airport

HEADING to the airport this summer? Getting through border control could take hours longer than usual.

Airlines have warned that holidaymakers could face delays of up to four hours at European airports during peak months due to EES registration.

The Entry/Exit system for Brits heading abroad was first introduced in October 2025.

Non-EU travellers must use the new machines which record biometric data like fingerprints and photographs to track entries, exits in the Schengen area.

But these new rules have already caused delays for Brits and officials have warned there will be more to come.

Late last year, disgruntled Brits heading on holiday reported two hour delays at arrivals in Lanzarote.

DREAMY DEALS

Our pick of the best long haul holidays for short haul prices

SUNNY STEALS

Winter sun holidays that cost less than your monthly energy bill – from £75pp

There were also three hour queues in Lisbon and even longer in Prague back in December.

Airports Council International, Airlines for Europe and Iata, the airline trade body, have warned about further delays during the summer.

They said there are already “persistent excessive waiting times of up to two hours at airport border control.”

They added: “Failing immediate action to provide sufficient flexibility, severe disruptions over the peak summer months are a real prospect, with queues potentially reaching four hours or more.”

Olivier Jankovec, the director general of ACI, added that “non-EU travellers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience. This must come to an end immediately.”

At the moment, there are no plans to delay the EES rollout, as it’s set to complete in April 2026.

With the number of travellers likely to increase over the summer period – delays are also predicted to increase.

ACI has said that the capturing of biometric data entering the Schengen area has resulted in border control processing times at airports increasing by up to 70 per cent.

Factors in the delays include the unavailability of self-service kiosks.

As well as the unavailability of Automated Border Control (ABC) gates for EES processing, and the unavailability of an effective pre-registration app.

At the moment, 35 per cent of arrivals are required to go through digital registration.

For more on EES checks, here’s everything you need to know about them from a travel expert.

And one major airline introduces strict new luggage rules with £125 fines for rulebreakers.

YOU COULD listen to music, dance and watch planes take off at the same time for one day a year at a major European airport.

Each year, Zurich Airport in Switzerland hosts a huge daytime rave – just metres from the planes.

Sauvage Off is a music event that takes place on Observation Deck B in Terminal 2 at Zurich Airport.

For one day a year, a crowd of revellers dance the day away to live DJs as planes take off next to them.

Just a week ago, Sauvage Musique posted on their Instagram stating: “In five months from now, Switzerland will bring back the most iconic Airport Dayparty.

“The event will once again take place in 2026 on Observation Deck B at Zurich Airport.”

Read more on travel inspo

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

TAKING OFF

I’ve visited 50 countries & this much-loathed budget airline is the world’s best

Future Events show that this year’s party will take place at Observation Deck B in Terminal 2 of the airport on June 20 between 2pm and 10pm.

Visitors must be over the age of 20 and the line up is yet to be announced.

According to the website, Sauvage is a “Zurich-based label, known for its high-end events at venues like Halle 622, Kunsthaus, Gessnerallee, and Werft Wollishofen”.

In the case of bad weather, if the event has to be cancelled, the back-up date is July 7.

Attendees will also be able to get food and drink on site.

Tickets to the event cost 89 CHF (£83.73); however, they are already sold out for this year, and an event for next year is yet to be announced.

If you can’t make the event but enjoy plane spotting, then you can still head to Observation Deck B – which is a tourist attraction in its own right.

The observation platform is open to the public and is one of Switzerland‘s most popular destinations for a day out, according to Zurich Airport.

There is an observation walkway where visitors can watch pilots sitting in the cockpits of planes, and inside there are also flight information pillars, which share information about all the different aircraft you can see and their destinations.

For little ones, there is even a mini airport play area with a model plane with a slide at the end, trampolines in the ground, a control tower climbing frame, and swings.

There’s a shop too that sells miniature plane models in case you want to grab a souvenir.

And if you get a little hungry, there is a small cafe selling sandwiches and drinks.

You don’t need to have a flight booked or show your passport to enter the observation deck.

Though passengers who do have a valid boarding pass on the day of departure or arrival can access the observation deck for free.

Otherwise, it is 5 CHF (£4.71) per adult and 2 CHF (£1.88) per child between 10 and 15 years old – those under 10 years old can visit for free.

One recent visitor said: “A great and fancy modern observation deck with huge space, basically on an entire terminal roof!

“There is much interesting information [boards] and many interactions for the visitors, such as live radio transmission from the tower, flight info of the aircraft in front of you, different seating options, and a huge children’s playground.”

In other aviation news, the UK gets a new flight route to world’s best airport – under four hours from the UK.

Plus, all of the new flight routes launching from the UK in 2026 – including up-and-coming cities and quieter islands.

AN airport in Europe is set to finally get a huge new airport – after being delayed for DECADES.

The Luís de Camões Airport has been in development for years and is set to serve the capital of Portugal, eventually.

Believe it or not, the potential of building a new airport near Lisbon has been on the cards since the mid-1960s.

During that time it was realised that it would be almost impossible to expand Lisbon Airport – known at the time as Portela Airport which opened in 1942.

So plans were made to build a second airport which would eventually serve Lisbon called Luís de Camões Airport.

It would open in Alcochete which is across the Tagus River from Lisbon and would be a 50-minute drive from the city.

SECRET SPAIN

Best Spanish resorts you’ve NEVER heard of – with hotels from £28 a night 

GO SEA IT

£9.50 holiday spot with shipwrecks, seals offshore & horseshoe-shaped waterfalls

There have been many proposals year-on-year about the airport, and recently more changes have been made to the plans.

As reported in The Portugal News, there have been new talks to discuss issues such as the ‘size of the runways, the separation between them, and the contact positions’.

