LIZZ/Italy The ATC strike is still planned to go ahead on Jun 8 at all airports in Italy and all ACC’s, from 11-15Z. Overflights, and intercontinental flights (eg US arrivals) are exempt. Expect disruption on the ground at all airports all day.

MGGT/Guatemala City The airport re-opened on Jun 4, following a major eruption at the nearby Fuego Volcano on Jun 3 which has resulted in the deaths of 70 people so far. Though volcanic activity has been declared over, there is potential for additional eruptions and mudslides.

SBZZ/Brazil No fuel shortages are being reported this week at any of the country’s main airports, following the supply issues last week due to the nationwide trucker strike.

LFZZ/France Unions have called for another French ATC strike in the LFMM/Marseilles sector this coming weekend, Jun 9-10. Awaiting official confirmation by Notam.

ZSZZ/China Tropical storm Ewiniar has made landfall in the Guangdong province in southern China just north of Hainan Island, with gusting winds of up to 50kts. The storm is not expected to have a major impact on Hong Kong, although thunderstorms alerts have been issued.

EGZZ/United Kingdom There are almost no options for London airports to land at during the night this summer. EGMC/Southend is probably the best bet, no restrictions there thus far. More info here.

EGPH/Edinburgh Due to limited parking expected until the end of Aug, the airport is only available for diverts that are emergencies. Don’t use EGPH as an alternate airport on your FPL.

EICK/Cork Night-time runway closures on various different dates throughout June. Check the Notams carefully before planning the airport as a NAT alternate.

EINN/Shannon The runway will be closed from 23-04z each night on Jun 11, 12 & 13. For NAT alternates, consider EGAA/Belfast or EIDW/Dublin instead.

LLZZ/Israel Multiple reports last few days of GPS outages in the Tel Aviv FIR/landing in Tel Aviv. Example from A320 operator: In Nicosia area GPS was lost multiple times. TLV TMA using the RNP-X 30 approach. Contingency plans discussed (request LDA or RNAV-V (no GPS requirement) if GPS would not recover before TMA. Or visual approach if later. Approx. 20nm before LIMKO the GPS functioned normally again, and the decision was made to accept/proceed/continue with the RNP-X 30. At SOSOT, suddenly both GPS 1+2 lost, with many GPS PRIMARY / GPS PRIMARY LOST messages at split second intervals. Decision was made to disconnect AP + FDs immediately as visual with the field and in turn. ATC informed and re-cleared for visual approach. Rest of approach and landing uneventful.

UKDE/Zaporizhia Airport completely closed until Jun 14, due to runway repair.

CZZZ/Canada Canada has now expanded its ADIZ to include all its national territory in the Arctic Archipelago. More info here.

LFPB/Paris-le-Bourget The airport will be closed each night 20-04z, June 11-15, for taxiway repairs.

LBZZ/Bulgaria CPDLC will be out of service across Bulgarian airspace until Aug 30.

VICG/Chandigarh The airport reopened on May 31, after a 20-day closure for expansion and repairs. The expanded runway will be 12,400 feet long with effective take-off length of 10,400 feet.

ORSU/Sulaymaniyah Turkey still don’t allow flights going to/from ORSU/Sulaymaniyah to operate over Turkish airspace – citing their ongoing concerns about terrorism in Sulaymaniyah.

SVMI/Caracas The US now advises against all night-time travel to/from the airport due to the risk of crime. We recommend to avoid planning tech stops in Venezuela altogether.

LEIB/Ibiza Lack of parking space on the apron expected over the summer months. Until Sep 1, the apron is limited to max 3hr stay for GA aircraft with a wingspan longer than 21 meters.

VABB/Mumbai Work to upgrade the ILS on the airport’s main runway 09/27 has now been completed, and the new system is now in operation.

EGSS/Stansted There are now only 10 night-time slots available for GA/BA per week, and new noise restrictions mean that aircraft rated above QC1 are unlikely to receive slot approval at all during the night period. More info here.

UUZZ/Russia During the World Cup (Jun 13 – July 15), parking will be tight at all Moscow airports and in other cities where games are being played: ULLI/St Petersburg, UMKK/Kaliningrad, UWGG/Nizhniy Novgorod, UWKD/Kazan, USSS/Yekaterinburg, UWWW/Samara, UWPS/Saransk, URWW/Volgograd, URRP/Rostov-on-Don and URSS/Sochi. All will require slots, and will want you to do drop-and-go’s and go elsewhere to park/fuel. At UUEE/Moscow Sheremetyevo, non-scheduled flights are banned unless they are transporting teams or groups of fans.

OEZZ/Saudi Arabia Another Houthi missile was intercepted over Saudi Arabia early on Jun 5, this time over the city of Yanbu, which is 150nm north of Jeddah, and 550nm north of the border with Yemen, making this one of the farthest missile strikes launched by the Houthi rebels so far.

RCSS/Taipei Due to runway repairs, Taipei’s second airport will effectively be closed nightly between 2240-0630 local time from Jun 20 to Sep 15.

WSSL/Seletar The Trump-Kim meeting is planned for Jun 12 in Singapore. From 07-23 local time Jun 12 and 07-19 local time Jun 13, Seletar Airport will be closed.

LGAV/Athens For July and August, PPR will be required for GA/BA aircraft wanting to park for more than 3 hours. But depending on the volume of traffic in the coming days, they may decide to implement this rule sooner.

KZZZ/USA Since May 3, all aircraft entering New York Oceanic (KZWY) and those departing Bermuda have been required to use a mach number instead of knots when filing their flight plans. The FAA has reported a low level of compliance since the Notam was issued.

EDDH/Hamburg In the last few days, both an A320 and a B737 have overrun Runway 05 at Hamburg. It’s shortened, but clearly that information is not being effectively received by flight crews. The most recent incident occurred on May 15. More info here.

LLBG/Tel Aviv In addition to the standard daily restrictions on GA ops, on May 24 there will be no GA ops allowed from 04-12z.

EHRD/Rotterdam The runway will be closed for repair overnight from 22-04z on June 4, 11, 18 and 25.

WIZZ/Indonesia The Mount Merapi volcano in central Java erupted again on May 20, but the ash cloud has since dissipated, and operations at nearby WAHH/Yogyakarta Airport have not been affected.

LIML/Milan Expect delays on May 26 at both LIML/Milan-Linate and LIMC/Milan-Malpensa airports, as some ground handling staff will be on strike all day.

SBBR/Brasilia Fuel may not be available at the moment, due to ongoing tanker driver strikes. A Notam claims fuel is available on request until May 25, but local reports indicate this may not be accurate.

LKMT/Ostrava The airport will be closed for runway maintenance on the evenings of May 23 (20-04z) and 24 (2130-3z).

KGYY/Gary The main Rwy 12/30 has reopened after a three-week closure to rebuild much of it.

EGGW/Luton Strike action by airport staff originally planned for May 25-30 now looks to have been cancelled. Some ground handling staff are still planning to strike on May 26-27, but the airport expects only minor delays on those days.

VTZZ/Thailand Reports of at least 20 bombings by militants across Thailand’s southern provinces on May 20. Travel warnings are in place for the entire region from VTSS/Hat Yai and VTSH/Songkhla airports in the north, to the Malaysian border in the south.

SVZZ/Venezuela Deepening crisis in Venezuela. Both the public and private medical systems can now provide only basic medical care. More info here.

OEGN/Jizan Another missile attack launched from Yemen on May 21, this time targeting OEGN/Jizan Airport. Saudi media reports that the missile was intercepted. This was the third attack by Houthi rebels since the start of Ramadan, which started last week.

