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

HONG KONG / QATAR - Cathay Pacific is suspending its daily service between Hong Kong and Doha, blaming 'commercial reasons' for the decision. From February 15, the outbound service CX645 will depart Hong Kong for the final time on February 14, with return leg CX640 operating its last flight the next day. Cathay and its Oneworld partner Qatar Airways began a strategic agreement on flights between Hong Kong and Doha in March 2014. The deal allowed passengers of both airlines to earn and redeem frequent flyer points or miles. Today, Qatar Airways announced it will resume the operation of both daily services between Hong Kong and Doha from February 16, meaning the Gulf carrier will effectively monopolize the route. QR said in a statement: "The operating carrier change will have minimum impact on passengers who are booked on Cathay Pacific-operated flights from Hong Kong to Doha after February 15. Affected passengers will be re-accommodated on the Qatar Airways-operated flight due to operate on the same schedule." While Cathay's CX code will remain on Qatar Airways flights between Doha and Hong Kong, it will be removed from QR services from Doha to other destinations from February 15. Qatar Airways will keep its QR code on "selected Cathay Pacific flights from Hong Kong to Australia, New Zealand, Korea and Japan". Cathay said it "remains committed to serving the Middle East market and we will continue to identify opportunities to strengthen its services to and from the region".

Our records indicate you have no travelers scheduled to fly on Cathay Pacific's discontinued route from February 14 - December 21, 2016 who were ticketed through ATG.

UNITED STATES (SFO / ISRAEL / NEW ZEALAND / CHINA) - United Airlines will further expand its global reach with new nonstop service from San Francisco to:

Tel Aviv, Israel, with service three times each week beginning March 30, 2016;
Auckland, New Zealand, with service three times each week beginning July 1, 2016, expanding to daily service in October; and
Xi'an, China, previously announced, three-times-weekly service beginning May 8, 2016, for the summer season.

Each new service is subject to government approval. The airline intends to operate the new flights with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the world's most advanced passenger airplane. The Tel Aviv and Xi'an flights will be available for booking on united.com on October 10, 2015, with the Auckland flights available for booking on October 17, 2015. As part of United's evaluation for serving San Francisco (SFO) to Tel Aviv (TLV) nonstop, the airline considered the opinions of thousands of customers who petitioned for the service through the SFOTLV.ORG petition effort. "Providing corporate customers from throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley nonstop service to the high-tech market in Israel has been high on our priority list at United," said Dave Hilfman, United's senior vice president of worldwide sales. "Now with the 787-9 Dreamliner, we're delighted to make it a reality."

Flight	From	To	Departure	Arrival
UA954	SFO	TLV	8 p.m. We/Fr/Su	8:10 p.m. the next day
UA955	TLV	SFO	12:55 a.m. Tu/Fr/Su	6 a.m. the same day

Flight times will be 14 hours, 10 minutes eastbound and 15 hours, 5 minutes westbound. United has served Israel since 1999. The airline currently offers twice-daily Boeing 777 nonstop flights between Tel Aviv and New York/Newark.

San Francisco-Auckland

United's three-times weekly service to Auckland (AKL), New Zealand's largest city and main transportation hub to other points throughout the country, will launch July 1, 2016, with 787-8 aircraft. The schedule will expand to daily flights operating with 787-9 aircraft on Oct. 28, 2016, in time for the peak-winter travel season.

The Auckland flights will operate in partnership with United's Star Alliance partner Air New Zealand.

Flight	From	To	Departure	Arrival
UA917	SFO	AKL	10:45 p.m.	6:55 a.m. two days later
UA916	AKL	SFO	1:20 p.m.	6:40 a.m. the same day

Flight times will be 13 hours, 10 minutes westbound and 12 hours, 20 minutes eastbound.

SPAIN(MADRID) - Metro workers in Spain's capital, Madrid, are set to observe a partial strike on 22 October. Work stoppages will affect the city's metro transport sector from 07:00 to 09:00 local time, and from 18:00 to 22:00. As the stoppages are scheduled to coincide with peak travel times in Madrid, congestion and delays to metro services are anticipated across the network. Heightened demand for bus services, particularly in central Madrid, should also be expected. Increased road traffic is likely to cause localised travel delays in the city. Persons in Madrid should anticipate disruptions to the city's metro services during the strike period and adjust travel itineraries to accommodate potential delays.

