Following Israel's recent airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, Air Arabia has announced extensive flight cancellations affecting ten countries amid escalating regional tensions and widespread airspace closures. The Sharjah-based low-cost carrier temporarily suspended flights to and from Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Russia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, with cancellations initially covering June 13 and 14 and extended through June 17 for some routes.

The disruptions stem from Israel's military campaign aimed at halting Iran's nuclear weapon development, which triggered the closure of airspace over Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and neighboring countries, severely impacting key air corridors between Europe and Asia. Air Arabia's affected routes include major cities such as Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz, Erbil, Baghdad, Najaf, Basra, Amman, Beirut, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Yerevan, Tbilisi, Baku, Almaty, and Tashkent. Flights between Ras Al Khaimah and Moscow, as well as Abu Dhabi and Moscow, Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku, have also been canceled, including return flights to the UAE.

Other UAE carriers have similarly curtailed operations: Emirates suspended flights to Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon until late June; Etihad Airways canceled Abu Dhabi-Tel Aviv flights through June 17 and adjusted schedules for Amman and Beirut; flydubai halted flights to Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and Israel with some aircraft rerouted or returned mid-flight for safety. Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Central, and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport have reported delays and cancellations, urging passengers to verify flight status before traveling.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a travel advisory urging nationals and residents in the region to stay updated and register with consular services for emergency support. Airlines emphasize passenger and crew safety as their highest priority and advise travelers to monitor official airline websites for real-time updates, rebooking options, and refunds due to the fluid security situation.

This extensive disruption highlights the profound impact of geopolitical conflicts on global aviation, with airlines forced to navigate rapidly changing airspace restrictions to ensure safety amid rising tensions in the Middle East

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) has reiterated that fees paid for exit and re-entry visas are strictly non-refundable, even if the visa is canceled—a policy that has been reconfirmed as thousands of expatriates plan their summer travel. This clarification was issued following a public inquiry from a resident, to which Jawazat responded unequivocally: “If the exit and re-entry visa is cancelled, the fees are non-refundable”.

Under current regulations, a single exit and re-entry visa costs 200 Saudi riyals and is valid for up to two months, with an additional 100 riyals for each extra month, provided the resident’s permit (iqama) remains valid. For multiple exit and re-entry visas, the fee is 500 riyals for up to three months, and 200 riyals for each additional month.

Notably, for residents who are already outside the Kingdom and need to extend their visas, the extension fees are doubled—200 riyals per month for a single visa and 400 riyals per month for a multiple visa.

The process for issuing, canceling, or extending these visas is managed digitally through the Absher platform. To cancel a visa, users must log in, access “Services for Sponsors,” select the relevant individual, and confirm the cancellation; however, the fee remains non-refundable regardless of the reason for cancellation.

Recent regulatory updates have also introduced higher fees for expatriates outside Saudi Arabia, including doubled extension charges and increased costs for renewing residency permits (Iqama) abroad. Penalties for not using or canceling a visa within the allowed time can be steep, starting at 1,000 riyals for the first offense and rising to 3,000 riyals for repeated violations. Overstaying outside Saudi Arabia after a visa expires incurs a fine of 100 USD per month.

These rules apply to all visa holders, including professionals, domestic workers, and dependents, and are part of broader changes to residency and travel regulations aimed at streamlining processes and ensuring compliance. Authorities urge residents to carefully plan their travel and visa applications, as changes or cancellations will not result in a refund of paid fees.

An easyJet flight from Geneva to Edinburgh was forced to declare a mid-air emergency and return to Geneva shortly after takeoff on Sunday evening due to a bird strike, cutting the journey short and causing flight cancellation.

The Airbus A320, flight EZY3294, took off from Geneva Airport around 6:06 PM local time but encountered a bird strike during its initial climb. The pilots immediately declared an emergency and circled near Geneva before safely landing back about 40 minutes after departure. The bird strike caused a technical defect on the aircraft that maintenance crews could not quickly resolve, leading easyJet to cancel the flight rather than attempt repairs, prioritizing passenger safety above schedule adherence.

EasyJet issued formal notices to affected passengers, apologizing for the inconvenience and providing information on rebooking options and accommodations for those impacted. Emergency services attended the aircraft upon landing as a precaution, and all passengers disembarked safely without incident.

This incident adds to a recent string of easyJet emergencies in mid-June 2025. Two other flights were forced to make emergency landings within days: one from Paphos to Bristol diverted to Izmir due to smoke detection, and another from Manchester to Enfidha diverted to Paris Orly for unspecified reasons. Both flights landed safely with no injuries reported.

These events underscore the operational challenges airlines face in ensuring safety amid technical issues and environmental hazards like bird strikes. EasyJet's response in following established emergency protocols demonstrates its commitment to passenger safety despite the disruption to travel plans.

In summary, the Geneva-to-Edinburgh easyJet flight's emergency return following a bird strike highlights ongoing aviation safety vigilance during the busy European summer travel period, with the airline taking all necessary precautions to protect its passengers.

The first four months of 2025 have brought a mixed bag of passenger traffic trends across Oman’s airports, reflecting shifting travel dynamics in the region. According to the latest data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information, a total of 4,701,055 passengers passed through the country’s airports from January to April, marking a slight 4.1% decrease compared to the same period last year.

Muscat International Airport, the nation’s primary aviation hub, handled 4,222,789 passengers by the end of April  down 4.7% from 4,428,726 in early 2024. Flight operations also saw a notable dip, with the number of flights falling 8.6% to 29,731, compared to 32,520 last year. Despite the decline, Muscat remains the busiest airport in Oman, serving as the gateway for millions of travelers.

