Travel

UK air traffic meltdown ‘one in 15 million’ event -NATS

LONDON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - An air traffic meltdown that hit Britain last week was caused by a "one in 15 million" event, the boss of traffic control provider NATS…

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Dutch government set to press ahead with Schiphol flight caps

AMSTERDAM, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Dutch government is set to press ahead with plans to cap the number of flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport next year, pending a decision…

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Italy’s northern routes disrupted by Alpine tunnel closures

ReutersROME, (Reuters) - Italy is facing serious disruption to transport links with its northern neighbours due to the planned shutdown of the Mont Blanc tunnel for maintenance and the closure…

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UPDATED: UK air traffic control says problem which caused flight cancellations won’t happen again

LONDON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The air traffic control glitch which caused thousands of flight cancellations and delays into and out of Britain on Monday has been fixed and there…

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UK air travel disruption to last for days -minister

British transport minister Mark Harper said it would take days to resolve the widespread disruption to flights into and out of the country after air traffic control systems were hit…

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Flights to and from UK impacted by air traffic ‘technical issue’

LONDON, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Britain's National Air Traffic Service (NATS) was forced to restrict the flow of aircraft on Monday as it works to address a technical issue, it…

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Workers at Gatwick Airport scrap planned strike after improved pay offer

Planned strikes at Britain's Gatwick Airport this weekend have been suspended after workers accepted improved pay offers, the Unite trade union said on Thursday. "Unite has co-ordinated industrial disputes across…

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Train passengers in UK face more disruption as rail workers strike again

Train passengers are facing more disruption on Saturday as workers strike once again over pay, jobs and conditions. Thousands of staff from the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will…

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Ryanair quarterly profit soars, cautious about winter travel

Ryanair on Monday struck a cautious tone about travel demand for the rest of the year and cut its passenger growth forecast due to Boeing delivery delays after its quarterly…

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Trains often more expensive than flights for Europe trips

Train travel from Switzerland to other European destinations is more expensive on 70% of the routes assessed by Greenpeace. In Switzerland, the train was more expensive on 70% of routes,…

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UK RMT rail union suspends planned strikes on London Underground

LONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - Britain's RMT union said on Friday it had suspended all strike action planned for next week on London Underground. “There has been significant progress made…

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US investigating why Delta passengers remained on plane in extreme heat

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the department was investigating why Delta Air Lines passengers remained on board a plane at the Las Vegas…

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Air traffic strikes in Italy leave nearly 1,000 flights grounded

Rome, Jul. 16, (dpa/ANSA) - Italy’s nationwide air traffic strike on Saturday resulted in nearly 1,000 flight cancellations, the news agency ANSA reported on Sunday. According to the unions, which had called for the…

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Europe’s ongoing strike-related travel disruptions

July 14 (Reuters) - European airports are in the midst of another busy summer as passenger numbers globally recover to pre-pandemic levels, while airline and airport staff continue wage talks.…

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Climate protests target two German airports causing delays

BERLIN, July 13 (Reuters) - Climate protests at two German airports led to travel disruptions early on Thursday at the height of the busy summer holiday season, with Hamburg airport…

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Italy minister wants airlines to explain “unjustified” fare hikes

Italy's Industry Minister Adolfo Urso has lamented that airlines benefiting from the country's tourist boom have hiked their prices too much, and demanded an explanation. Urso instructed the government-appointed inflation…

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Fresh flight disruptions threaten to mar US Fourth of July holiday travel

By Doyinsola Oladipo and Rajesh Kumar Singh NEW YORK, June 30 (Reuters) - The number of Americans traveling by air for the Fourth of July holiday is expected to surpass…

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Ryanair aiming for at least 50% growth in east, central Europe

Ryanair expects passenger numbers in central and eastern Europe (CEE) to surge by at least 50% over the next decade, the airline's manager for the region said, as it looks…

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New York, Washington flights delayed by weather and failing equipment

(Reuters) - Thunderstorms and failing equipment at an FAA facility created significant delays for air travelers across the U.S. East Coast on Sunday evening as Washington and New York were…

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Belgium plans short-term flight ban to combat pollution

