airport

With spring break in full swing, airline passengers continued to wait it out at major U.S. airports after President Trump signed an executive order to pay Transportation Security Administration officers aimed at alleviating long security lines.

Trump’s executive order Friday instructed the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers immediately, although it’s unclear when the impact of that move will start to be felt at airports.

The signing came at a busy travel time of the year, with spring breaks at school districts and colleges and the upcoming Passover and Easter holidays.

Betty Mitchell arrived at Philadelphia International Airport at 12:30 a.m. Saturday for a 5 a.m. flight to visit family, but she said the airline desk did not open until 3 a.m. Once it did, there was a sudden influx of passengers to squeeze into the TSA screening lines.

“All at once it became a madhouse,” Mitchell said.

She waited nearly three hours to get through TSA screening but missed her flight. She was able to board the next available one.

“It was crazy long lines,” she said. “Never have I seen it that long. If the airlines work with TSA in these [troubled] times, maybe it would help the public.”

What’s the current situation on the ground?

Some passengers with very early flights Saturday were luckier than Mitchell, reporting they had little problem getting through airport security lines. But that may have been an anomaly. Others at some of the busiest airports wrote on social media that security lines were growing exponentially longer by the hour.

“We have not previously experienced checkpoint wait times similar to what we are seeing this morning,” Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport said in a post Saturday on X. Officials at the airport recommended travelers arrive four hours before their scheduled departure time.

When will TSA employees be paid?

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said TSA personnel could get paid as soon as Monday, a relief for workers who have gone without pay since Feb. 14.

While that is welcome news to many, it remains to be seen whether that promise materializes on schedule and if it brings an immediate end to snaking lines at airports.

Caleb Harmon-Marshall, a former TSA officer who runs a travel newsletter called Gate Access, said the staffing crisis won’t improve significantly until officers are confident they won’t be subjected to more skipped paychecks.

“If it’s only for a pay period, that’s not enough to bring them back,” Harmon-Marshall said. “It has to be an extended pay for them to come back or want to stay there.”

He estimates longer lines could linger for another week or two.

How soon will this help with airport delays?

It’s hard to tell. Airports that had passengers standing in screening lines that clogged check-in areas or showing up far too early for their flights will need to decide whether to reopen checkpoints or expedite service lanes they closed or consolidated due to inadequate staffing.

A few airports experienced daily TSA officer callout rates of 40%. Nationwide Thursday, more than 11.8% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, the most so far, the Department of Homeland Security said Friday.

Nearly 500 of the agency’s approximately 50,000 officers have quit since the partial shutdown started, the department said.

How do I monitor wait times before my flight?

Check airport conditions early and often, including official websites and social media accounts where airports share timely updates and guidance, according to experts.

Many airports Saturday urged passengers to allow at least four hours for both domestic and international screenings.

“Wait times can change quickly based on passenger volume and TSA staffing,” according to an advisory posted Saturday morning on the website of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Wait times listed on the MyTSA mobile app may not be accurate because TSA hasn’t been actively managing its sites during the shutdown. On third-party websites that track TSA lines, estimated wait times could be outdated during the shutdown if they rely on publicly available data, experts say.

Raby and Sedensky write for the Associated Press.

Jeremy Spake became a firm favourite on the BBC series Airport, which first aired in 1996, and has since gone on to enjoy a successful media and aviation career before alleging workplace issues

Jeremy Spake, who was first catapulted into the limelight an astonishing 30 years ago on the BBC series Airport, is now almost unrecognisable. The programme, similar to ITV’s own successful Airline, gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the daily workings of Heathrow Airport and the aircraft departing from there. Now 56, Jeremy was featured on the show in 1996 during his stint as a ground services manager for Russian airline Aeroflot.

He swiftly became a viewer favourite during his time on the show, which subsequently paved the way for additional television opportunities. He went on to host Toughest Jobs in Britain, a documentary series that followed workers in some of the UK’s most challenging and physically demanding roles, as well as the medical programme City Hospital.

He also authored two books, titled Jeremy’s Airport and The Toughest Job in Britain. Jeremy’s Airport drew from his experiences working at Heathrow, guiding readers through a typical week on the job, while The Toughest Job in Britain saw him reflect on some of the incredibly tough jobs he tackled while presenting the show.

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While pursuing his media career, Jeremy was also steadily ascending the corporate ranks in his day job. Proficient in Russian, Jeremy eventually climbed to the position of services manager for Aeroflot before being promoted to Deputy Director of Isle of Man Airport.

Nevertheless, Jeremy chose to resign from his position at the Isle of Man airport, describing ‘bullying, harassment and mobbing on an almost industrial scale’ via his LinkedIn profile. Reports emerged in 2023 that he was pursuing legal action against the Isle of Man government for personal injuries, alleging damage to his mental wellbeing.

He subsequently fronted a six-episode documentary series aired on the BBC, The Airport: Back In The Skies. The fresh series witnessed Jeremy returning to his roots, reuniting with former colleagues, and examining closely how the sector was recovering following the coronavirus crisis.

Production for The Airport: Back In The Skies kicked off in October 2021, after approximately eighteen months of lockdown measures, travel restrictions, and vaccine passport requirements, while the airport was working to rebuild operations and restore full capacity.

Thankfully, Jeremy has never been one to stand on the sidelines and pitched in by helping to prepare a Boeing 737 for departure and lending a hand to holidaymakers stranded during the turmoil.

The television personality has also released his own audio book, Jeremy’s Airport Audio Book, which recounts the Airport narrative with extra commentary and fresh anecdotes that didn’t feature in the original BBC television programme. Adding another dimension to Jeremy’s repertoire, he now presents daily aviation updates on Instagram, for Air News Daily.

However, Jeremy now has a dramatically different look. His brown hair has disappeared as the star is now completely bald and he has swapped his smart goatee for a clean-shaven look. The website for the channel says: “Jeremy is a seasoned broadcaster and aviation professional with 40 years experience of working with some of the largest airlines and airports around the world and brings his unique insight to every show.”

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BRISTOL Airport has submitted plans to expand with thousands more flights and long-haul journeys.

Along with more passengers the terminal will be larger, there will be new shops, restaurants as well as an extended runway at the cost of £500million.

New plans have been submitted to North Somerset Council for Bristol Airport to extend its runway which will allow for long-haul flights.

The proposal revealed the airport had plans to reach “world cities within Europe and beyond”.

This includes a limited number of new flights to North America, the Middle East and Asia.

By the late 2030s, the expansion is hoping to increase passenger numbers too from 12million to 15million.

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The amount of travellers that pass through Bristol Airport is currently 10.8million.

The increased take-offs and landings mean that there could be up to 100,000 flight movements a year- up from 85,990.

On the busiest days, there could be as many as 35 aircraft movements.

Bristol Airport added: “The plans would see around £500 million invested in improvements at the airport and local infrastructure.

“These include extending the runway to accommodate larger aircraft and increasing capacity of the terminal that includes a number of improvements to enhance the customer experience, including more space, a wider choice of retail and restaurants and the ability to walk onto aircraft without getting on a bus.”

Along with the extended runway are plans for a larger terminal with more space for a bigger immigration hall, baggage handling facilities, shops and restaurants. 

Other improvements detailed in the plans include travelators, better public transport and the expansion of car hire facilities.

Chief executive Dave Lees said: “Our proposals deliver what customers have told us they want to see at their local airport. 

“We will open up opportunities to visit places further afield and for businesses to expand into new international markets.”

Bristol Airport originally revealed its masterplan to expand last year with the ambitious plans taking it up to 2040.