Designs of the airport feature two runways in its initial phase, with construction expected to begin around 2030–2031.

In the future there would be potential to expand with another two runways taking the total up to four in order to handle up to 100 million passengers by 2050.

It’s estimated that the cost to build Luís de Camões Airport will be €9billion (£7.7billion).

Currently, Lisbon’s main airport, Humberto Delgado Airport, has two runways and sees more than 35 million passengers per year.

This makes it one of the largest airports in Europe when it comes to the amount of passengers.

It’s also one of the only major airports that has an approach path directly over the city.

Eventually when Luís de Camões Airport opens, the one in the heart of Lisbon will close completely.

With discussions still being made about the airport, work is yet to start however operations are estimated to begin in 2034 – and it has come to the attention of officials too.

Carlos Mineiro Alves, executive director of the Portuguese Construction Foundation said: “We cannot have a country that is lagging behind. We have already lost a lot of time on fundamental issues such as the new Lisbon airport and the high-speed railway.”

For more on airports, here are the full list of the ones that have scrapped the strict 100ml liquid rule after 20 years.

Here is the UK airport that has been named the worst in the country for flight cancellations.

TUI and easyJet, however, do allow the popular item to be brought onto flights

Holidaymakers might be surprised to learn they’re banned from taking a commonplace item, which usually sets you back around £3, on board Ryanair or Jet2 planes. But the same item is perfectly acceptable on easyJet or TUI flights.

Different airlines have varying rules, and while many policies overlap between carriers, some specific rules can catch passengers off guard depending on which operator you’ve booked with. Travellers jetting off abroad frequently browse airport terminal shops and eateries, purchasing everything from duty-free products to snacks, drinks and more.

However, if you’re intending to splash out in the departure lounge, you ought to be aware that a specific purchase is not allowed on Ryanair or Jet2 services. Many passengers crave a caffeine hit while on the move, and airports typically offer numerous outlets selling coffee or other hot beverages, generally priced from approximately £3.

But you’ll have to drink your hot beverage before boarding Ryanair or Jet2 planes, as laid out in their respective regulations. Ryanair confirms it “cannot allow passengers to board the plane with hot drinks” due to safety reasons, while Jet2’s website explicitly states: “You may not bring hot food or hot drinks onboard the aircraft”.

If you’re jetting off with TUI or easyJet, though, you can take your terminal-bought coffee on board, as long as it’s got a secure lid on it. Meanwhile, post-Brexit regulations dictate that certain other items bought before departure aren’t allowed to accompany you into EU countries, and this applies no matter which carrier you’re flying with, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Whether you’ve picked them up at the airport or not, taking meat or dairy products into the EU – even if they’re part of a sandwich – is absolutely forbidden.

The UK Government confirmed a ban on people bringing some duty free from European Union into Great Britain will continue into 2026 to prevent spread of disease

A Government prohibition on travellers bringing food products from the European Union into Britain has been prolonged, ministers have confirmed. The rules mean that if border and customs officers discover such items, which many purchase at duty-free shops, they will be seized, disposed of, and the individual may face a financial penalty.

Ministers confirmed this week that the protective measures against the transmission of foot and mouth disease (FMD) amid increasing outbreaks throughout Europe will extend into 2026. Holidaymakers are prohibited from bringing beef, lamb, goat and pork products, alongside dairy goods, from EU nations into Great Britain for personal consumption, safeguarding British livestock welfare, farming stability and the nation’s food supply chain.

This encompasses items such as sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk entering Great Britain – irrespective of packaging or whether purchased from duty-free retailers.

Restrictions on meat, dairy and animal products for human consumption

You cannot bring in any of the following:

1. cheese, milk and dairy products like butter and yoghurt
2. pork
3. beef
4. lamb
5. mutton
6. goat
7. venison
8. other products made from these meats, for example sausages

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has verified the restriction will stay in force. Labour’s Dr Rosena Allin-Khan questioned Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Emma Reynolds: “Whether her Department plans to end temporary restrictions on the import of (a) meat, (b) dairy and (c) animal products from the European Union in the context of the World Organisation for Animal Health’s recognition of all European Union member states as free from foot-and-mouth disease.”

Dame Angela Eagle, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, confirmed the prohibition remains active: “Restrictions on commercial imports of certain meat, dairy and animal products from Slovakia in response to foot and mouth disease (FMD) remain in place pending UK recognition of FMD freedom.”

“Restrictions on personal imports of certain meat, dairy and animal products from the EU will remain in place while the biosecurity risk remains. As well as FMD, these measures mitigate against incursions of other animal diseases circulating in the EU, including African swine fever, sheep pox and goat pox, peste des petits ruminants and lumpy skin disease.”

READ MORE: New Foreign Office alert as holiday hotspot bans alcohol this week, February 7, 2026READ MORE: Spain and Portugal red alert as UK Foreign Office warns British holidaymakers

While FMD presents no danger to people and Britain remains free of cases, it is an extremely infectious viral illness affecting cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed creatures including wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas, with the European outbreak representing a substantial threat to agricultural enterprises and livestock.

The disease can trigger considerable financial damage through reduced productivity in infected animals, alongside the loss of international market access for livestock, meat and dairy products.

Ministers have already prohibited personal imports of cattle, sheep and other ruminants, along with pig meat and dairy products from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria following verified FMD outbreaks across those nations.

Restrictions on meat, dairy and animal products for human consumption The following items are strictly prohibited:.

These new restrictions apply solely to travellers entering Great Britain. Upon the announcement of the ban, Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner declared: “This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth.

“That is why we are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Britain’s food security.”

