Latest news with #Iberia
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Portugal says power outage shows need for EU to help fund grid modernisation
LISBON, June 25 (Reuters) - Iberia's blackout in April showed that European grids must modernise to cope with more renewable power generation, and Portugal wants the EU to help finance these investments, its energy minister told Reuters on Wednesday. Energy minister Maria da Graca Carvalho said that unlike in the past, when thermal power plants facilitated grid management with their stable supply, more renewable sources such as wind and solar mean more intermittency and decentralised output which are harder to manage. "The blackout made it clear there is a need for greater modernisation, digitalisation of the grids, applying data science, storing data, in order to understand what is happening in a more complex system and reacting to it," she said. "It requires investment and we have been asking the European Commission to guide Europe in this investment and also help co-finance it because it is also a security issue," she said. The Commission has estimated that to meet its clean energy transition targets, EU countries would need to invest 584 billion euros ($679 billion) to expand and modernise electricity grids by 2030. In May, it launched a public consultation to receive input for the future European Grids Package, which is expected to be finalised by the end of 2025. The Spanish government said in a report last week that grid operator Redeia ( opens new tab had miscalculated the correct mix of energy in the system on April 28, but also blamed some thermal power plants using coal, gas and nuclear, for failing to help maintain an appropriate voltage level. A surge in voltage triggered a cascade of power plant disconnections, ultimately leading to the outage that spread to Portugal. The minister said the report still lacked clarity and Portugal was awaiting an independent report from the European energy regulators' agency ACER to understand what caused the outage and what needs to be done to "avoid future blackouts and, if they occur, to be able to restart (the system) more quickly". ($1 = 0.8605 euros)
Gulf Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
Airlines face fresh upheaval as Gulf countries shut airspace
Airlines were on fresh alert late on Monday after the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait closed their countries' airspace temporarily as Iran attacked the Al Udeid US military base in Doha, the latest upheaval to air travel in the Middle East. On Sunday, the US attacked key Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran vowed to defend itself, prompting many carriers to suspend more flights to the Middle East. Explosions were heard over Qatar's capital Doha on Monday evening, shortly after a Western diplomat cited a credible Iranian threat against the US-run Al Udeid air base in Qatar state since midday. United Arab Emirates airspace was also closed based on flight paths and air traffic control audio, according to a post on X by the air traffic tracking website Flightradar24 on Monday. Dubai Flightradar24 showed virtually no air traffic in the Gulf and over Qatar and Bahrain about 1735 GMT in what earlier in the day had been a busy space filled with commercial flights. Carriers had been likely avoiding airports in UAE and Qatar and, to a lesser extent, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, due to concerns that Iran or its proxies will target drone or missile attacks on US military bases in these countries, aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions said. The conflict has already cut off major flight routes, with the usually busy airspace stretching from Iran and Iraq to the Mediterranean largely void of commercial air traffic since Israel began strikes on Iran on June 13. Airlines have been diverting, cancelling and delaying flights through the region due to airspace closures and safety concerns. Kuwait Airways suspended on Monday its flight departures from the country. Three Air India flights headed to Doha were diverted to other airports due to the airspace closing, according to a source and data from Flightradar24. Up to 150 flights had been scheduled in and out of Doha on Monday, the data showed. IAG's Spanish airline Iberia scrapped an earlier plan to resume flights to Doha on Tuesday after the latest airspace closures. SUSPENSIONS Earlier in the day, airlines had been weighing how long to suspend flights for. Finnair was the first to announce a prolonged suspension of flights to Doha, with cancellations until June 30. Leading Asian carrier Singapore Airlines, which described the situation as "fluid", moved to cancel flights to Dubai through to Tuesday, having previously cancelled only its Sunday service. Air France KLM, IAG-owned Iberia and British Airways, and Kazakhstan's Air Astana all cancelled flights to either Doha or Dubai both on Sunday and Monday. Air France also cancelled flights to Riyadh and said it would suspend flights to and from Beirut, Lebanon until Wednesday included. With Russian and Ukrainian airspace also closed to most airlines due to years of war, the Middle East had become a more important route for flights between Europe and Asia. Amid missile and air strikes during the past 10 days, airlines have routed north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Added to increased fuel and crew costs from these long detours and cancellations, carriers also face a potential hike in jet fuel costs as oil prices rise following the US attacks. Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group said it is getting a small number of customer requests to route journeys to Europe away from Middle Eastern hubs. "The most common transfer hubs that we're seeing requested are Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Johannesburg, or even direct between Perth and London," said Graham Turner, CEO of Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group. AIRSPACE RISKS Proliferating conflict zones are an increasing operational burden on airlines, as aerial attacks raise worries about accidental or deliberate shoot-downs of commercial air traffic. GPS interference around political hotspots, where ground-based GPS systems "spoof" or broadcast incorrect positions which can send commercial airliners off course, are also a growing issue for commercial aviation. Flightradar24 told Reuters it had seen a "dramatic increase" in jamming and spoofing in recent days over the Persian Gulf. SkAI, a Swiss company that runs a GPS disruption map, said late on Sunday it had observed more than 150 aircraft spoofed there in 24 hours. Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information, said US attacks on Iran's nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region. This could raise additional airspace risks in Gulf states like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it said. In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar, and United Airlines and Air Canada did the same with flights to Dubai. They have yet to resume. Reuters