VABB/Mumbai No ILS until Jun 5, due to repairs. The airport has said if the visibility drops below 2400 metres, ops will switch to the secondary Rwy 14, and if the visibility drops below 1200 metres (the minimum requirement for that runway) then the airport will have to be closed.

HLMS/Misrata The airport reopened on May 21, having been closed for 4 consecutive days, as ground staff went on strike after an attack by local militia at the customs office on May 16.

DNZZ/Nigeria With concerns about Ebola spreading from DR Congo, screening measures are now in place at all of Nigeria’s international airports: DNMM/Lagos, DNAA/Abuja, DNKN/Kano, DNPO/Port Harcourt, and DNEN/Enugu. Suspected passengers will now be quarantined in isolation clinics at the airsides of these airports.

LYTV/Tivat The airport now requires PPR 36 hours prior to your flight. Email dispatch.tivat@apm.co.me, or call at +38232670976 for approval.

ULLI/St.Petersburg There have been reports of unstable GPS near the airport (within 70NM), so be prepared for vectoring if you lose coverage.

LDPL/Pula From May 17 until June 17, PPR is required 48 hours in advance due to congestion. Email operations@airport-pula.hr and ppr@airport-pula.hr for your PPR and parking assignment.

SAZS/San Carlos De Bariloch The GA parking will be limited to 2 hour stays during May 17 – Aug 17. If you want overnight parking, contact them 24hours prior at brc-facturacion@aa2000.com.ar, or +5402944405016.

FZZZ/Democratic Republic of Congo The Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo has spread from the countryside into a city, prompting fears that the disease will be increasingly hard to control. It’s now reported in FZEA/Mbandaka.

SAZZ/Argentina From May 21, Argentina will be implementing an Air Traffic Flow Management service (ATFM) in its northern SAEZ/Ezeiza FIR. More info here.

MNZZ/Nicaragua Canada is now advising against all nonessential travel to Nicaragua due to civil unrest, which has been occurring throughout the country since April 2018.

OBZZ/Bahrain With the blockade of Qatar still ongoing, Bahrain has published some required routes for aircraft transiting it’s FIR, as well as routes to/from Bahrain airports that avoid the Qatar landmass. Check the OBBB Notams for details.

SKZZ/Colombia Canada has updated its warning for Colombia, advising against all travel to within 20km of the borders with Venezuela and Panama due to the risk of kidnapping and violent crime by armed groups in those areas.

KZZZ/USA There are some Presidential TFR Notams in place for New York on May 23. Basically, no GA ops allowed at KJFK/Kennedy from 1845-2000 local time, and at KLGA/La Guardia from 1500-1930 local time.

CYUL/Montreal Due to construction, no GA/BA ops allowed 1600-2000 local from May 15-Jun 30. From Jun 8-10 this is lifted for the Grand Prix.

LFZZ/France ATC have announced they will take part in the national general strike planned for May 22. Another ATC strike is planned for the LFMM/Marseille sector spanning the weekend May 26-28.

HCZZ/Somalia IFALPA have issued updated information on safety of operations within the Mogadishu FIR (HCSM). Details here.

LFMN/Nice With the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix happening this month, expect the airport to be busier than usual. They’ve published an AIP SUP (042/18) on it, but it just reiterates the normal procedures: slot and parking confirmation are required in advance.

WIZZ/Indonesia The Mount Merapi volcano in central Java erupted early on May 11, forcing nearby WAHH/Yoghakarta International Airport to temporarily close. Volcanic Ash cloud has since dissipated, and authorities say further eruptions are unlikely.

HBZZ/Burundi Canada is now warning against all travel to Burundi, due to ongoing political tensions, civil unrest and daily armed violence. A referendum is taking place on May 17, and demonstrations are expected over the next few weeks.

HLMS/Misrata Airport is set to re-open this week, after suspending air traffic two weeks ago to carry out maintenance on the runway. Security is still a major issue here though, as the airport has been forced to close on several occasions this year due to ongoing clashes between local militia.

EGGW/Luton Disruption expected over the holiday weekend May 25-30, as ground staff including firefighters, baggage handlers, and security staff, are planning to go on strike at various different times.

ORZZ/Iraq All airports in the country re-opened on May 12, following a 24hr closure for the elections.

VTBS/Bangkok IFALPA have issued some information on the ongoing problem of soft groundaffecting the taxiways and aircraft stands. Details here.

YSCB/Canberra Canberra don’t like receiving diverts without having an agreement in place. In Mar 2017, Qantas claim the airport refused to let their diverted B738 from departing again until a charge of $18,000 was paid by credit card – the usual fee should be around $2000.

FAZZ/South Africa More reports of “follow-home” armed robberies of foreigners travelling to/from airports. Ten separate incidents at FAOR/Johannesburg on Apr 27, and one at FALE/Durban on May 13.

UKZZ/Ukraine Ukraine has extended its ban on Russian aircraft entering Ukrainian airspace until 13th August.

KIMT/Iron Mountain The airport has now reopened, after the main runway was closed for 15 days for repair work.

KPGV/Greenville The runway repair work was completed four days ahead of schedule, and the airport reopened on May 15.

RPLL/Manila The airport is reporting numerous potholes, soft spots and uneven pavement on its taxiways and apron. None reported on the runways so far, but this time last year the airport was forced to shut down one runway for a few hours to repair a big pothole.

VOTV/Trivandrum Shortage of parking bays expected from now until the end of Aug. All night-stops require approval 24hrs in advance.

ZZZZ/Worldwide Ramadan will last from May 15 – June 14. Expect longer processing times for visas in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey and parts of Asia, as most government offices will be working on reduced hours.

LFZZ/France It looks like there will be yet another ATC strike in the LFMM/Marseille ACC on May 12-13. If it goes ahead, it will be their third weekend strike in a row.

OERK/Riyadh An ongoing dust storm is still affecting ops at the airport today, where poor visibility has resulted in some delays and cancellations.

LPMA/Funchal Following a review, authorities say the restrictive wind limits for arrivals are set to remain the same. These limits have not changed since 1964. Funchal suffers from strong winds which frequently force aircraft to divert. Read the article.

KABQ/Albuquerque The airport’s primary runway 08/26 has reopened after two months of repair.

SLAL/Alcantri The main international airport serving the city of Sucre continues to be closed, due to ongoing protests and road blocks around the city. It’s not yet known how long the protests will last.

KSFO/San Francisco Following a recent incident where an Air Canada flight lined up it’s approach on a taxiway instead of a parallel runway, the airport has changed its rules for night landings – when the runway in use is parallel to another closed runway, it won’t allow visual landings.

PHZZ/Hawaii The sequence of events on Big Island is now this: May 3 – eruption of Kilauea. May 4 – 6.9 mag earthquake, centred near Kilauea. PHTO airport has been inspected post earthquake and there is no damage. May 8 – two new volcanic vents erupted, leading to new evacuation orders in the area. No volcanic ash clouds have been reported. A new TFR exists around the volcano – 8/0671. Operations at other Hawaii airports are unaffected. There remains a high risk of further eruptions.

ZKZZ/North Korea Timezone has changed, effective May 4, North Korea is now on UTC+9. This matches the South Korea timezone.

CYXH/Medicine Hat The airport will be completely closed for runway repairs from May 7 to Jun 1.

KDFW/Dallas Increased congestion expected as the airport’s primary arrival runway 17C/35C will be closing for repairs. Partial closure planned from May 24 to early August and a full closure from August to mid-November.

MKZZ/Jamaica The state of emergency that was declared for parts of St James (which includes Montego Bay) has been extended to Aug, to tackle recent violence including shooting incidents.

MPPA/Panama Reports that the airport is increasing its rates by 135%. The airline Viva Air Colombia have already announced they will be suspending flights to the airport from May 20 as a result of the price hike.

