modest recovery story. Benchmarked against normal times, the continued low intensity of international air travel, less than 40% of normal, has been extremely damaging for the aviation industry. The continued absence of long-haul travelers, particularly from the Far East (it reached just 2.5% of pre-pandemic volumes this summer) will prove a severe blow to the visitor economy of several European countries. If there is an element of consolation, it is people “staycationing”, ie: taking a holiday in their own country. While the domestic aviation has a minority share of the market in Europe in normal times, it has held up much better during the pandemic because it has not been subject to such challenging travel restrictions. For example, the Canaries and the Balearics welcomed more Spanish visitors than they do in a normal season.

Staff shortage leads to huge lines at Heathrow.Travelers forced to wait in lines for five hours.Packed queues posed a COVID-19 risk to thousands of airline passengers. Border Force staff shortage at London’s Heathrow Airport resulted to enormous lines and complete lack of any social distancing this week, as the limited number of personnel were unable to cope with those at the border. Airline passengers at Heathrow Airport have repeatedly experienced such conditions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this Friday, some Brits were reporting absolutely absurd queue times due to a Border Force staff shortage which kept travelers waiting in lines for FIVE hours. One passenger even reportedly fainted during the chaos. Heathrow Airport responded to complaints by claiming that the delays were due to Border Force conducting “Health Measure Checks to ensure passenger compliance with the UK Government’s latest entry requirements.” The airport did not address the lack of social distancing and lengthy, packed queues, however, which posed a coronavirus risk to thousands of airline passengers. On Saturday morning, travelers at Terminal 5 reported on social media that the queues had died down. According to local media, at least eight other incidents of long queues, crammed crowds, and a lack of access to water and bathroom facilities have been recorded between May and September. In December 2020 – just days before Christmas – hundreds of passengers were left stranded at Heathrow Airport as flights became overbooked with Brits trying to escape recently-announced Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions, which forced families to stay at home and away from loved ones over the holiday season.

Turkey updates anti-COVID restrictions for foreign arrivals.Regulations aim to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.Updated rules set to go into effect tomorrow. Turkey’s Interior Ministry issued a circular today, announcing new updates for requirements and restrictions for visitors arriving into the country from abroad. The updates are implemented in a bid to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, and are set to go into effect on Saturday, August 4. Red list: Brazil, South Africa, Nepal, and Sri Lanka Suspension of direct flights from Brazil, South Africa, Nepal, and Sri Lanka will continue until further notice. Passengers who have been to these countries in the last 14 days will be asked to submit a negative PCR test result obtained a maximum of 72 hours before entering Turkey. They will also be quarantined for 14 days in locations determined by the governorships, at the end of which a negative test will be required one more time. If there is a positive test result, the patient will be kept under isolation, which will end with a negative result in the following 14 days. Bangladesh, India and Pakistan Travel rules for Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan have been eased, and passengers from these countries, or those who have been to these countries in the last 14 days, will be requested to submit a negative PCR test result obtained up to 72 hours beforehand. People who document receiving two doses of COVID-19 vaccines granted approval by the World Health Organization or Turkey or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least 14 days before entering Turkey will be exempted from quarantine. UK, Iran, Egypt and Singapore Passengers coming from the UK, Iran, Egypt, or Singapore will be required to submit a negative result from PCR tests done a maximum of 72 hours before entry. For passengers traveling from Afghanistan, those who can provide a document showing they were administered a COVID-19 vaccine in the last 14 days or recovery from COVID-19 infection in the last six months will not require a test result or quarantine.