Indian nationals continue to dominate the passenger demographic at Muscat International Airport, with 182,628 travelers recorded so far this year. Omanis rank second with 101,087 passengers, followed by Pakistanis at 47,078, highlighting the strong regional connectivity and expatriate travel patterns.

In contrast to Muscat’s slight downturn, Salalah Airport experienced a positive surge in passenger numbers, increasing by 6.8% to 458,394 compared to 429,181 last year. This growth underscores Salalah’s rising appeal as a travel destination and transit point. However, flight operations at Salalah saw a marginal decrease of 0.2%, totaling 2,974 flights.

Sohar Airport recorded the most dramatic drop in activity, with flights plunging 62.5% to just 72 from 192, and passenger numbers plummeting by a staggering 98.7% to only 307 travelers, down from 23,842 last year. This sharp decline signals significant operational challenges or changes in airline services at Sohar.
Duqm Airport also experienced a slight downturn, with flights decreasing by 1.9% to 204 and passenger numbers falling 2.7% to 19,565 from 20,106 in the previous year.

While Oman’s overall airport passenger traffic has softened slightly in early 2025, the varied performance across its airports highlights evolving travel trends and regional economic factors. Muscat International remains a vital hub, Salalah shows promising growth, and the steep declines at Sohar and Duqm suggest areas needing strategic focus to boost connectivity and passenger confidence.

As Oman continues to develop its aviation infrastructure and tourism offerings, monitoring these trends will be key to sustaining growth and enhancing the travel experience for both residents and visitors alike.

Following Qantas’s announcement to shut down its Singapore-based budget airline Jetstar Asia on July 31, 2025, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its low-cost subsidiary Scoot are set to expand their Asian services to fill the gap left by Jetstar’s exit.

Jetstar Asia, which operated about 180 weekly flights from Changi Airport and served approximately 2.3 million passengers in 2024, is closing due to rising operational costs, increased airport fees, and intense competition from other low-cost carriers. The closure will affect around 500 employees, but SIA is working with Jetstar Asia and unions to explore opportunities for affected pilots and cabin crew within the SIA Group.

Scoot plans to launch new flights to destinations previously served exclusively by Jetstar Asia, including Okinawa, Japan, and Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, starting from the Northern Winter 2025 season (October 26, 2025, to March 28, 2026). This will include four weekly flights to Okinawa and two weekly flights to Labuan Bajo, alongside daily flights to Medan, Indonesia.

From August 2025, Scoot will increase flights to key Southeast Asian cities: Bangkok from 35 to 39 weekly flights (rising to 42 from late October), Penang from 21 to 28 weekly flights, and Clark in the Philippines from 5 to 7 weekly flights. Additional increases will be made to services for Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta, Phuket, and Surabaya during the Northern Winter season.

Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines will boost its frequencies on several routes: Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 7 to 10 weekly flights; Jakarta, Indonesia, from 63 to 70; Manila, Philippines, from 28 to 35; and Phuket, Thailand, from 30 to 42 weekly flights. On some Manila routes, Scoot will deploy larger Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to replace smaller Airbus planes, increasing passenger capacity.

This expansion by Singapore Airlines and Scoot ensures continued connectivity and increased flight options across Asia, maintaining competitive pricing and supporting growing travel demand following Jetstar Asia’s closure. Travelers can expect seamless access to key destinations with enhanced frequency and capacity across the region.

Two Indian tourists were swiftly apprehended at Singapore’s Changi Airport for multiple shoplifting offences committed while in transit, highlighting the airport’s strict enforcement against retail theft.

On June 2, 29-year-old Goenka Simran and 30-year-old Garg Prasha were caught stealing at Terminals 2 and 3. Simran pleaded guilty to theft in a dwelling and was sentenced to eight days in jail. She stole a yellow purse valued at over SGD 300 (US$233) from a Furla store at Terminal 3 and a bottle of perfume worth more than SGD 200 from a cosmetics shop at Terminal 2.

 Prasha was fined SGD 700 for stealing a black haversack bag from a Charles & Keith store at Terminal 2. Both were arrested within an hour of the thefts, with the stolen items recovered, and prevented from leaving Singapore.

These cases are part of a broader pattern of shop theft incidents at Changi Airport. In recent months, multiple foreign nationals have been arrested for similar offences. For example, a 25-year-old Indian man was arrested in January 2025 after stealing a SGD 480 tie clip from Terminal 2; he was caught when returning to Singapore in transit and charged with theft in dwelling, carrying a penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment or a fine.

 Another case involved a 37-year-old Indian man who allegedly stole over US$1,300 worth of items from five shops in Terminal 3 within three hours, including chocolates, jewellery, and stationery. He was detained before leaving Singapore and faced multiple theft charges.

Additionally, a 45-year-old Australian man was arrested for stealing perfume and facial products worth hundreds of dollars from a cosmetics store at Terminal 1 in May 2025, with charges pending. These incidents reflect a 7.6% increase in shop theft cases in Singapore in 2024 compared to the previous year, totaling over 4,200 cases nationwide.

Singapore’s laws impose severe penalties for theft, especially theft in a dwelling, which can lead to up to seven years in jail, fines, or both. The authorities maintain rigorous surveillance and cooperation with retailers to detect and deter shoplifting, particularly in high-traffic transit zones like Changi Airport. The swift arrests and prosecutions underscore Singapore’s zero-tolerance stance on retail theft to ensure a safe and secure environment for all travellers.