LFPB/Paris The airport will be closed for taxiway repairs each night from 20-04z, May 14-18, and June 11-15.

KPVG/Greenville Ongoing runway maintenance. From May 9-13, repair work on both runways will shut down the airport to all flights.

VICG/Chandigargh Airport to be closed from May 12-31 for runway repairs. VIDP/Delhi and VIAR/Amritsar will serve as alternates during this time.

LFZZ/France Yet another French ATC strike is planned for the LFMM/Marseille sector this coming weekend – from the morning of Sat May 5 until the morning of Mon May 7. More info here.

LIZZ/Italy All airports in Italy and all ACC’s are planning a strike for Tuesday May 8th, from 08-16Z. Overflights, and intercontinental flights (eg US arrivals) are exempt. More info here.

LFZZ/France Air France have cancelled 15 percent of its flights today, May 3, due to ongoing staff strikes. Paris airports worst affected.

KHPN/White Plains On Sat May 5, the airport will be running a full scale plane crash exercise from 11am-1pm, which will close the second runway 11/29 between those times.

KSAV/Savannah Flight operations have resumed following the C130 crash on a nearby highway on May 2, which killed all nine people on board.

FTTJ/N’Djamena No jet fuel available until May 10 at the earliest.

OSZZ/Syria Overnight missile attack on a number of military sites in northern Syria on Apr 30, most likely carried out by Israel. Eurocontrol NM has updated the Syria ‘warning’ notice to read: “Taking account of potential military activity and the possibility of intermittent disruption of radio navigation equipment, appropriate risk assessment needs to be undertaken when planning flight operations in the Eastern Mediterranean area”. More info here.

KJFK/New York Following the delays and baggage chaos caused by the January storm, the airport is introducing new rules for flights during winter storms – airlines will now have to get permission to land before the flight leaves its origin; and all six terminals will have to share equipment, staff and gates.

KBZN/Bozeman Between now and May 19, the main runway will be closed, and the only available runway will be 11/29 – which is only 5050 feet long.

OEZZ/Saudi Arabia Once again increased missile activity in the southwest of Saudi, with 35 missile launches this year by rebels in Yemen, 14 of them in April. About the same amount as Aug 2016 and Dec 2015, but most are now being shot down by Saudi Patriot missiles; only 3 have struck Saudi soil this year. OERK/Riyadh continues to be on the radar for the Houthis. Of most concern, an F-15 was hit by a SAM over Yemen on 21 Mar, fired from OYSH airport. There is definitely a risk to operations in Saudi airspace, even outside the Scatana area. More info here.

WAMG/Gorontalo Operational again after a 2 day closure, B737 removed after overrun.

HKNW/Wilson Potholes on the taxiways and part of the runway at Wilson – Nairobi’s second airport. A DHC-8 Dash 8 recently got stuck in the mud, trying to avoid them. More info here.

YSCB/Canberra Canberra will have CAT II ILS from July. Some WIP on lights and systems in the interim.

VOGO/Goa Runway repair work means the airport will be closed each day from 6.30am to 12.30pm local time, May 1-6.

UDYZ/Yerevan Significant nationwide protests. Some roads from airport blocked. Most major streets in Yerevan also blocked, after government opposition leader called for a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience.

EPKK/Krakow LOT Airlines unions have called off a strike that was planned to start on May 1st, after airline management won a court injunction, arguing that the strike action was illegal.

VTUU/Ubon Ratchathani Operational again after a fire on May 1st forced the airport to close.

CYYG/Charlottetown The main Rwy 03/21 will be closed for repair until Jul 28. The other Rwy 10/28 will remain open, but has no ILS, so the airport has warned more planes may have to be rerouted this summer in the event of adverse weather and poor visibility.

EDDL/Dusseldorf GA Flights after 1900 local time, or GA flights to/from Non-Schengen countries need a PPR. Arrange this 24 hours in advance with PPR.DUS@jetaviation.de.

EFJO/Joensuu No Jet A1 available over the weekend May 4-6.

KIMT/Iron Mountain Airport closed until May 6 for runway repair. But even after that, the main runway 01/19 will be closed until May 15. In the meantime, the other runway 13/31 will be open, but that’s only 3800ft long.

VTSP/Phuket The airport is not accepting any new requests for flights until May 7. This is due to congestion caused by the runway being closed for repairs each night, meaning all the airlines are having to reschedule their flights.

OYZZ/Yemen You might come across this nasty little Notam issued by Yemen, cunningly set to a “PERM” validity – OYSC A0026/17 – advising pilots that “Sanaa FIR and Yemeni Airports are safe”. This is clearly not true. More info here.

HDAM/Djibouti Multiple reports in the last few weeks of a high-powered laser light near the airport, centred near Doraleh Port. This is not your average handheld laser, but if local reports are true, it’s the Chinese testing its use as a weapon. There is a mil Notam about this also.

KLGB/Long Beach The main runway 12/30 will be closed for repair on Mon-Thur nights from 2200–1400 local time (yes, 16 hours) May 14-25. The other runway 07L/25R remains open.

SCZZ/Chile LATAM Airlines are expected to resume normal flight schedules from May 3 after cabin crew ended their 18-day strike.

EGGX/Shanwick Expect a new CPDLC procedure on the NAT sometime after May 24, designed to prevent pilots from acting on any old CPDLC messages that might have been delayed in the network. Aircraft will receive a message immediately after they enter each control area telling them to “SET MAX UPLINK DELAY VALUE” to a certain number of seconds. ICAO have published a new NAT Ops Bulletin with the details in full.

LIZZ/Italy Various aviation sector strikes planned for May 8. Some national ATC workers will be on strike from 8-16z, and some airport ground will go on strike at the following airports: LIML/Milan-Linate, LIMC/Milan-Malpensa, LIRP/Pisa, and LIRQ/Florence.

MTTP/Port-au-Prince On Apr 16, the US Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert warning of a rising number of violent armed robberies against US citizens after departing the airport.

HSZZ/South Sudan EASA has extended its warning for South Sudan to Oct 25. That includes the warnings issued by the US, UK, France and Germany, most of whom advise minimum FL260 for overflights. We think FL300 is more sensible. More info here.

KZZZ/USA Heavy traffic expected at KSDF/Louisville, KLOU/Bowman and KJVY/Clark County from May 2-6, for the Kentucky Derby on May 5. The FAA have published some special procedures.

LFKF/Figari Possible delays with fuelling until the end of the month, due to some broken-down fuel trucks.

LIZZ/Italy From Apr 26 onwards, CPDLC is now available across all Italian airspace above FL285.

LFZZ/France More Air France strikes planned on May 3-4 and 7-8. Daily impact likely to be similar to before – 30% of flights cancelled, with the Paris airports worst affected.

NWZZ/New Caledonia Around 20% of firefighters at the country’s main international airport NWWW/Noumea have joined a strike by colleagues at the domestic airport NWWM/Magenta. So far no impact on international flights, although that could change if the strike persists.

DFFD/Ougadougou No jet fuel available until Apr 30.

MNZZ/Nicaragua Worsening violence over the past few days with riots resulting in 24 deaths. The US have warned access to MNMG/Managua Airport could be disrupted by the protests, and is now pulling out some of its embassy staff and advising against travel to the country.

ZKZZ/North Korea North Korean leader Jim Jong Un has said there will be no more intercontinental and medium-range missile tests, ahead of talks that are scheduled with South Korea in late April, and with the US in May. He said the country will now focus on economic development and peace talks instead.

LEZZ/Spain ATC strikes planned in the Barcelona ACC, which covers the eastern half of Spain and the Balearic Islands. No fixed dates yet, but if it goes ahead it would happen sometime after Jun 20, with each strike lasting 24hrs.

