Travel

Singapore Airlines tops global rankings as complaints mount over short-haul services

Low-cost carriers Ryanair and Wizz Air have rejected the results of a consumer survey that placed them among the lowest-rated airlines for customer satisfaction in the UK and beyond. The…

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Heathrow’s new scanners end dreaded rummage for liquids and laptops

Passengers will no longer be forced to dig around in their hand luggage to extract shampoos, water bottles and laptops when travelling through security at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, thanks…

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22

Jan

EU parliament votes to retain three-hour limit for flight delay compensation

The European Parliament voted in a plenary session on Wednesday to keep the current three-hour flight delay threshold for compensation in the EU's next set of airline passenger rights, while…

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Airports close and flights disrupted across Europe due to icy weather

Airports have been forced to close and flights have been disrupted in parts of Europe due to icy weather. Airports in Budapest in Hungary, Bratislava in Slovakia and Vienna in…

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UPDATED: Amsterdam airport cancels at least 700 flights because of snow and wind

Amsterdam Schiphol airport, one of the largest in Europe, has announced at least 700 flight cancellations because of snow and wind, after days of weather-related travel disruptions. More than 1,000…

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Traveling to Russia: High Risks and Essential Preparations

The United States has recently issued stringent travel advice, cautioning its citizens against visiting Russia. This updated advisory urges Americans to exercise the utmost caution and, if they choose to…

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Higher taxes on UK regional airports may push up air fares, industry warns

Air passengers are being warned to brace for ticket rises as regional airports across the UK face “unprecedented” rises in property tax next year. Analysis of government data for PA…

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Christmas travel chaos: All the forthcoming European airport strikes in December

Heading home this Christmas or taking a winter holiday? Travel strikes have become a familiar part of the festive season as workers target one of the busiest periods of the…

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US could ask foreign tourists for five-year social media history before entry

Tourists from dozens of countries including the UK could be asked to provide a five-year social media history as a condition of entry to the United States, under a new…

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Singapore reveals world’s first green fuel tax on flights

Singapore is poised to become the first country in the world to sting travellers with a green fuel tax. Last week, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) confirmed its…

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EU Parliament backs air passenger rights

European airlines on Tuesday denounced the European Parliament's transport committee adopting a text that refuses to make it harder for air passengers to get compensation for delayed flights. The committee…

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UK airports disrupted by radar fault in air traffic control system

A radar-related technical issue in Britain's air traffic control system disrupted flights for over four hours at major airports in London and elsewhere on Wednesday, though the issue was later…

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New liquid rules apply only at select airports, Commission says

The European Commission aid it will allow some high-tech C3 scanners to be used again at airports to allow passengers to take up to 2 liters of liquids through security…

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Flights ever more expensive from German airports — analysis

Prices for air passengers traveling from airports in Germany within Europe are continuing to rise, even those for budget airlines, according to an analysis by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). The average…

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Air traffic control nightmare looms this summer

French air traffic controllers are planning to walk off the job on Thursday and Friday, signaling a summer travel season that threatens to be plagued with delays. The core reason…

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European Parliament presses air passenger carry-on baggage fees revolution

MEPs from the transport committee on Tuesday approved an amendment on air passenger rights that gives people the right to travel with carry-on hand baggage weighing up to 7 kilograms…

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Trump Administration Considers Expanding Travel Ban to Include 36 Additional Countries

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State…

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Consumer groups urge EU to press airlines over baggage fees

Sixteen European consumer groups on Wednesday called on the European Union to take action against seven low-cost airlines. The demand is related to the additional charges consumers face for baggage…

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China grants visa-free entry to some of Latin America’s biggest economies

China will extend its visa-free policy to nationals of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, putting some of Latin America's largest economies on equal footing with many European and Asian…

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Trump administration considers extensive travel restrictions for several countries, including Arab States

The Trump administration is considering issuing sweeping travel restrictions for the citizens of dozens of countries as part of a new ban, according to sources familiar with the matter and…