The Federal Minister of Mobility, Georges Gilkinet, is proposing to ban frequent short flights between nearby airports, known as "flea hops," which are seen as a symbol of wasteful air…

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ACI Europe says European April airport traffic ‘closest yet’ to full recovery from COVID-19

June 7 (Reuters) - Passenger traffic in European airports in April was the closest to a full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic of any month so far, Airports Council International…

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UPDATED: Participants in air force drill aim to minimize disruptions -German transport ministry

BERLIN, June 7 (Reuters) - All participants in the largest air deployment exercise in NATO's history will do what they can to minimize disruptions, but they cannot be completely ruled…

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Newly approved US flights by Chinese airlines avoid Russian airspace

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chinese airlines are avoiding flying over Russian airspace in newly approved flights to and from the United States, according to flight tracking website FlightAware…

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Global airline summit to tackle travel boom, climate goals

By Tim Hepher, Joanna Plucinska and Aditi Shah ISTANBUL, June 2 (Reuters) - Airlines will ride the crest of a faster-than-expected recovery and discuss ways of translating climate pledges into…

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Passenger traffic at Italian airports exceeds pre-COVID levels for first time

MILAN (Reuters) - Monthly passenger traffic at Italian airports surpassed the pre-pandemic levels for the first time in April, the Italian airport operators association Assaeroporti said this week. Last month…

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Sicily’s Catania airport reopens after Mount Etna ash disruption

ROME, May 22 (Reuters) - Catania airport has reopened after being forced to suspend flights on Sunday when nearby Mount Etna spewed volcanic ash onto its runways, the airport operator…

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North Atlantic lags South America in business travel recovery -IAG boss

LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - British Airways-owner IAG said business travel volumes in South America were recovering faster than those across the North Atlantic, although he expected the latter to…

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European airlines see bumper summer bookings

By Sarah Young and Federica Mileo May 5 (Reuters) - British Airways-owner IAG and Air France-KLM on Friday reported bumper summer bookings as travellers pressed ahead with holiday plans despite…

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UPDATED: UK train drivers target FA Cup final, Eurovision with fresh strikes

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - British train drivers will take three more days of strike action, including coinciding with the soccer FA Cup final on June 3, after rejecting a…

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Heathrow raises forecasts as coronation kick-starts busy summer

First-quarter passenger numbers up 74% Airport wanted King Charles terminal -Times By Sarah Young LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - Heathrow passenger numbers reached 95% of pre-pandemic levels in the first…

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Germany’s Verdi union sets strike at Berlin airport on Monday

BERLIN, April 22 (Reuters) - Germany's Verdi union called on Saturday for a one-day strike of air security staff at Berlin airport on Monday as part of an ongoing wage…

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UPDATED: Strikes cripple German rail network, four airports

BERLIN, April 21 (Reuters) - Rail workers went on strike across Germany on Friday, mostly bringing national operator Deutsche Bahn's services DBN.UL to a halt in the morning hours, as…

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Europe’s strike-related travel disruptions continue

Continuing strikes in Europe could keep travel disruptions going through the summer, as the number of passengers traveling globally recovers to pre-pandemic levels. Since last year, strikes and staff shortages…

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Huge rail disruption in Italy after goods-train coach derails

Italy's rail network faced huge disruption on Thursday after the coach of a goods train derailed near a Florence station. This led to the suspension of rail traffic between Florence…

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100,000 set to face disruptions as security staff strike at German airports

BERLIN, April 20 (Reuters) - At least 100,000 people are to face disruptions at four German airports on Thursday and Friday after the Verdi union called on aviation security workers…

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Disability groups urge EU to end air travel ‘nightmare’

By Catarina Demony April 19 (Reuters) - People with disabilities in Europe still face disproportionate obstacles when flying, with denial of boarding common due to purported safety reasons often related…

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Europe’s travel disruption looms over Easter

(Reuters) - Europe is bracing for another round of strikes affecting airlines ahead of a busy Easter travel season, as the number of passengers travelling globally recovers to pre-pandemic levels.…

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Seats on summer flights to Spain to exceed pre-pandemic levels, says Aena

(Reuters) - The number of seats airlines offer to passengers travelling to Spain over the summer season is set to be 4.4% higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic brought global…

