Divers

✈ Wizz Air, the leading airline in Armenia, announced the opening of a base in Yerevan's Zvartnots Airport from October 2025, launching eight new routes to six European countries. The expansion comes despite the collapse of Armenian Airways and positions Wizz Air as a stable presence in a market with limited aviation due to regulatory issues. The new routes include Bari, Bucharest, Hamburg, Naples, Nice, Memmingen (near Munich), Paphos (Cyprus), and Prague.

🚀 Global Airlines' inaugural flights to New York will depart from Glasgow on May 15 and from Manchester on May 21. Ticket sales began on April 15, with prices now cut by 50%, resulting in over 440 euros for economy class and around 2,400 euros for business class. The company, currently owning just one aircraft, plans to expand its fleet in 2025 and establish a base at London Gatwick, although no regular operation plan has been announced.

✈️ On April 30, during final approach at New York airport, an Iberia Airbus A330 flight IB2627 from Barcelona faced a collision risk due to air traffic control directions. The pilot repeatedly warned of the dangerous proximity to another aircraft. The control tower had deliberately placed them on the path, citing a previous sector's directive to reduce speed. Tension ensued, resulting in the pilot being offered a formal complaint contact post-landing. The FAA is investigating to ensure protocols were followed, while Iberia's crew filed a safety report.

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🚨 Aena fumigated and disinfected T4 at Barajas Airport due to lice and bedbug infestation; however, the ASAE union warns that the issue won't be resolved until the approximately 500 homeless living there are removed. The presence of individuals with scabies and inadequate hygiene at makeshift camps has also been reported to the Community of Madrid. The situation is unprecedented and affects the image of Aena, Madrid, and Spain.

📍 Global Airlines' only A380 recently visited Barcelona from Beja, southern Portugal, and continued to Berlin before its inaugural commercial flight to the US. The aircraft, operated by HiFly, flew to London and returned to Beja without passengers. James Asquith, the owner, defends the legitimacy of Global against fraud accusations. In May, the airline will fly paid flights from Edinburgh and Manchester to New York and back, which is unusual for new market entries. The fate of the other three aircraft remains unknown.

💨 In Petra, south Jordan, a storm on Sunday led to heavy floods, transforming the historical site into a raging stream. The deluge forced the evacuation of about 1,800 tourists and led to the immediate suspension of visits. Subsequently, two Belgian tourists died in the affected Shobak area, with their bodies found after an intense search operation. Authorities had been warned of potential storms, but the speed and intensity of the flash flood were unexpected.

🚨 Aena has not addressed the issue of homeless individuals at Barajas' T4 terminal, where they are now staying on the first floor as directed by staff to avoid the more trafficked upper level. ASAE has denounced the terminal as a gathering point for drug addicts, with Iberia's staff complaining about fights, assaults, thefts, and the situation being labeled "unsustainable". Union demands for eviction of the homeless have been ongoing for months.

🚀 Numerous airlines, including Lufthansa, Air Europa, Wizz Air, and Air India, canceled flights to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on a Sunday after a Houthi missile from Yemen exploded close to the Israeli capital, narrowly missing the airport runway and facilities. An Air India plane diverted to Abu Dhabi, with no plans to fly the route for at least that week. Major European airlines, from Austrian to Ita, suspended flights to Israel due to security concerns. The Ben Gurion Airport was closed for approximately one hour but later reopened, with Israeli airlines maintaining operations.

✈ Due to escalating tensions between Pakistan and India over Kashmir, European airlines including Lufthansa, Swiss, Ita, Lot, and British Airways have altered their routes to avoid Pakistani airspace, adding up to an hour to flights. The conflict has specifically impacted flights to Bangkok, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad. KLM has not changed its routes but is monitoring the situation closely. Previously, Indian airlines Air India and IndiGo had to take detours of up to four hours to bypass Pakistan.