European Airlines extend flight suspensions as Middle East conflict intensifies
Frankfurt: Top European airlines, including Lufthansa, KLM, and Swiss International Air Lines, announced on Tuesday the extension of flight suspensions to the Middle East due to intensifying regional tensions. These decisions follow Israel’s strikes on Beirut and warnings from a senior White House official that Iran is preparing a missile attack against Israel. The group, which includes Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss International, has been modifying its flight operations over the past months to address the unpredictable security situation.
Dutch airline KLM has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until the end of 2024. This follows its earlier announcement in August 2024 that flights would be halted until October 26 due to the volatile situation. KLM spokesperson Elvira van der Vis confirmed the extension, citing ongoing concerns in the region.
German carrier Lufthansa also announced the suspension of its flights to Beirut through November 30, 2024. Additionally, the airline group confirmed that flights to Tel Aviv are canceled until October 31, while flights to Tehran will remain suspended until October 14. In a further move, the airline group said it would avoid Iranian, Iraqi, and Jordanian airspace until October 2 and continue to avoid Israeli airspace until the end of October.
A Lufthansa spokesperson expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers, while stressing that the safety of both passengers and crew remains the airline's top priority.
Swiss International Air Lines, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa group, echoed the decision, saying the extended suspensions aim to provide predictability for travelers and crew amid the uncertainties of the escalating conflict.
The flight suspensions follow recent military escalations in the Middle East, including Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon and a week of intense air strikes that have claimed hundreds of lives. The conflict deepened on Tuesday, as Israeli forces engaged in clashes on the ground in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, a senior White House official, speaking anonymously, warned that Iran was preparing to launch a ballistic missile attack on Israel "imminently." The U.S. is actively supporting Israel's defensive measures in response to the potential threat and has cautioned Iran that such an attack would lead to "severe consequences."
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NDA's win in Bihar Assembly bypolls a matter of concern: Prashant Kishor
Patna, Nov 23: Political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor on Saturday dubbed as "a matter of concern" the NDA's win in assembly by-polls in Bihar despite "failure" of the BJP-led coalition to end the state's chronic backwardness during it's decades-long rule.
Talking to reporters here shortly after the results were out, Kishor also drew succour from the fact that his fledgling Jan Suraaj won "10 per cent" of the total votes polled in four seats, but rubbished the claim that it had played a role in the RJD's defeat in three of these.
"RJD is a 30-year-old party. The son of its state president finished third. Can Jan Suraaj be faulted for that? In Belaganj all Muslim votes went to the JD(U) candidate. In Imamganj, the Jan Suraaj cut into NDA votes. Else, the victory margin of (Union minister) Jitan Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha would have been bigger", asserted Kishor.
Notably, Imamganj, a reserved seat, was retained by Manjhi's daughter-in-law Deepa, who defeated the RJD candidate by a thin margin of less than 6,000 votes. Jan Suraaj candidate Jitendra Paswan finished third, polling more than 37,000 votes.
When pointed out that in three of the four seats, candidates of Jan Suraaj had polled less than one-sixth of the total votes and ran the risk of losing their deposits, Kishor shot back "That should not be a matter of concern (chinta ki baat). If there is a matter of concern, it is the ability of the NDA to make a clean sweep despite having ruled Bihar for so long and "failed" to end the state's backwardness".
The IPAC founder, who had a brief stint in the JD(U), insisted that the party's supremo Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, was a "spent force" and its candidate, former MLC Manorama Devi, had won on her own steam.
"We have always said that our fight is with NDA, not with RJD despite its claim of being the largest party in Bihar.....(but) Nitish Kumar is no factor. His party polled just about 11 per cent of total votes", said Kishor.
About his own party's inability to make a mark, Kishor said "We have secured 10 per cent votes..... in seats where Jan Suraaj had no presence since these areas were yet to be covered by my padyatra. Also, please note that we got our poll symbol after filing of nomination papers was over".
He also maintained that the Jan Suraaj will go solo in the assembly polls due next year when it will contest "all 243 seats".
"We were initially written off but by garnering about 10 per cent votes, in a state known to vote along predictable caste lines, we have proved a point. In the next few months we shall be strengthening the organization to ensure that vote share of the Jan Suraaj improves", he said.
