airports

More than 780 flights were scheduled to depart from Sydney Airport on Tuesday, with almost 140 of these flights expected to face delays of about 45 minutes

Passengers at three major Australian airports have been warned of flight disruptions amid strong winds.

Several flights leaving from Sydney were cancelled on Tuesday, August 11, with more delays expected throughout the day.

A spokesperson for the airport told a local news site: “Strong winds are affecting operations at Sydney Airport and flight delays are expected throughout the day.”

Passengers were advised to check the latest status of their flight before heading to the airport.

A spokesman for carrier Qantas also told the news site that that two flights from Melbourne and one from Brisbane were cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

Passengers on the flights have been rebooked onto other services.

More than 780 flights were scheduled to depart from Sydney Airport on Tuesday, according to Airservices Australia’s daily plan.

Almost 140 of these flights are expected to face delays of about 45 minutes, a local news outlet reported.

The ground delay program will be in place until 2pm due to the strong winds.

A Melbourne Airport spokesman said it had also been hit with delays and cancellations, though operations remained “relatively normal”

Close to 620 flights were scheduled to depart Melbourne Airport on Tuesday. Almost 200 flights will face delays, according to the Airservices Australia plan.

The travel disruptions come after two passenger jets narrowly avoided a ground collision at Sydney Airport and major flight delays throughout the weekend.

The close call followed days of chaos for thousands of travellers through the hub, as control tower staffing issues delayed more than 100 international and domestic flights.

TWO airports in Europe that see thousands of passengers through their doors are set to close for major upgrades.

During this time flights will be diverted and one airport will see flights cancelled during both the summer holidays and October half-term.

The first major airport closing its doors to passengers is Almeria Airport in Spain which each year handles around 800,000 passengers.

In February 2028, it will shut for six days to upgrade its runway with all scheduled flights during that time to be cancelled.

Airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and Iberia which fly out of the airport have been notified by Spain’s airports operator Aena about the closure.

There will be further disruption too as the revamp is part of a 19-month €29million (£24.8million) project to upgrade the entire airport.

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During this period there will be work at night between 10:45pm and 7:10am the following day.

Between these hours, flights could be impacted as well.

Direct routes from Almeria Airport to the UK London Southend, Manchester, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds Bradford and Birmingham.

The airlines will have to reschedule flights or divert the routes.

The revamp will mark the first work on the runway in 20 years.

The second major European airport to close its doors is Charleroi Airport in Brussels which will close for almost three months.

For 11 weeks, the runway will be closed for renovation and the interior airport revamped.

Flights will be impacted between August 15 and October 31 in 2028.

It will disrupt passengers heading to Brussels during the school summer holidays and October half-term break.

Airlines that operate to and from the airport from the UK include Ryanair and Wizz Air to cities Edinburgh, Manchester and Newcastle.

Airlines will need to reroute their flights to different airports during that time.

The airport is the second largest in Belgium – it sees 30,000 passengers each day and around 11.2million people every year.

On the development, the airport said: “A complete refurbishment of Charleroi airport’s sole runway, together with other major infrastructure modernisation works, has been scheduled by SOWAER (the company behind the works) for the second half of 2028.”

ANYONE heading to two of the UK’s busiest airports are being warned of major travel disruption until the end of the day.

Trains between central London and both Heathrow and Gatwick airports are are currently disrupted due to train issues.

A tunnel closure between Hayes and Harlington and Heathrow has caused problems this morning.

There are currently no Elizabeth Line trains between the west London station and Heathrow terminals 4 and 5 and there are also a number of delays on other lines heading to Paddington.

National Rail has said that the tunnel has been closed for safety reasons.

The Heathrow Express is also currently running on a reduced service, with two trains per hour from London Paddington instead of four.

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Disruption is also expected until the end of the day.

The tunnel closure is reportedly due to a water leak on the line.

Tickets are being accepted across the Piccadilly Line as well as numerous different buses.

There are two tunnels that link the airport to the main trainline, but with only one remaining open, trains have to wait at the tunnel to get in or out of the airport.

It is bad news for anyone heading to London Gatwick Airport as well, as there has been a fire beside the track causing delays to rail services between London and the South East.

The fire has caused damage to the overhead signalling cables and currently passengers are being asked to allow an extra 30 minutes for their journey to the airport.

