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ATG TRAVEL NEWS & ALERTS

Travelers are urged to use caution as well as prepare for travel delays in many parts of the world:

EASYJET - Easyjet will launch a new year-round service between London Southend and Paris Charles De Gaulle next year. The route will operate four-times weekly and is scheduled to start on February 26. Outbound service EZY7419 and return leg EZY7420 will both operate on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. As the flight timings appear to change from week-to-week, passengers are advised to check Easyjet's website. Neil Slaven, Easyjet's commercial manager, said: "There is a growing demand for short and long breaks in Paris and we are able to make it convenient to reach both sides of the route and to provide value for British and French consumers." Easyjet said it expects to fly 50,000 passengers between the two airports each year. Last week, Easyjet announced it is dropping its London Gatwick-Moscow route due to a lack of demand

UNITED KINGDOM(LONDON) - Taxi association, United Cabbies Group, is set to hold a demonstration in London, in the United Kingdom, on 24 September. The demonstration has been called with regard to a number of issues affecting taxi operators, including the inadequate regulation of taxi services. Participants are expected to gather at Bank Junction from 17:00 local time. The demonstration will be accompanied by an increased police presence and several roads near junction will be cordoned off. Although the demonstration is expected to conclude without major incident, the possibility of low-level incidents of violence cannot be discounted. The upcoming demonstration is expected to be well attended, and with the implementation of localised road closures, significant traffic disruptions are expected. Persons in London on 24 September are advised to avoid the upcoming demonstration and all associated large street gatherings as a precaution. In addition, increased traffic congestion and travel delays are anticipated in the vicinity of the demonstration-affected site.

GREECE(RHODES AIRPORT) - EuroControl is reporting that Rhodes Airport is closed because the runway is unserviceable. The runway was damaged on 22 September after a pothole formed followng heavy rain, according to the news site Enikos.gr. The airport is expected to remain closed through the rest of the day.

ITALY - Rail disruptions on intercity services are expected throughout Italy on 25 September due to a strike by employees of the Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV) railway company. Unionised NTV workers are set to observe a 24-hour work stoppage from 03:00 on the affected day until 03:00 local time on 26 September. The strike has been called over a number of labour concerns. Italy's public transport sector is regularly affected by work stoppages and strike action. These are generally organised in response to austerity and deregulation reforms implemented by the government, as well as by specific labour disputes. An increased demand for alternative public transport services is also likely during the affected period. Persons in Italy are advised to anticipate countrywide disruptions to intercity rail transport services on 25 September and plan accordingly. Clients are advised to contact their travel providers for updates on the status of their transport service(s).

NEW CALEDONIA(NEW CALEDONIA) - Air traffic controllers are set to launch a strike in New Caledonia from 26 to 27 September. The work stoppage will be initiated at 17:30 local time on 26 September and will end at 09:00 on 27 September. The strike has been organised following unsuccessful negotiations between the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DAC) and the National Trade Union of Air Traffic Controllers (SNCTA). The union has threatened to renew the strike notice every weekend until its demands are met. Although contingency plans to minimise the effect of the upcoming work stoppage are likely to be implemented, flight disruptions should be anticipated, including delays and possible cancellations. Clients are advised to monitor local media for updates relating to the strike. Persons intending to make use of air transport services in New Caledonia during the aforementioned strike period are advised to contact their travel provider or airline for further information regarding the status of their flight(s).

CYPRUS(NICOSIA) - Travel disruptions are expected in central Cyprus' largest city and capital, Nicosia, on 26 September due to road closures associated with the 2015 CNP Asfalistiki Cyprus Rally. Officials have announced that all roads leading to the Parliament building in the city centre will be closed from 15:00 local time on the day, including Demosthenis Severis Avenue, Andreas Dimitriou Street, Chilonos Avenue, Kinyras Street and Evagoras Avenue. Authorities are expected to implement road diversions to regulate traffic during the event. In addition to the aforementioned road closures in Nicosia, it should be noted that localised travel disruptions may occur during the Ceremonial Start of the rally in Larnaka's Phoinikoudes Promenade on 25 September. The motor racing event is set to conclude in the same location on 27 September at 18:30. Increased security measures, including the additional deployment of police at key locations, are expected to accompany the rally. Clients are advised to expect localised travel disruptions in central Nicosia on 26 September and adjust their travel plans accordingly. Further details regarding scheduled rally routes can be found on the Cyprus Rally website (http://www.cyprusrally.com.cy/rally-2015/)