There are currently 14 airlines operating from Bristol Airport which go to 115 destinations including Alicante, Majorca, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Tenerife and Barcelona.

In 2024, Amsterdam was the most popular destination, followed by Alicante and Majorca.

Bristol Airport once offered flights as far as New York, operated by now-closed Continental Airlines.

However, these were scrapped back in 2010, with the longest route from the airport now just under six hours to Cape Verde.

Plus, another major UK airport launches 12 new routes to popular destinations with eight new airlines.

And this affordable African city to get massive new £960million airport expansion with space for 20million passengers.

Talks broke down this week that would lead to widespread disruption for travellers over Easter to airports in places like Mallorca and the Canary Islands

UK tourists have been given a significant update over planned strike action at multiple airports in Spain. Talks broke down this week before officials announced that strikes would be held over several dates in March and April.

Airports set to be affected by the measures included Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, , Gran Canaria, Málaga, Alicante, and Tenerife (South and North). Now an update has been reported in the Spanish press.

Two sets of strikes at Spanish airports have been partly cancelled, according to Spanish media reports. There had been concerns about extensive disruption at major airports throughout Spain owing to industrial action.

Larazon now reports that trade unions have postponed imminent strikes due to start today that would have seen staff at airport services operators Groundforce and Menzies walk out. The update comes after advances in wage negotiations – but strikes planned for later on have yet to be cancelled, according to local media.

Spanish reports say that trade unions have called off the first day of strike action at Groundforce, Air Europa’s ground handling company, and the first two days of the strike scheduled for this weekend at Menzies, another airport ground handling operator. This is according to sources from the UGT trade union speaking to Efe.

The partial and indefinite strikes planned Groundforce strikes were set to began this Friday. They would have coincided with the beginning of the Easter holiday exodus.

Ultimahora reports that the industrial action at Groundforce had been scheduled for the morning, afternoon and night shifts (from 5am to 7am, from 11am to 5pm, and from 10pm to midnight) with plans set to continue indefinitely. Additionally, the UGT has agreed to call off the first two days of industrial action at Menzies, planned for this Saturday and Sunday. In Menzies’ case, the strike had been called exclusively by UGT – the main union at the firm – for 28 and 29 March, and between 2 and 6 April.

The English language Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that 24-hour strikes for Menzies staff from April 2 to April 6 have not yet been scrapped. It also reported that there is no sign of further suspensions to the other planned strike action for Groundforce staff.

The strike notice at the ground handling operator covered all businesses within the group (Menzies Aviation Ibérica and Menzies Ground Services) and around 3,000 employees. The union had cautioned that, should no deal be struck with the company, the strikes would be rolled out to every weekend until the year’s end.

Groundforce operates at Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Málaga, Gran Canaria, Valencia, Ibiza, Bilbao, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Menzies operates at Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Málaga, Alicante, Gran Canaria, Tenerife South and Tenerife North.

WASHINGTON — The Senate early Friday morning approved Homeland Security funds to pay Transportation Security Administration agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations at the heart of the budget impasse that has jammed airports, disrupted travel and imposed financial hardship on workers.

The deal, which the Senate approved unanimously without a roll call, next goes to the House, which is expected to consider it Friday.

“We can get at least a lot of the government opened up again and then we’ll go from there,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “Obviously, we’ll still have some work ahead of us.”

With pressure mounting to resolve the 42-day stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the endgame emerged in the final hours before TSA workers miss another paycheck Friday. President Donald Trump said he would sign an order to immediately pay the TSA agents, saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.” The deal did not include any of the restraints Democrats have demanded as they sought to rein in Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the outcome could have been reached weeks ago, and vowed that his party would continue fighting to ensure Trump’s “rogue” immigration operation “does not get more funding without serious reform.”

What’s in and out of the funding package

Senators worked through the night on the deal that would fund much of the rest of the department, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard and TSA, but without funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Customs was funded, but Border Protection was not.

The package puts no new limits on immigration enforcement, which has remained largely uninterrupted by the shutdown. The GOP’s big tax cuts bill that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions in extra funds to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the immigration officers are still being paid despite the lapse.

Next steps in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., holds a slim majority, are uncertain. Passage will almost certainly require bipartisan support, as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.

Conservative Republicans have panned their own party’s proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations. Many have vowed to ensure ICE has the resources it needs in the next budget package to carry out Trump’s agenda.

“We will fully fund ICE. That is what this fight is about,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said as he tried to offer legislation to fund the agency. “The border is closing. The next task is deportation.”

On-again, off-again talks collapsed

Earlier Thursday, Thune announced he had given a “last and final” offer to the Democrats. But as the day dragged on, action stalled out.

Democrats argued the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and other federal agencies who are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.

They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people’s homes or private spaces — something new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said he is open to considering.

Trump had largely left the issue to Congress, but warned he was ready to take action, threatening to send the National Guard to airports in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers’ IDs.

The White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay the TSA agents, a politically and legally fraught approach. Instead, Trump’s order would pay TSA agents using money from his 2025 tax bill, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly.

If the Senate package is approved by the House and signed it into law, the action Trump announced to pay TSA agents may be temporary or unneeded.

Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships

The funding shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as TSA workers missing paychecks stop coming to work.

Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of the agency’s nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.

Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the union is grateful the TSA workers will be paid, but said Congress must stay in session to pass a deal “that funds DHS, pays all DHS workers, and keeps these vital agencies running.”

At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.

“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Kevin Freking, Rebecca Santana, Collin Binkley and Ben Finley in Washington, Lekan Oyekanmi in Houston, Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.

Mascaro and Jalonick write for the Associated Press.

POPULAR airline JET2 has launched its first flights from a major UK airport.

Jet2 flights to Tenerife and Alicante in Spain have taken off from London Gatwick, marking its first flights from the airport.

This summer, travellers can fly to 29 destinations with Jet2 from Gatwick, including the Canary Islands, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Malta, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria and Cyprus.

And the airline won’t stop at the end of the season either, as for the winter season it will fly to 14 winter sun destinations, ideal for Brits wanting to escape the cold.

Jet2 will also fly to five ski destinations and four Christmas market spots over the winter period.

Looking ahead to next year, even more routes will be added.

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The airline’s routes will rise from 29 to 34 destinations including flights to Lesbos – a large island in Greece – which will operate weekly.

Lesbos is Greece’s third largest island and boasts a lot of history as well as sprawling olive groves.

For those flying from Gatwick with Jet2, there will be six aircraft including the new Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Jet2’s arrival at the UK’s second largest airport comes after increased demand, especially with travellers from the South East of England and marks the airline’s 14th base.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “Today is an incredibly exciting moment for Jet2, as we welcome our first customers at London Gatwick and wave off our inaugural flight.

“After years of demand to come to London Gatwick, we are delighted to be bringing our award-winning service, recognised 11 years in a row by Which? as its recommended travel provider, to the UK’s largest beach and city leisure destination airport.

He added: “Since going on sale, we have experienced phenomenal demand from customers and independent travel agents, and we are looking forward to a hugely successful future from our newest UK airport base.”

The arrival of Jet2 at London Gatwick Airport is the airport’s largest airline launch in more than a decade.

Pierre-Hugues Schmit, Chief Executive, London Gatwick said: “Today’s inaugural Jet2 flights mark an exciting moment for London Gatwick and for passengers across the region.

“The launch of 29 new routes and the creation of more than 300 jobs demonstrate the strength of demand for travel from our airport and the confidence airlines have in London Gatwick as a place to grow.”

According to The Independent, Jet2 has been trying to get slots at Gatwick Airport for years and it was only when slots were freed up that the airline could move in, first announcing this four months ago.