Information for travellers entering GB

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs clarified: “It is illegal for travellers from all EU countries entering Great Britain to bring items like sandwiches, cheese, cured meats, raw meats or milk into the country. This is regardless of whether it is packed or packaged or whether it has been bought at duty free.

“Detailed information is available for the public which sets out a limited set of exemptions from these rules. For example, a limited amount of infant milk, medical foods and certain composite products like chocolate, confectionery, bread, cakes, biscuits and pasta continue to be allowed.

“Those found with these items will need to either surrender them at the border or will have them seized and destroyed. In serious cases, those found with these items run the risk of incurring fines of up to £5,000 in England.”

TRAVELLERS are facing major disruption as one of Europe’s busiest airports was forced to shut today due to freezing rain and black ice.

The shutdown has left passengers stranded and flights grounded as crews battle to make runways safe amid worsening winter conditions.

According to FlightAware, around 170 flights at Berlin Brandenburg Airport have been cancelled in the last 24 hours.

Operations came to a sudden standstill on Thursday at 6pm CET, with the airport saying on its website: “Due to weather conditions, no take-offs or landings are currently possible.”

The airport remains closed today as adverse weather conditions continue to disrupt transport across north Germany.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport said in a statement: “We currently have freezing rain and black ice and cannot yet predict when takeoffs and landings will be possible.

SUPER SAVER

See Super Bowl 2027 in Los Angeles with this once-in-a-lifetime travel deal

LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

Premier League Darts is almost sold out with ticket packages from £125

“Passengers need to be patient and expect significant delays and cancellations.”

British Airways and EasyJet cancelled some of their morning services from London airports to Berlin.

Lufthansa also scrapped a number of flights in and out of the city.

German weather service DWD warned of “significant slipperiness” caused by icy conditions spanning Berlin to the Baltic Coast and Polish border.

Forecasters were uncertain about when travel disruptions might ease, with the cold snap anticipated to continue across northwest Europe into next week.

Germany’s national railway operator Deutsche Bahn said train service between Berlin and Hanover have also been affected by the icy weather.

Passport control delays are being reported at airports across Europe

Holidaymakers jetting off to European destinations are being cautioned about potential delays at airports and passport control areas. The hold-ups are due to the implementation of a new biometric border system across the European Union (EU). Nations are struggling to adapt to the European Entry/Exit System (EES), which is gradually being rolled out across EU countries.

The EES, set to replace the traditional passport stamp for non-EU visitors, including those from the UK, has been slowly introduced since October 2025, with approximately one third of all EU countries now utilising it.

However, issues such as staffing shortages, kiosk congestion, and terminal layout problems at major airports are believed to be causing delays of up to six hours for some travellers. As a result, the European Commission has discreetly postponed the full implementation date from April 2026 to September 2026.

Three-hour delays have been reported at Geneva Airport, a hotspot for British skiers during this season. A spokesperson acknowledged that implementing the EES had posed a ‘major challenge for Swiss customs and Geneva Airport’, according to the BBC.

Delays are also cropping up in the Canary Islands, another favourite destination among Brits. Olivier Jankovec, director general of Airports Council International Europe, stated that border control processing times have increased four to fivefold under the EES, with people typically waiting up to two hours.

He attributed the problems to insufficient staffing and faulty equipment, warning that queues could stretch to six hours during the busy summer months unless improvements were made. However, Markus Lammert, European Commission spokesperson for Internal Affairs, maintained the system had functioned ‘largely without issues’.

READ MORE: Major passport changes begin in weeks as Home Office explains what you will needREAD MORE: Budget traveller’s £44 day trip to Spain – carrying just Lidl sausage rolls and water

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) highlighted that border officials weren’t fully utilising their powers to scale back checks when required. The organisation urged authorities to develop better contingency strategies for peak periods and ensure frontline personnel properly understand regulations and their flexibility to implement them.

An ABTA spokesperson explained: “The underuse of the measures has meant that there have been occasions where passengers have unnecessarily been caught up in lengthy delays going through passport control, which can have a knock-on impact for their onward travel.

“Under the contingency measures, border authorities are allowed to stand down the system, or limit the number or extent of checks, to avoid significant disruption and large queues.”

This development follows the Home Office releasing guidance for the 1.26million Britons who currently possess dual citizenship. Starting 25 February 2026, dual British nationals must present either a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement when entering the UK.

The Home Office cautioned that carriers would be verifying passengers hold appropriate documentation.

Turkish Air Force F-16 Vipers can be seen flying over the skies of Somalia in new videos that have emerged online. The deployment of these jets comes as Turkey is seeking to increase its presence in the troubled nation where the al-Shabab extremist group is wreaking havoc.

One video shows a Turkish F-16 taking off, afterburner ignited, from an airport in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

F-16 fighter jets are currently conducting test flights over Mogadishu this morning. These aircraft arrived in Somalia on Wednesday, signifying Türkiye’s increasing support for the nation. It is quite probable that the Somali government is making preparations for the eventual… pic.twitter.com/VPMwXN0MIA

— Bahdo Online (@Baxdo_Online) February 3, 2026

Another video shows a Turkish Air Force F-16 flying at low altitude over the city.

The three Turkish F-16s landed at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu on January 28, according to Somali government officials. The jets were “accompanied by two military helicopters intended to support operations against Al-Shabaab across southern and central Somalia,” according to the Horn Review media outlet. “While there has been no confirmation of active airstrikes conducted by the jets, their presence alone introduces a new operational dimension.”

This deployment marks “the first time Turkey has forward deployed manned combat aircraft into Somalia, expanding its role beyond drones, transport aviation and advisory support,” the publication added.