Kuwait Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Kuwait Times
Airlines weigh Middle East cancellations after US strikes
American, European carriers cancel flights to Gulf • BA cancels London flights NEW YORK: Airlines on Monday were weighing how long to suspend Middle East flights as a conflict which has already cut off major flight routes entered a new phase after the US attacked key Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran vowed to defend itself. Cancellations in recent days to typically resilient aviation hubs such as Dubai, the world's busiest international airport, and Qatar's Doha by international carriers show how aviation industry concerns about the region have escalated. The usually busy airspace stretching from Iran and Iraq to the Mediterranean has been largely empty of commercial air traffic for 10 days since Zionist entity began strikes on Iran on June 13, as airlines divert, cancel and delay flights through the region due to airspace closures and safety concerns. Finnair was the first to announce a prolonged suspension of flights to Doha, with cancellations until June 30. Leading Asian carrier Singapore Airlines, which described the situation as 'fluid', moved to cancel flights to Dubai through to Tuesday, having previously cancelled only its Sunday service. Air France KLM, IAG-owned Iberia and British Airways, and Kazakhstan's Air Astana all cancelled flights to either Doha or Dubai both on Sunday and Monday. Air France also cancelled flights to Riyadh and said it would suspend flights to and from Beirut, Lebanon until Wednesday included. A spokesperson for Iberia said the carrier has not made a decision regarding later flights. BA said its teams were keeping the situation under review. Carriers are likely avoiding airports in UAE and Qatar and, to a lesser extent, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, due to concerns that Iran or its proxies will target drone or missile attacks on US military bases in these countries, aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions said. With Russian and Ukrainian airspace also closed to most airlines due to years of war, the Middle East had become a more important route for flights between Europe and Asia. Amid missile and air strikes during the past 10 days, airlines have routed north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Added to increased fuel and crew costs from these long detours and cancellations, carriers also face a potential hike in jet fuel costs as oil prices rise following the US attacks. Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group said it is getting a small number of customer requests to route journeys to Europe away from Middle Eastern hubs. 'The most common transfer hubs that we're seeing requested are Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Johannesburg, or even direct between Perth and London,' said Graham Turner, CEO of Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group. Airspace risks Proliferating conflict zones are an increasing operational burden on airlines, as aerial attacks raise worries about accidental or deliberate shoot-downs of commercial air traffic. Location spoofing and GPS interference around political hotspots, where ground-based GPS systems broadcast incorrect positions which can send commercial airliners off course, are also a growing issue for commercial aviation. Flightradar24 told Reuters it had seen a 'dramatic increase' in jamming and spoofing in recent days over the Gulf. SkAI, a Swiss company that runs a GPS disruption map, late on Sunday said it had observed more than 150 aircraft spoofed in 24 hours there. Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organization that shares flight risk information, said US attacks on Iran's nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region. This could raise additional airspace risks in Gulf states like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it said. In the days before the US strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar, and United Airlines and Air Canada did the same with flights to Dubai. They have yet to resume. While international airlines are shying away from the region, local carriers in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq are tentatively resuming some flights after widespread cancellations. Zionist entity is ramping up flights to help people return home as well as leave. A handful of so-called rescue flights landed in the country on Monday morning, with 24 in total scheduled for the day. The country's Airports Authority said that airlines would resume outbound flights on Monday, with a limit of 50 passengers. Airline El Al on Sunday said it had received applications to leave the country from about 25,000 people in about a day. BA cancels flights Meanwhile, British Airways cancelled flights between London's Heathrow Airport and Dubai and Doha on Sunday following US strikes on Iran and fears that the situation in the Middle East could deteriorate. 'As a result of recent events, we have adjusted our flight schedule to ensure the safety of our customers and crew,' a BA spokesperson said, confirming that outgoing and incoming flights between Heathrow and Dubai or Doha were cancelled. A British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Dubai was diverted to Zurich on Saturday night, according to the tracking website Flightradar24. The BA website showed no flights available for Sunday or Monday when AFP checked for those routes, but flights were still available from Tuesday onward. BA did not confirm when the flights would resume, but said it would keep the situation under review. The airline typically flies three times a day between London Heathrow and Dubai, and two times to the Qatari capital. The US carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites overnight Saturday to Sunday after over a week of deadly missile exchanges between Zionist entity and Iran. Zionist entity closed its airspace after it launched a bombing campaign against Iran on June 13 - briefly reopening it on Sunday for repatriation flights. Several airlines last week cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and other Middle East destinations, with Iraq, Jordan and Syria also closing their airspaces at the start of the latest fighting. Emirates and Qatar Airways were still running flights from Heathrow to Dubai and Doha. — Agencies
