Travel News
Ethiopian Airlines considering order for at least 20 regional jets, CEO says - REUTERS
by Shivansh Tiwary
NEW DELHI, June 2 (Reuters) – Ethiopian Airlines is looking to order at least 20 regional or small narrowbody jets as it moves to expand its domestic fleet and replace some ageing aircraft, the airline’s chief executive told Reuters on Monday.
“We are evaluating three aircraft models, the E-2 from Embraer, the A220 from Airbus, and the 737 MAX 7 from Boeing,” CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele said in an interview.
The final order quantity will depend on the type chosen, he added. Boeing’s 737 MAX 7, which has a larger seating capacity and sits at the bottom of a larger category than the Airbus A220 and Embraer E-2, is yet to be certified.
Africa’s largest carrier is experiencing strong travel demand but has been constrained by jet delivery delays and the grounding of some aircraft due to engine shortages stemming from supply chain disruptions.
“We are receiving airplanes from both Boeing and Airbus, but deliveries have been delayed, some by three months, some six months, some more,” Bekele said on the sidelines of an annual IATA meeting of global airline leaders.
The company is also in talks with lessors to bring onboard some jets to ease capacity constraints.
The airline is among several facing grounded aircraft due to bottlenecks in engine maintenance plants. Ethiopian has three Boeing 787 widebody jets grounded due to a shortage of Rolls-Royce engines, with five turboprop aircraft grounded due to a shortage of RTX’s Pratt & Whitney engines.
“Normally engines were supposed to be repaired and returned in three months typically, but now it takes six months or even more to get them repaired and returned,” Bekele said.
(Reporting by Shivansh Tiwary in New Delhi. Editing by Jamie Freed and Mark Potter)
Nigeria's defence chief proposes fencing borders to curb insecurity - REUTERS
ABUJA, June 3 (Reuters) - Nigeria's defence chief on Tuesday called for the country's borders with its four neighbours to be completely fenced to curb the entrance of armed groups amid escalating insecurity.
Nigeria's military has been strained by widespread security issues, particularly a 16-year insurgency in the northeast led by Islamist militant group Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province. Security forces and civilians have been attacked and killed and tens of thousands of people have been displaced.
BoE's Bailey sticks with 'careful' rate cut view as uncertainty deepens - REUTERS
By David Milliken and Suban Abdulla
Summary
- BoE's Bailey says greater uncertainty requires gradual approach
- Breeden says Trump tariffs not key for her May vote to cut rates
- Dhingra says supply chain points to medium-term inflation fall
- Bailey says Mann right to consider QT in view of changed markets
LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said on Tuesday he was sticking with a "gradual and careful" approach to cutting interest rates as global trade policy turmoil increasingly clouds the outlook.
The BoE cut interest rates last month to 4.25% in a three-way split vote. It cited "heightened unpredictability" with markets buffeted by U.S. President Donald Trump's rapidly shifting trade policy.
"I think the path (for interest rates) remains downwards, but how far and how quickly is now shrouded in a lot more uncertainty," Bailey told parliament's Treasury Committee.
Egypt plans desert city supplied with diverted Nile water - REUTERS
CAIRO, June 1 (Reuters) - Egypt unveiled plans on Sunday to build a desert city that will see about 7% of Egypt's annual Nile River quota rerouted from fertile delta land to pass by upscale glass-fronted housing units and eventually a large agricultural project.
Egypt, facing mounting water shortages, power constraints, and a deepening economic crisis, wants the development to help increase the value of state assets and boost land prices through "non-traditional, innovative ideas," Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said in a statement announcing the project.
Again, Nigeria maintains clean bill as $1.3bn airline funds remain blocked - DAILY TRUST
ByAbdullateef Aliyu, Lagos
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) yesterday reported that $1.3 billion in airline funds are blocked from repatriation by governments as of end of April 2025.
According to IATA, this is a significant amount, although it is an improvement of 25% compared with the $1.7 billion reported for October 2024.
The association stated that 10 countries account for 80% of the total blocked funds, amounting to $1.03 billion.
However, Nigeria is not on the list again having cleared over $700m airlines’ blocked funds as of last year, thereby exiting the debtors’ list.
At its peak in June 2023, Nigeria’s blocked funds amounted to $850 million, significantly affecting airline operations and finances in the country.
However, as of April 2024, 98% of these funds have been cleared as IATA confirmed, saying the remaining $19 million was due to the Central Bank’s ongoing verification of outstanding forward claims filed by the commercial banks.
In a report yesterday, the association representing 80 per cent of global airlines urged governments to remove all barriers preventing airlines from the timely repatriation of their revenues from ticket sales and other activities in accordance with international agreements and treaty obligations.