SCZZ/Chile LATAM has cancelled and rescheduled more flights through to May 2, due to the ongoing cabin crew strike. So far the airline has already had to cancel over 2000 flights because of the strike.

KZZZ/USA AOPA has published a list of the top 10 US airports where you’re likely to get overcharged at FBO’s: KACY/Atlantic City, KCPR/Casper, KCHO/Charlottesville, KMQS/Chester County, KHXD/Hilton Head, KIFP/Laughlin, KORF/Norfolk, KRST/Rochester, KBJC/Rocky Mountain, KISN/Sloulin Field. Full details here.

SMZZ/Suriname Ops normal with Suriname/Paramaribo ATC again as the system failure has been restored, the contingency plan cancelled, and Guyana are no longer providing ATS assistance.

HLLM/Mitiga On Apr 19, militants fired rockets at the airport yet again, this time causing damage to the airport building, parts of the apron tarmac, and a parked Libya Airlines A320 aircraft.

UIII/Irkutsk The airport will be closed for runway repairs each day Tue-Sat between 11-15z from May 5 – Jun 30. Not available as an alternate during these times.

WARR/Juanda The airport will be closed for everything except medevac helicopter ops, every night from 16-22z until Jul 3.

WSZZ/Singapore ASEAN Summit happening at the end of April. At WSSS/Singapore, no parking/slots available from Apr 23-30. At WSSL/Seletar, airport will be closed on Apr 27 0900-1400z, and Apr 28 0030-0730z.

VTSP/Phuket The airport will be closing from 1730-2330z each night from 26 Apr – 07 May, for runway repairs.

ORZZ/Iraq Following the Iraqi government’s decision in March to re-open the Kurdish airports ORER/Erbil and ORSU/Sulaymaniyah to international flights, Iran has now lifted its own ban on international flights to these airports too. Commercial flights from OIIE/Tehran to ORER/Erbil are set to resume on Apr 27.

FEFF/Bangui The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are now advising against travel to central Bangui between the airport and the Ubangi River – which is pretty much the entire riverside area of the city centre. The FCO advise against all travel to the rest of Bangui and the Central African Republic.

LLZZ/Israel Israel says its satellite surveillance has detected Iranian military activity at multiple airports across Syria. Israel has now placed its own military on high alert in anticipation of potential Iranian-linked attacks, in retaliation for an Israeli attack on a military base in Syria on 9 April which killed at least three Iranian soldiers.

OPZZ/Pakistan All scheduled commercial flights will move over from OPRN/Benazir Bhutto International Airport to the New Islamabad Airport when it opens on May 3 (delayed from Apr 20). It will have the ICAO code OPIS, and will take over the IATA code ISB from Benazir Bhutto. Initially all GA/BA should continue to use the old airport, until procedures are in place for using the new one.

KZZZ/USA As Congress considers a new five-year FAA funding bill, GA advocates look to have fought-off attempts to privatize US ATC. More info here.

GMZZ/Morocco The new Agadir ACC is due to open on Apr 26. Within the GMMM/Casablanca FIR, the Agadir ACC will manage air traffic off the coast (a handful of airways linking Spain with the Canary Islands), whilst the old Casablanca ACC will continue to manage everything else across the rest of the country. The new AFTN code for Agadir ACCis GMACZQZX. More details will be published on the Eurocontrol NOP Portal by Apr 20. In the meantime, you can see the full AIRAC update here.

OSZZ/Syria Reports of another missile strike over Syria on Apr 17 were denied by the Syrian military as a false alarm, but say their defence systems were triggered by an electronic attack on their radars by Israel and the US – both of whom deny the claim.

VTZZ/Thailand Most parts of northern and central Thailand, including Bangkok, will be affected by powerful tropical storms from Apr 17-19, marking the end of the Songkran holiday.

KCOS/Colorado Springs The airport has now re-opened, after a fire that broke out overnight on Apr 16 forced the main terminal to be closed and all commercial flights suspended.

HAAB/Addis Ababa Flights have resumed after a surprise ATC strike on the morning of Apr 17 brought airport activities to a virtual standstill for more than an hour. Unions have not ruled out further action if demands are not met.

HEZZ/Egypt As authorities continue to confront armed militants in North Sinai, the Nile Delta and the Western Desert, the state of emergency across the country has been extended for another three months – the fourth time since it was first declared last year.

AYZZ/Papua New Guinea The National Weather Service are currently on strike until Apr 25. METAR/TAF is still being provided at AYPY/Port Moresby, the country’s main international airport. Other airports might not have any weather forecasts published.

AYBK/Buka Island Damage to the precision approach path indicator lights, blamed on vandalism. PAPI is now out of action until the end of May, and national carrier Air Niugini has suspended all flights at the airport until further notice.

GATB/Timbuktu Terrorist attack on the UN base near the airport on Apr 15, including a rocket and car bomb attack that left one UN peacekeeper dead, and over 20 others wounded. To operate to GATB, you need authorization from the Malian Air Force. Email them at panif.cccoa@gmail.com, or phone +223 20221631.

ENTC/Tromso Airport’s only runway will be closed overnight Sun-Fri 22-04Z due construction from May 24-Sep 13. Full details here.

VNRB/Rajbiraj A new runway has been built, 1500 metres long and 30 metres wide, to replace the old grass runway – and the airport is now set to open to domestic traffic on May 1.

EGGX/Shanwick NAT has released a guidance document of Performance Based Separation Minima. There’s nice information on specific requirements for airspaces. Full details here.

KGVT/Greenville The airport will close for runway repairs from Apr 28-30, and again from May 5-7. No NOTAM yet, so keep a watch out for changes.

PGUM/Agana A big TRA is active from Apr 15-22, which is centered on Anderson AFB, but does cover a lot of airspace north of PGUM airport, and extends from 2600-20000 feet. Full details here.

KBGR/Bangor All RVR at the airport will be out of service until Apr 20. During the same time, CAT II and III ILS won’t be available on RWY 15.

NWWW/Noumea Airport is open, but backup power is out of service. Cannot be used as an alternate until Apr 20.

LCZZ/Cyprus Cyprus has restricted a section of airspace (LCD3&LCD4) just south of the island for the British Military. As of now, this area is reserved until May 12.

KZZZ/USA The FAA have issued a new Advisory with standardized guidance for operating at non-towered airports. Full details here.

ZUJZ/Jiuzhaigou The airport will reopen on Apr 18, after being closed since Aug 2017 due to a 7-magnitude earthquake in the nearby Jiuzhai Valley – a popular tourist destination in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

UUWW/Moscow A Moscow airspace closure SFC-FL100 means there will be no arrivals or departures allowed from any Moscow airports between 0740-0810z each day on Apr 16-19. Expect disruption before and after these times too. This closure is for rehearsals for the annual May 9 Victory Day parade and airshow.

WMKK/Kuala Lumpur Possible delays over the next couple of months due to reduced runway capacity. Every night from 17-22z until the end of Apr, the airport will be closing one of its three runways – a different one each night. Then from May 11 to June 7, one runway will be closed completely.

OYSN/Sana’a On Apr 12, Saudi warplanes bombed the airport in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital city, in response to Houthi rockets launched towards Saudi targets on Apr 11. Saudi Arabia had attacked Sanaa airport in Nov 2017, damaging its ground navigation tower and parts of its runway.

LIZZ/Italy More strikes planned by ground staff at airports across the country on Apr 13. The airports expected to be worst affected are: LIML/Milan-Linate, LIMC/Milan-Malpensa, LIRP/Pisa, and LIRQ/Florence.

NFZZ/Fiji & Tonga Tropical Cyclone Keni is weakening as it moves away southwards from Fiji and Tonga, after bringing heavy rain and destructive winds to the islands from Apr 9-11. All airports are open an operational.