FlyersRights calls for oversight hearings with airline CEOs, labor and passenger representatives.Airlines were given massive federal subsidies since 2020.There are questions whether taxpayers money has been misused by airlines. FlyersRights President Paul Hudson called for US Senate Commerce Committee oversight hearings with airline CEOs plus labor and passenger representatives.  FlyersRights President Paul Hudson Paul Hudson explained, “Airlines were given massive federal subsidies since 2020 to keep public air service strong and reduce COVID infections. But recent record-high cancellations, flight delays, plus airline opposition to some CDC guidelines call into question whether taxpayer money has been misused by airline management.” US airlines received over $79 billion in bailout money across three COVID-related bills in 2020-2021 to help them, their employees, and the air travel industry survive the worst of the COVID pandemic. Congress intended this money to go to pilots, flight attendants, and other airline and airport employees to ensure they were paid during the severely depressed demand period and to ensure that the airlines would have the capacity to meet the increased travel demand as soon as the COVID-19 situation improved.  The airlines, particularly American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, completely failed the American people. Throughout the summer, airlines have cancelled hundreds of flights per day because they did not have enough employees ready to go. On its worst day, Spirit Airlines cancelled over half of its scheduled flights. This is unacceptable, and Senator Maria Cantwell, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, sent a letter on this subject to the airlines in July. FlyersRights.org met with her staff to discuss the issue and to propose the solution to the latest of airline abuses.  FlyersRights.org proposed committee oversight hearings to force Doug Parker, Gary Kelly, Ted Christie and other airline CEOs to explain what they did with the COVID relief money and why their airlines have failed to deliver what the law intended. Oversight hearings should also include passenger representatives and labor representatives. FlyersRights.org proposed a stimulus and social distancing plan that would have kept the airlines profitable, running at a higher capacity during the pandemic, and would have ensured air travel was safer, all at a lower cost than the bailout packages. 

EU removed the USA from the green list of countries.Portugal will still welcome US visitors, regardless of EU action.Travel requirements for mainland Portugal and the islands are different. Portugal will remain open to travelers from the United States despite the announcement from the European Union this week that the USA will be removed from the green list rank of countries due to rising COVID-19 numbers with the Delta variant.  Portugal has confirmed that discretionary, non-essential travel is still allowed, provided visitors present a negative COVID-19 test result at boarding and entry into the country. Requirements for mainland Portugal and the islands are different however.  Arrival details for each are below: Restrictions for MAINLAND PORTUGAL (Porto, Lisbon, Faro airports) By the current restrictions, airlines and cruise lines should now allow passengers to board flights with destination or stopover in mainland Portugal after presenting at boarding: NAAT – Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (RT-PCR, NEAR, TMA, LAMP, HDA, CRISPR, SDA, etc), performed 72hrs before boarding OR an antigen test (TRAg) performed 48hrs before boarding and approved by the European Commission’s Directorate-General For Health And Food Safety Exceptions: Children under 12 year old Complete the Passenger Locator Card online for each passenger up to 48 hours before travelling Travelers will also need to present the documentation above to the Borders Officers at arrival and no other test or quarantine will be required. Restrictions for THE AZORES (Ponta Delgada and Terceira airports) To travel to the Azores it Is mandatory to present: RT-PCR Test – 72h before boarding OR Declaration of Immunity (for those who already had COVID-19, for example)Passengers may perform free test on arrival and await the result in prophylactic isolation (results are available between 12 to 24 hrs) Exceptions: Children under 12yo If the stay is longer than seven days, on the 6th day from the date the first CoVid 19 test was performed, the passenger must contact the Azores health services to schedule and perform a second testAll passengers must fill the questionnaire