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New Trump travel ban could bar Afghans, Pakistanis soon

A new travel ban by President Donald Trump could bar people from Afghanistan and Pakistan from entering the U.S. as soon as next week based on a government review of…

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China expands visa-free access to Japan, Bulgaria and other countries

China will expand its visa-free arrangements to include Japan, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro and other countries, effective from Nov. 30, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025, a foreign ministry spokesperson said…

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Belgium’s Charleroi airport cancels all departures for Tuesday

Brussels South Charleroi Airport canceled all flights departing on Tuesday due to a strike by security staff, the airport announced. “All arrivals at Charleroi airport will be maintained,” the airport…

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Japan’s Strategy to Increase Outbound Tourism: Free Passports Proposal

In a bid to boost overseas travel among young Japanese, the head of a leading travel industry organization has proposed that the government offer free passports to 18-year-olds. Hiroyuki Takahashi,…

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UK flight chaos continues with dozens more cancellations at Gatwick and Heathrow

For the fourth consecutive day, thousands of UK-bound passengers faced flight cancellations due to a combination of bad weather and air traffic control staff shortages. Around 3,500 passengers scheduled on…

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New EU travel rules for tourists: What changes in 2025?

The new rules require travellers to complete an online application, provide personal details, answer security questions and pay a €7 fee. Starting in 2025, travellers, including British tourists post-Brexit, will…

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Foreign airlines lose interest in China as domestic carriers expand abroad

Chinese airlines are gaining market share on international routes, industry data shows, as foreign rivals are deterred by weak China travel demand and rising costs and extended flight times because…

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German airport pauses flights after climate activists breach field

Germany's Leipzig/Halle airport temporarily halted flights early on Thursday after climate activists breached the airfield as part of a disruptive protest campaign that has lawmakers calling for stricter punishment and…

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Global cyber outage grounds flights and disrupts businesses

A global tech outage was disrupting operations in multiple industries on Friday, with airlines halting flights, some broadcasters off-air and everything from banking to healthcare hit by system problems. American…

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International air fares in Germany down 3% in first half 2024

After significant price increases in Germany last year, holidaymakers enjoyed 3.1% lower prices for flights abroad in the first six months 2024 compared to last year's period, the statistics office…

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TUI hopeful for summer despite higher prices

Europe's largest tour operator TUI on Wednesday said it sees good demand for the upcoming summer season despite higher prices after reporting stronger-than-forecast results in the typically weak winter period.…

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France’s air traffic control strikes ground flights across Europe

Delays and flight cancellations were set to impact swathes of Europe on Thursday, after authorities failed to reach a deal with some French air traffic control workers to avert a…

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Train drivers in England begin three-day series of strikes

Rail passengers across England will face significant disruption on Friday as train drivers at five operating companies carry out industrial action. The 24-hour strike will be the first of three…

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European airline CEOs say industry consolidation vital

By Joanna Plucinska and Julia Payne BRUSSELS, March 20 (Reuters) - More consolidation of Europe's airlines is necessary to keep the industry competitive, the CEOs of British Airways owner IAG…

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London Tube drivers to strike for two days in April and May

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Train drivers on the London Underground will take strike action on April 8 and May 4 in a long-running dispute over working conditions, the ASLEF…

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Spanish airports schedule 8% more summer seats

Spanish airport operator Aena said the airlines in its network have scheduled nearly 8% more seats for this summer than last year, as a rebound in tourism continues since pandemic-related…

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Strike wave hits German rail and airports as disputes mount

BERLIN, March 7 (Reuters) - Germany faced strikes on three fronts on Thursday, as train drivers, airport security workers and Lufthansa ground staff walked off the job, spelling further headaches…

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Frankfurt airport closed for departures on Thursday due to strike

BERLIN, March 6 (Reuters) - Frankfurt airport, Germany's busiest, will be closed to passengers with planned departures on Thursday due to a security staff strike organised by Germany's Verdi union,…