Currently, services between London Victoria and Eastbourne are suspended along with Gatwick Express services.

Thameslink services which run between Three Bridges and Bedford are also suspended.

A Gatwick Express statement says: “You should travel on alternative Southern or Thameslink services towards your destination.

“If you’re travelling towards a different London terminal to normal, you will be able to change trains at stations along the route, such as Haywards Heath, Gatwick Airport, or East Croydon, for a train towards your destination.

“Alternatively, you can use London Underground to travel between stations once you’ve arrived in the London area.”

More than 3 million Brits travel there every year

UK travellers should be prepared for the risk of strike action over the next few weeks in a popular holiday hotspot. Millions of UK holidaymakers will be travelling abroad in the weeks ahead.

And France is one spot that will be popular with Brits. More than 17 million UK people travel there every year, according to the UK Foreign Office.

Now the new threat of industrial action has broken out – and it runs throughout the remainder of the summer holiday period. EasyJet cabin crew in France could walk out in strike action expected to run until September 2. Flight attendants there have complained about rota arrangements and working conditions.

French media report that three unions representing cabin crew at EasyJet France have issued strike notice covering the period from 7 August to 2 September. They have complained of a “continuing deterioration” in working conditions, according to a joint statement released this week.

What should you do if your flight is cancelled? For those planning to travel with the airline in the coming weeks, passengers whose flights are disrupted by cancellations or delays will be given 48 hours’ notice. Simply head to the ‘Booking’ tab in the EasyJet app to access the relevant information.

Should your flight be cancelled, you can request either a refund or a ticket change directly from the airline. If the replacement departure is scheduled for the following day, EasyJet may foot the bill for a hotel and a taxi to the airport.

The airports facing strike action include Lyon, Nice, Paris Orly, Bordeaux and Paris Charles de Gaulle. A spokesperson for ⁠easyJet said the company was disappointed and had made an offer of changes to tackle their concerns. ⁠They said: “Given we have planned negotiations in September, we call on the unions to call off this ⁠counterproductive action at this important time of the year for our customers”.

French news site RTL reports that workers are denouncing what they describe as “a vicious circle that has been going on for a year now”, with the SNPNC-FO, UNAC-CFE-CGC and UNPNC-CFDT trade unions condemning “the chronic instability of timetables, last-minute changes, imposed ‘trippings’ (a series of flights over several days, ed.), particularly gruelling rotas and a total lack of protective measures”.

“The notice period has been deliberately left open to cover the entire period,” the trade unions stress, adding that “key dates” for industrial action will be confirmed “48 hours in advance”.

The unions have accused management, whom they claim to have been warning “for nearly a year”, of failing to provide “concrete and binding” solutions to their concerns. Luckily for travellers, a previous strike call at EasyJet on Easter Monday in April had only a minimal impact on air traffic.

Local media say that as France’s second-largest airline by passenger numbers after Air France, British carrier EasyJet predominantly operates short- and medium-haul routes. The airline employs several thousand staff in France, a considerable proportion of whom work as cabin crew.

Gaël Leloup, a union representative for the Union of Civil Aviation Cabin Crew (UNAC), told RTL that “scheduling instability” has gradually become “the company’s normal way of operating”: “It’s normal to change people’s schedules once, twice, three or four times in the same day. And dozens of times a month, too. You might be moved from morning to evening shifts, or sent to another base in Europe for three or four days.”

The union representatives say they are fully aware of the disruption this strike action will cause to passengers’ travel plans, with another hectic weekend of holiday traffic on the horizon. “The sad thing is that it’s our passengers who will bear the brunt of it,” laments Gaël Leloup.

But with talks between staff and management having ground to a halt, workers feel they have been left with little choice: “After a year of discussions and still no solution, we have no option but to take major industrial action.”

For its part, EasyJet’s management said this week it is urging trade unions to withdraw the strike notice. The trade unions say they remain “open to negotiation” to call off the strike notice, provided that management “puts forward clear, concrete and binding solutions”.

MANY children may be asking if they can take their squishy toys on flights this summer, however, there are some rules to be aware of.

The toys have become a viral sensation, but they may not be allowed through security gates at certain airports.

Children may not be able to bring their favourite squishy dumpling toys on flights as they may get flagged by security.

This is because the toys, available in a variety of colours, contain gel inside.