Study looked at the biggest US cities to discover most and least affordable travel destinations.Oklahoma City is the most affordable destination for US city breaks.New York City is the most expensive US vacation destination. With travel restrictions meaning more Americans than ever are choosing to vacation close to home, travel experts have revealed the most affordable and most expensive US vacation destinations to inspire your next trip!  The study looked at the biggest cities in the country to discover which were the most affordable, based on factors such as food and drink, the cost of a hotel and transportation.  Top 10 most affordable destinations in the US  RankCityBeerWineRestaurant mealTaxi (1km fare)One-way local transport ticketNightly hotel price (weekend)Vacation affordability score /101Oklahoma City, Oklahoma$3.00$12.00$11.50$1.65$2.00$1068.582Indianapolis, Indiana$3.50$10.97$15.00$1.24$1.75$1798.003Tucson, Arizona$4.00$12.00$14.00$1.37$1.75$1347.964Memphis, Tennessee$4.50$10.00$15.00$1.49$1.75$1727.875San Antonio, Texas$3.60$12.00$15.00$1.52$1.50$1617.776Houston, Texas$5.00$12.00$15.00$1.44$1.25$1367.737Fort Worth, Texas$3.00$12.00$15.00$1.12$2.50$1457.708Louisville, Kentucky$5.50$10.00$15.00$1.43$1.75$1627.679Orlando, Floria$4.00$11.00$15.00$1.49$2.00$1607.6510Raleigh, North Carolina$5.00$12.50$15.00$1.40$1.25$1347.62 The study found Oklahoma City to be the most affordable destination for US city breaks. The city was the cheapest for half of the factors analyzed, costing just $3 for a beer, $11.50 for a meal in a restaurant, and $106 for a night in a hotel! If you’re fascinated by the Old West, then Oklahoma City is a must-visit, where you can visit the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, try your hand at roping and herding cattle and riding horses at a ranch, or take in a rodeo! Indianapolis is another extremely affordable city to visit,  ranking second place. Transportation is particularly cheap, with a one-way ticket on local transport costing just $1.75, and a 1km taxi fare averaging at $1.24. Followed by Tuscon, a popular choice for those wishing to visit the Saguaro National Park and one of the cheapest cities to visit!  Top 5 most expensive destinations in the US  RankCityBeerWineRestaurant mealTaxi (1km fare)One-way local transport ticketNightly hotel price (weekend)Vacation affordability score /101New York City, New York$7.81$15.00$20.00$1.86$2.75$3092.562San Francisco, California$7.50$15.00$20.00$1.86$3.00$2313.073Boston, Massachussetts$7.00$15.00$20.00$1.86$2.63$2733.164Brooklyn, New York$7.00$15.00$17.00$1.55$2.75$2803.765Philadelphia, Pennsylvania$5.00$15.00$15.00$3.42$2.50$2443.94 As one of the most popular tourist destinations, not just in the US but in the world, it’s little surprise to see that New York City is also the most expensive US vacation destination, whilst neighboring Brooklyn ranks 4th place. NYC was the most expensive city for four of the six metrics looked at: a beer ($7.81), bottle of wine ($15), restaurant meal ($20), and hotel stay ($309 per night). Another hugely popular city takes second place, with San Francisco matching New York when it comes to some prices and not far behind on most others. As well as being a very popular destination due to its landmarks and architecture, the city is also one of the highest-earning in the US, which also drives prices up for visitors.

David L. Joyce elected to Boeing’s Board of Directors.Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. retires from Boeing’s Board of Directors.Changes to Boeing’s Board of Directors are effective immediately. The Boeing Company board of directors today announced that David L. Joyce has been elected to the board, effective immediately. He will serve on the Aerospace Safety and Compensation committees. The Boeing board today also announced that Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr. has informed the company that he will retire from the board at the end of 2021. David L. Joyce elected to Boeing’s Board of Directors An accomplished aerospace executive, Joyce, 64, retired from General Electric (GE) as vice chair in 2020, where he also served as president and CEO of GE Aviation from 2008 to 2020.  During his 12-year leadership of GE’s largest division, Joyce also led customer and product support for more than 19,000 global engines and 500 airlines customers and oversaw the implementation of an industry-leading safety management system across GE Aviation. A 40-year GE veteran, Joyce joined GE Aviation in 1980 as a product engineer and spent 15 years designing and developing GE’s commercial and military engines, before serving in a variety of leadership positions in GE Aviation, including vice president and general manager of Commercial Engines. Joyce earned both a Bachelor of Science and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University and holds a master’s in business finance from Xavier University.  “David Joyce is a recognized aerospace industry leader who brings a demonstrated track record of safety leadership, engineering expertise and operational excellence to our board,” said Boeing Chairman Larry Kellner. “He will provide valuable counsel and guidance based on his significant experience.” Joyce is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and is the recipient of the National Defense Industrial Association’s James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award and the American Society of Materials’ Medal for the Advancement of Research. Since 2010, he has served on the Board of Trustees of Xavier University. “Boeing will benefit from David Joyce’s deep aviation experience and broad industry relationships,” said David Calhoun, Boeing president and CEO, and member of the board of directors. “David’s experience transforming businesses and focus on quality and safety in the aerospace industry will further strengthen our board.”

