UNITED KINGDOM(LONDON) - (Update) London Underground employees are expected to participate in a 24-hour strike in the UK's capital, London, on 5 August. Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) and Unite unions will observe the strike. The various unions are expected to begin the industrial action at various times between 18:30 and 21:30 local time. Union members are currently in negotiations regarding wages and working conditions, including those relating to all-night services.  Given that negotiations are ongoing, the strike action may be cancelled or extended at short notice. Should the strike proceed as scheduled, severe disruptions to London Underground services are expected from 5 August. Furthermore, an increased demand for alternative forms of transport should be anticipated.  Clients planning rail travel in London are advised to monitor local media for developments and information on the upcoming industrial action and plan for associated travel delays. For further information regarding the London Underground as well as alternative forms of transport, please visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/.

 

BELGIUM(BRUSSELS) - Unionised security personnel at Belgium's Brussels airport are expected to conduct a go-slow on 3 August. The industrial action is expected to result in service delays, including slow-moving queues. The action has been called in response to the airport authority's alleged inability to maintain the Schengen area's border entries, hampering security personnel's ability to enforce the required security measures. According to trade unions De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad, Brussels airport has faced at least 50 security breaches since March. In the latest security-related incident, on 26 July two people boarded a plane without being in possession of boarding passes; they were subsequently apprehended by security personnel. The anticipated labour action is likely to cause delays as security personnel will be conducting thorough security checks.  Clients intending to transit through Brussels airport on 3 August are advised to alter travel arrangements accordingly to accommodate service delays.

 

GREECE - The Greek Air Traffic Controllers Association has called for a strike on 5 August between 14:00 and 18:00 local time. The strike has been called over a labour rights and working conditions issue.  Should the strike proceed, disruptions to commercial air transport should be expected countrywide. Travellers should note that the strike may be cancelled or postponed if negotiations are successful. Persons travelling via air on 5 August in Greece are advised to reconfirm the status of their flight(s) with their travel provider or airline prior to departure and should adjust itineraries to cater for potential delays.

  

INDONESIA(PADANG) - The Minangkabau International Airport, located in the city of Pedang on Indonesia's island of Sumatra, has been closed for an indefinite period of time. The airport closure, and associated suspension of services, followed the emergency landing of a Citilink Airbus A320 on one of the facility's runways. Persons intending to make use of Minangkabau International Airport in the near-term are advised to contact the airport, their airline or travel provider for updates on the status of the airport and all flights scheduled to arrive and depart from the airport. Clients should monitor local media for updates regarding the airport closure.

 

TUNISIA(SYPHAX AIRLINES) - Tunisia's private Syphax Airlines has temporarily halted all flights, it said, citing a decision by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to suspend all activity with the airline. "After the surprise ... decision by IATA, Syphax ... has been forced to suspend all flghts from and to Tunis from July 30, the airline said in a statement late on Thursday. The company lawyer, Samia Maktouf, has however hinted that the situation is linked to "financial problems". She said that the "international and national context provoked a crisis that has led to the temporary suspension". Following its "financial problems", Syphax Airlines lost a vital support on Wednesday when the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suspended all direct and indirect activities with the company.  The airline company was founded by Tunisian businessman Mohammed Frikha in 2011, after long-time president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's ouster.

 

CHINA - The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has issued a 24-hour severe weather warning for several south eastern and north eastern provinces in China on 3 August. Heavy rains and thunderstorms are expected to affect several areas until 4 August, including Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Liaoning, Jilin, Sichuan Basin, Yunnan, Guangxi, Jilin, Liaoning and Shandong. Southern China experiences its rainy season between June and September; as such, further heavy rains are likely in the coming weeks. The season is characterised by strong winds and heavy rain, which can lead to severe flooding and structural damage. Flooding in low-lying areas and coastal storm surges are possible prior to and during such conditions. As such, road and rail travel disruptions, as well as power outages and flight cancellations or delays, should be expected throughout the affected areas in the short-term at least.  Clients in the aforementioned areas are advised to make allowances for travel disruptions and should consult their travel provider for an update on the status of their travel arrangements.

 

PARAGUAY(ASUNCION) - According to reports released on 2 August, significant flooding, caused by elevated water levels in the Paraguay River, has impacted on northern and western areas of Asuncion in recent days. Approximately 42,000 people have been displaced from their homes as a result of the flooding. The worst-affected districts include Banado Tacumbu and Banado Norte, which have been placed under a mandatory evacuation order. Although inclement weather is not forecast to affect the city in the coming days, the Paraguay River's water levels are expected to remain elevated throughout the week. Indeed, authorities have indicated that the river's water levels may increase before subsiding. Accordingly, further flood-related disruptions, including to transport and utilities, should be expected over the near-term. Clients in Asuncion are advised to monitor local media for updates and advisories from the authorities. Clients should obey all advisories issued by the local authorities, including evacuation orders. Allowances should be made for travel and utility disruptions.

 

KOSOVO(PRISTINA) - Veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) are expected to protest in Kosovo's capital, Pristina, on 3 August. Participants will gather in the vicinity of the Kosovo Assembly building on Mother Theresa Boulevard from 11:00 local time. The protest has been called in opposition to the proposed formation of a Special Tribunal against alleged war crimes committed during the Kosovo War. The proposed constitutional amendments are expected to be voted on in Parliament for the second time. Although the planned protest is anticipated to conclude peacefully, the possibility of low-level violent clashes cannot be discounted. As illustrated by a previous related gathering on 17 July, the upcoming demonstration is likely to be well attended; as such, localised road travel disruptions should be anticipated. Persons in Pristina on 3 August are advised to avoid all large street gatherings and concentrations of security forces as a precaution. Furthermore, the protest is likely to cause significant travel disruptions in the affected area. Clients are advised to anticipate travel delays and should plan accordingly.
 

LATVIA(RIGA) - An anti-refugee rally is expected to take place outside the Cabinet of Ministers building in Latvia's capital, Riga, on 4 August. The rally has been scheduled by the Tevijas Sargi activist group and has been called in response to the enactment of government legislation which is expected to integrate at least 250 refugees into Latvia by 2017.  Although the rally is expected to be peaceful, the possibility of isolated skirmishes between police and protesters cannot be dismissed. Localised road travel disruptions should be expected in the vicinity of the rally site. Persons in Riga on 4 August are advised to avoid all rallies and concentrations of security forces as a precaution. Furthermore, clients should make allowances for possible transport disruptions in the vicinity of the rally.

NEPAL - Multiple opposition groups, including the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), have called for daily protests across Nepal from 4 to 9 August. The protests have been organised over issues relating to the draft constitution. Protests are expected in the towns of Dhankuta and Nepalgunj on 5 August, Birtamode and Dhangadhi on 6 August, and Hetaunda on 9 August. Further details pertaining to the protests have not been disclosed. The ethnic Madhesi people in the Terai region have long complained of discrimination by the government. This groups routinely calls for general strikes, known locally as bandhs, which often degenerate into violence; demonstrators have used rudimentary weapons, such as sticks and rocks, in the past. Security forces are known to respond with robust crowd-control tactics; as such, the possibility of clashes between security forces and protesters cannot be ruled out. Localised travel disruptions should be anticipated in the in protest affected areas.  Clients are advised against all non-essential travel to Nepal due to extensive damage caused by a major earthquake in April. A high degree of caution is advised in the southern Terai region due to the elevated levels of civil unrest and associated violence. All large street gatherings are to be avoided as a standard precaution.

 

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