“Ankara has been constructing a facility to host the F-16s over the past few months,” according to the Middle East Eye. “Turkish engineers [had] reportedly been working at the international airport for several days to prepare the site for the arrival of the jets.”

The F-16 deployment is a way for Ankara “to step up strikes on al-Shabaab militants and protect its growing interests in the Horn of Africa country,” Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

“The move is meant to bolster Turkish drone operations against the Islamist group,” which is linked to al-Qaeda and has been waging an insurgency against the government in Mogadishu for two decades, Bloomberg posited. “The Indian Ocean city — Somalia’s capital — is home to Turkey’s largest overseas military base, while Ankara is building a nearby site to test missiles and space rockets.”

Turkey has a growing interest in the country’s energy industry and wants to increase trade overall, according to Middle East Eye. In addition, Somalia has vast untapped mineral wealth. The country “holds significant potential in critical minerals such as aluminium, copper, iron, rare earth elements, and titanium,” according to the SMA Oxford consulting firm. These minerals are vital for clean energy technologies, including batteries, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems for civilian and military use.

Ankara’s deployment of its F-16s comes as al-Shabab has been resurgent across Somalia.

The jihadi group’s actions have spurred the Trump administration to carry out an increasing number of airstrikes against the group.

“These airstrikes have grown sharply in number during U.S. President Donald Trump’s time in office as Washington targets the al-Shabab and ISIS-Somalia jihadist groups,” Semafor reported. “A year into Trump 2.0, the number of strikes in Somalia is already at 144. That is more than half of the tally from Trump’s entire first term, which was itself record-breaking, according to the nonprofit think tank New America.”

There may be another motivating factor for Turkey to bring F-16s to Somalia. Israel, its regional rival, “became the first country to recognize the Republic of Somaliland, a northeastern part of Somalia that has claimed independence for decades,” Reuters reported. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would seek immediate cooperation in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.”

Turkey and Israel have long jostled for influence in the Middle East, and now it appears this competition has spread to the Horn of Africa, where Turkey continues to expand its footprint. Somalia is strategically located, with a long Gulf of Aden coastline across from Yemen and another coastline along the Arabian Sea section of the Indian Ocean.

The Turkish government is increasing its training and support activities in Somalia aimed at strengthening the country’s security and stability, Turkey’s Minister of Defense, Yaşar Güler, recently stated, according to TIKLS Briefs, a daily newsletter delivering security analysis and news on the Horn of Africa. “Turkey has also established new military facilities in Somalia, including the Somali Air Command and the TURKSOM training camp in Mogadishu.”

“In Somalia, we recently established the Air Force Command, which includes facilities for helicopters and drones,” added Güler.

Turkey entered Somalia in 2011, helping to build the Somali National Army (SNA) by providing training, vehicles, equipment, and financial support, TIKLS Briefs noted.

This is not the first time Turkey has forward-deployed its Vipers.

As we previously reported, Ankara sent six F-16s to Azerbaijan during a flare-up with that nation’s fighting with Armenia in 2020. You can see a satellite image of that deployment below.

There were six F-16s at Gabala International Airport in Azerbaijan, an Oct. 19 @Maxar satellite image shows. It’s likely that these are the Turkish Air Force fighter jets that moved from Ganja after the city was shelled. https://t.co/49CICDF6QS

— Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc) October 25, 2020

It is unknown at the moment how long the Turkish F-16s will stay in Somalia. Regardless, it appears that Turkey is planning to maintain a military presence in this war-torn country for quite some time.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

Moscow ‘strongly condemns’ attack on airport in the capital, Niamey, where 20 rebels were killed, and four soldiers were wounded.

Russian soldiers helped repel an attack claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group on Niger’s main airport in the capital, Niamey, last week, according to Moscow’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The attack was repelled through the joint efforts of the Russian Ministry of Defence’s African Corps and the Nigerien armed forces,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Niger’s governing military earlier said that “Russian partners” had helped to fend off the rare assault on the capital, which saw 20 attackers, including a French national, killed and four army soldiers wounded.

At least 11 fighters were also captured, Niger’s state television reported.

“Moscow strongly condemns this latest extremist attack,” the Foreign Ministry added in the statement, according to Russia’s state TASS news agency.

“A similar attack took place in September 2024 on the international airport in the capital of Mali. According to available information, external forces providing instructor and technical support are involved,” the ministry said, according to TASS.

Niger’s military chief, Abdourahamane Tchiani, visited the Russian military base in Niamey to express “personal gratitude for a high-level of professionalism” by Russian forces in defending the airport, the ministry added.

ISIL claimed responsibility for the “surprise and coordinated attack” on the airbase at the Diori Hamani international airport near Niamey on the night of January 28.

A video published online through the ISIL-affiliated media Amaq showed several dozen attackers with assault rifles firing near an aircraft hangar and setting ablaze one plane before leaving on motorbikes.

Ulf Laessing, the head of the Sahel programme at Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation, told The Associated Press news agency that the sophistication and boldness of the attack, including the possible use of drones by the attackers, suggest that the assailants may have had inside help.

Previous successful attacks in the region appear to have increased the group’s confidence, leading them to target more sensitive and strategically important sites, Laessing said.

Niger’s military had initially accused Benin, France and the Ivory Coast of sponsoring the attack on the airport, which also houses a military base. The military, however, did not provide evidence to substantiate its claim.

Ivory Coast’s Foreign Ministry denied the allegation and summoned Niger’s ambassador to relay its protest. Benin also denied the claim, describing it as “not very credible”.

France has yet to comment.

Niger is a former colony of France, which maintained a military presence in the country until 2023.

Russia rarely comments on its military activity in the Sahel region, where Moscow has been increasing its influence in recent years.

Facing isolation since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has tried to build new military and political partnerships across Africa.

