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IndiGo announced (30-May-2025) the following network expansion plans:

• Commence services to London and Copenhagen by the end of 2025;
• Commence service to Athens within the next 12 months;
• Commence services connecting Mumbai to Almaty, Tashkent and Tbilisi;
• Commence service to Siem Reap, marking debut in Cambodia;
• Expand capacity to Bali, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi;
• Commence services to Delhi Noida International Airport, Navi Mumbai International Airport, Adampur Airport and Hindon Airport, expanding domestic network from 91 to 95 destinations. [more - original PR]

IATA reported (01-Jun-2025) USD1.3 billion in airline funds were blocked from repatriation by governments as of the end of Apr-2025, an improvement of 25% compared with the USD1.7 billion reported as of Oct-2024. Africa and the Middle East accounted for USD1.1 billion, or 85% of blocked funds. The following countries accounted for 80% of the blocked funds:

• Mozambique: USD205 million, up from USD127 million as of Oct-2024;
• XAF zone (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo): USD191 million;
• Algeria: USD178 million;
• Lebanon: USD142 million;
• Bangladesh: USD92 million, down from USD196 million as of Oct-2024;
• Angola: USD84 million;
• Pakistan: USD83 million, down from USD311 million as of Oct-2024;
• Eritrea: USD76 million;
• Zimbabwe: USD68 million;
• Ethiopia: USD44 million.

Bolivia made the largest improvement, clearing its backlog of USD42 million as of Oct-2024. IATA 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". [more - original PR]

New Zealand Customs Service welcomed (26-May-2025) eligible ePassport holders from an additional 11 countries and territories to use New Zealand's automated eGates nationwide. The additions comprise Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and the Vatican, as well as Macau and an initial group of Middle Eastern countries consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. This follows a successful trial period in which Customs worked with Immigration New Zealand to ensure ePassports from these visa-waiver countries met the necessary border security and technological biometric requirements. Customs has opened its eGates to 48 countries in total. [more - original PR]

IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic signed (01-Jun-2025) an MoU to enhance connectivity from India to Europe and North America. Commercial contracts and regulatory procedures will be completed to enable IndiGo to sell partner flights as its own under its 6E marketing codes. IndiGo customers will then be able to book onward travel on select flights operated by the international partners, including:

• KLM flights from Amsterdam to 30 points within Europe;
• Delta and KLM flights from Amsterdam to the US and Canada;
• Virgin Atlantic flights from Manchester to the US.

The MoU also creates a framework for enhanced collaboration between the carriers on a bilateral and multilateral basis. The carriers will contemplate commercial collaboration including network, loyalty, cargo and sales, subject to regulatory approvals. They will also explore areas of non-commercial cooperation including aircraft maintenance, sustainability, training, ground handling and advanced collaboration through use of technology to service joint customers. [more - original PR]

Finnair announced (01-Jun-2025) plans to cancel approximately 50 flights due to industrial action at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on 02-Jun-2025. The Finnish Aviation Union IAU announced industrial action at Helsinki Airport, causing disruptions to traffic on 02-Jun-2025. The four hour industrial actions target different work shifts and thus affect many functions essential also to Finnair's flights. Cancellations are expected to affect approximately 3600 Finnair customers. Affected customers will be offered a new route. [more - original PR]

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, via its official website, announced (28-May-2025) the launch of a trial visa free entry policy permitting ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain to enter China for business, leisure or transit and stay for up to 30 days without a visa. The trial will run from 09-Jun-2025 to 08-Jun-2026.