LROP/Bucharest The runways are in a state of disrepair, local reports of multiple blown tires in recent weeks due to potholes. B747-200/300/400 aircraft are effectively prohibited until Jul 4, as urgent maintenance work is now planned on both runways.

SPJC/Lima Due to the upcoming Summit of the Americas in Lima, no overnight parking allowed on the General Ramp between Apr 10-17. Overnight parking in a hangar or in the military zone is possible, contact: cco@atsaperu.com

SVZZ/Venezuela The Venezuelan Government has lifted the ban on flights to/from the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. However, a new diplomatic spat has started with Panama, with Venezuela banning Copa Airlines, and Panama banning several Venezuelan airlines in retaliation. So far, no restrictions announced for GA/BA flights between the two countries.

YBCG/Gold Coast Whilst the Commonwealth Games are going on, there’s an ADIZ 90NM around the airport that will remain in place until Apr 15, and authorities are asking operators not to plan YBCG as an alternate. Full details here.

LFZZ/France More Air France strikes planned on Apr 10-11, 17-18 and 23-24. So far with these strikes the impact each day seems to be fairly similar – around 30% of all Air France flights get cancelled, with the Paris airports particularly affected.

NZZZ/New Zealand New Zealand will be implementing PBN procedures across its airspace from Nov 2018. Full details here.

EZZZ/Europe Military exercise ‘Frisian Flag’ will be taking place from Apr 9-20, mainly over Dutch/German airspace just off the north coast of Germany. Low impact expected overall, as exercise areas have been capped to FL240.

SCZZ/Chile The LATAM Airlines cabin crew strike will go ahead, from Apr 10-13, affecting all domestic flights and international connections in Chile.

OLZZ/Lebanon Possible new airspace safety risk in the OLBA/Beirut FIR, after the Syrian and Russian governments claimed that on Apr 9, Israeli fighter jets launched airstrikes on a Syrian military base from over Lebanese airspace. Israel has not yet responded to the claim.

KSBA/Santa Barbara The airport will be closed nightly from 5z-13z between Apr 9-13 for runway work.

RPZZ/Philippines The Philippine island of Boracay will be completely closed to tourists for six months, starting on Apr 26, following concerns of environmental damage. The government will use this time to clean up the island. All domestic carriers have already cut flights to Boracay’s nearest airport, RPVE/Caticlan.

ENBR/Bergen From May 22 to Jun 15, the airport will be closed to all traffic, including emergency diverts, each night from 2215-0400z Sun-Fri.

OAZZ/Afghanistan All flights need to file flight plans in advance to OAKXZQZX, OAKBZQZX, and OAKKZQZX for any flight in the OAKX/Kabul FIR.

EDDH/Hamburg PPR required for all flights with ICAO Aerodrome code C-F, except commercial flights. Call +49 40 5075 1110 or email at vvd@ham.airport.de. Will be in effect until Jul 4.

ZLLL/Lanzhou Airport to close daily from 1750-2230z, from Apr 11 to Jul 10.

VTZZ/Thailand Public holiday across Thailand from Apr 13-15, for the annual Songkran celebrations. The CAA will remain open throughout for issuing permits, but all Thai airports will be busy – apply for parking asap.

FAZZ/South Africa From 9-13 Apr, if you have any problems with slots, the phone numbers to contact will be different than normal. Call the Central Airspace Management Unit +27102072787 or +27822541955.

KCNY/Moab After being closed for three months of construction work, the airport is on schedule to re-open on May 1. The terminal is being upgraded, and the runway is being strengthened and widened from 75ft to 100ft.

DNAS/Asaba The airport will be completely closed for repair, from Apr 9 to May 15.

EZZZ/Europe Normal operation has resumed after a day of disruption on Apr 3, due to a fault with the system that allocates ATC slots to flights, and therefore manages the flow of traffic across Europe. The system is now back online and working properly again.

LFZZ/France The ATC strike in the LFMM/Marseille ACC is still currently planned to go ahead – from 04z on Apr 7 to 04z on April 9. As usual, it won’t be known until the day how many controllers go on strike, but expect disruption.

LIZZ/Italy More strikes planned by ground staff at airports across the country on Apr 13. The airports expected to be worst affected are: LIMC/Milan-Linate, LIML/Pisa, and LIRQ/Florence.

UMKK/Kaliningrad Russian military exercises planned over parts of the Baltic Sea from Apr 3-7, with airspace warnings issued for 6-18z each day, SFC-FL590. Main area affected will be the UMKK/Kaliningrad FIR, where half the airways will be closed. Small bits of airspace in neighbouring FIR’s will also be affected, and Notams have been issued by EVRR/Riga, EPWW/Warsaw and ESAA/Sweden FIR’s to show where the danger areas are.

KSDM/San Diego CBP have reached an agreement with the city, so no longer plan to close Customs at the airport. GA operators can therefore continue to use SDM as a port of entry.

KIMT/Ford The airport will be completely closed for runway repairs, from Apr 30 to May 14.

EGPH/Edinburgh Due to ongoing construction work to expand the terminal, no GA overnight parking allowed until Jul 3. The Signature FBO has three stands available for quick turnarounds during the day, but landing slots will be limited if those stands are occupied.

WSSS/Singapore From Apr 23, 2018, departure clearance via datalink will become possible on certain airways: A457, B466, B469, M751, B470. Full details here.

VCBI/Colombo The strike by airport employees has been called off late on Apr 3, avoiding an indefinite strike.

VHZZ/Hong Kong In 2017, airspace safety incidents in Hong Kong airspace rose to a six-year high, following the introduction of a controversial new air traffic management system in late 2016. In 2017, there were 17 ‘loss of separation’ incidents – up from 10 in 2016 when the old system was still in use.

TTZZ/Trinidad and Tobago CPDLC outage has been extended until the end of June. All voice comms must be made via New York Radio. Aircraft are requested to log on to TTZP for ADS-C position reporting. Also, include the AFTN address KNYCZZZX when filing your flight plans.

EGZZ/UK London Terminal ATC will be switching from paper strips to manual strips (called EXCDS) from Apr 4. 20% reduction in traffic for the first 10 days, then 10% for the next 10. Some delays expected. More info at: https://www.nats.aero/excds/

YZZZ/Australia Tropical Storm Iris is siting off Queensland, forecasters uncertain as to tracking but warnings issued for Whitsunday Islands area. Max winds 40G55kts at 1800Z on Apr 5.

NFZZ/Fiji Heavy flooding on Apr 1, after Tropical Cyclone Josie passed by to the southeast of the island. The northern towns of Nadi and Ba are worst affected, where the floods killed four people. Many roads remain closed, although water levels have receded. Both NFFN/Nadi and NFNA/Nausori remain open and operational.

LFZZ/France More Air France strikes planned on Apr 7, 10 and 11. Impact likely to be similar to the ones held in March, which saw around 30% of Air France flights cancelled, with the Paris airports particularly affected.

HEZZ/Egypt The FAA has extended its airspace warning for the Sinai Peninsula by another year, due to continuing concern for flight safety. The updated Notam says US carriers should avoid overflying the Sinai Peninsula below FL260, and if planning to do so must provide 3 days notice to the FAA. More at: http://safeairspace.net/information/egypt/

VABB/Mumbai Expect disruption on Apr 9 & 10, when the airport will be closed each day from 0530-1130z (1100-1700 local time) for scheduled runway maintenance ahead of the monsoon season, which spans from May to September.

ESZZ/Sweden Sweden introduced a new passenger tax on Apr 1, for commercial flights departing Swedish airports on aircraft with more than 10 seats. For flights to European countries, the tax rate will be 60 SEK per passenger ($7.50), and for pretty much all other destinations it will be 250 SEK per passenger ($31.50). Foreign airlines and charter operators flying to Sweden must now apply for a Swedish company registration number, and register for aviation tax as soon as possible.