Apart from Niger, Russian troops or military instructors have been reported to be deployed in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and Libya.

Russia’s African Corps has taken over from the Wagner mercenary force across the continent. According to Moscow, the corps helps ” fighting terrorists” and is “strengthening regional stability” in the Sahel.

Niger’s authorities have been fighting the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the ISIL affiliate in the Sahel (EIS) for the past decade.

OLBIA in Sardinia was recently named one of the ‘best places to travel to in 2026’ by Lonely Planet, and it’s arguably the easiest beach city break destination in the world.

Located on the northeast coast of the island, the city has a charming old town, ruins and white sandy bays, it also has one of the best transfer times – just 3 minutes drive from the airport to the town centre.

British Airways will soon launch a new service, with flights running twice a week on Saturdays and Sundays from London Stansted to Olbia – starting on May 23 and ending on September 27, 2026.

The journey takes two and a half hours and a one-way ticket starts from £127.

Olbia has a great mix of pretty beaches, Roman and Greek history, and plenty of bars and restaurants.

Be sure to try the local dish of bread lasagne,made of cheese and bread soaked in broth.

DREAMY DEALS

Our pick of the best long haul holidays for short haul prices

WINTER WARMER

Best winter sun hols with NO jet lag & hot temps, picked by The Sun’s experts

Crispy Sardinian flatbread, mussels, stuffed dumplings and pecorino cheese also feature heavily on the menu, washed down with locally-made wine like Cannonau.

Late spring is a great time to visit, with highs of between 22 and 24C and rooms from £31pp a night.

For proper sunbathing weather, average highs reach the early 30s in July and August, when tourists head to the beach to cool down – two of the most beautiful are Costa Corallina and Porto Istana Beach, which has fine white sand.

Porto Istana also has views across to Tavolara Island which is a sought-after snorkelling spot where you’ll see shipwrecks and plenty of colourful fish.

Then, hop onto a boat for an excursion towards Figarolo and the Golfo Aranci for bottlenose dolphin-spotting.

Dolphin tours generally start at £30 per person.

For souvenirs as well as boutiques and gelato spots head down Corso Umberto which is the main shopping street that stretches from the train station down to the waterfront.

When it comes to staying in Olbia, you can book a seven-night stay at the Olbia City Hotel & Spa from May 23 to May 30, 2026 for £217pp – or £31 per night.

Just a five-minute drive from the city centre, the 4-star hotel has a garden, a bar, small swimming pool and air-conditioned rooms.

Lonely Planet named Sardinia as one of its best places to travel to in 2026 thanks to its “pristine beaches”.

Sardinia was also named as a Destination of the Year by Expedia Group’s Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel report.

If you fancy exploring more of Sardinia, one must-see is the beach called Cala Goloritzè, which is two hours south of Olbia.

Cala Goloritzè is tucked away in-between enormous limestone cliffs and was awarded the title of being 2025’s best beach in the world.

For more inspiration, Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding headed to Sardinia last year where she ventured to the south side of the island.

She said: “Most travellers head to Olbia in the north of the island, but Cagliari in the south – the capital of the island – is also a great destination to explore.

“The south of the island and around Cagliari is full of quaint villages, rocky hills and breathtaking beaches. You can also do a number of activities from the resort, including a two-hour horse ride up into the island’s hills.

“The city is small, but even on a sunny Saturday at the end of August, its streets were quiet, free from hordes of tourists.”

For more on island holidays, here are five island-hopping holidays across Europe and the Maldives.

And see what one Sun Writer got up to when he went to a barely-visited Greek island with Hawaii-like beaches that wants Brits.

Celebrations as flight carries dozens of passengers from Port Sudan to Sudanese capital.

The international airport in Khartoum has received its first scheduled commercial flight in more than two years as the Sudanese government continues to assert its control over Sudan’s capital city after years of fighting.

The Sudan Airways flight travelled to Khartoum from the Red Sea city of Port Sudan on Sunday, carrying dozens of passengers.

Reporting from near the runway where the flight had landed, Al Jazeera’s Taher Almardi described scenes of jubilation following the arrival of the plane.

He said the reopening of the airport will help connect the capital to other regions in Sudan, with officials saying the facility is now ready to welcome as many as four flights daily.

Sudan Airways said in a statement that the flight, which was announced on Saturday with ticket prices starting at $50, “reflects the return of spirit and the continuation of the connection between the sons of the nation”.

The Sudanese military announced regaining full control of the capital from its rival, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, in March of last year.

Last month, Sudan’s army-aligned authorities moved the government’s headquarters back to Khartoum from their wartime capital of Port Sudan, which has also housed the country’s international airport since the early days of the war that began in April 2023.

Khartoum International Airport has come under repeated attacks, including an RSF drone assault in October that Sudanese officials said was intercepted.

On October 22, the airport said it had received a Badr Airlines flight, which was not pre-announced. But no further operations of commercial flights resumed until Sunday.

The war started as two top generals – Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the military, and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, the RSF chief – and their forces clashed for power and control over Sudan’s resources.

The fighting has ravaged towns and cities across Sudan, killing tens of thousands of people and forcing millions of others from their homes.

Violence continues to rage in central and western Sudan, particularly in Darfur, where the war has led to mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis.

“In Darfur today, reaching a single child can take days of negotiation, security clearances, and travel across sand roads under shifting frontlines,” Eva Hinds, spokesperson for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said in a statement on Friday.

“Nothing about this crisis is simple: every movement is hard-won, every delivery fragile.”

Jan. 30 (UPI) — Four Nigerien military personnel were injured and 20 attackers were killed during an attack on the Diori Hamani International Airport near Niger’s capital city, Niamey.

