Vietnam Airlines flight VN34 returned to Munich on August 15 after its Boeing 787-9 reportedly struck its tail during a late takeoff for Hanoi. The jet held near the airport before landing with damaged tires; no injuries were reported, and the cause remains unconfirmed.
The death toll from Indonesia's magnitude 7.7 Flores earthquake rose to 51 on August 16 as rescuers searched landslides and damaged buildings. Its reported 10-kilometer depth put the source close to the surface, while small tsunami waves were recorded before the warning was lifted.
Indonesian firefighters had mostly contained the Mount Bromo wildfire by August 11 after it burned nearly 900 hectares of protected parkland. The national park remained closed, with two hot spots active and three water-bombing helicopters supporting ground crews.
Workers sent by a Nepali expedition operator spotted five bodies near Yalung Ri on August 5, 2026, nine months after an avalanche killed seven climbers. Bad weather blocked access to the site, and officials had not confirmed the identities by August 7.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating an August 9 taxiway near miss between a Jetstar Airbus A320 and a towed Qatar Airways Boeing 777 at Sydney Airport. One cabin crew member sustained a minor injury, while separate roster constraints had already forced flight-spacing measures and delays.
Passengers affected by an airline shutdown should identify the company that collected the fare before starting a refund claim. Booking records, cancellation notices and a dated contact log can show whether the next route runs through the seller, card issuer, insurer or a national authority.
Travelers due to enter a disaster-affected area need to verify every segment of the trip in the final 72 hours before departure. A flight may operate while airport access, accommodation or onward transport remains disrupted, and refund rights vary by booking and country.
An aviation publication reported that Bamboo Airways halted scheduled passenger flights on August 1 during a restructuring. Affected travelers may need to pursue the ticket seller, card issuer or a national passenger-rights process, depending on how and where they booked.
Aso Kumamoto Airport said flights were expected to operate normally from August 2 after the July 28 earthquake, subject to aftershock conditions. Rail and road access can change separately, while ticket and insurance options depend on the booking and contract.
Two crew members died when firefighting helicopters collided near Athens on August 2 as strong winds drove new evacuations in Greece. France allowed most people displaced by the Gironde fire to return, but hot spots and fires elsewhere in southern Europe remained active.
China evacuated stranded tourists and temporarily closed two sections of Jiuzhaigou on July 27 after heavy rain triggered mudslides. The closures followed Typhoon Noul as authorities raised flash-flood alerts across several Chinese provinces.