HLMS/Misurata On Apr 1, the airport briefly suspended operations and redirected flights to HLLM/Mitiga, when an armed group entered the airport, demanding the release of two members of a local militia.

OTZZ/Qatar The UAE has filed another formal complaint with ICAO, claiming that on Mar 26, Qatari fighter jets once again flew dangerously close to an Emirates scheduled passenger aircraft over Bahrain. Qatar deny the claim, calling it an attempt to cover-up previous violations by UAE military aircraft of Qatari airspace.

LDZA/Zagreb The airport’s only runway will be closed to all traffic, including emergency diverts, each night from Apr 4 to May 31. The closure times will be 2035-0435z, except on Mon & Fri when it will be 2200-0435z.

LDRI/Rijeka The airport will move to H24 ops starting Apr 4, to compensate for the nightly closure of LDZA/Zagreb.

EGFF/Cardiff The airport is closed nightly Apr 5-7 from 2200-0500z, but you can get PPR either side of that closure, between 2200-2320z and 0400-0500z.

LGZZ/Greece Landing and parking fee hikes are coming on Apr 1, at all those airports in Greece that are operated by Fraport: Aktion, Chania, Corfu, Kavala, Kefalonia, Kos, Lesbos, Mykonos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos, Thessaloniki and Zakynthos. Parking at all airports will now be at least twice as expensive as it used to be.

SBSP/Sao Paulo The World Economic Forum on Latin America 2018 will be taking place in Sao Paulo from Mar 13-15. For the first time since 1985, the city’s second airport SBSP/Congonhas will be open to international flights, from Mar 9-18. Only BA/GA will be accepted, nothing larger than 737BBJ / A319ACJ. This will be a trial period to check if the airport could regain its international status on a permanent basis.

VTZZ/Thailand Tropical storms are forecast across central Thailand, including in Bangkok, from Mar 8-10. Authorities have warned locals to prepare for possible flooding, as most dams and rivers in the area are already near capacity.

KZZZ/USA Travel disruption expected to continue across the Northastern states in the next few days, following the passage of Storm Quinn, which buried many areas with heavy snow. More than 2000 flights were cancelled at Northeastern airports because of the storm.

NFTF/Fua’amotu Reconstruction efforts continue, following damage caused by Cyclone Gita in Feb. The night-time curfew in central Nuku’alofa has been extended to Mar 12. The airport is open and operating, but travel to Togo is currently not advised due to damage to hotels and infrastructure across the rest of the island.

NZZZ/New Zealand Cyclone Hola is forecast to arrive sometime between Mar 11-13. The cyclone is currently building as a category 2 storm as it moves away from Vanuatu. It’s expected to intensify on Mar 8 as it moves southwest towards New Caledonia, with most forecasters saying it will then track towards the north island of New Zealand.

LGTS/Thessaloniki The hugely disruptive repair work that had been going on since early Dec 2017 has now been completed. Both runways are back in service, and the makeshift runway they were calling 10L/28R has now been re-assigned back as Taxiway F. Easyjet will re-commence their scheduled flights there from Mar 25 onwards.

LFZZ/France Potential strike by some Air France staff on Mar 23. If it goes ahead, it’s likely to be similar to the one held on Feb 22 which resulted in the carrier canceling a quarter of its flights.

VCZZ/Sri Lanka On Mar 6, the government announced a nationwide state of emergency in response to recent incidents of inter-communal violence in certain regions to the east of the capital, Colombo. There are restrictions on phone and internet access, and all the main social media platforms have been blocked. Soldiers have been deployed across the island for an initial 10-day period in a bid to prevent the unrest from spreading.

LGZZ/Greece We’ve heard reports that the Greek CAA are planning to introduce some new rules for non EU-registered aircraft with up to 19 seats intending to do charter flights to Greece. In order to pick-up or drop-off passengers, these operators will now need to apply for an annual licence from the CAA. This is quite separate from the existing requirement to get a Third Country Operator (TCO) approval from EASA. Expect an AIP update soon with more details on this.

RJZZ/Japan A volcano in southern Japan erupted on Mar 6, shooting smoke and ash up to 7,500 feet into the sky. All flights at the nearby RJFK/Kagoshima airport were grounded, though operations have since resumed. On Mar 7, an ash cloud was still being reported in the area up to FL150.

KSDM/San Diego CBP are threatening to close the Customs office at the airport from May 1, after failing to reach an agreement with the City of San Diego about a requested upgrade to the CBP facilities and equipment at the airport. If the closure goes ahead, GA will no longer be able to operate internationally to/from KSDM.

LXGB/Gibraltar On Mar 3, severe weather and a subsequent rockfall damaged some airport equipment – both the primary and secondary radar are currently out of service.

TTCP/Tobago The airport will be closed for runway repair each night between 02-10z until May 5.

MUZZ/Cuba The U.S. have claimed that some of its embassy staff in Havana have been targeted by so-called ‘health attacks’, and believe that U.S. citizens may also be at risk. They now specifically mention Hotel Nacional and Hotel Capri as hotels to avoid.

SOCA/Cayenne Due to ongoing staff shortages, the airport is unavailable from 01-11z every night now until further notice.

VIDP/Delhi Sporadic runway closures until the end of March will mean that at most times overnight, there will only be one runway available. Expect delays.

ZSPD/Shanghai The airport now has Cat-III ILS installed on RWY34L, which will enable pilots with the necessary qualification to land even when visibility is less than 175 meters / landing height less than 15 meters.

KZZZ/USA With the ADS-B deadline coming up in Jan 2020, U.S. operators can get their ADS-B equipment validated by the FAA for free – just do a flight of at least 10 minutes in ADS-B airspace above FL050, and the system will check the accuracy of the data your aircraft is transmitting, and will send you an automated report by email. Sign up here: https://adsbperformance.faa.gov/PAPRRequest.aspx

LFZZ/France The French ATC strike has been cancelled. It was planned to take place in the Marseille ACC (LFMM) from Jan 18-21, but was averted at the last minute as unions reached an agreement. ATC services will now be provided as per normal.

LTCG/Trabzon The airport has closed to all flights until Jan 19, as they work to remove the stranded Pegasus B737 that skidded off the runway on Jan 14 and came to a stop on a muddy cliff, with its nose almost in the sea.

OTZZ/Qatar The UAE allege that on Jan 15, Qatari fighter jets intercepted an Emirates aircraft in international waters just north of the tip of Qatar. Qatar denies the claim. Following the incident, the UAE CAA published a safety alert, warning about “unannounced and hazardous military activities within Bahrain FIR in airways UP699 and P699”, which they consider to be “a potential hazard to the safety of flight.” Qatar have filed a complaint of their own with the UN, claiming that UAE military aircraft have repeatedly violated their airspace during the ongoing diplomatic crisis between the Gulf states. All this complaining on both sides is much more likely to be political wrangling, rather than any kind of genuine airspace safety issue. [Full story]

FIMP/Mauritius and FMEE/Reunion have both escaped a direct hit by tropical cyclone ‘Berguitta’, which is passing just south of the islands as it continues to track south-westwards. FIMP reopened on Jan 18, and Reunion is set to open on Jan 19 at 0400Z.

EZZZ/Europe Last year, EASA began requiring all aircraft transiting European airspace to have an approved Minimum Equipment List (MEL) for each individual aircraft. An MEL that references the MMEL was not acceptable. EASA follows ICAO guidelines, and ICAO does not recognise MMEL as MEL. Now a joint EASA/FAA workgroup has been established, to try to sort out this mess. It looks like the FAA will soon issue a notice requiring international operators to obtain new D195 LOA’s, and EASA will halt any findings for a period of 12 months to allow for these new LOA’s to be issued.