The attack started late Wednesday night and lasted for about 30 minutes, during which loud explosions and sustained gunfire could be heard, the BBC reported.

Niger’s Defense Ministry said 11 were arrested after the attack ended, and a French national was among the 20 attackers who were killed.

The Islamic State group on Friday claimed responsibility for coordinating the attack that it said targeted a military base used by Niger’s army.

The Islamic State’s Amaq information wing said “major damage” was done to the airport but did not cite any casualty figures.

Video footage recorded during the attack and witness statements indicate Niger’s air-defense system engaged incoming projectiles.

The airport resumed its normal operations Thursday, and Nigerien officials credited Russian military personnel with helping to fend off the attackers.

Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power in Niger during a July 2023 military coup, appeared on state-run television, blaming the presidents of France, Benin and the Ivory Coast for the attack. Tiani did not cite any evidence to support the allegation, but he said retaliation was forthcoming.

“We have heard them bark,” Tiani said. “They should be ready to hear us roar.”

Niger recently experienced diminished relations with France and neighboring nations, which he accused of being French proxies.

Tiani and Nigerien officials have close ties with Russia, which helped the Nigerien military to thwart a rebellion by militants associated with al-Qaida and ISIS.

Niger maintains close relations with Mali and Burkina Faso, all of which have faced rebellions that have caused thousands of deaths and displaced millions.

The three nations formed the Alliance of Sahel States in response and engaged Russia while ending military ties with France.

I made a major faux pas when going through airport security because I wore something which flags every single time – but I’m not the only one who has made this mistake…

The next time you’re going to an airport, you may want to consider your outfit a little more carefully, as I was told to never wear one item again after making a faux pas. You’d probably assume it would be safe to wear a comfy but cute tracksuit to the airport, right? But I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I want to dress for a plane as I would for chilling at home – just a little more elevated, as I am out in public after all. I want to browse the books in WHSmith and buy three, as if I don’t already have seven in my hand luggage, without stressing that my skirt is riding up thanks to my backpack.

That’s why my Juicy Couture tracksuit is a must for flights – or so I thought it was before being ushered to one side and urged not to wear it again when going through security.

Of course, for maximum comfort, I paired it with my Uggs. Yes, I was flying to a hot country, but we were arriving at night, and the transfer had air conditioning, so it was fine.

We dropped our bags off and made our way to security, breathing a sigh of relief that the queue wasn’t long, despite the fact we’d accidentally booked a holiday during half term (our adults-only hotel was uncharacteristically cheap, and we didn’t ask questions).

Then we were told at security we could keep our jackets on and liquids in our bags, which is fantastic, but I’d already taken my jacket off and put it into the tray.

The person handling the trays then asked me: “Are your pants the same as this?” as they gestured to the diamante ‘Juicy’ on the back of my tracksuit top.

“Yes,” I said, as I turned around, and they could see it for themselves. They chuckled to themselves and said I’d definitely be getting stopped when I passed through the scanners.

Lo and behold, when I went through the scanner, something flagged, and it was my tracksuit. I was asked whether I had anything in my pocket, which I didn’t, and then I was sent for my shoes to be checked.

When I was walking away, the person working for security advised me not to wear my Juicy tracksuit to the airport again if I didn’t want to be stopped. I must admit, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this advice, but it’s too comfy and cute.

To be honest, I’ve been stopped and searched to some extent at security every single time I go through – usually because of jewellery – so I think I would’ve set it off anyway. But I assumed there wasn’t any metal with the diamantes on the tracksuit and that it was all just plastic, but who knows.

Anyway, I really don’t mind being stopped at the airport when the person searching me is polite and friendly. I’ve definitely had some vile experiences with security staff at various airports across the world, but thankfully, when flying out of Manchester, they’re usually pretty jovial and are just there to do their jobs, rather than behave like jobsworths.

Someone on X referred to airport security as a “humiliation ritual,” and while I have been made to feel like this in the past, it’s definitely not commonplace.

Although I can’t lie, when waiting for security, I do get a little bit nervous to see how the person will treat me.

I’m not the only person who has experienced this at an airport, either. Several women have taken to X to share their experiences of wearing Juicy Couture diamante items at the airport.

One woman wrote: “My bedazzled Juicy Couture track pants set off the airport security scanner and I had to get a pat down and an explosives test.”

Someone else shared: “I went through airport security in my Juicy Couture pants, and the bum got flagged,” followed by a crying with laughter emoji.

Manchester Airport has been contacted for comment.

‘They should be ready to hear us roar,’ says military ruler Tiani, who thanked Russian troops for defending airbase.

Niger’s military government has accused France, Benin and Ivory Coast of sponsoring an assault on a military base at Niamey’s international airport, while thanking “Russian partners” for repelling the attack.

General Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power in a 2023 coup, made his claims on state television on Thursday, blaming France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Benin’s Patrice Talon and Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara. He did not offer any evidence to back up those claims.

France, Benin and Ivory Coast have not commented on the claims yet.

The military leader made those claims after visiting the airbase at Diori Hamani International Airport, located some 10km (six miles) from the presidential palace, where explosions and shootings were reported on Wednesday night into Thursday.

Defence Minister Salifou Modi said the attack lasted “about 30 minutes”, before an “air and ground response”. The defence ministry said four military personnel were injured and 20 attackers were killed, with state television saying that a French national was among them.

Eleven people were arrested, it added.

“We have heard them bark, they should be ready to hear us roar,” said Tiani in comments that reflected the recent deterioration of Niger’s relations with France and neighbouring nations that he views as French proxies in the region.

Tiani also thanked Russian troops stationed at the base for “defending their sector”, confirming his nation’s growing ties with Moscow, which has provided military support to tackle a rebellion linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL.