In other flight news, easyJet has returned to a major UK airport after six years away and has announced 11 new routes.

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THE UK Foreign Office has warned Brits heading abroad to be wary of longer-than-usual airport queues ahead of new travel rules being fully rolled out next month.

The new EES requirement has already resulted in lengthy wait times at airports and are predicted to only get worse across the next few weeks.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the new travel system replacing the need for a passport stamp by automatically checking when a person enters and exits an EU country.

Non‑EU residents have to register their details on their first visit to a Schengen area country.

This is done using the EES machines at airports and ferry terminals to log their fingerprints, facial images and scan passports.

With lots of Brits are still yet to register, and with an influx of families heading abroad over the upcoming Easter break – it’s anticipated that this will result in delays and queues at the EES machines.

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New advice on the government website reads: “Ahead of the Easter holidays, Brits are being advised to be aware of extra border checks – the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) – and allow additional time at the border when travelling to the EU.”

It added: “EES checks should take only a few minutes per person, although longer waits at border control are possible, including for your journeys back to the UK.”

From April 10, EES will be fully operational with with every participating border crossing using the system.

Previously, there have been reports of delays of up to four hours with Brits lining up in the airport to use the EES machines.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill queued for three hours through Lanzarote Airport.

Other airports that have seen long delays include Brussels, Lisbon and Prague.

Some passengers could be subject to further delays – especially those heading to Spain as ground staff are planning to strike at 12 airports across the country.

Several Spanish unions are set to begin an indefinite strike too from today.

Walkouts are planned to take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, across three time slots: from 5am to 7am, from 11am to 5pm and from 10pm to midnight.

Other baggage handling staff have planned 24-hour strikes on March 28-29 and April 2-6.

Airports that could be disrupted by these strikes include Madrid-Barajas, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona-El Prat, Bilbao, Valencia and Bilbao.

It could disrupt also affect airports on popular Spanish islands too, like Gran Canaria, Tenerife Sur and Norte, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Ibiza.

Here are Sun Travel’s top tips on how to deal with EES travel chaos…

Here are our top tips on how to ease the travel chaos if you’re caught up in EES delays…

1. Sit at the front
   First off is quite simple, book a seat at the front of the plane. If you want to get to border control before the rest of the passengers on your flight, then by being at the front, you’ll be able to get off first.
2. Early flights
   When you’re booking, it might ease wait times if you go head out on one of the first flights of the day. There are generally fewer scheduled flights and they experience less disruption.
3. Anticipate delays
   If you are taking a connecting flight, we’d advise to anticipate delays. Of course this varies from airport to airport, but some travellers might find it will take longer to get through because of the EES requirements. Similarly, if someone’s collecting you perhaps give them a bit more time – especially if they’re in one of the pick-up zones that costs money.
4. Go for a bigger airport
   If you can go to a bigger airport and take a longer road transfer, it could be worth it At a larger airport there’s likely to be more EES machines than at one of the smaller ones For example, Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski found there were plenty more of the machines in Spain‘s Alicante Airport than in Austria‘s Salzburg.
5. Bring entertainment
   If you have children, or are generally just bored of queues (and who can blame you?) – think about entertainment It could be worth setting the kids up with an iPad or something that will keep them occupied. Bring a reserve of snacks because standing in line means no access to the airport’s cafes and shops.
6. Get into the priority lane
   For those who are disabled and require assistance make sure to let the airline know in advance as you would usually. After landing, staff should escort you straight through to the front of border control queues. Many major airports offer priority family lanes at passport control for families with young children (usually under 12 years old).
7. Use the plane facilities
   Quite simply, if you are going to be waiting in line for yours, then you want to be comfortable. So before landing, go to the toilet on the plane. If you’re queueing along corridors before heading into border control, then the chances are there won’t be access to toilets

For more on Easter breaks, here are 10 European getaways under £200 per person from beach resorts to cool cities.

And here are 10 of the most affordable English seaside towns for Easter holidays with £1 rides, £2 pints & mega cheap hotels.

WASHINGTON — President Trump said Thursday he would sign an order instructing the Homeland Security secretary to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration agents as Congress struggled to reach a deal to end a budget impasse that has jammed airports and left workers without paychecks.

Trump announced his decision in a social media post saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.”

“It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it!” the president posted.

With pressure mounting, the White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay TSA agents, while senators were reviewing a “last and final” offer from Republicans to Democrats to end the funding impasse at the Department of Homeland Security.

Details of the president’s plan were not immediately available, but a national emergency declaration would be politically fraught and almost certain to face legal challenges. Instead, the president may simply be shifting money from other sources.

Democrats have been refusing to fund Homeland Security as they seek changes to rein in Trump’s immigration enforcement operations. The Senate came to a standstill and senators, ready to leave town for their own spring break, had prepared to stay all night to reach a deal.

“The president is doing absolutely the right thing,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the GOP whip. “The TSA agents are going to be paid.”

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the Appropriations Committee, has said there is funding elsewhere that can be legally used to pay the TSA as well as the Coast Guard without declaring a national emergency.

The funding shutdown, now in its 41st day, has resulted in travel delays, missed paychecks and even warnings of airport closures. TSA workers are coming up on their second missed payday Friday, with thousands refusing to show up for work.

Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of its nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have now quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.

Trump, who has largely left the issue to Congress to resolve, had warned he was ready to take action, even threatening to send the National Guard to airports, in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers’ IDs — a development drawing concerns. The White House has been considering a menu of options.

“They need to end this shutdown immediately or we’ll have to take drastic measures,” Trump said during a morning Cabinet meeting at the White House.

At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.

“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”

A ‘last and final’ offer on the table

Earlier Thursday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) announced he had given the final offer to Democrats.

Thune did not disclose details of the new framework, but he said that it picked up on what had been the Republican offer over the weekend, before talks with the White House and Democrats had broken off.

“Enough is enough,” he said.

But as senators retreated to privately discuss the new plan, the action stalled out.

Democrats argue the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies that are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.

They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people’s homes or private spaces.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. “We’ve been talking about ICE reforms from day one,” he said.

Any deal will almost certainly need to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt. Conservative Republicans have panned their own GOP proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from leaders that they would address Trump’s proof-of-citizenship voting bill in a subsequent legislative package.

Republicans said after a private lunch meeting that there were other options to shift money than invoking the national emergency.

The GOP’s big tax cuts bill that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the money is flowing for his immigration and deportation agenda even with the funding shutdown. ICE and other immigration officers are still being paid.

Republicans say the Trump administration has already made strides to meet Democrats’ demands, particularly after swearing in former Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as the new homeland security secretary to replace Kristi Noem. He has given a nod to the need for the judicial warrants for searches.

Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships

“This is a dire situation,” the acting TSA administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, testified at a House hearing Wednesday.

She described the multiple hardships facing unpaid TSA workers — piling-up bills and eviction notices, even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned of potential airport closures if more employees refuse to come to work.

“At this point, we have to look at all options on the table,” she said.

McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports had experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.

“This is unacceptable,” McNeill said.

WASHINGTON — Pressure is mounting on Congress to end the funding shutdown that has resulted in travel disruptions, missed paychecks and even warnings of airport closures, but lawmakers have yet to resolve the underlying issue of reining in President Trump’s immigration enforcement operations.

Senators intend to vote Thursday on a Republican proposal that would fund the Transportation Security Administration and much of the Department of Homeland Security, except the enforcement and removal operations conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That plan is expected to fail.

Democrats argue it does not go far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies who are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.