67% of US business travelers are planning to take fewer trips.52% of US business travelers are likely to cancel existing travel plans without rescheduling.60% of US business travelers are planning to postpone existing travel plans. US business travelers are scaling back travel plans amid rising COVID-19 cases, with 67% planning to take fewer trips, 52% likely to cancel existing travel plans without rescheduling, and 60% planning to postpone existing travel plans, according to a new national survey conducted on behalf of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA). Despite an uptick in leisure travel over the summer, the new survey highlights the dim outlook for business travel and events, which account for more than half of hotel revenue and aren’t expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024. The lack of business travel and events has major repercussions for employment both directly on hotel properties, and in the broader community. Hotels are expected to end 2021 down nearly 500,000 jobs compared to 2019. For every 10 people directly employed on a hotel property, hotels support an additional 26 jobs in the community, from restaurants and retail to hotel supply companies—meaning an additional nearly 1.3 million hotel-supported jobs are also at risk. The survey of 2,200 adults was conducted August 11-12, 2021. Of these, 414 people, or 18% of respondents, are business travelers—that is, those who either work in a job that typically includes work-related travel or who expect to travel for business at least once between now and the end of the year. Key findings among business travelers include the following: 67% are likely to take fewer trips, while 68% are likely to take shorter trips52% say they are likely to cancel existing travel plans with no plans to reschedule60% are likely to postpone existing travel plans until a later date66% are likely to only travel to places they can drive to

EU is gradually lifting temporary non-essential travel restrictions.Five countries and one entity/territorial authority removed from the restrictions lifting list.Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia and USA removed from list. Following a review under the recommendation on the gradual lifting of the temporary restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU, the Council updated the list of countries, special administrative regions and other entities and territorial authorities for which travel restrictions should be lifted. In particular, Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and the United States of America were removed from the list. Non-essential travel to the EU from countries or entities not listed in Annex I is subject to temporary travel restriction. This is without prejudice to the possibility for member states to lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU for fully vaccinated travelers. As stipulated in the Council recommendation, this list will continue to be reviewed regularly and, as the case may be, updated. Based on the criteria and conditions set out in the recommendation, as from 30 August 2021, member states should gradually lift the travel restrictions at the external borders for residents of the following third countries: AlbaniaArmeniaAustraliaAzerbaijanBosnia and HercegovinaBrunei DarussalamCanada JapanJordanNew ZealandQatarRepublic of MoldovaSaudi ArabiaSerbiaSingaporeSouth KoreaUkraineChina (subject to confirmation of reciprocity) Travel restrictions should also be gradually lifted for the special administrative regions of China Hong Kong and Macao.

European Commission recommends travel restrictions for US travelers to EU.Many EU countries experienced boost in inbound visitation this summer.US Travel encourages the EU to remain open to vaccinated Americans. US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on news that the European Union recommends removing the United States from its list of countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted: “This is a disappointing development following the boost in inbound visitation by vaccinated travelers that many E.U. countries experienced this summer. It’s a setback despite the uptake in vaccinations—the tool that’s highly effective against the variants—which are on the rise on both sides of the Atlantic. “Travel is a crucial component of the global economy and will be necessary for a full recovery from the economic devastation of the pandemic. US Travel encourages the E.U. to remain open to vaccinated Americans, and likewise urge the United States to take immediate steps to begin welcoming vaccinated individuals and restoring our travel economy.” European Union officials today recommended to suspend all non-essential travel from the United States as US new COVID-19 case numbers spiked. Today’s announcement by the European Council amounts to a recommendation to the bloc’s 27 member states, which technically retain sovereignty over their own borders.

