The European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed at their first summit on Wednesday a need for deeper economic ties and a respect for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The leaders of 27 EU countries and nine of 10 ASEAN leaders were invited to a commemoration of 45 years of diplomatic relations, with only military-ruled Myanmar excluded. The leaders discussed areas of future cooperation, including trade, the green and digital transitions and health. The two blocs have already signed a deal to allow their airlines to expand services more easily. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a E10b commitment to 2027 for investment on infrastructure in ASEAN, with a focus on green projects and connectivity. The EU wants to expand its trade ties beyond its free trade agreements with Singapore and Vietnam and negotiations with Indonesia. The EU and ASEAN are each other's third largest trading partners and this was the first summit between them in the history of the two regional groupings. Von der Leyen and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen both said the ultimate goal was a region-to-region free trade agreement. The two blocs affirmed their commitment to rules-based international order. The European Union was keen for a statement to describe the war in Ukraine as an act of aggression by Russia.<br/>
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Aeroflot has started operating some of its charter flights from Far Eastern cities in Russia to Thailand with refuelling stops after Laos closed its airspace to Russian airlines. The airline confirmed to local media that it was in contact with the Laotian authorities, hoping to secure clearance to fly via the country's airspace. However, as long as the talks are not concluded, it must bypass Laos for flights from Vladivostok, Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo, and Novosibirsk to Thailand, one of the most popular international leisure destinations still open to Russian tourists. While for flights operated with A330-300s the development results only in an extension of the flight duration, services flown with B737-800s are forced to operate with a refuelling stop at Irkutsk Int'l, adding some two to three hours to the journey time. Other Russian airlines flying to Thailand from the Far East, such as Azur Air and Ikar (Russian Federation), deploy long-range aircraft (B757-200s or B777-200s) capable of operating the extended route via Myanmar with no refuelling stops. The need to bypass Laos is not a factor for flights departing from central and western parts of Russia. Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows that Russian airlines were flying through Laotian airspace until the end of November. It is not clear what made the South-Eastern Asian country change its decision regarding overflights. Laos, a single-party communist state, has very close political ties to China.<br/>
Aircraft leasing firms are suing dozens of insurers for around $8b in a string of lawsuits over the loss of hundreds of aircraft stuck in Russia since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. More than 400 leased planes worth around $10b are unable to leave Russia after European Union sanctions forced the termination of their leases. Lessors argue the aircraft are covered by policies against war or theft, but insurers point out the planes are undamaged and might yet be returned. Story features list of claims filed against insurers in London, Dublin and the United States, with the most recent filing listed first.<br/>
Rules around taking liquids and laptops through airport security will be eased from June 2024, the government has said. The announcement of the biggest relaxation of aviation security regulations in decades confirms reports last month that the change would come in the year after next. Passengers at most major UK airports will be able to carry liquids in containers holding up to two litres, a huge increase from the current limit of 100ml. Travellers will also no longer need to carry the containers in clear plastic bags, or remove tablets and laptops from hand luggage at checkpoints. The Department for Transport said major airports would be required to install new technology that gives security staff more detailed images of what is in passengers’ bags. It will lay new legislation around the changes in parliament on Thursday. Last month London City airport revealed that it would be the first UK hub to allow passengers to leave laptops and liquids in their hand luggage when passing through security. It said it was trialling one security lane equipped with the necessary advanced baggage scanners and planned to introduce the machines in all of its lanes by April. Current airport security rules were introduced in 2006 after a foiled terror plot to blow up planes flying from London to the US with homemade liquid bombs. Travellers failing to adhere to them is one of the biggest causes of delays at airport security.<br/>
TUI, the world's largest holiday company, said it planned to repay COVID-19 support through a capital raising next year after a strong summer helped it swing back to profit and it forecast a "solid" 2023. Germany-based TUI, which operates holidays, hotels, cruise ships and an airline said it would start to cut its dependence on the German state, whose help enabled the group to survive the pandemic. CFO Mathias Kiep said TUI would need to raise between E1.6b and 1.8b through a capital raise to start repaying its German loans. That news weighed on its shares. The stock dropped 6% to 138 pence in morning trading, paring gains made over the last month. It has already lost 40% of its value in 2022. "The extent of potential equity dilution will depend on prevailing appetite and share price," said Stifel analysts, noting that sanctioned Russian shareholder Alexei Mordashov cannot participate in any rights issue. TUI said 2023 would be solid and it guided to a significant increase in earnings. For the year to end-September, TUI on Wednesday posted underlying earnings of E409m, compared to a E2b loss the previous year. Bookings for next year were stable and average prices higher, TUI said, adding that it was aware of the difficult economic outlook.<br/>
Jet fuel rationing for airlines at Auckland Airport is over just in time for the year’s busiest travel period to take off. Airlines had been operating with reduced fuel allocations, down to 75% of the normal amount, after the discovery that a shipment of jet fuel to Marsden Point was unusable. Fuel rationing had been expected to continue until Sunday, but by Thursday the situation had returned to normal. “We can confirm all fuel allocations on airlines at Auckland Airport have ended,” said fuel suppliers Z, BP and Mobil. “Individual fuel companies have informed airlines that normal jet fuel offtake can resume at Auckland Airport.” A replacement shipment of jet fuel was due to arrive on Friday, which would fill the supply gap left by the contaminated fuel. “The quality assurance processes in jet supply chain are very robust and these types of incidents where a cargo of jet fuel does not meet specification requirements upon discharge are very rare,” the companies said. “The investigation into the cause of the issue is complex and ongoing.” Extra jet fuel storage would become available at Marsden Point in the middle of next year.<br/>