Trump, who has largely left the issue to Congress to resolve, threatened to send the National Guard to airports, in addition his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers IDs — a development drawing concerns.

“They need to end this shutdown immediately or we’ll have to take drastic measures,” Trump said Thursday during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

With Congress set to leave town by week’s end for its own spring break recess, calls are intensifying for an end to the 41-day stalemate that’s put the livelihoods of TSA officers at risk as they provide airport security without pay.

Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and more than 480 of its nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have now quit during the shutdown. Nationwide, nearly 11% of TSA workers — more than 3,200 on a single day — missed work.

Trump stays out of the fray

The Republican president initially signed off on the plan the GOP senators brought to him late Monday. By Tuesday, he said he would not be happy with any deal.

Trump did not directly address the status of negotiations late Wednesday evening during an annual fundraising dinner for the House Republicans’ campaign committee as Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., works to keep majority control of the chamber in the November elections.

But Trump criticized Democrats for refusing to settle their demands on immigration changes. On Thursday, he revived his campaign for senators to end the filibuster as a way to overpower opposition to GOP policies, something most Republican senators do not want to do.

The GOP’s big tax cuts bill that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the money is flowing for his immigration and deportation agenda even with the funding shutdown. ICE and other immigration officers are still being paid.

The situation is partly of Trump’s making, a strategy the president put in place last fall when he cut a deal with Democrats to end a previous federal shutdown. At that time, Trump agreed to fund the federal government, except for DHS, which was then put on temporary funding that has expired.

A stopgap measure

The Republican offer added one new restraint on immigration officers, funding the use of body cameras that had previously been agreed to. It excluded other policies that Democrats have demanded, such as that federal agents wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. “We’ve been talking about ICE reforms from day one,” he said.

Democrats had been in several days of talks with the White House, including with border czar Tom Homan, that appeared to be making progress toward a deal. The White House presented its own offer with several items Democrats had been demanding, including officer IDs and training.

But those negotiations broke down over the weekend.

Republicans say Democrats are putting the country at risk. They say the Trump administration has already made strides to meet Democrats’ demands and has shown a new approach to its immigration operations, swearing in Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as the new homeland security secretary to replace Kristi Noem.

But conservative Republicans also panned the proposal, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from GOP leaders that they would address Trump’s proof-of-citizenship voting bill in a subsequent legislative package.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said late Wednesday that if Democrats put a “more realistic offer on the table, we’ll be back in business.”

Asked if Congress would consider a stopgap measure to temporarily fund the department, Thune said: “We’ll see.”

Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships

Passengers are facing more four-hour waits to clear security at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

The airport’s website said Thursday morning that travelers should expect to wait two hours, 30 minutes in the security line at one of its open terminals and four hours at the other.

Lines and wait times are expected to grow Thursday and Friday because of “significantly higher passenger traffic,” according to an update on the airport’s website.

“This is a dire situation,” the acting TSA administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, testified at a House hearing Wednesday.

She described the multiple hardships facing unpaid TSA workers — piling up bills and eviction notices, even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned of potential airport closures if more employees refuse to come to work.

“At this point, we have to look at all options on the table,” she said. “And that does require us to, at some point, make very difficult choices as to which airports we might try to keep open and which ones we might have to shut down as our callout rates increase.”

She cited the growing financial strain on the TSA workforce.

“Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet,” she said.

McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports have experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.

“This is unacceptable, and it will not be tolerated,” McNeill said.

Mascaro and Freking write for the Associated Press. AP writers Rebecca Santana and Ben Finley in Washington; Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York; Rio Yamat in Las Vegas; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Ga., and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.

Delays are expected at check-in, baggage handling and other services affecting UK holidaymakers

Major UK tourist hotspots are set to face disruption within days due to widespread strike action. The Canary Islands in Spain is getting ready as unions prepare to go on strike this and next month.

Airports across the Canary Islands are bracing themselves for industrial action by ground handling staff over the Easter period. Trade unions representing workers at Menzies and Groundforce have announced walkouts.

More than 1,500 employees throughout the islands are expected to take part, according to Spanish website Canarias7. Aviation hubs in the Canary Islands are making preparations for the ground handling strike announced for Easter week, which forms part of a nationwide protest.

Three major spots used by Brits are set to be affected, according to the website. Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura are all set for disruption.

The industrial action has been organised by staff at Menzies and Groundforce. Reports say the action will almost certainly lead to hold-ups in ground operations – including check-in, baggage processing and collection.

Menzies has a workforce over 600 and handles operations for carriers including Norwegian, British Airways, and EasyJet, among others. It operates at Gran Canaria, Tenerife North, and Tenerife South airports, as well as on the mainland at major airports such as Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Málaga and Alicante.

The UGT union-coordinated action will kick off this weekend (28th and 29th March), with further stoppages planned for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th April, during the peak travel period for Easter week. Groundforce is a Globalia group firm providing services to Air Europa. We reported earlier this week that the action is taking place over rights and working conditions for staff.

Unions say they are taking strike action over the implementation of pay scales among other things. Close to 900 employees across the Canary Islands – encompassing Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura – face disruption. The Groundforce industrial action is set to begin tomorrow, 27th March, with walkouts planned for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays across staggered time slots: 5:00-7:00am; 11:00am-5:00pm; and 10:00pm-midnight.

On the Menzies action, Spanish media reports say that should no agreement be reached, the strikes will continue every Saturday and Sunday until 31 December, following the same timetable. That could lead to months of disruption.

WASHINGTON — The Transportation Security Administration may have to shut down operations at some airports as travelers are experiencing record wait times, the agency’s acting head said Wednesday, as the latest offer to end a funding impasse and put restraints on President Trump’s mass deportation agenda met fierce resistance in Congress.

The TSA’s Ha Nguyen McNeill described the mounting hardships facing unpaid airport workers — bills and eviction notices piling up and even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned that lawmakers must ensure “this never happens again.”

“This is a dire situation,” she testified at a House hearing, warning of potential airport closures. “At this point, we have to look at all options on the table. And that does require us to, at some point, make very difficult choices as to which airports we might try to keep open and which ones we might have to shut down as our callout rates increase.”

Yet on the 40th day of the standoff involving the Department of Homeland Security, there was no easy way out in sight. Neither Republican senators, who made the latest offer, nor Democrats, who are demanding more changes in immigration enforcement, appeared closer to a compromise.

Trump, who initially appeared to have given his nod to the deal, has declined to lend it his full support or put his political weight behind making sure it is approved.

Top officials at agencies under the Homeland Security umbrella spoke for more than three hours before the House Homeland Security Committee about the potential risks of security lapses unless the partial government shutdown comes to an end.

A deal teeters on collapse

Homeland Security has gone without routine funding since mid-February. Democrats are insisting on changes to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations after the killings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis by federal officers during protests.

The latest proposal would fund most of Homeland Security except for the enforcement and removal operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that have been central to the debate. The plan would cover other aspects of ICE as well as Customs and Border Protection.

Although the offer added some new restraints on immigration officers, including the use of body cameras, it excluded other policies that Democrats have demanded.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York pressed for “bold” changes at ICE.

Republican leaders said Democrats are putting the country at risk.

“They know this is crazy,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

But conservative Republicans also panned the proposal, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from GOP leaders that they would address Trump’s proof-of-citizenship voting bill in a subsequent legislative package.

Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships

McNeill, the acting TSA administrator, told lawmakers that multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates and more than 480 transportation security officers have quit during the shutdown.

She cited the growing financial strain on the TSA workforce.