OEZZ/Saudi Arabia A missile launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen was intercepted over the Saudi city of Jizan, near the Yemeni border, by the Saudi air defense system on the night of Jan 16. Houthi rebels stated that an airport in the region of Jizan was the intended target of the ballistic missile. This is the third Houthi missile to be intercepted by the Saudis in 2018 – none have resulted in casualties, but operators should consider carefully operations to Saudi Arabia.

EDDM/Munich Two big events coming up: the Davos World Economic Forum from Jan 22-26, and the Munich Security Conference from Feb 14-18. The airport will be busy for both, so best get your parking requests in early. Also bear in mind that all GA flights will need to get special permission to land at EDDM during these events. For PPR contact +49 89 975 21132 or email specialoperations@munich-airport.de

FACT/Cape Town After an unprecedented three years of drought, Cape Town has less than 90 days of water left in its reservoirs. The airport has published a Notam requiring all flights to tanker in water – don’t expect to be able to uplift any at the airport for the foreseeable future.

ORZZ/Iraq Expect ORER/Erbil and ORSU/Sulaymaniyah to re-open to international traffic soon. The Kurdistan Regional Government and Baghdad have reached an initial agreement to lift an international flight ban imposed on the autonomous Kurdish region by the Iraqi central government last year. No official date set yet.

VTSP/Phuket The runway will be closed overnight from 19-00z until at least Jan 21. There are also ongoing issues with BA/GA aircraft being unable to secure parking for longer than a few hours. Most are having to drop-off pax and then reposition elsewhere.

ESZZ/Sweden ESNN/Sundsvall has become the country’s second airport to have remote air traffic control, after ESNO/Ornskoldsvik made the switch back in 2015. So the local tower is now officially closed, and air traffic control service has been transferred to one of the country’s national control centres. ESSL/Linkoping airport will be the next one to be transferred to remote ATC later this year.

UUWW/Samara has put one of its two runways back into operation following reconstruction. The renovated strip is 3,000 meters long and 45 meters wide, and is capable of receiving Boeing 777 and Airbus А340 widebodies.

SBGL/Rio De Janeiro The annual Carnival will be taking place from Feb 9-13. Road closures and major travel disruption expected across the city. An estimated 6 million people, including 1.5 million foreign tourists, are expected to participate in the celebrations. The mayor of Rio has requested federal troops to provide support to local security forces to maintain order during the carnival period. So far, no special restrictions or procedures have been announced for SBGL airport, but it will be busy, so get your parking request in as early as possible.

HLLM/Tripoli Mitiga Heavy clashes broke out in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Jan 15, leaving at least nine people dead and forcing the airport to suspend all flights until further notice. Our advice: don’t land at any airport in Libya, don’t even overfly the country.

HEZZ/Egypt On Jan 13, Egyptian authorities imposed indefinite night-time curfews on areas of North Sinai province, including the cities of Rafah and Al-Arish. The Sinai region has suffered frequent terrorist attacks in the past few years. On Dec 19, militants fired artillery at HEAR/El Arish Airport in North Sinai, killing one army officer and wounding two others. There are still overflight warnings in place for the entire Sinai Peninsula below FL260.

SPZZ/Peru Airports in southern Peru are reported to be running as normal, following the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that shook the country on Jan 14, leaving at least one person dead and 65 injured in the cities of Arequipa, Ica and Ayacucho.

RPZZ/Philippines Volcanic earthquakes, rockfalls, and a number of steam-driven eruptions have shaken the summit of the Mayon volcano in the Philippines. More than 12,000 people have been ordered to leave a 7km evacuation zone around the volcano, which is located around 15km north of RPLP/Legazpi, and around 330km south of RPLL/Manila. There are warnings of destructive mudflows, and ash cloud around the volcano has been reported up to FL170.

MMTO/Toluca The runway will be closed overnight from 04-12z on the following dates in January: 20-22, and 27-29.

FQMA/Maputo The airport will be closed overnight from 21-04z for runway repair, until Feb 28.

OEZZ/Saudi Arabia has issued an extension of the policy that requires all aircraft with a destination in Yemen to first land in OEBH/Bisha – through to Apr 13. The only exceptions are the UN, Red Cross, and MSF.

MMZZ/Mexico The U.S. State Department has issued its highest “do not travel” warning for five states in Mexico: the Pacific coast states of Sinaloa, Colima, Michoacan, Guerrero, and Tamaulipas on the eastern Gulf. The advisory says that “Violent crime, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, is widespread.” This latest advisory ultimately classifies these regions at the same level of danger as Syria, Yemen, and Somalia.

URSS/Sochi The Russian Investment Forum will be taking place from Feb 13-17. During that time, charter aircraft with wingspan over 24 metres will be limited to a maximum of 2hrs on the ground. Make sure you get your slots in advance through your handler.

ORZZ/Iraq Back in December 2017, the U.S. FAA partially lifted the ban on the Baghdad FIR and started allowing U.S. operators to overfly Iraq at or above FL260. Now the three other big countries that regularly publish airspace safety information—France, Germany and the UK—have followed suit with new advice of their own. France recommends that overflights should only be on airways UM860 and UM688, and should be at or above FL320. The UK says that overflights should only be on airways UL602 to ALPET, UM860 and UM688, and should be above FL250. And Germany just say that overflights should be at FL260 or above.

TVZZ/St Vincent & Grenadines Reports of low fuel levels on the islands at the moment, so make sure you tanker in.

LIPZ/Venice The Carnival of Venice will be taking place from Jan 27-Feb 15. The general aviation terminal (GAT) is open daily 05-21z, with overtime available upon request, but bear in mind that both runways are closed for maintenance Mon-Sat 2330-0350z until Mar 24. PPR required at least 24hrs in advance – do that through your handler or call the airport PPR office direct: +39 041 260 6906. Currently there are only two large aircraft GA parking stands available at the GAT, and although parking may be possible on the commercial apron, it’s not guaranteed, so best get your request in asap.

EDDK/Cologne The airport’s two shorter runways (06/24 & 14L/32R) are both closed until the end of March, which is causing a few delays. And then on Jan 8, the airport had to suspend ops for a few hours due to emergency repair work which needed to be carried out on the only operational runway (14L/32R). It should be noted that all non-scheduled and GA flights must get PPR confirmed in advance, either through your handler or by calling the airport PPR office direct at: +49 2203 40 4310.

LSZH/Zurich The World Economic Forum is on from Jan 23-26. LSZH will be congested, so apply for slots early if you’re actually planning on stopping there. Earliest non-scheduled landing for a wide body aircraft without parking permission will be 1300z daily, Maximum 3 hour ground time for general aviation without parking permission. Also, you will not be able to use LSZH as an alternate to flights going to LSZS/Samedan. Note that LSZH operates from 05-21z daily, and overtime is not available – make sure you land before closing time or you’ll get diverted to another airport.

HCZZ/Somalia Somalia’s Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority (SCAMA) regained control of Somali airspace on Dec 28, after 27 years of management by the ICAO regional office in Nairobi. The airspace will now be controlled in Mogadishu as the country has installed new air traffic control facilities at HCMM/Mogadishu Aden Adde airport.

KZZZ/USA A front of arctic air is moving in behind yesterday’s storm on the East Coast, so expect extreme wind chill values as freezing temperatures plummet even lower today. Expect continued disruption from yesterday’s storm: more cancellations and ground stops, with gusting winds and snow across the northeast. KBOS is starting out with one runway and hopes to have a second runway by mid-morning. KLGA single runway operation with no major concerns until the afternoon. KJFK also single runway with secondary expected after 17z. KIAD west runway closed due to diversions from yesterday.