Transport Canada restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from Morocco.Morocco flight ban is in effect from August 29 until September 29.Canadians are advised to avoid any non-essential travel outside of Canada Canada has some of the strictest travel and border measures in the world, and is prioritizing the health and safety of Canadians by continuing to take a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening its borders. Like every other element of Canada’s COVID-19 response, border measures are based on available data, scientific evidence and monitoring of the epidemiological situation both in Canada and internationally. An increase in COVID-19 positive test results has been observed in travelers arriving in Canada from Morocco over the past month. Based on the latest public health advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Transport Canada is issuing a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from Morocco from August 29, 2021, at 00:01 EDT until September 29, 2021, at 00:00 EDT. All direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from Morocco are subject to the NOTAM. Cargo-only operations, medical transfers or military flights are not included. To ensure aviation safety and to reduce operational interruptions, flights from Morocco that are already in transit at the time of the publication of the NOTAM will be allowed to proceed to Canada. As an interim measure, until the NOTAM comes into effect, all travelers arriving on those flights will be required to take a test on arrival to Canada. Transport Canada is also amending the Interim Order Respecting Certain Requirements for Civil Aviation Due to COVID-19, related to third-country pre-departure COVID-19 molecular tests to include travelers to Canada from Morocco via an indirect route. This means that passengers who depart Morocco to Canada, via an indirect route, will be required to obtain a valid COVID-19 pre-departure test from a third country – other than Morocco – before continuing their journey to Canada. The third-country testing requirement will also come into effect on August 29, 2021, at 00:01 EDT.  Canada continues to closely monitor the situation, and will be working closely with the Government of Morocco and aviation operators to ensure appropriate procedures are put in place to enable a safe resumption of direct flights as soon as conditions permit.   Restricting flights from countries of concern is part of Canada’s general approach to the responsible and effective management of Canada’s border re-opening plan. Canadians are advised to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada – international travel increases the risk of exposure to, and the spread of, COVID-19 and its variants. Border measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves.

Turkey decides on a Taliban request to help run Kabul’s airport.Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says discussions with Taliban under way.The talks were held at military facility at Kabul airport where Turkey’s embassy is stationed. Turkey held its first talks with the Taliban regarding assistance in running the capital city airport today at a military facility at the Kabul’s airport where Turkey’s embassy is temporarily stationed. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan According to Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ankara was still assessing Taliban’s offer to assist in operating Hamid Karzai International Airport (KBL) in Kabul and more talks would perhaps be needed before the decision is made. “We have held our first talks with the Taliban, which lasted three and a half hours,” Erdogan said. “If necessary, we will have the opportunity to hold such talks again.” Turkey had hundreds of troops in Afghanistan as part of the NATO mission, and had been responsible for the security of the airport for the past six years. Responding to domestic criticism over Turkey’s engagement with the terrorist group, Erdogan said Ankara had “no luxury” to stand idly by in the volatile region. “You cannot know what their expectations are or what our expectations are without talking. What’s diplomacy, my friend? This is diplomacy,” Erdogan said. Turkey had been planning to help secure and run Kabul’s strategic airport, but on Wednesday it started pulling troops out of Afghanistan – an apparent sign of Ankara abandoning this goal. Erdogan said the Taliban now wanted to oversee security at the airport, while offering Ankara the option of running its logistics. He said the twin suicide bombs that killed at least 110 people, including 13 US troops, outside the airport during the last days of an urgent evacuation effort on Thursday showed the importance of knowing the details of how the air hub will be secured. Erdogan said calm should be restored in Kabul before making a decision on the airport, adding there was a risk of getting “sucked in” to something that would be hard to explain given uncertainty around the possible mission. “Taliban said: ‘We will ensure the security, you operate the airport’. We have not made any decision on this issue yet,” Erdogan said. Ankara has so far evacuated at least 350 soldiers and more than 1,400 people from Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover this month. Erdogan, who previously criticized the Taliban as it swept through the country en route to Kabul, said Turkey was aiming to complete evacuations and troop withdrawals as quickly as possible.