“Some are sleeping in their cars, selling their blood and plasma, and taking on second jobs to make ends meet, all while being expected to perform at the highest level when in uniform to protect the traveling public,” she said.

McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports have experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.

“This is unacceptable and it will not be tolerated,” she said.

The top executive overseeing Houston’s airport said security lines that left travelers waiting four hours or more could get longer if the political impasse was not soon settled.

Lines that twist and turn across multiple floors at George Bush Intercontinental Airport have been the result of TSA being able to staff only one-third to half the usual number of checkpoint lines, said Jim Szczesniak, aviation director for Houston’s airport system.

Trump’s decision to send ICE agents to the airports risks inflaming the situation, lawmakers have said. Video of federal officers detaining a crying woman at San Francisco International Airport drew outrage Monday from local officials, although it was unrelated to Trump’s order to deploy immigration officers.

FEMA also at risk

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund is “rapidly depleting,” Victoria Barton, a FEMA external affairs official, told lawmakers.

FEMA is able to continue its disaster response and recovery work as long as that fund has money, and about 10,000 of its disaster workers continue to be paid through it.

Mascaro and Freking write for the Associated Press. AP writers Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Russ Bynum in Houston and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.

NEW rules being rolled out across Europe are causing so much chaos at airports, that Brits are even missing their flights.

The new The Entry/Exit System (EES) has already been causing long wait times across Europe.

EES is replacing the need for a passport stamp by automatically checking when a person enters and exits an EU country.

Non-EU nationals – which includes Brits – are required to register their details like fingerprints, facial images and scan passports on their first visit to a Schengen area country.

But at Tenerife South, passengers say that only a handful of these EES machines are working with some rejecting fingerprints.

Passengers are even saying they’ve missed flights due to delays in getting through controls.

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Some Brits are warning to give as much as three hours before a flight just in case.

One Brit wrote on social media: “The key is to arrive three hours early so at least you are in the front of the queue when problems start.”

Another added: “Love Tenerife but HATE the airport.”

Police have reportedly been called in to the South Airport on several occasions to calm the crowds of angry passengers.

With bad weather and storms hitting the Canary Islands, those who miss flights are having to sleep inside the airport overnight before catching another plane home.

On one particular day, around 100 passengers were stranded there and many were unable to find overnight accommodation, so stayed in the terminal.

Passengers are blaming lack of staff and proper organisation for the chaos, with computers not working.

“Passport control is a disaster,” posted another Brit. “One person for thousands of travellers.”

Only 20 per cent of the biometric machines are working and officials admitted to the Spanish media that there were “computer failures.”

The chaos has been going on for months and tourism chiefs and hoteliers say the island’s reputation is being hit, compounded by the bad weather.

Since last week, the Canary Islands, including Tenerife, have also been struck with flash flooding and snow as a result of Storm Therese.

Even without bad weather, many airports have experienced delays caused by the new travel requirement of EES registration.

Due to their small size, airports on the Canary Islands have seen reports of long queues.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill said she waited in line at Lanzarote Airport for three hours after landing – just to get through to EES and passport control.

And matters could only get worse with Spanish airport staff preparing to strike during March and April.

Ground staff are planning to strike at 12 airports across the country – including Tenerife South.

Other airports that could be affected include Madrid-Barajas, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Barcelona-El Prat, Bilbao, Valencia and Bilbao.

And on the islands; Palma de Mallorca,  Gran Canaria, Tenerife Norte, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Ibiza.

For anyone heading to Tenerife – here are the top tips from someone who has been travelling there for a decade.

And here’s more on the Spanish island that feels more like Mars and flights are just £35.

Stephen and Viv have been to 60 countries but say this was their worst experience

A couple who have travelled to 60 countries after appearing on Race Across the World have blasted a “shocking” airport lounge as the worst they’ve ever experienced. Stephen and Viv Redding, from Uppingham, Rutland were left stunned after paying nearly £50 to access what they thought would be a relaxing business class lounge.

Stephen, 64, and Viv, 68, visited the Avianca lounge while waiting for their flight to Bogotá before returning to London Heathrow, following a six-week trip around South America. They claim to have been met with “tasteless” food and shabby surroundings.

“We bought business class tickets because it was a long-haul flight and that way we can have flat beds and get a bit of sleep,” Stephen said. “We’d been led to believe that we would have lounge access [at the airport] but when we went up to the lounge, we were told that our tickets did not qualify.

“So we decided that we would pay for the upgrade because we knew we had over two hours to spare.”

Once inside, the couple, who appeared on the BBC travel show in 2024, say they were shocked by the poor quality on offer at the San Jose lounge. Stephen said: “There was only one meal available, tasteless and watery spaghetti bolognese.

“The pasta was cold, the sauce was not very nice. There was a little side bread thing that was dried and tasteless. We were given drinks tokens for a glass of wine, which meant we were only allowed one drink each – one glass of wine each!

“The place was not good. The seats weren’t comfy, the tables were shabby, it was not what we’d experienced from any other airport lounge that we’ve been to. And to be fair, there have been quite a few since Race Across the World two years ago.

“We’ve been to about 60 countries now and probably up to a dozen lounges across the globe and this is the worst lounge that we’ve ever been to.”

The pair raised their concerns with staff at the time but claim they were met with little interest. After returning home, they contacted Avianca to request a refund, but say their complaint was rejected. Stephen added: “We asked for money back because of the poor lounge quality but they have refused and rejected that claim and basically said that’s just the way it is.

“I must also say though that the flight with Avianca was absolutely spot on, I have no complaints at all.

“[That being said], we were disappointed and actually after being away for six weeks touring through the north of South America we were tired and just wanted to relax in a bit of comfort, but this did not fulfil our needs by any means.”

LOOKING for a breezy Gatwick airport hotel with a bit of an atmosphere?

Here’s everything you need to know about the Sandman Signature London Gatwick.

Where is the hotel?

Being positioned at the edge of an A-road isn’t normally considered a bragging right.

But in this instance, the roadside location of this airy hotel is the main reason to visit.

Around a 10-minute drive from the UK’s second largest airport, the 4* Sandman Signature London Gatwick offers excellent park and fly packages.

What’s the hotel like?

It’s basic, clean and modern, with the highlight being comfortable beds to ensure you get a great night’s kip ahead of an early flight.

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The real perk of this hotel is that guests can save on pricey airport parking by booking onto a four, eight or 15 day deal that includes parking at the hotel, one night’s stay and a private transfer to the airport the following morning.

What are the rooms like?

Clean and relatively modern rooms come in a variety of sizes and bed set ups to suit all manner of groups or travellers, including standard rooms, family rooms and triple rooms. 

The standout of my standard king room was the marshmallow-like pillows that made for an ultra comfortable snooze ahead of an early morning trip.

What is there to eat and drink?

Unless you want to hitch a ride into Crawley, eating at the hotel is your only option due to its isolated location.

Luckily, the American-style grub here is decent – and there’s a cracking cocktail menu that will help you kick off your holiday in proper style.

Loaded burgers make up a large portion of the food menu, but there are salads, pasta dishes, curries and wings too.

Margarita lovers should wash their dinner down with a Big Bite, one of the hotel’s signature cocktails.

A spicy twist on the classic margarita, this one will blow your socks off.

If you have time for brekkie, there is a good selection of hot and cold options. 

What else is there to do?

What really makes this hotel shine is the staff.

Everyone here was accommodating and, above all, cheery, gearing visitors up for their holiday.

Even at 4am, the concierge was whipping up coffees with a smile for me and fellow guests ahead of our weary-eyed taxi rides. 

How much is the hotel?

Rooms cost from £89 per night. Park and fly packages vary.