Neither of the armed groups has so far claimed responsibility.

Niger has been led by General Tiani since a coup that overthrew the elected civilian president, Mohamed Bazoum, in July 2023.

The country, which is allied with Sahel neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), has struggled to contain the rebellion, which has killed thousands and displaced millions in the three nations.

A MAJOR airline has confirmed it is axing all long-haul flights from a UK airport – starting next month.

The airline will cancel its long-haul transatlantic routes to the US and the Caribbeans.

Aer Lingus will stop flying from Manchester to New York JFK from February 23.

The operator will then cease its flights to Orlando and Barbados from March 31.

In order to re-accommodate impacted passengers who were scheduled to travel to the Caribbean island from Manchester, the airline will run a service from Dublin to Barbados in April and May.

The affected customers have already been contacted and given options for a refund or rebooking.

EGG-STRA

I tried Britain’s most expensive £100 breakfast – how it compared to a £10 fry up

ROCK ON

Shock as top UK beach turns from pebbles to sand OVERNIGHT

The airline said that the developments will not affect Aer Lingus or Aer Lingus Regional services between Ireland and Manchester.

A spokesperson told The Sun:

An airline spokesperson told The Sun: “Aer Lingus informed staff and their representatives at its Manchester base today that the airline’s Manchester transatlantic operations will fully cease as of and from 31st March 2026.

“Manchester-New York operations will cease from 23rd February 2026 and Aer Lingus plans to operate a service from Dublin to Barbados (subject to receipt of necessary approvals) during the months of April and May to reaccommodate affected customers.

“There is no impact to Aer Lingus or Aer Lingus Regional (Emerald Airlines) flights between Manchester and Ireland. Customers are being informed directly of the cancellation of flights and provided with reaccommodation and refund options.

“Aer Lingus will continue to engage with staff representative groups to discuss the phased reduction in operations, redeployment opportunities and the terms of a severance package at the Manchester Base.

“Aer Lingus acknowledges that this is a very difficult time for colleagues based in Manchester and will seek to ensure that colleagues are kept informed and supported as discussions evolve during the next phase of the consultation.”

In the past, the airline has said that its long-haul routes from Manchester had an operating margin that “significantly lags behind” that of Ireland.

About 200 employees at the base, which Aer Lingus launched in 2021, could be impacted if the closure goes ahead.

A striking airport following a major revamp with an art gallery has been named as the world’s most beautiful, but some travellers have hit back, condemning it as ‘nothing special’

Many of us see airports as a functional form of transport, rather than an architectural phenomenon or iconic landmark. Yet there’s one airport that’s been deemed the most beautiful in the world – although not all travellers are impressed.

Each year, the Prix Versailles architectural competition is held across eight categories with 24 prizes awarded, including one to honour the world’s most beautiful airport. For the second year in a row, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), with its Harvey Milk Terminal 1, was crowned as the winner.

Following a multi-billion-dollar revamp, Harvey Milk Terminal 1, which opened in June 2024, was praised for its eco-friendly design and cutting-edge features, cultural importance, traveller experience and striking architecture. Natural light seeps through the terminal, which boasts a preaeful ambience away from the rush of travel, even replacing overhead announcements with quieter features, along with gender-neutral bathrooms.

READ MORE: Busy flight in delay chaos as unexpected passenger shocks cabin crewREAD MORE: Tiny, filthy rich country without an airport is ‘least visited’ in Europe

It stands as the globe’s first airport terminal named after an LGBTQ+ pioneer. It also features a museum gallery and an exhibition honouring Harvey Milk, an American politician who became the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.

Elsewhere in the terminal, travellers can find a mezzanine-level security checkpoint, four new concessions, and a connecting walkway that links all terminals beyond security. Remarkably, the terminal managed to slash its carbon footprint by 79 per cent and cut energy consumption by 59 per cent.

San Francisco International Airport has four terminals and welcomes more than 50 million passengers each year. Following the reward, Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet shared: “We are truly honoured to be named the top airport in the world by Prix Versailles.

“Harvey Milk Terminal 1 was designed to establish a new benchmark for an extraordinary airport experience, bringing to life our mission to put people and planet first. Being the first airport terminal in the world named for an LGBTQ+ leader only enhances the significance of this recognition, and my thanks go out to the entire project team for this milestone achievement.”

Despite its noble achievements and worldwide recognition, some travellers aren’t impressed. Following the news of being the world’s most beautiful airport, one flyer shared on Reddit: “I don’t get it. It’s nice and modern. Don’t really know what’s beautiful about it.”

Another responded to its grand title, commenting, “I fully disagree.” A third also penned: “I have a hard time seeing it. The Harvey Milk upgrade is nice and all, but the curb appeal is meh. Inside, it kind of relies on having a couple of areas that make the terminal feel spacious, that open area by the water bottle fillers and extends out to the museum.”

They continued: “Otherwise, it’s fine and all, but it’s nothing special. All the restaurants and the like with their kind of fake outdoor patios and the like are something that exists everywhere else. It’s just look at me, I’m modern and have big atriums.”

However, one voiced: “The ‘quiet airport’ concept cannot be understated. I was recently in an airport that had broadcast announcements for every gate throughout the entire airport. It’s a cacophony, and with so many announcements I really don’t care about it’s hard to hear ones that affect me. With smartphones and text notifications, there really doesn’t need to be these broadcast announcements (except in an emergency, of course).”

While another simply said: “SFO is great, totally agree.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The peaceful alpine paradise is difficult to reach with no airport, and has the highest density of millionaires in the world.