Daily flights as of 16 September in cooperation with Singapore Airlines.Quarantine-free entry to Singapore only if travel begins in Germany.The quarantine exemption applies to specific flights, known as Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights. Entry into Singapore from Germany for fully vaccinated travelers will be possible again as of 8 September. A previously imposed quarantine upon arrival in Singapore will no longer be required from this point on. Germany is the first country with which the mega city in Southeast Asia has signed an agreement to this effect. The quarantine exemption applies to specific flights, known as Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights. Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines will jointly offer one of these VTL flights every day, either from Frankfurt or Munich, beginning on 16 September. Bookings are already possible. Customers will also be able to register for VTL flights on a Singapore government website beginning on 1 September. “Singapore opening up not only enables people to visit friends and family or meet business partners again, but also sends an important signal to other countries in the region,” says Elise Becker, Head of Sales for Lufthansa in Asia-Pacific. “It is more important than ever that countries work together to find solutions to restore international air travel as well. Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines are making a significant contribution to this development.” Since the announcement by the Singaporean government, demand for flights between Germany and Singapore has tripled. The following criteria qualify travelers for a VTL flight to Singapore: a full vaccination carried out in Germany or Singapore with Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna, or another WHO EUL vaccine. stay in Germany and/or Singapore for at least 21 consecutive days prior to departure for Singapore. VTL travelers do not have to have German citizenship. a Covid-19 PCR test with a negative result taken at most 48 hours before departure and a second PCR test upon arrival in Singapore. Until the negative result of this text is received, travelers must stay in their specified hotel or accommodation in Singapore. Depending on the duration of the trip, a maximum of two additional PCR tests may be required in Singapore. flight booking on a designated VTL flight.

Indian civil aviation regulator ungrounds Boeing 737 MAX jets.SpiceJet expects to start Boeing 737 MAX operations next month.India grounded 737 MAX jets on March 13, 2019. India’s civil aviation regulator announced today that Boeing 737 MAX aircraft were allowed to operate in Indian airspace again. All Boeing 737 MAX jets were grounded globally in March 2019 after two crashes within 5 months. India had banned all MAX aircraft from flying to, from, within and over Indian airspace on March 13, 2019. Recently, these aircraft were allowed to fly again by civil aviation regulators in the US, EU, UAE and other countries – after carrying out the required safety modifications and undergoing required hardware and software updates for safety. India’s SpiceJet Ltd said on Thursday it expects Boeing Co’s grounded 737 MAX jets in its fleet to return to service at the end of September following a settlement struck with lessor Avolon on leases of the aircraft. SpiceJet — the only Indian carrier with B737 Max in India — entered into a settlement with Avolon, a major lessor of MAX aircraft, paving the way for the airline’s 737 MAX aircraft to start to return to service… around the end of September 2021, “subject to regulatory approvals.” In all, there were eighteen Boeing 737 Max aircraft in India — five ex-Jet and 13 of SpiceJet — at the time of grounding. Indian billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala also plans to launch a new low-cost airline by early next year with a B737 Max fleet. Ex-Jet Max have been flown out by lessors. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Arun Kumar issued an order rescinding the March 2019 grounding of B737-8/9 MAX today. “This rescission enables operation of Boeing Company Model 737-8 and Boeing Company Model 737-9 (MAX) airplanes only upon satisfaction of applicable requirements for return to service,” Kumar said. Earlier in April, the DGCA had allowed foreign-registered Boeing 737 Max aircraft that was grounded in India to be flown out of the country. It had also allowed overflying of modified Max over Indian airspace. Following this, some foreign registered aircraft grounded at various airports in India were able to undertake RTS. So far, 175 out of 195 countries have lifted restrictions on Max, and over 30 operators have returned the plane to service. In a statement, Boeing said: “The DGCA’s decision is an important milestone toward safely returning the 737 MAX to service in India. Boeing continues to work with regulators and our customers to return the airplane to service worldwide.”