EGKK/Gatwick Slight change to the overnight runway closure times… The main runway (08R/26L) will be closed every night from 2230-0600z until Feb 10. During that time, the northern runway (08L/26R) will be open – the one that normally gets used as a taxiway. There’s no ILS on this runway, so approaches must be DME/RNAV.

HCZZ/Somalia Somalia’s Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority (SCAMA) regained control of Somali airspace on Dec 28, after 27 years of management by the ICAO regional office in Nairobi. The airspace will now be controlled in Mogadishu as the country has installed new air traffic control facilities at HCMM/Mogadishu Aden Adde airport.

DTZZ/Tunisia The United Arab Emirates has said it will resume flights to Tunisia, following an agreement between the two countries to share security information. Tunisia had previously banned flights from Dubai carrier Emirates to Tunis on Dec 24 after the airline refused to carry Tunisian women. Reports suggest Emirates had intelligence that female jihadists returning from Iraq or Syria might try to use Tunisian passports to stage terrorist attacks.

FMZZ/Madagascar Tropical cyclone ‘Ava’ has strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane off the east coast of Madagascar. It looks set to move slowly south along the coastline over the weekend, bringing heavy rain and gusting winds of over 100kts. The cyclone has already forced the closure of FMMT/Toamasina Airport, which is planning to remain shut until at least 19z on Jan 7. FMMI/Antananarivo Airport is still open and operating for now, though that may change. There is a high risk for major flooding and mudslides across the region.

MHZZ/Honduras Expect daily protests in the capital Tegucigalpa, and other urban areas, to denounce the results of the Nov 2017 presidential elections. The recent wave of protests in Nov and Dec resulted in widespread violence, looting, and roadblocks, particularly in urban areas. Government opposition have warned that civil war is possible if new elections are not held.

OIZZ/Iran Anti-government protests continue across the country, including in the capital Tehran. In some areas, police have used live ammunition to disperse crowds – according to state television, at least 22 people have been killed. Pro-government supporters are now expected to hold a series of rallies in response to the anti-government protests. Expect more gatherings and protests over the coming days, and a heightened police presence in public areas.

VNZZ/Nepal Further protests expected over the coming days in Kathmandu due to recent increases in fuel prices. On Jan 1, the state-owned oil monopoly hiked fuel prices for the third time within a month.

FMZZ/Madagascar Tropical cyclone ‘Ava’ still looks set to make landfall near FMMT/Toamasina late today, with winds gusting up to 50kts, before tracking west towards FMMI/Antananarivo tomorrow.

VVZZ/Vietnam Storm ‘Bolaven’ weakened into a tropical depression as it made landfall in Vietnam today just north of VVCR/Cam Ranh airport. Gusting winds are not expected to get any higher than around 30kts now, and the storm should dissipate over the next 48hrs.

SBFN/Fernando de Noronha The airport will be closed overnight for runway repair from 02-08z until Feb 17, then from 03-09z until Sep 9. The airport is on an island off Brazil’s northeastern coastline, and is a popular ETOPS alternate for South Atlantic crossings.

EHAM/Amsterdam KLM cabin crew based at EHAM are planning a 24hr strike on Jan 8. Should the strike go ahead, few or no KLM flights will depart from the airport that day.

UKZZ/Ukraine Biometric control systems have now been installed at all border checkpoints in the country. Foreign nationals from 70 countries that could pose a threat to Ukraine’s national security will now have to submit their fingerprints on entry. However, the list of countries does not include those in the European Union, the U.S. or other Western countries.

FMZZ/Madagascar Stormy conditions from northern Madagascar to the islands of Reunion and Mauritius over the next few days, as Tropical Cyclone ‘Ava’ sweeps in from the Indian Ocean. It’s expected to make landfall near FMMT/Toamasina late on Jan 4, with winds gusting up to 50kts, before tracking west towards FMMI/Antananarivo.

LLZZ/Israel The list of countries which have banned both direct flights and overflying traffic to/from Israel are as follows: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen.

LLBG/Tel Aviv Until Mar 22, GA aircraft are generally not permitted to land between 0330-0600z and 2201-2340z Sun-Fri. Then between Mar 23 to Oct 26, these times change to 0200-0500z, 1100-1500z and 2101-2240z.

VIDP/Delhi There have already been several cancellations and delays this week due to heavy fog. Expect intermittent fog and poor weather conditions during the ongoing winter season, which will last until Feb.

EGKK/Gatwick Slight change to the overnight runway closure times. The main runway (08R/26L) will be closed every night from 2230-0600z until Feb 10. During that time, the northern runway (08L/26R) will be open – the one that normally gets used as a taxiway. There’s no ILS on this runway, so approaches must be DME/RNAV.

TNCA/Aruba The airport’s only FBO has now been taken over by W Aviation, after Universal Aviation decided not to renew their 12-year lease. The new operator has announced they will invest $1.8 million to upgrade the existing facilities at some point this year. Operating hours are still the same: 13-01z (09-21 local time). To arrange handling, email: csraruba@waviation.net

PLCH/Kiritimti Fuel is only available for scheduled flights until mid-Jan due to supply issues. Maximum uplift is 5000 litres per aircraft, so tanker in as much as possible.

EZZZ/Europe For aircraft operating in Europe above FL195, the carriage of 8.33 kHz channel spacing capable radio equipment has been mandatory since March 2007. But from Jan 4, this regulation has been extended to the lower flight levels below FL195 across various parts of European airspace. Eurocontrol have build a handy webpage that shows exactly what is required for each bit of airspace, and at what flight level: https://ext.eurocontrol.int/833/Airspace_8.33kHz_Radio.html

ORZZ/Iraq Last week the central Iraqi government extended the ban on international flights to and from ORER/Erbil and ORSU/Sulaymaniyah airports in the Kurdistan region until Feb 28. Turkey have now confirmed that traffic to/from these airports (including flights using these airports as an alternate on their FPL’s) are banned from Turkish airspace

MTPP/Port-au-prince The airport will be closed for runway repair from 02-10z Mon-Fri until the end of Oct.

VGHS/Dhaka There were several cancellations and delays on Dec 28, due to heavy fog. Expect intermittent fog and poor weather conditions during the ongoing winter season, which will last until Feb.

MMTO/Toluca The runway will be closed overnight from 04-12z on the following dates in January: 13-15, 20-22, and 27-28.

VIDP/Delhi Due to Republic day celebrations, no landings or take-offs allowed daily from 0505-0645z from Jan 18-26.

KZZZ/USA The 2018 Super Bowl will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Feb 4. The FAA estimates up to 1600 additional aircraft will be in the state for the event, and they have established a slot system to eliminate congestion and route some planes to other airports. For everything you could possibly need to know about this, and to sign up to the slot system ahead of time, head over to the FAA’s special website they have created: fly2sb52.org

KSMO/Santa Monica The airport is now open again, after a 10-day closure period where work was undertaken to shorten the runway to 3500 ft. The goal is to reduce air and noise pollution by reducing overall traffic.

NFFN/Nadi The ongoing strike by some airport workers is reported to not be seriously affecting ops. Around 250 catering, baggage handling and engineering workers who were suspended due to illegal strike action are now camped outside the airport, in a peaceful protest to try to go back to work. The airport has brought in largely untrained workers to replace these staff.

AGGH/Honiara The Solomon Islands is a bit short on fuel at the moment, as they’re waiting for their next tanker to arrive. So until Jan 10, all international flights to AGGH will need to confirm their fuel requirements in advance with the fueler: tel +677 36142 or +677 22974.

WARR/Juanda The airport have extended their night-time closure of the runway for ongoing maintenance – the end date for that is now Apr 03.