Hong Kong stakes HK$1.66 billion on luring high-value visitors and MICE travellers
Spain’s Extraordinary Migrant Regularization Goes Live, Opening Legal Pathways for Up to 500,000 People
Emirates sets 31 May deadline for penalty-free changes as reduced schedule continues
Latest News
Qantas slashes domestic capacity but boosts London and Paris services amid cost headwinds
Faced with an AUD 800 million fuel shock, Qantas will cut domestic flying by 1 % in Q4 2026 while adding seats to London and Paris services. The move reallocates wide-body aircraft to higher-yield European routes and could tighten supply—and raise prices—on key Australian domestic corridors. Travel buyers should lock in inventory early to avoid peak-season surprises.
U.S. House Votes to Extend Haitian TPS for Three More Years
The House passed a bill 224-204 compelling DHS to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians by three years, directly challenging President Trump’s effort to terminate the program. Employers gain near-term certainty for 350,000 workers, but the measure faces an uphill battle in the Senate and a likely presidential veto.
Dubai Airport remains open on April 16; 124 delays spark visa-overstay warning for travellers
DXB is fully operational on 16 April, but the previous day’s 124 delays and 22 cancellations are still causing knock-ons. Travellers must reconfirm flights, watch visa expiry dates and carry airline delay certificates to avoid AED 50-per-day overstay fines. UAE carriers are running reduced schedules while most European airlines remain suspended until at least 31 May.
Two-Day Lufthansa Pilot Strike Grounds Up to 90 % of Flights From German Hubs
VC pilots began a 48-hour strike on 16 April, grounding up to 90 percent of Lufthansa Group departures from Frankfurt and Munich and disrupting freight and passenger flows. With cabin-crew strikes only just finished, the walk-out compounds a month of unrest and could cost the carrier tens of millions of euros. Corporate travellers must reroute or invoke EU261 rights, and supply-chain managers should expect delays to continue after the strike window closes.
France completes switch to EU Entry/Exit System, bringing biometric border checks to business travellers
France activated the EU Entry/Exit System across all its borders on 16 April 2026, replacing manual passport stamps with biometric scans. The change tightens enforcement of the 90-day Schengen limit and requires companies to track staff travel more closely. Initial registrations may lengthen queues, but repeat travellers will use faster e-gates. Businesses should update mobility policies and brief employees before their next trip.
Long queues at Vienna-Schwechat after full switch-on of EU Entry/Exit System
A week after Austria’s mandatory roll-out of the EU Entry/Exit System, Vienna airport is experiencing three-hour passport-control lines. Extra border officers and a pilot fast-track for business travellers have been deployed, but companies are already rerouting executives. The episode highlights short-term pain as Austria digitises its borders.
Belgium Raises Citizenship Application Fee to €1,000 and Tightens Family-Reunification Income Rules
Effective 16 April 2026, Belgium has increased the standard citizenship application fee from €150 to €1,000 and introduced higher income thresholds for family-reunification visas. Sponsors must now earn at least 110 % of the minimum wage plus 10 % per dependent, and partners must be 21. The government says the measures will curb abuse and cut social costs; critics argue they restrict family life and could make Belgium less attractive to talent. Global-mobility and HR teams should adjust budgets, review salary attestations and warn staff of the steeper costs and stricter timelines.
China Warns Citizens to Avoid Seattle Airport After Scholars Denied Entry to U.S.
Beijing issued a travel alert telling Chinese nationals to avoid entering the U.S. via Seattle-Tacoma Airport after about 20 scholars were denied entry and questioned by CBP. The warning adds friction to U.S.-China academic and business travel and may dampen Chinese visitor flows as peak season approaches.