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Airlines face fresh upheaval as Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain shut airspace
By Lisa Barrington and Jack Queen Airlines face fresh upheaval as Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain shut airspace -Airlines were on fresh alert late on Monday after Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait closed their countries' airspace temporarily as Iran attacked the Al Udeid U.S. military base in Doha, the latest upheaval to air travel in the Middle East. On Sunday, the U.S. attacked key Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran vowed to defend itself, prompting many carriers to suspend more flights to the Middle East. Explosions were heard over Qatar's capital Doha on Monday, shortly after a Western diplomat cited a credible Iranian threat against the U.S.-run al Udeid air base in the Gulf Arab state since midday. United Arab Emirates airspace was also closed based on flight paths and air traffic control audio, according to a post on X by the air traffic tracking website Flightradar24 on Monday. Dubai Airports did not comment and referred Reuters to the Dubai government media office. Flightradar24 showed virtually no air traffic in the Gulf and over Qatar and Bahrain about 1735 GMT in what earlier in the day had been a busy space filled with commercial flights. Cancellations in recent days to typically resilient aviation hubs such as Dubai, the world's busiest international airport, and Qatar's Doha by international carriers reflect escalating aviation industry concerns about the region. Carriers had been likely avoiding airports in UAE and Qatar and, to a lesser extent, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, due to concerns that Iran or its proxies will target drone or missile attacks on U.S. military bases in these countries, aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions said. The conflict has already cut off major flight routes, with the usually busy airspace stretching from Iran and Iraq to the Mediterranean largely void of commercial air traffic since Israel began strikes on Iran on June 13. Airlines have been diverting, cancelling and delaying flights through the region due to airspace closures and safety concerns. Kuwait Airways suspended on Monday its flight departures from the country. Three Air India flights headed to Doha were diverted to other airports due to the airspace closing, according to a source and data from Flightradar24. Up to 150 flights had been scheduled in and out of Doha on Monday, the data showed. IAG's Spanish airline Iberia scrapped an earlier plan to resume flights to Doha on Tuesday after the latest airspace closures. SUSPENSIONS Earlier in the day, airlines had been weighing how long to suspend flights for. Finnair was the first to announce a prolonged suspension of flights to Doha, with cancellations until June 30. Leading Asian carrier Singapore Airlines, which described the situation as "fluid", moved to cancel flights to Dubai through to Tuesday, having previously cancelled only its Sunday service. Air France KLM, IAG-owned Iberia and British Airways, and Kazakhstan's Air Astana all cancelled flights to either Doha or Dubai both on Sunday and Monday. Air France also cancelled flights to Riyadh and said it would suspend flights to and from Beirut, Lebanon until Wednesday included. With Russian and Ukrainian airspace also closed to most airlines due to years of war, the Middle East had become a more important route for flights between Europe and Asia. Amid missile and air strikes during the past 10 days, airlines have routed north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Added to increased fuel and crew costs from these long detours and cancellations, carriers also face a potential hike in jet fuel costs as oil prices rise following the U.S. attacks. [O/R] Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group said it is getting a small number of customer requests to route journeys to Europe away from Middle Eastern hubs. "The most common transfer hubs that we're seeing requested are Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Johannesburg, or even direct between Perth and London," said Graham Turner, CEO of Australia-based Flight Centre Travel Group. AIRSPACE RISKS Proliferating conflict zones are an increasing operational burden on airlines, as aerial attacks raise worries about accidental or deliberate shoot-downs of commercial air traffic. GPS interference around political hotspots, where ground-based GPS systems "spoof" or broadcast incorrect positions which can send commercial airliners off course, are also a growing issue for commercial aviation. Flightradar24 told Reuters it had seen a "dramatic increase" in jamming and spoofing in recent days over the Persian Gulf. SkAI, a Swiss company that runs a GPS disruption map, said late on Sunday it had observed more than 150 aircraft spoofed there in 24 hours. Safe Airspace, a website run by OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information, said U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region. This could raise additional airspace risks in Gulf states like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it said. In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar, and United Airlines and Air Canada did the same with flights to Dubai. They have yet to resume. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
CNBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Airlines divert, cancel more Middle East flights after Iran attacks U.S. military base
Airlines diverted more flights in the Middle East on Monday after Iran's armed forces said the country launched a missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar, exacerbating the region's military conflict. At least six commercial aircraft turned around near the United Arab Emirates' airspace, according to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24. The platform said airspace over the United Arab Emirates was closed. Reuters reported that the island nation of Bahrain also closed its airspace temporarily. Earlier, major international airlines including Air France, Iberia, Finnair and others announced they would pause some of their Middle East service. American Airlines had previously suspended its flights to Doha, Qatar, and United Airlines had paused service to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. U.S. carriers had also suspended their Israel service after that country's strike on Iran earlier this month. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.