For those seeking a getaway free from hordes of fellow holidaymakers, one tiny nation stands head and shoulders above the rest. According to findings from cruise and tour operator Riviera Travel, Liechtenstein delivers stunning mountain scenery, understated elegance and abundant attractions, all minus the throngs.

Throughout 2024, visitors clocked up more than 200,000 overnight stays in this principality. Set that against Serbia, the tenth least visited nation, where tourists racked up 12,662,151 nights, and it becomes crystal clear just how tranquil Liechtenstein truly is.

This serene haven, tucked away between Switzerland and Austria, ranks amongst the continent’s – and the world’s – most compact territories. It boasts the unique status of being doubly landlocked, which means it’s encircled by other landlocked states and getting to the coast necessitates travelling through no fewer than two neighbouring countries.

It’s additionally categorised as a microstate, a sovereign territory with an exceptionally modest population or geographical footprint, usually both.

As Europe’s fourth-smallest state, Liechtenstein spans barely 62 square miles and is home to 40,023 residents, positioning it as the sixth-smallest country globally, reports the Express.

Nevertheless, despite its minuscule dimensions, it has earned an enviable standing as one of the world’s most prosperous nations and continues to be governed by a monarch who features amongst Europe’s wealthiest figures. The semi-constitutional monarchy is led by the Prince of the House of Liechtenstein, currently Hans-Adam II.

As of March 2025, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index put his fortune at around £7.9billion, making him the 277th richest person on the planet.

Liechtenstein is also among the rare nations worldwide with zero debt. It was once considered a billionaire tax haven, hitting its height during a tax scandal in 2008, but the principality has since put in considerable effort to shed this reputation.

In 2020, Liechtenstein boasted the world’s highest concentration of millionaires, with 19% of households holding millionaire status. Switzerland ranked second at 15%, whilst Bahrain claimed third spot with 13%, and Qatar sat at 12.7%.

As an Alpine country, Liechtenstein’s rugged mountainous terrain draws winter sports fans to spots like the Malbun resort.

However, this very topography leaves precious little space for building an aviation facility, making it one of the few nations worldwide lacking an airport.

The nearest airport for Liechtenstein’s inhabitants is Altenrhein Airport in Switzerland’s St. Gallen canton, approximately 30 minutes away by motor. Those opting for Zurich Airport face a drive of just under 90 minutes from the capital, Vaduz.

The principality is also without railway stations and, unsurprisingly, lacks any seaports. The easiest rail links can be found via Swiss border stations at Buchs or Sargans, or alternatively through the Austrian station at Feldkirch.

Each provides superb express train connections and coach services to Vaduz. That being said, Liechtenstein isn’t completely cut off from aviation – a privately operated helicopter landing site functions in Balzers.

While Liechtenstein is a member of the United Nations, it stays beyond the borders of the European Union. Nevertheless, it takes part in both the Schengen Area and the European Economic Area, shares a customs union and monetary union with Switzerland, and utilises the Swiss franc as its official currency.

THERE’S nothing worse than seeing the word ‘cancelled’ appear whilst waiting for a flight.

If you live in fear of a flight being cancelled last minute these UK airports saw the highest cancellation rate of 2025 – and Southampton Airport was at the very top.

The regional airport in the south of England recorded the highest cancellation rate of all major UK airports last year, according to AirAdvisor.

AirAdvisor analysed Civil Aviation Authrity (AA) data across 20 of the busiest UK airports to figure out which is the least reliable.

For the second year in a row, Southampton Airport experienced the highest amount of flight cancellations.

The report found that three per cent of its flights were cancelled in 2025.

HOL YEAH

Sun readers’ top places to eat in Devon – beach pubs to unicorn ice cream shops

SUSSED OUT

Sun readers’ fave family spots in Sussex – top-rated beaches to pirate festivals

Although, this is an improvement on 2024 when 3.3 per cent of services were grounded.

Data revealed that Southampton Airport had almost three times as many flight cancellations as the national average – which is 1.09 per cent.

A spokesperson for Southampton Airport told Sun Travel: “An airline’s decision to reluctantly cancel a flight can be due to a number of factors including weather issues, air traffic congestion, delayed arrivals or technical issues with aircraft.

“We will continue to work with our airline partners and their handling agents to support them in their operations.”

Airlines that operate out of Southampton Airport include Loganair, easyJet, KLM, Blue Islands and Aer Lingus.

These airlines fly to the likes of the Channel Islands, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, France and other UK cities like Manchester and Glasgow.

Just below Southampton Airport was Aberdeen Airport which had 1.6 per cent of its flights cancelled last year.

The UK’s busiest airport, London Heathrow also “exceeded the national average for cancellations” according to AirAdvisor.

Between January and November 2025, 1.4 per cent of flights at Heathrow were cancelled.

At the other end, Bournemouth Airport recorded the lowest cancellation rate of any major UK airport.

Between January and October 2026, it saw just 0.17 per cent of its scheduled services cancelled.

Other airports that performed well last year included Luton, Stansted, East Midlands International, Bristol and Belfast International, where cancellations were less than half the national average.

Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, said: “Air passengers in the UK can breathe a sigh of relief as we head into 2026, with most trend data suggesting that flight cancellation rates at British airports are decreasing.” 

For more on airports, this mega £27billion airport is set to open in 2032.

And a major UK airport introduces new liquid rules after £1billion upgrade.

The list of airports that reported the most and the least cancellations and delays…

These airports had the highest cancellation rates…

1. Southampton Airport
2. Aberdeen Airport
3. Glasgow Airport
4. London City Airport
5. Heathrow Airport

These airport had the fewest cancellations…

1. Bournemouth Airport
2. Luton Airport
3. Stansted Airport
4. Belfast International Airport
5. Bristol Airport