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Air travel in Italy hit by nationwide strike

Multiple unions representing airport staff went on a nationwide strike Friday over pay disputes and other working conditions. The industrial action will impact airport handling, security, aviation, and other support…

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Flights cancelled in fresh round of strikes at German airports

BERLIN, March 17 (Reuters) - Strikes at four German airports led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights on Friday in the latest bout of industrial action to disrupt travel…

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No departures at Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg airports as security staff strike

BERLIN, March 13 (Reuters) - Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg airports said no commercial flights would take off on Monday due to a strike by trade union Verdi over pay. "Due…

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U.S. pressures airlines to commit to ending family seating fees

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - Three U.S. airlines agreed to commit in writing to eliminating family seating fees if adjacent seats are available during booking, the U.S.…

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Airports, airlines rein in summer plans to avoid repeat of last year’s chaos

By Allison Lampert, Joanna Plucinska and Toby Sterling (Reuters) - Airports are taking steps to avoid gridlock during the upcoming holiday travel seasons, with some limiting flights during peak hours…

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Germany’s Verdi union plans strikes at two regional airports

BERLIN, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Germany's Verdi union is planning strikes at two regional airports, Cologne Bonn and Duesseldorf, and several cities in the western state of North Rhine Westphalia,…

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Wizz Air named the worst airline for short-haul flights

Wizz Air has been named the worst airline for short-haul flights in a survey ranking providers. Customers shamed the carrier for repeated delays, in a survey carried out by consumer…

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Airports see smoother summer travel than 2022 but brace for headaches

By Allison Lampert and Joanna Plucinska Feb 17 (Reuters) - Global airports expect smoother travel this summer as staffing improves, but surging passenger demand during peak periods in Europe and…

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UPDATED: 24-hour strike at German airports on Friday

BERLIN, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Strikes planned at seven German airports for Friday will lead to "massive disruptions", the operator of the country's largest airport, in Frankfurt, said in a…

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U.N. aviation agency forecasts rapid growth in passenger demand in 2023

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The United Nations' aviation agency forecast global air passenger demand in 2023 will rapidly recover to pre-pandemic levels on most routes by the first quarter and that…

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European airports traffic almost doubles year-on-year but still lags behind 2019

Traffic at European airports almost doubled year-on-year in 2022 but remained below pre-COVID levels, Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe) said on Tuesday. Last year's traffic jumped 98% compared with…

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Ryanair posts record after-tax profit for Christmas quarter

Ryanair on Monday posted its largest after-tax profit for the October-December quarter and said it was likely to face robust demand for Easter and summer 2023 flights. The Irish airline,…

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France extends mandatory COVID tests for Chinese travellers until Feb 15

PARIS, Jan 28 (Reuters) - France has extended mandatory COVID tests for travellers from China until Feb. 15, a government decree published on Saturday showed. While Chinese officials have said infections have…

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Strike over pay at Berlin airport grounds all flights -operator

BERLIN, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Staff at Germany's BER airport in capital Berlin went on strike to press their pay demands on Wednesday and the airport operator said all regular…

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Air finance summit tackles jet shortages amid China travel thaw

Financiers at the centre of a $200 billion industry underpinning worldwide airline fleets are meeting in Dublin this week, gambling that China's long-awaited decision to free travel will accelerate their…

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Ryanair is closing Brussels Airport base -Belga

Ryanair is closing its Brussels Airport base, Belgian press agency Belga reported on Wednesday, quoting local union ACV Puls. It said 59 jobs could be at risk. The Irish low-cost…

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Bed nights in EU booked online up 9% in 2022

During the third quarter of 2022, which included the traditional summer holiday months of July and August, guests spent around 251 million nights in short-term rental accommodation in the EU,…

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Netherlands, Malta and Portugal to require negative COVID test from China air travellers

The Maltese, Dutch and Portuguese governments on Friday joined a growing number of nations requiring air passengers arriving from China to show a negative COVID-19 test upon entry. On Friday,…

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Airline, airport groups slam EU push for pre-flight COVID testing from China

LONDON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - A coalition of airline and airport groups on Thursday criticized new recommendations asking for passengers flying from China to the European Union to show a negative COVID-19…

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