Is the Sandman Signature London Gatwick family friendly?

Extremely. Rooms come in lost of convenient sizes including four-person family rooms, with a double, single and trundle bed.

There’s also triple rooms like double and single beds.

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

Yes. There’s a lift up to bedrooms and accessible rooms come with extra space for wheelchair users, lowered features, wet rooms with pullable cords and a lot of well-thought out facilities.

LaGuardia shut down after Air Canada Express plane hits ground vehicle upon landing from Montreal.

An Air Canada Express regional jet coming from Montreal struck a ground vehicle on Sunday evening while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, leading to the airport’s closure.

The New York Fire Department in a statement said on Sunday that it was responding to ‌a reported incident involving a plane and a vehicle on the runway at LaGuardia airport, but did not ‌provide further ‌details.

The CRJ-900 plane ⁠struck the vehicle at a speed of about 24 miles per hour (39 kph), flight tracking website Flightradar24 said. The jet was operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada’s regional partner.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for all departures to LaGuardia due to the aircraft emergency, with the airport closure in effect until 0530GMT. The probability of an extension was listed as high.

The FAA notice showed that the reason for the halt at the airport was an emergency and there was a high probability of an extension, without ⁠specifying any details.

Unverified footage on social media showed ⁠damage to the nose of the plane, ⁠as it tilted upward. Reuters could not immediately verify the footage.

LaGuardia’s website showed arriving ⁠planes had been diverted to other airports or returned to their point of origin.

In a separate notice to airmen, the FAA said that ⁠the airport could be shut until 1800 GMT.

ATLANTA — Regardless of politics or destination, American air travelers are unified by one desire: It’s time to pay Transportation Security Administration employees.

“Everybody got bills they have to pay, and it’s horrible,” said Patrice Clark, whose trip to Las Vegas began Saturday with a nearly four-hour wait in a security line at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. “Times are hard for everybody at this point. Working and not getting paid and gas prices are extremely high — like everybody needs their money. They need to pay them.”

TSA officers haven’t gotten a paycheck since the Department of Homeland Security partly shut down on Feb. 14. Democrats balked at funding the agency, demanding changes to immigration enforcement by federal agents after the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.

Some travelers arrive 4 hours early

Christian Childress is a private flight attendant, so when he is working, he doesn’t wait in TSA lines. But he frequently goes through a checkpoint when flying commercial to get to his job.

Childress, who lives in Redwood City in Northern California, said shutdown effects have been “hit or miss” thus far. He came to the Atlanta airport nearly three hours before his 1:30 p.m. Saturday flight to Nashville for a leisure trip. Some passengers have been arriving even earlier in Atlanta — the world’s busiest airport — worried about missing flights.

“Issue No. 1 should be paying the people who need to get paid and keeping our air travel system secure,” Childress said. “Then they can debate whatever they want to debate about Homeland Security.”

Democrats have tried to advance legislation to fund TSA separately, but Republicans have refused, saying funding for the entire Department of Homeland Security must be approved. So the shutdown continues.

Some passengers said it is time for Democrats to relent.

“I don’t want to go between the Democrats and the Republicans, but I think the Democrats are holding everything up because they can’t get their way,” said Tyrone Williams, a retiree from the Atlanta suburb of Ellenwood. He was queued up for screening before his flight to Philadelphia on Saturday.

Atlanta’s checkpoint wait time was as high as 90 minutes Saturday morning before melting away to nothing in the afternoon on what is typically one of the slowest days of the week for air travel. Staffing shortages have forced some airports to close checkpoints at times, with wait times swinging dramatically.

ICE at airports

Concerns about long airport lines are increasingly capturing attention.

President Trump has announced plans to order Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to take a role in airport security starting Monday, which he says will continue until Democrats agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

He said ICE agents would bring the administration’s immigration crackdown into the nation’s airports, arresting “all Illegal Immigrants” with a focus on those from Somalia.

“I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, “GET READY.” NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!” Trump wrote.

Funding for the whole department failed to advance in the Senate on Friday after Democrats declined to support a bill. On Saturday, in a rare weekend session, the GOP-led Senate rejected the Democrats’ motion to take up legislation to fund TSA.

Travelers ‘grateful’ for unpaid TSA workers

The vast majority of employees at TSA are considered essential, and roughly 50,000 continue to work without pay during the funding lapse. Nationwide on Thursday, about 10% of TSA officers missed work, the department reported. Absentee rates were two or three times higher in places.

Merissa Thomas arrived in Las Vegas on Saturday after a quick trip through a checkpoint at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.

“I’m so grateful for people who are willing to sacrifice a lot to make sure we’re safe,” Thomas said.

Union leaders and federal officials say TSA officers are under financial pressure. Airport screeners have spent nearly half of the last 172 days with paychecks delayed by politics — 43 days last fall during the longest government shutdown in history, four days earlier this year during a brief funding lapse, and now 37 days and counting during the current shutdown.

At least 376 officers have quit since this shutdown began, according to officials, exacerbating turnover at an agency that historically has had some of the U.S. government’s highest attrition and lowest employee morale.

“From now on I would drive wherever I have to go until they get this figured out,” said Clark, the delayed traveler. “It was horrible.”

Amy writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Collin Binkley in West Palm Beach, Fla., Ty O’Neil in Las Vegas and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.

What began as a social media post from President Trump on Saturday has grown quickly into a full-scale plan to deploy ICE agents to U.S. airports.

Amid a partial government shutdown, TSA lines have grown to be hours long at some U.S. airports, creating problems for travelers across the country. Call-out rates have started to increase at some airports, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said at least 376 TSA agents have quit since the partial shutdown began Feb. 14.

White House border advisor Tom Homan said that ICE plans to dispatch agents to airports as soon as Monday, and that he was working with other officials to determine where to send agents.

“It’s a work in progress,” Homan said during a Sunday appearance on CNN. “But we will be at the airports tomorrow helping TSA move those lines along.”

Homan stressed that ICE agents would provide support where possible, so that TSA staffers could better fulfill specialized positions.

“I don’t see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine, because they are not trained in that,” Homan said.

On Saturday, President Trump posted to social media, “If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before.”

The pushback to the White House plans was immediate.

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released a statement that read, “Masked, armed police at travel checkpoints is a hallmark of dystopian movies. Now, Donald Trump is threatening to bring this tool of fascism to America. He is manufacturing chaos at airports for political leverage and trying to force Democrats to accept unaccountable secret police at security checkpoints around the country.”

Also speaking to CNN on Sunday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, “The last thing that the American people need are for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country, potentially to brutalize or, in some instances, kill them. We’ve already seen how ICE conducts itself.”

Representatives from Los Angeles International Airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for Orange County’s John Wayne Airport said she was not currently aware of any communication or Homeland Security guidance on the proposed plan.

A spokesperson for San Francisco International Airport said airport officials have not yet received anything specific from Homeland Security about a deployment of ICE agents. He said SFO security personnel are not part of TSA, and as a result, the airport has not had any checkpoint backups.

Storm Therese is battering the Canary Islands with heavy rain, 100km/h winds and snow at high altitudes, causing flight cancellations and travel disruption, with some holidaymakers even cancelling their breaks

Many people book a holiday to Spain for some much-needed sunshine, however some are now choosing to cancel their trips as Storm Therese is currently causing chaos across the Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife and La Palma.

The storm is currently delivering an unusual combination of heavy rain, 100 km/h (62 mph) winds, and substantial snow at high altitudes. Authorities have declared a full-scale emergency in Tenerife, describing it as one of the most severe storms to hit the archipelago in over a decade. Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, has issued several alerts that will stay active throughout the weekend. Orange (high risk) warnings have been dispatched for northern Tenerife and parts of La Palma due to wind gusts reaching 90–100 km/h and heavy rainfall.