SPAIN - Several unions representing RENFE train drivers, including the CGT, UGT and CCOO unions, have called for countrywide strikes on 23 October. The work stoppages are expected to be in effect between 00:00 and 02:00, 13:00 and 15:00, as well as 20:00 and 22:00 local time on the affected day. Should the strikes proceed as scheduled, disruptions to rail services should be anticipated. The above-mentioned work stoppages are also likely to result in an increased demand for other modes of public transport on the affected day. It should be noted that negotiations between RENFE and the respective unions may resume in the coming days. As such, the strike action may be postponed, cancelled or extended on short notice. Persons in Spain are advised to monitor local media for announcements related to the industrial action, and to contact their travel providers for updates on the status of their transport service(s). Should the strikes proceed, clients are advised to consider organising and/or booking alternative means of transport in advance.

URUGUAY(MONTEVIDEO) - Trade union, SUATT has called for strike action in Uruguay's capital, Montevideo on 21, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 October. Related protests are expected to accompany the planned strike. Further information regarding the protests is not available. SUATT has called for strike and protest action in response to stagnating wage negotiations. Clients in Montevideo who intend utilising taxi services on the aforementioned days should consider alternative options, including arranging transport through their hotel or a local contact. All related protest gatherings should be avoided as a standard precaution.

BOLIVIA(LA PAZ, BOLIVIA) - Trade union, Federation of Transport Drivers of La Paz has called on affiliated bus drivers to participate in strike action Bolivia's administrative capital, La Paz on 22 October. The strike action has been called in demand of an increase in bus fares. Although unconfirmed, related protest action is likely in the city centre and surrounding areas. The upcoming strike forms part of the ongoing protest campaign initiated by the union on 15 October for an indefinite period of time. During recent protests, participants blockaded Mariscal Santa Cruz Avenue, as well as Potosi Street, Camacho Avenue and Ayucucho Street. Should an associated protest be held on 22 October, it is likely to conclude peacefully; however, the possibility of low-level clashes cannot be discounted. Furthermore, protesters may continue to erect roadblocks in the capital as part of the agitation. Should this occur, localised travel disruptions should be expected. Clients in La Paz on 22 October are advised to avoid all protests as a standard precaution and keep itineraries flexible to accommodate any localised travel disruptions. Persons intending to make use of public transport are advised to contact their travel provider to confirm the status of services.

NIGERIA(PORT HARCOURT) - Two Lithuanian and two Ukrainian sailors were reportedly kidnapped on 20 October, after their vessel came under attack off Nigeria's Gulf of Guinea coastline. According to reports released on 20 October, an unnamed Comoros-flagged vessel with 19 crew members came under attack by armed assailants, in waters off the coast of Port Harcourt, the administrative capital of the Niger Delta's Rivers State. Maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea has become a growing concern due to prevalence of piracy. The threat of piracy in the region has been linked to insecurity in the southern Niger Delta region, with both militants and criminal groups involved in incidents of piracy and kidnapping for political or financial gain. Commercial ships, oil rigs and their crews are often targeted in such incidents; however, leisure boats are occasionally targeted. Given the persistent insecurity in the region, further such attacks are anticipated. Due to ongoing risks of kidnapping, conflict and crime, clients are advised against all travel to the Niger Delta region. Travellers who plan to sail in the Gulf of Guinea, especially in waters surrounding the Niger Delta region, are advised to remain vigilant and register their presence in the region with their relevant embassies.

SOUTH AFRICA(CAPE TOWN & PORT ELIZABETH) - (Update) Violent and disruptive student protests have been reported in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on 21 October. In Cape Town, at least 1,000 students are said to have gathered on Parliament Street and are attempting to enter Parliament's entrance. Elsewhere, an unconfirmed number of students were injured in an associated protest in Port Elizabeth. According to reports, violence erupted when police used rubber bullets and teargas in an attempt to disperse protesting students outside the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). The disruptive protests, which form part of ongoing student protests against increasing tertiary tuition, have taken place at various universities in the country since 19 October. Given the emotive nature of the aforementioned protests, further unrest is possible over the near-term. Associated protests have been marred with incidents of clashes between participants and police; as such, the possibility of further incidents occurring at associated protests cannot be discounted. There exists an elevated risk of violence to bystanders in the vicinity of associated protests. Persons operating in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and particularly at or near tertiary institutions, are advised to monitor local media for updates on the aforementioned fee protests and avoid any large related gatherings as a precaution. Recent unrest-affected areas should be avoided in the near-term and all advisories from the local authorities should be followed.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO(ITURI) - Four Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) humanitarian organisation members were subject to an armed robbery near the Koni settlement, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's north eastern Ituri administration. According to reports released on 20 October, the MSF workers were ambushed on an undisclosed roadway where the heavily armed assailants, believed to be members of the Front for Patriotic Resistance in Ituri (FRPI), robbed them of supplies and personal items. No injuries were reported during the commissioning of the crime. The incident underlines the extreme-risk travel and operating environment of Ituri, particularly for humanitarian workers. Since March, aid workers in the region have been subject to at least five acts of armed criminality. The ongoing presence of various armed actors in the region, as well as inadequate security provision, suggest that insecurity is likely to persist in the Ituri administration for the near-term. Due to various security concerns, all travel to the Ituri administration is advised against. Clients operating in the area despite this advisory should limit movement to major towns and conduct all travel in the presence of a security escort.