SAUDI ARABIA(MECCA) - At least 150 people have been killed and hundreds were injured during a stampede in the Mina area of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, on 24 September. The stampede occurred as more than one million pilgrims were taking part in the last major rite of the Hajj. It is unclear what caused the stampede. Emergency services are currently on the scene. Deadly stampedes have occurred in Mecca during the Hajj in previous years. The Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which requires Muslims to make a pilgrimage to the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in their lives. Authorities are likely to limit access to the affected area in the immediate-term; as such, localised travel disruptions should be expected. Travellers are reminded that parts of Mecca and Medina are restricted to Muslims and persons holding Hajj travel documentation. Persons in Mecca should avoid the affected area in the immediate-term. Local media should be closely monitored and clients should adhere to the directives of the security forces. Clients operating in the Jeddah, Mecca and Medina areas should make provision for road travel disruptions over the near-term.

SYRIA(DEIR EZ-ZOR) - Media reports on 23 September indicate that the Islamic State (IS) is preparing for an offensive on the largest remaining regime-controlled areas of the north eastern city of Deir ez-Zor, including the Jawra and Qusair areas and the strategic Deir ez-Zor military airbase. In recent days, columns of IS vehicles have reportedly headed to Syria from Iraq via the border town of Qaim. The Syrian regime has managed to maintain its presence in the northern parts of the city despite the rebel takeover of the rest of the surrounding province in 2013. The city has been affected by several attacks and counter-attacks by regime forces and IS militants since then, with IS periodically attempting to seize control of the military air base. Should IS be successful in its offensive, Deir ez-Zor will be the second provincial capital to be seized by the group after the northern city of Raqqa. The fighting in Deir ez-Zor coincides with ongoing fighting in other parts of the country, which is expected to persist in the medium-term. Clients are advised against all travel to Syria due to the ongoing conflict. Persons intending to travel to the country should do so following a full and customised security review in conjunction with their security provider. Crisis management plans should also be regularly reviewed and updated.

UGANDA(KAMPALA) - Authorities in Uganda have issued a terrorism warning for the country's capital, Kampala. According to a communique issued by the Inspector General of Police of the Uganda Police Force, Kale Kayihura, militants from the Somalia-based al-Shabaab Islamist extremist group were allegedly planning to disrupt Eid al-Adha festivities in the capital on 24 September. Kampala's Tawhid mosque, located in the city's Kisenyi district, was cited as a possible terrorist target. However, the threat extended to other public areas in the city. Security in Kampala is routinely increased on significant religious and/or commemorative days following coordinated large-scale bomb attacks in the city in July 2010. The attacks, claimed by al-Shabaab, were executed in retaliation to Uganda's ongoing participation in the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). The group has continued to threaten attacks within Ugandan territory. Clients in Kampala are advised to exercise heightened security awareness, particularly in and around crowded public places and government installations, which are at an elevated threat of being targeted in a terrorist attack. Furthermore, travel disruptions should be anticipated across the city due to the increased security measures, which may include security checkpoints and random identification checks. Clients are advised to ensure that they have certified copies of all identification documentation on their person at all times.

YEMEN(SANAA) - Two bombs were detonated at a mosque in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, on 24 September. The incident reportedly occurred at the al-Balili mosque in the al-Safiyah district, which is reportedly linked to the Houthi armed group. The blasts have reportedly killed at least 15 people. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack is the latest against Houthi or Houthi-linked targets in the capital. While no group has claimed responsibility for the bombings, the Sunni extremist Islamic State (IS), which is ideologically opposed to the Shiite Houthi militia, has conducted attacks against Houthi interests in the past. The bombings coincide with ongoing conflict in the country between the Houthis and forces aligned to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi. The conflict has provided IS and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) additional opportunity to escalate attacks against their domestic opponents. Further acts of terrorism linked to these and other militant groups are anticipated. Houthi, state and foreign interests are likely future targets. Clients are advised against all travel to Yemen, excluding the Socotra archipelago, due to severe political instability, ongoing heightened conflict levels since March and the elevated risks of terrorism and kidnapping. Persons operating in Yemen should do so with a close protection officer. Crisis management plans (evacuation and contingency plans) should be regularly reviewed and updated. Persons in Sanaa should avoid travel near mosques and military/militia facilities and personnel.