Meanwhile, yellow warnings are in effect across all seven islands for rain, thunderstorms, and choppy seas with waves reaching up to 6 metres (20 feet).

Unusually for this time of year, significant snowfall has also covered Mount Teide and surrounding peaks above 1,800–2,000 metres.

The weather drama has caused many Tenerife tourists to admit they ‘can’t wait’ to get home.

One Tenerife resident, known as @theknightstrider1 on TikTok, took to his account on Saturday (March 21) to discuss the ‘wild’ weather in the area.

The car hire and bar owner filmed himself as he said: “The Tenerife weather is just wild at the moment. It’s on for another at least four days this crazy weather. He explained the Santa Cruz de Tenerife area had just experienced a “torrential downpour”, but then he turned the other way to reveal “blue skies with the sun shining”. However, he noted, within the next minute, the rain is “bouncing down” again.

The Tenerife resident also mentioned the drains “just can’t handle” the rainfall and they end up “bursting up” fairly regularly.

He continued: “The good news is, it is mixed. I suppose that’s kind of good news, you can get a bit of sunshine, but it was absolutely hammering it down a minute ago.

“So there you go, another four days or so of this. If you’re here, expect a mixed bag – heavy rain, a bit of sunshine now… towards Las Americas looks alright. But you’re going to want to do your indoor activities.”

He stated when the sun is out, it’s “about 22 degrees”, but it’s “around 18 degrees” in the shade, the rain and the wind.

Numerous followers amongst his 115,000-strong audience who were heading on Tenerife holidays confessed they were concerned about their break.

One person commented: “When will it be finished? We come Friday.”

Whilst another added: “Praying it passes by Tuesday.”

A third chimed in: “I’m coming Monday, really hope it picks up!”

Nevertheless, others admitted they were calling off their breaks as the Tenerife resident posted another clip of the rainfall, with one person writing: “We cancelled our week away at the last minute.”

Another replied: “Snap – we’ve rebooked for April 12 onwards.” The storm has resulted in widespread cancellations and safety shutdowns across the islands. Over 40 flights were cancelled or diverted by Friday, 20 March, mainly at Tenerife North and South airports. Travellers are urged to verify their flight status via Flightradar24 or their airline.

Numerous individuals on TikTok and Facebook have branded Tenerife South Airport as ‘chaos’, claiming that the luggage queue is taking hours and some people are missing their flights.

Others have also alleged that the E-gates aren’t functioning and hundreds of people have been queuing “to see one passport officer who was having to re-scan face/finger prints”.

Sharing another video from Tenerife South Airport, @theknightstrider1 described it as “rammed” in the caption and said arrivals was particularly crowded so holidaymakers should “be prepared”.

He added in the clip: “If you’re wondering if Tenerife is busy, it certainly is. This is the arrivals area and it’s absolutely rammed. People are still pouring in.

“If you come to the airport, I do recommend you get here nice and early if you’re leaving, there’s bound to be queues when you’ve got this many people around.”

Aena said in a comment: “In Spain border control is the responsibility of the National Police, not the airport. The airport has provided the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of the Entry Exit System but its availability depends primarily on the number and performance of police officers at the border post.”

When will Storm Therese be over?

Storm Therese is expected to subside across most of its affected areas by Monday, 23 March 2026. While the worst of the weather occurred between Thursday and Saturday, some impacts and weather warnings will persist through early next week.

Storm effects are currently continuing today (Sunday March 22) with rain and strong winds. Orange wind warnings (up to 100 km/h) remain in place for Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, and western La Palma.

Weather is forecast to “ease off” on Monday (March 23) with wind speeds dropping and rainfall decreasing significantly. However, yellow and orange warnings remain active for several islands, and some schools in El Hierro, La Gomera, and parts of Tenerife will stay closed as a precaution. Conditions are expected to improve throughout the week.

WASHINGTON — President Trump said Saturday that he will order federal immigration officers to take a role in airport security starting Monday unless Democrats agree on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

In a pair of social media posts, Trump first threatened and then said he had made plans to put officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in airports if the congressional standoff continues. He made the announcement as a partial shutdown contributes to long lines to pass through screening at some of the nation’s largest airports.

The president suggested ICE agents would bring the administration’s immigration crackdown into the nation’s airports, promising to arrest “all Illegal Immigrants.”

“I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, ‘GET READY. NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!’” Trump wrote while spending the weekend in Florida.

The move appears to be a pointed effort to expand the type of immigration enforcement that has become a sticking point in Congress. Democrats pledged to oppose funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless changes were made in the wake of a crackdown in Minnesota that led to the fatal shootings of two protesters. Democrats are asking for better identification for federal law enforcement officers, a new code of conduct for those agencies and more use of judicial warrants, among other measures.

The Minnesota operation was tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents. On Saturday, Trump said ICE officers sent to airports would focus on arresting immigrants from Somalia who are in the United States illegally. Repeating his criticism of Somalis, he said they “totally destroyed” Minnesota.

“If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before,” Trump said.

Trump’s posts did not offer additional detail on how ICE would take a role in airport security and what it meant for the Transportation Security Administration, which screens passengers and luggage for hazardous items.

The vast majority of TSA employees are considered essential and continue to work during the funding lapse, but they are doing so without pay. Call-out rates have started to increase at some airports, and Homeland Security said at least 376 have quit since the partial shutdown began Feb. 14.

On Saturday, in a rare weekend session, the Senate rejected a motion by Democrats to take up legislation to reopen TSA and pay workers who are now going without paychecks. Republicans argue that they need to fund all parts of the Department of Homeland Security, not just certain ones. A bill to fund the agency failed to advance in the Senate on Friday.

There were signs of progress, though, with the restarting in recent days of stalled talks between Democrats and the White House. On Saturday, Republican and Democratic senators were set to meet for a third consecutive day with White House officials behind closed doors as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York spoke of “productive conversations.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) urged the bipartisan group to act quickly. He has said that Democrats and the White House need to find compromise as lines at airports have grown.

“If that group that’s meeting can’t come up with a solution really quickly, things are going to get worse and worse,” Thune said Saturday.

Binkley writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

Certain types of snacks can make your flight experience very uncomfortable.

Anyone planning to jet off this Easter or beyond is being advised to steer clear of a very common airport snack before boarding. Plane food isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and it’s not always on offer during shorter flights, so grabbing something beforehand is vital.

However, travel experts at Ski Vertigo have warned that one particular type of food can make lengthy flights feel even more drawn-out, causing a lot of discomfort. They say the main culprit is the “grab-and-go” salty snack many travellers purchase at the gate, such as pretzels, crisps or salted nuts, as it can leave passengers feeling bloated, thirsty and uncomfortable once the cabin doors shut. Aircraft cabins are extremely dry, which can worsen dehydration.

Low humidity at cruising altitude can leave you feeling dried out, which is why water is frequently the best option in the air. But salty snacks can make matters worse, since foods packed with sodium can prompt the body to retain fluid, contributing to puffiness and swelling – especially in the feet and ankles during longer journeys.

That “tight shoes” sensation is typical after remaining still for hours, but what you eat can influence how uncomfortable it becomes. NHS guidance related to swelling often highlights reducing salt intake as part of managing fluid retention.

Alex Dyer, Head of customer success at Ski Vertigo, said: “People buy a salty snack because it’s quick and it feels harmless, but on a flight it can leave you chasing water and feeling heavy. If you already get puffy ankles or feel rough when you fly, it is worth skipping it.”

