1:38pm, 30 April 2019: Latest update: Summary – Large-scale protests linked to the yellow vest movement (as well as other political groups and trade unions) are expected to take place on Wednesday 1 May in Paris and in other cities across France (1 May is a public holiday in France); as with previous demonstrations, these may lead to violence.

Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france?utm_source=e8de12d5-6e41-4a14-966e-3b21bc172b90&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

April 17th 2019

Experts believe the recent grounding of the troubled Boeing 737 Max along with other factors has the potential to drive fares up during the busy summer travel period.

CNN Business reports that last month’s temporary grounding took more than 370 jets out of service worldwide and halted the delivery of some new jets that would have otherwise been in operation by summertime, airlines’ peak travel season.

Low-cost carriers such as Southwest Airlines are among the 737 Max’s largest customers and fewer flights operated by discount airlines could result in less incentive for other carriers to offer lower prices.

“I think it certainly has the ability to pressure fares higher as we get into the busy summer months,” Helane Becker, an airline analyst for Cowen, told CNN.

“All the airlines have some extra planes at any period of time. But in the summer the system is strained more tightly,” added Philip Baggaley, the lead credit analyst for transportation companies for Standard & Poor’s. “It’s tough to disentangle the impact of the 737 Max from the other factors.”

A robust U.S. economy and low unemployment also mean increased demand for summer travel. What’s more, higher jet fuel prices—which are roughly 20 percent above where they were at this point a year ago, according to CNN—limit routes thus limiting passengers’ choices and keeping fares from falling.

Meanwhile, in Europe, the recent collapse of some budget airlines such as Wow Air has reduced competition, likely allowing fares to rise into the busy summer travel period.

Link: https://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines/airlines-expected-to-raise-fares-this-summer.html

AIRPORT – Milan Linate Airport – Milan Linate airport is to close from July 27 until Oct 27, 2019, to allow for renovation works. Majority flights to be re-routed to Milan Malpensa Airport.
Link: https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2018/10/01/milan-linate-airport-to-close-for-renovations-over-summer-2019/

STRIKE – Milan – Some airport personnel in Milan Airports will strike for 24 hours, from 00:00 to 23:59, April 13. Check with your ticket office whether this affects your flight Details.
Link: https://www.summerinitaly.com/traveltips/transport-strikes-in-italy

FLIGHT DELAY – Due to commercial reasons, all Qatar Airways flights to/from Khartoum, Sudan will be temporarily suspended effective March 31 until further notice.
Link: https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/14/03/2019/Qatar-Airways-to-suspend-Sudan-flights

British Airways has today suspended flights to Saudi Arabia because of “heightened security concerns in the region”.
The suspension, until further notice, followed discussions earlier today between the airline and the UK Department for Transport.
BA’s safety and security director Geoff Want, said, “As a matter of precaution we have decided to suspend all flights to Saudi Arabia for the time being and we will continue to liaise closely with the British government.”
BA normally operates four flights a week to Riyadh and four a week to Jeddah.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “There is credible intelligence of a serious threat to UK aviation interests in Saudi Arabia.”
There are about 30,000 Britons in Saudi Arabia at any one time – most of them residents who are working there.
The Foreign Office said today: “We shall be drawing the British Airways announcement to the attention of the British community in Saudi Arabia through the warden network we have out there.”
The Foreign Office added that it did not intend to change its current advice about travel to Saudi Arabia. This already advises against all but essential travel to the Middle East country.
Two bomb attacks in Riyadh on May 12 killed more than 30 people and injured nearly 100 others.
The Foreign Office said that further large or small scale attacks against Western interests in Saudi Arabia remain likely.

Link: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-192255/BA-suspends-Saudi-flights.html

Some Parisian sites may be closed today (Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Garnier Opera House, Orsay Museum etc..) as well as the shops on the Champs Elysées Avenue. We highly recommend you to visit open spaces such as Montmartre, Luxembourg garden, Latin and Marais districts to make the most of the French Capital.

For more info: please click on the link: https://pro.parisinfo.com/actualites/actualite-touristique/Point-sur-le-mouvement-social-en-cours-%C3%A0-Paris/infos-pratiques#