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Germany to face travel chaos with rail, airport strikes to resume

By Rachel More BERLIN, (Reuters) - The German train drivers' union said on Monday it would commence a fresh round of nationwide strikes as a dispute with national train operator…

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Airlines upbeat on 2024 demand despite supply challenges

Air France-KLM posts record 2023 revenues but Q4 loss IAG positive on capacity for 2024 Both see strong demand Jet fuel prices, geopolitical uncertainty, wage talks weigh By Joanna Plucinska…

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US proposes to strengthen airline passenger wheelchair regulations

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, Feb 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is proposing on Thursday new rules to strengthen protections for airline passengers using wheelchairs. Transportation Secretary…

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US airlines hiking checked baggage fees as costs jump

By David Shepardson and Kannaki Deka (Reuters) - United Airlines on Friday became the third major U.S. airline to hike checked baggage fees for customers traveling in North America after…

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German union calls six-day public transport strike for next week

German trade union Verdi called a near-nationwide public transport strike for the second time this month, raising pressure on employers in a dispute over pay and working conditions. The strike…

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Speed limit reduction on the way on urban roads in Cyprus

Authorities in Cyprus have provided a study to reduce speed limits from 50km/h to 30km/h in certain urban areas. The measure aims to reduce fatal collisions and emissions, as well…

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UPDATED: Germany’s airport security staff to ground flights in nationwide protests

BERLIN, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Security staff at 11 German airports, including the global hub Frankfurt, walked off the job on Thursday to press for higher pay, grounding flights and…

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Berlin airport says no departures on Thursday due to strike

Berlin Brandenburg airport said there would be no departures for passengers on Thursday due to strikes announced by public sector union Verdi. Security staff plan to stage strikes at airports…

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Winter weather upends travel in Germany for a second day

BERLIN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Heavy snowfall and icy conditions upended air, car and train travel across Germany for a second day on Thursday. At Frankfurt airport, Germany's largest hub,…

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UPDATED: Oslo airport closes due to heavy snowfall

OSLO, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Oslo's main airport closed for safety reasons on Wednesday due to heavy snowfall in Norway's capital region and many train services and other public transport…

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U.S. airlines cancel over 1,200 flights due to massive winterstorm

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Airlines in the United States canceled more than 1,200 flights on Friday after a massive winter storm knocked out power and affected businesses in 12 states,…

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Tube strikes to affect commuters over several days

Tube strikes will affect commuters over several days from 7 January as London Underground workers walk out over pay. A strike by Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) members is…

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Flooded tunnel near London disrupts Eurostar train services

PARIS, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Flooding in a railway tunnel near London forced the cancellation of more than a dozen trains linking Britain with the European mainland early on Saturday,…

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Rail fares in England to go up by almost 5%

LONDON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Regulated rail fares in England will rise by up to 4.9% in March, less than the Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation which was…

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Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport has capacity for 483,000 flights in 2024

AMSTERDAM, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on Thursday said it has room to accommodate 483,000 flights in 2024, if airlines find ways to ease the burden on peak…

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Holiday travel peaks in Europe despite security warnings

By Joanna Plucinska, Susanne Neumayer-Remter and Christine Uyanik LONDON/MUNICH, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Travel within Europe in the busy holiday season is exceeding 2022 levels, despite security warnings from authorities…

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Spain airport ground service workers plan New Year strike, Iberia says

MADRID, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Labour unions representing ground service workers at Spanish airports plan to strike from late December into early January, Spain's Iberia, part of the International Airlines…

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Airlines see stable profits, record traveller numbers in 2024

By Joanna Plucinska GENEVA, (Reuters) - Airline profits are set to stabilise in 2024 as continued growth in post-pandemic travel is offset by the high cost of capital and capacity…

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US FAA wants new planes to capture more cockpit data to boost safety probes

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is proposing to extend the cockpit voice-recording requirement to 25 hours for all new airplanes from the…

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