Airports also promote last-minute purchases, and salty snacks are dotted everywhere near the checkouts. A packet eaten just before boarding is more likely to take effect when you’re buckled into your seat with limited opportunity to move about, especially if the seatbelt sign is illuminated, reports the Express.

Experts say the key thing is to drink water before and throughout the flight, and reduce caffeine and alcohol where possible, as dehydration can make travel feel more difficult.

For passengers wanting something to snack on, the experts recommend opting for choices that aren’t as salty, like a banana or a cereal bar. Checking the label can be useful, because many ‘snack size’ products are still packed with salt.

The professionals added that the aim is not to ban treats, but to steer clear of the type that makes the cabin feel more uncomfortable, adding: “If you want the easiest flight, skip the salty snack before take-off, choose a sealed drink, and you will usually feel better by the time you land.”

The same hotel has been crowned the best of its kind for 11 consecutive years, thanks to its connectivity, innovation, technology and the unusual experiences it offers

A five-star stay at one of the world’s busiest hubs has been named the best airport hotel in the world for the 11th consecutive year.

Skytrax’s 2026 World Airport Awards are commonly referred to as the “Oscars of the airport industry,” and are based on the largest annual airport customer satisfaction surveys in the world, which gather feedback from travellers across more than 550 airports.

This year, the awards have crowned the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport in Singapore as the World’s Best Airport Hotel yet again this year, in a ceremony at PTE World in London.

Pushing the boundaries of what is expected of a stereotypical airport hotel – business-focused, strictly practical and visually simple – the hotel transports guests into the world of aviation in more ways than simply by giving them seamless access to terminals.

Crowne Plaza Chang has aviation-themed family suites designed in collaboration with Kiztopia. There, kids can make their trip even more exciting by playing with plane-inspired spaces and interactive features.

For those looking for special experiences without having to venture into cities, the Crowne Plaza Changi also offers a range of curated experiences, from hands-on cooking to cocktail sessions: all part of the hotel’s Crowne Plaza Social feature.

And if you just want to kick your feet up and rest for the entire time you’re there, you’re also in for a treat with the wellness-focused routines called Daily Rituals, which are designed to help guests recover from travel.

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But the hotel’s innovations don’t stop at interior design and experiences. It is the first hotel in Singapore to offer in-room NuCalm sleep technology in every room, making use of the patented neuroscience techniques for stress relief, better sleep, focus & recovery, and ensuring you wake up refreshed before or after that long flight.

If all of that wasn’t enough to justify its top spot on the ranking of best airport hotels, the Crowne’s location is another major highlight. It gives guests direct access to all of Singapore Changi Airport’s terminals and the impressive Jewel Changi Airport complex – so no need to stress about what time to catch the airport shuttle.

General manager Greg Gublani said: “We are deeply honoured to be named the World’s Best Airport Hotel by Skytrax for the 11th consecutive year. This remarkable milestone is a celebration of our incredible team and unwavering dedication to deliver True Hospitality every day. In addition to delivering unique experiences, our stays are designed to enrich guest journeys, bringing blended travel to life through curated experiences. – from Crowne Plaza Social, where guests engage in hands-on activities crafting fresh pastas and classic Negronis, to energising Daily Rituals that support well-being.”

Singapore Changi Airport itself once again topped the list of the world’s best airports for 2026, followed by Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Tokyo International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport and Narita International Airport in Greater Tokyo.

THE UK’s busiest and largest airport is launching a number of new routes over the coming months.

Last year, London Heathrow Airport saw around 84.5million passengers and is expecting to break the 85million mark this year.

And this spring and summer, the world’s most connected airport is launching several new routes.

These include three new British Airways routes: St Louis in Missouri, America; Guernsey in the Channel Islands and Tivat in Montenegro.

Flights to St Louis and Guernsey will both launch on April 19.

The St Louis route will be the only direct service in the UK, with four weekly flights heading out of Terminal 5 and cost from £529 return per person.

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Dubbed America’s ‘gateway to the west’, the route will be launching as the famous Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary.

The stretch of Route 66 in St Louis, called ‘The Mother Road’ goes past landmarks including the Gateway Arch, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.

Winding through the city, drivers on the route can stop off at neon-lit diners and a number of roadside attractions including the Route 66 Rocker – a massive 12.8metre-tall rocking chair.

The Guernsey route will then operate daily, also from Terminal 5, and cost from £101 return per person.

The new connection means that Guernsey residents will now more easily be able to travel across the globe by flying from Heathrow.

Guernsey is the largest of the Channel Islands and is known for having a mix of French and British culture.

One top spot to see is St Peter Port, a pretty harbour with charming houses.

As for the route to Tivat in Montenegro – this will launch on May 14, from Terminal 3 and cost from £172 return per person.

Montenegro was recently named one of the most under-the-radar countries in the world, according to US News.

Tivat is found on the coast in the UNESCO-listed Bay of Kotor and features a large marina full of luxury yachts and pretty beaches such as Plaza Ponta.

Heathrow is also dubbing Tivat “one of Europe’s trendiest summer hotspots” thanks to its Adriatic scenery and offering travellers the perfect blend of sun, adventure and culture.

Low-cost Spanish airline Vueling will be launching a new daily service to Seville on March 29.

The route will operate from Terminal 4 and cost from £36 one-way, per person.

Spain is always popular with Brits and Seville is no exception.

The historic Andalusian city is great for both families and weekend city breaks with historic sites including the Cathedral – which is the largest Gothic temple in Europe – with La Giralda tower which has amazing views of the city.

For a pretty souvenir, head to the Triana Neighborhood which is the historic district of the city and is known for its ceramics.

Another European route launching on the same day will be to Rome Fiumicino in Italy, with ITA Airways.

There will be two flights each day, operating from Terminal 2 costing from £138.24 return per person and the airport is about a half-an-hour drive from the city.

Rome, the capital of Italy, boasts several famous historical sites including the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon.

And whilst you are in the city, you can even head to another country – Vatican City – where you can see St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Michelangelo’s masterpiece in the Sistine Chapel.

A second US route launching soon will be to Seattle with Alaska Airlines.

Starting on May 22, the route will operate daily from Terminal 3 and cost from £523.04 return per person.

Seattle is one of America’s fastest-growing tech hubs and notable landmarks include the Space Needle observation tower and the Olympic Sculpture Park.

Foodies can also visit Chinatown, which is also home to the only pan-Asian art and history museum in America.

Pakistan International Airlines will also be launching two new routes by the end of March, marking the airline’s return to Heathrow after six years.

The first will be to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, on March 29, operating three times a week from Terminal 4, with return fares costing from £764.

The second route will be to Lahore, which is the second largest city in Pakistan.

The route will launch a weekly service on March 30, from Terminal 4.

There are several travel warnings in place for Pakistan, so it is worth checking the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice before travelling.

Ross Baker, Heathrow’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “Every route launched from Heathrow gives passengers and businesses a new way to explore the world.

“Whether travelling for work or leisure, we are proud to collaborate with our airline partners to open up opportunities for passengers, exporters and importers.

“Greater connectivity is something passengers and businesses consistently say they want, which is why Heathrow expansion is so critical.

“It will add new routes and introduce more choice.

“Our plans will ensure the country gets the infrastructure it needs to stay competitive, connecting the whole of the UK to global growth.”

In other flight news, two popular holiday destinations including the ‘world’s best city’ will be getting new British Airways flights from the UK.

Plus, British Airways has cancelled all flights to Dubai until June amid ongoing Iran conflict.