AFGHANISTAN - Security forces are engaged in heavy fighting with Taleban militants in the Gereshk area, located north of Helmand province's capital, Lashkar Gah, in Afghanistan on 21 October. According to reports, civilians are fleeing Lashkar Gah, fearing a possible assault on the city in the coming days. Elsewhere, heavy fighting between Afghan National Army (ANA) forces and the Taleban is underway in the Ghurian district, near the eponymous capital of Herat province. Further to this, in the north of the country, insurgents have seized Ghormach district in the northern Faryab province, on Afghanistan's shared border with Turkmenistan. Casualty numbers are unconfirmed at present. These incidents underscore the ongoing deterioration of the security dynamic, as well as the inability of the ANA to exert its writ over large parts of the country. Moreover, the Taleban has escalated operations considerably, moving from rural areas to launch large-scale frontal assaults on major urban centres during 2015. Given this dynamic, further conflict, including attacks on major urban centres such as provincial capitals, should be expected in the short- to medium-term. Due to a number of security concerns, all travel to Afghanistan is advised against. Maximum travel, personal and residential security protocols should be implemented at all times. All movement should be conducted during daylight hours only and in the presence of a security escort. Crisis management plans (evacuation and contingency) should be updated with a security provider, from whom regular updates should also be requested.

VENEZUELA - The authorities extended a state of emergency in parts of Tachira state in western Venezuela on 20 October for an additional 60 days. Affected areas in Tachira state are the Bolivar, Pedro Maria Urena, Junin, Independencia, Libertad and Rafael Urdaneta areas. States of emergency are also in place in the states of Zulia and Apure. The measures, initially imposed in August in response to crime in the area and an attack by suspected Colombian paramilitaries on a military patrol, provide the local security forces with additional powers to search properties, limit rights of assembly and ban the carrying of guns. These measures precede national elections for the National Assembly on 6 December. The government has announced increased security in the country ahead of the poll, partly due to recent acts of sabotage. The government has claimed that the power grid has been sabotaged in separate incidents in Zulia, Falcon, Bolivar, Tachira, Carabobo, Anzoategui, Yaracuy, Lara and Aragua in October. Venezuela has experienced a significant economic downturn in 2015 marked by increasing inflation and severe shortages of basic commodities. This has served to further aggravate anti-government sentiment, particularly among members of the opposition. President Nicolas Maduro and the ruling Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV) have come under severe criticism for the economic crisis. It is likely that the measures along the Colombian border are part of a wider strategy aimed at shoring up support for the PSUV and limiting opposition rallies in the area. The government has also announced three minimum wage increases in 2015 with a fourth due to come into effect in November. Further measures by Maduro and the PSUV to secure their political position and limit the opposition are likely over the near-term. An increase in election-related rallies, by pro-regime and opposition groupings, should also be anticipated. The threat of violence is elevated at all opposition events. Persons in-country should also anticipate disruptions to cross-border travel along the Colombian border and an increase in checkpoints in this area. Clients are advised against all non-essential travel to within 80km of Venezuela's border with Colombia, due to the risks posed by non-state armed groups. Persons travelling in this region should do so during the day and with a local escort or trained security driver. Clients in Venezuela ahead of the elections should maintain a heightened level of personal security awareness, avoid all street protests and exercise caution when travelling near political party offices.

SYRIA(ALEPPO GOVERNORATE) - A regime-led offensive against rebels south west of Aleppo has led to the displacement of approximately 35,000 people since mid-October. The displacements are from the towns of Zerbeh and Hader. The aim of the offensive is to secure the Damascus-Aleppo road route and lift an Islamic State (IS) siege on the Kweires military airport, located 50km east of Aleppo. The regime's forces are being supported by Russian aircraft, Hezbollah, as well as Iranian ground forces and pro-government militia forces. Aleppo has been one of the most fiercely contested areas of Syria since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced by the fighting. Pro-regime forces are currently assaulting areas south and east of Aleppo, with the aim of joining government forces in central Syria and lifting the IS siege of Kweires. A Russia-supported regime offensive is also ongoing in central Syria. IS forces maintain positions across numerous areas north of Aleppo city and continue to battle both regime and rebel forces. Clients are advised against all travel to Syria due to the ongoing conflict.