URUGUAY(MONTEVIDEO) - Various teachers' organisations have called for strikes in Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, on 24 and 25 September. Teachers affiliated with ATES and AFUTU will observe a 24-hour strike on 24 September, while members of the ADES union will strike on 25 September. In addition to the work stoppages, three demonstrations are expected in the capital on 24 September. Participants will gather in the vicinity of a court on Bartolome Mitre street at 08:00 and 14:00 local time, and at Plaza Cagancha at 17:00. Associated protests are anticipated on 25 September; however, the exact details have not been disclosed. The agitation is being held against violence between student protesters and police on 22 September. In addition to the disruption in education sector activities, the planned protests in Montevideo and any possible associated protests are likely to result in localised road travel disruptions. The risk of violence at strike-related protests is considered low; however, confrontations between demonstrators and the police remain possible. Clients in Montevideo on 24 and 25 September are advised to avoid all street protests as a standard precaution. Itineraries should be kept flexible to accommodate potential localised disruptions.

IRAQ(CENTRAL & SOUTHERN GOVERNORATES) - Demonstrations in support of political reforms and against corruption are anticipated in Baghdad and various other central and southern governorates of Iraq on 25 September. These governorates include Babil, Karbala, Najaf, Muthanna, Dhi Qar, Wasit, Maysan, Basra and Diyala. Precedent suggests that protesters will gather in the vicinity of provincial councils and other local government buildings. Iraq has been beset by an increase in protests since early August, notably in the Shiite Muslim south. These initially focused on poor service delivery by the government. In an attempt to offset criticism of the government and to meet the demonstrators' demands, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi initiated a political reform process on 9 August. This process has been supported by Iraq's leading Shiite Muslim religious authority, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Protests in support of the reform measures have since been reported in numerous areas. These have been largely peaceful, with only minor acts of violence reported. The possibility of violence at the upcoming events cannot be discounted. Clients are advised against all travel to a number of central and northern Iraqi governorates, including Baghdad, Anbar, Salah ad-Din, Kirkuk, Diyala, Ninewa, Karbala and Babil, as well as against all non-essential travel to the southern, predominantly Shiite Muslim governorates of Wasit, Muthanna, Najaf, Basra, Dhi Qar, Maysan and Qadisiyah, due to the threat of terrorism. Persons in Iraq should exercise caution near protest hotspots and when travelling on Fridays. All street protests should be avoided as a standard precaution.

ISRAEL/WEST BANK - Israel will commemorate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot from the evening of 27 September until 4 October. The period will take place amid heightened religious and communal clashes following recent violence at the revered al-Aqsa Mosque, in Jerusalem's Old City, as well as clashes in Hebron on 23 September at the funeral of a Palestinian student who was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint on 22 September. Major Jewish and Israeli national holidays are typically marked by an increased police alert level and full or partial closures of Palestinian territory in response to the threat of terrorism. In light of this precedent and the recent violence, similar measures are anticipated during the forthcoming Sukkot period. Political and communal tensions in Jerusalem and the West Bank remain elevated, and the risk of associated unrest for the near-term is assessed to be high. Al-Aqsa has been the focal point of recent tensions, with regular low-level clashes reported at the mosque since mid-September, coinciding with the Jewish Rosh Hashanah period. The unrest risk remains elevated in the Old City, East Jerusalem, and areas of the West Bank surrounding Israeli checkpoints, Palestinian refugee camps, religious sites and Jewish settlements. During past incidents of unrest, protesters have thrown projectiles at private cars and busses. The anticipated security measures are likely to be characterised by an increased police presence (patrols and checkpoints) in and near mixed Palestinian-Jewish areas in the West Bank, in the vicinity of Israel's internal and external border crossings, and in major urban centres in Israel. Clients are advised against all travel to the Gaza Strip and against all non-essential travel to the West Bank due to ongoing insecurity. Persons in the West Bank and Jerusalem are advised to monitor local media for developments, exercise caution near protest hotspots and avoid all street protests as a precaution. Persons travelling in higher-risk areas should consider being escorted by a trusted local familiar with the security environment, or a trained security driver. Travel should be conducted on main routes and during daylight hours only.

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