airline news

Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports faced severe disruptions in mid-March 2026, with 96 delays and 15 cancellations affecting El Al, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Air France. Thunderstorms and staff shortages triggered widespread chaos during peak spring travel season.

UAE residents flock to Oman for affordable Eid Al Fitr 2026 getaways in Muscat, Musandam, and Jabal Akhdar amid regional disruptions. Expect a 5-day holiday from March 19-23, with self-drive trips, visa-on-arrival, and surging hotel demand driving the budget travel surge.

Oman Air has suspended flights to Amman, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait and 6 other cities through March 22, 2026 due to regional airspace closures from West Asia conflict. Travelers face rebooking or refunds—check status now amid ongoing disruptions.

Chinese travel agencies promote group tours to Pyongyang and Mount Kumgang as North Korea reopens borders via train from China. No DPRK tourist visa confirmation yet—business travel resumes March 12, sparking tourism hype amid Wonsan Kalma beach resort push for 2026.

New Zealand is temporarily slashing visitor visa fees for 13 Pacific nations from NZD $216 to $161 starting June 1, 2026—but Pacific advocates are demanding complete visa-free entry. Here's what travellers need to know.

Severe weather triggers 173 flight cancellations and 31 delays across Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar airports. Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, and Saudia strand thousands – check routes, rights, and rebooking now in March 2026.

Over 40 flight cancellations at Melbourne Tullamarine (MEL) and Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD) airports have stranded hundreds of passengers amid ongoing Middle East crisis disruptions on March 18, 2026. Qatar Airways, QantasLink, Jetstar and others hit hardest—check status now.

Mano Cruises cancels all Eastern Mediterranean sailings through April 2026, impacting Haifa tourism and thousands of passengers. Travelers must seek alternative routes immediately.

Manchester Airport Terminal 2 rolls out Amadeus biometrics for mixed domestic and international flows, joining France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Singapore in efficient passenger processing. Achieves 99% automated success, boosting capacity amid £1.3B upgrade in 2026.

Malta unveils its 2026 tourism strategy, prioritizing LGBTQ Americans and Chinese visitors to elevate its global appeal. The island blends progressive inclusivity with heritage-focused travel amid sustainability goals and diplomatic ties.

China, UK, Germany, Russia, Italy, and India drive Maldives tourism past 500,000 arrivals in early 2026 with 8.8% growth. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Marriott, and Four Seasons highlight boom at ITB Berlin 2026 pavilion by Singapore’s Leon Exhibition.

Iceland joins Denmark, Germany, Finland, Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Czech Republic and more in hailing Madrid as Europe's top romantic destination for 2026, surpassing Paris and Venice after 1.3 million global votes.