France readies charter flights to evacuate vulnerable nationals from conflict-hit Middle East hubs
Air France halts Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh services until 5 March as war fallout spreads
New EU-Switzerland ‘Bilaterals III’ pact refreshes free-movement rules—good news for French cross-border commuters
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Israeli Embassy in Paris closes consular section 2–3 March, cancelling all visa and passport appointments
Citing heightened security, the Israeli Embassy in Paris has shut its consular operations for 48 hours, wiping out all scheduled visa and passport appointments. The move compounds travel disruption for French residents bound for Israel and spotlights the fragility of paper-based consular processes during crises.
Indian Embassy schedules extra consular camp in Paris on 7 March to tackle passport-renewal backlog
To relieve pressure on its overstretched appointment system, India’s embassy will run a one-off consular camp in Paris on 7 March dedicated to passport renewals and police-clearance certificates. Slots are limited and must be booked online, so Indian nationals and their employers should act quickly to secure appointments and avoid work-permit complications.
Air France prolongs suspension of flights to Tel-Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh amid escalating Middle-East conflict
Air France has extended its suspension of flights to Tel-Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh announced on 29 February, citing fresh security warnings after US-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian retaliation closed swathes of Middle-East airspace. The decision affects thousands of travellers transiting through Paris-CDG and is likely to raise prices and lengthen itineraries as capacity tightens on alternative routings. Mobility managers should activate contingency plans and verify staff visa and residence documentation as the situation remains volatile.
250 French elected officials call for Charles-de-Gaulle airport expansion to be scrapped
In a letter published on 1 March 2026, 250 French officials from across the political spectrum demanded that Groupe ADP abandon its €6 billion plan to expand Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle. They argue the capacity increase to 90 million passengers is at odds with national climate goals and would intensify noise and pollution. The row creates strategic uncertainty for airlines and travel managers who depend on CDG as a major global hub.
OFPRA streamlines asylum procedure: originals no longer collected from 1 March 2026
OFPRA has overhauled its evidence policy: as of 1 March 2026, asylum seekers send only photocopies with their applications and keep their original passports and civil documents until the interview stage. The shift reduces applicant anxiety, accelerates case handling and should simplify right-to-work checks for employers hiring refugees.
Sixty Île-de-France bus lines switch operators as market opens to competition
From 1 March 2026, 60 bus routes in Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis and Hauts-de-Seine are operated by Transdev, RATP Cap IDF and ATM under six-year contracts awarded by Île-de-France Mobilités. Although fares and timetables are unchanged, passengers will see new branding and promised service-quality upgrades. The liberalisation could improve first- and last-mile links for business travellers and expatriate staff commuting to key hubs such as La Défense and the Paris airports.