“Ensuring the timely repatriation of revenues is vital for airlines to cover dollar-denominated expenses and maintain their operations. Delays and denials violate bilateral agreements and increase exchange rate risks. Reliable access to revenues is critical for any business—particularly airlines which operate on very thin margins. Economies and jobs rely on international connectivity. Governments must realize that it is a challenge for airlines to maintain connectivity when revenue repatriation is denied or delayed,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Pakistan and Bangladesh, previously in the top five blocked funds countries, have made notable progress in clearing their backlog to $83 million and $92 million, respectively (from $311 million and $196 million in October 2024, respectively).
Mozambique has climbed up to the top of blocked funds countries, withholding $205 million from airlines, compared with $127 million in October 2024. The Africa and Middle East (AME) region accounts for 85% of total blocked funds, at $1.1 billion as of end April 2025.
The most significant improvement was noted in Bolivia, fully clearing its backlog that stood at $42 million at end October 2024.
African airlines record 13.6% growth in passengers - DAILY TRUST
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for April 2025 global passenger demand with African airlines recording a 13.6% year-on-year increase in demand.
Capacity was up 8.9% year-on-year. The load factor was 76.3% (+3.1 ppt compared to April 2024).
According to the data, total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), was up 8.0% compared to April 2024.
Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), was up 6.5% year-on-year. The April load factor was 83.6% (+1.1 ppt compared to April 2024).
International demand rose 10.8% compared to April 2024. Capacity was up 8.5% year-on-year, and the load factor was 84.1% (+1.7 ppt compared to April 2024), the highest ever for April.
Similarly, domestic demand increased 3.3% compared to April 2024. Capacity was up 3.1% year-on-year. The load factor was 82.7% (+0.1 ppt compared to April 2024).
“April was a positive month for travel. Growth strengthened, especially for international demand which saw record load factors for the month. The return of the transatlantic market to growth is particularly encouraging. But there are some signs of fragility of consumer and business confidence with continued weakness in the US domestic market and a sharp fall in North American premium class travel,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
“As we gather in New Delhi, India for the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, it is notable that Indian domestic growth is running at over 10%. The development of India’s air connectivity in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal, making this year’s gathering a timely and powerful reminder for all on how aviation connectivity drives growth and development,” Walsh said.
Nearly 100 missing a week after floods tore through Nigerian town - REUTERS
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, June 4 (Reuters) - At least 98 people are still missing in addition to 160 confirmed dead a week after floods ripped through a town in central Nigeria, the national emergency agency said on Wednesday, as hopes of finding survivors fade.
Heavy rainfall unleashed waters that destroyed homes and overwhelmed local drainage systems in Mokwa, about 270 km (168 miles) west of Abuja, in one of the deadliest floods to hit Africa's most populous country.
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Although search and rescue operations continue, damage to roads and bridges was hampering access, said the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), which has enlisted the help of Nigeria Red Cross, police and army.
"Teams are working to locate missing persons. There is heightened risk of disease outbreaks due to overcrowding and contaminated water sources," NEMA said in a statement.
Habiba Abdulahi, a 27-year-old resident, said four of her five children had been washed away by the floods, and that like other victims' relatives she was still hoping that the bodies would be found.
"Just like that, my children were gone. Even now, we haven't found them, but we are still hoping to recover their bodies," she told Reuters by phone.
The United Nations Children's Fund in Nigeria said it had deployed a team to provide essential healthcare services, including to pregnant women.
Nigeria frequently experiences floods during the rainy season, which typically begins in April and ends in October.
Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Aidan Lewis
Trump reinstates US travel ban, bars citizens of 12 countries - CNBC
BY Monica Pitrelli
Key Points
- The proclamation applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
- Citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela are subject to partial restrictions.
- The ban is set to begin Monday.
WASHINGTON, June 4 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning the citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the move was needed to protect against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats.
The directive is part of an immigration crackdown Trump launched this year at the start of his second term, which has included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members, as well as efforts to deny enrollments of some foreign students and deport others.
The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
The entry of people from seven other countries – Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela – will be partially restricted.
“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X. He said the list could be revised and new countries could be added.
The proclamation is effective on June 9, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT). Visas issued before that date will not be revoked, the order said.
The African Union’s Commission expressed concern on Thursday about the potential negative impact of the new travel ban on educational exchanges, commercial engagement and broader diplomatic relations.
“The African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the U.S. administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,” it said in a statement.
During his first, 2017-21 term in office, Trump announced a ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Former President Joe Biden, a Democrat who succeeded Trump, repealed that ban on nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience”.
Trump said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbor a “large-scale presence of terrorists,” fail to cooperate on visa security, have an inability to verify travelers’ identities as well as inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States.
“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump said.
He cited Sunday’s incident in Boulder, Colorado in which a man tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators as an example of why the new curbs are needed.
An Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, has been charged in the attack. Federal officials said Soliman had overstayed his tourist visa and had an expired work permit – although Egypt is not on the list of countries facing travel limits.
BEING IN THE U.S. A ‘BIG RISK’
Somalia immediately pledged to work with the U.S. to address security issues.
“Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised,” Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali ambassador to the United States, said in a statement.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, a close ally of President Nicolas Maduro, responded on Wednesday evening by describing the U.S. government as fascist and warning Venezuelans against being in the United States.
“The truth is being in the United States is a big risk for anybody, not just for Venezuelans … They persecute our countrymen, our people for no reason.”
A spokesperson for the Taliban-led Afghan foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Pakistan’s foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment on how it would handle the thousands of Afghans waiting in Islamabad who had been in the pipeline for U.S. resettlement.
Calls early on Thursday to the spokesperson for Myanmar’s military government were not answered.
The travel ban threatens to upend a 31-year-old Myanmar teacher’s plan to join a U.S. State Department exchange program, which was slated to start in September.
“It is not easy to apply nor get accepted as we needed several recommendation letters,” said the teacher, who currently lives in Thailand and asked not to be named because her visa application is still outstanding.
“In my case, I would get to work at universities that provide digital education,” she said, adding that she had not been updated by the program after Trump’s announcement.
Trump’s presidential campaign focused on a tough border strategy and he previewed his plan in an October 2023 speech, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and “anywhere else that threatens our security.”
Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the U.S. to detect national security threats.
The latest travel restrictions were first reported by CBS News.
In March, Reuters reported that the Trump administration was considering travel restrictions on dozens of countries.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason and Nandita Bose, additional reporting by Martin Petty, Daphne Psaledakis, Charlotte Greenfield, Shoon Naing, Jasper Ward and George Obulutsa; writing by James Oliphant and Lincoln Feast; editing by Costas Pitas, Sandra Maler, Michelle Nichols, Diane Craft, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Stephen Coates and Mark Heinrich)
Customs give jet owners one month to clear duty - PUNCH
BY Olasunkanmi Akinlotan
The Nigeria Customs Service has again bowed to pressure from indebted private jet owners who have failed to pay their duty to the government coffers, as it gave the debtors one more month to clear the debts.
The service disclosed this on Thursday through its spokesperson, Maiwadah Abdullahi, saying the decision was based on further consultation.
There are reports that duties are not being paid on the majority of private jets currently in the country, with the NCS seeking to recover unpaid import duties running into several billions of naira.
Following this development, the service at different times had threatened to clamp down on the defaulting private jet owners.
In 2024, Customs asked private jet owners to proceed with a verification exercise with the government. The exercise was to determine defaulters in the payment of import duty.
Recall that on October 14, 2024, The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government, through the NCS, had planned to ground over 60 private jets owned by very important persons in the country over unpaid import duty beginning from that day.
This was not implemented as the NCS later that same day announced the extension of the verification exercise for private jet owners by one month, from October 14, 2024, to November 14, 2024.
After multiple attempts to ground the affected private jets failed, the agency finally grounded over 60 private jets over their refusal to pay customs duty, an operation that lasted between Monday and Wednesday.
Following the enforcement, private jet hangars in Lagos and Abuja airports were reportedly sealed up. However, owners of the aircraft, including bank chiefs and multinational oil companies among other individuals, began to lobby the Presidency to secure the release of their jets.
Some of the grounded luxury aircraft include Bombardier BD-700 Global 6000, BD-700 Global 6500, and BD-700 Global 7500, among others. Officials of the NCS and those in the aviation sector confirmed this in separate interviews on Wednesday.
However, on Thursday, Maiwada announced the suspension of the enforcement exercise, adding that the service would again be giving a one-month window to the defaulting private jet owners.
He said, “We decided to ground aircraft, but we have done some consultations and we have a mutual understanding to suspend the action for another month so that others will come forward to comply. We know they really want to comply, it is just about regularisation and payment of customs duty.”
Meanwhile, speaking with an industry expert, Capt Muhammed Badamosi, advised the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to remind the owners of the jets of the requirement that qualifies them to stay and operate in Nigeria.
He said, “However, the NCAA is a different body responsible for compliance with the regulations of the aviation ministry, and the NCS is another body responsible for tax collection. The NCAA can’t control the standard operating procedure for customs services.
“Since the NCAA is the first respondent to foreign-registered aircraft, they should remind them of other requirements like the Customs duty, which is independent of the regulations of the aviation regulator. If this is done from the beginning of the application process, we will not be where we are on Customs duty today. Let’s learn to do things right the first time.”
Chad suspends visa issuance to US citizens over travel ban - REUTERS
N'DJAMENA, June 5 (Reuters) - Chad suspended visa issuance to U.S. citizens on Thursday after its nationals were included in a U.S. travel ban targeting 12 countries, President Idriss Deby said in a Facebook post.
"I have instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the issuance of visas to U.S. citizens," Deby said.
"Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has its dignity and pride," Deby added, making reference to Qatar's gift of a $400 million airplane to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Chad is among seven African countries on the list of 12 included in the U.S. administration's travel ban.
Reporting by Mahamat Ramadane Writing by Ayen Deng Bior Editing by Bate Felix