POLAND(WARSAW) - A mass demonstration by coal miners is expected to take place in Poland's capital, Warsaw, on 22 October. The action has been called to protest against the government's decision to shut down several mines, thereby making hundreds of coal miners redundant. The event, which is set to begin at 12:00 local time, is likely to be well attended and may result in localised traffic disruptions in the city. Unconfirmed reports indicate that small-scale solidarity protests may take place in other urban centres in the country. Although the protest is expected to conclude without major incident, previous related demonstrations were marred by low-level skirmishes between participants and security forces. It should be noted that, as the dispute remains unresolved, further protests are possible in the short-term. Persons in Warsaw on 22 October are advised to avoid the upcoming protests and any associated large street gatherings. Local media should be monitored for updates on the demonstration and any directives from the local authorities. Clients are further advised to make allowances for localised travel disruptions in the vicinity of any protest gatherings on the day.

GREECE(ATHENS) - Greek civil servants' union, ADEDY, will observe a work stoppage in Greece's capital, Athens, from 12:30 local time on 21 October. An associated protest will take place outside the Labour Ministry, where activists will demonstrate against cuts to civil servant pensions and other austerity measures. Associated rallies are possible in other urban centres in the country, particularly in Thessaloniki. The protests are expected to be well attended, given the national concern over the economy. As such, localised road travel disruptions should be expected in the vicinity of protest sites. Clients in Athens are advised to avoid all large gatherings as a standard precaution. Itineraries should be kept flexible to accommodate any potential travel disruptions.

INDONESIA(JAKARTA) - Contract workers employed by toll road operator, Jasa Marga, are currently on strike from 21 to 23 October in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. Associated demonstrations have been called for outside the legislature and stock exchange buildings. The action by the striking workers is supported by the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI). The action is being undertaken to press Jasa Marga to honour a prior commitment made to contract workers to make them permanent employees. As a result of the strike action, the operation of Jakarta's outer ring toll roads from the capital to Cikampek, Bogor, Bekasi, and Tangerang and Banten has likely been affected. The knock-on effect is likely to result in additional road travel disruptions elsewhere in the capital. Moreover, although protest action is expected to stay peaceful, the additional deployment of security forces to the Parliament and stock exchange buildings, as well as the presence of the protesters, may result in additional disruptions. It should be noted that if the demands of the demonstrators are not met, additional strikes and protests are likely to be held on 28, 29 and 30 October. Clients in or planning to be in Jakarta over the affected days are advised to plan for possible road travel disruptions and avoid all related protests. Local media should be monitored for information on further possible strikes and demonstrations.

BELGIUM(BRUSSELS) - Thousands of protesters are set to participate in a protest against climate change in Belgium's capital, Brussels, on 21 October. Activists are scheduled to gather at the city's Brussels-North railway station at approximately 14:00 local time, before marching on Brussels' Jubelpark. Although expected to conclude peacefully, the protest will be accompanied by an increased security presence. Travel disruptions should be expected along the protest route, which is likely to include the Boulevard du Jardin Botanique. As a precaution, clients are advised to avoid the demonstration and should make allowances for delays if travelling in vicinity of the protest rally.

GEORGIA(TBILISI) - Civil society groups are expected to hold a protest gathering in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi on 22 October. Participants are expected to gather outside the City Court at 10:00 local time. The protest which has been organised by the Rustavi 2 television channel Director General, is in opposition to governments attempt to shut-down the opposition-linked channel. Georgian civil society and citizens view governments attempt to shut down the television station as an infringement on their freedom of speech and media rights. A related protest held on 19 October was well attended and concluded without incident; as such, the planned protest is likely to be well observed. The threat of violent unrest at such gatherings cannot be discounted, furthermore localised travel disruptions should be anticipated in the vicinity of the protest location. Persons in Tbilisi on 22 October are advised to avoid all street protests as a standard precaution and keep itineraries flexible to accommodate any localised travel disruptions.

HUNGARY - Events marking the anniversary of Hungary's 1956 anti-Soviet uprising are set to take place countrywide on 22 and 23 October. In the capital, Budapest, events are expected to focus on Bem Jozsef tere on 22 October, while events on 23 October traditionally focus on Hosok tere (Heroes' Square). The anniversary of Hungary's 1956 anti-Soviet uprising, which commemorates the day on which thousands of people marched on central Budapest in support of anti-Soviet reforms and the start of a nationwide revolt, is often accompanied by protests and demonstrations. Although associated events have concluded without incident in recent years, the day has been marred by violent civil unrest in the past. Precedent suggests that far-right nationalist groups will attempt to stage disruptive protests in the vicinity of commemorative events. Rallies organised by such groups are susceptible to violence. A heightened security force presence and localised traffic disruptions are likely in the vicinity of all upcoming gatherings. Clients in Hungary on 22 and 23 October are advised to avoid politically motivated gatherings as a precaution.

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