UK airports have restrictions on the quantity of liquid, gels, and pastes that can be checked in through hand luggage, often limited to a 100ml volume.

However, a number of airports have developed new CT scanners that allow liquids up to two litres to be accepted through security.

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These airports currently include Belfast International, Belfast City, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick and Heathrow.

A host of major airports, such as Luton, Stansted and Manchester still require the removal of 100ml liquids, gels and pastes from bags, and therefore would be more reluctant with squishy toys.

To see whether these dumplings would be accepted, the Department for Transport told the BBC: “No matter how adorable your squishy dumpling is, airport security rules still apply.”

The department advised passengers to check the liquid allowance at the departure airport, noting that “the safest place is in your hold luggage,” for any squishy toys.

Manchester Airport, which only allows 100ml of liquid, told the BBC that “all but very small squishy toys should be placed in the hold baggage”, with only toys with under 100ml liquid accepted through security.

But larger toys may not have the exact measurement listed on the item, meaning it’s better to bring them in hand luggage so security can estimate the size.

Gatwick Airport, which allows up to two litres in hand luggage, said they normally accept squishy dumpling toys, but the toys will be required to go through security screening.

As with anything that goes through airport security, it is important to remember if the item fails checks, it will not be allowed on the plane.

EUROPEAN borders have been consumed by long queues recently thanks to new travel rules introduced back in April – and it’s about to get worse.

Europe‘s new Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully rolled out at the beginning of April and applies to all Brits entering Europe.

Upon your first entry to a Schengen country, you must register – which means having your photo taken as well as fingerprints.

However, this registration process has been causing long queues and delays at border control across European airports, with some travellers waiting hours and others even missing their flight.

And soon it could get much worse.

Come September 6, a flexibility allowance introduced across Europe is due to expire.

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EU member states are currently allowed to pause EES checks in “exceptional circumstances” which includes when queues get too long.

According to the EU border security agency Frontex, the flexibility won’t be renewed in September, despite industry bodies calling for it to be, reports The Times.

Countries including Greece, France, Portugal and Spain currently all switch off EES when they need to.

However, when the flexibility expires in September these countries could once again experience long queues at their airports.

At some airports, the machines even have to be shut down and turned on again when they get overwhelmed, just to get them to work.

Air France-KLM told Politico: “When lines form during the busy summer months, the system is shut off to ensure smooth transit at our hubs in Paris and Amsterdam.”

Other airports that have had problems with the technology include Brussels Airport, where the system is still not fully operational.

It comes as other issues with the new system have emerged including taking the fingerprints of elderly people.

In some cases, the new system has been unable to scan fingerprints of elderly people as they are too faded.

According to The Telegraph, one Brit who recently travelled to Majorca but when she got to the EES kiosks, her fingerprints weren’t recognised.

The woman then had to wait in a long queue of mainly families for her passport to be manually stamped.

However, anyone who cannot give fingerprints will be exempt from having to give them.

SEVERAL UK airports have scrapped the 100ml liquid rule, just as the summer holiday rush gets underway.

The policy change comes in as airports prepare for their busiest time of the year.

Until this year, liquids in hand luggage were restricted to 100ml, with all bottles required to be removed to go through security.

However, seven UK airports are removing the 100ml liquid hand luggage rule in a major change to security measures.

Due to technology developments, a number of airports will accept containers of up to two litres in hand luggage.

This includes Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol, Belfast International, and Belfast City.

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Heathrow Airport has confirmed that containers of up to two litres can be taken in hand luggage in Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, but metal or insulated bottles must be emptied first.

Gatwick, Edinburgh, and Bristol similarly require metal, or double-walled containers, to be completely emptied before security checks.

Birmingham and Belfast City allow liquids, as well as gels and pastes of up to two litres to stay in cabin bags.

17 major airports, however, have reported to retain the 100ml liquid limit throughout the summer period.

Airports not introducing the rule have made some changes, with Manchester, London Luton, London City, and Teeside allowing 100ml liquids to remain inside hand luggage, and not be put in plastic bags.

Passengers, however, have been urged to check the rules at overseas airports, as many may not operate on the same regulations as the UK.

Items that are commonly treated as liquids include drinks, creams and lotions, mascara, lipgloss, toothpaste, hair gel, shaving foam, and liquid-filled toys.

Before travelling, it is important to check the exact rules of your departure airport before packing any restricted items.

PASSENGERS heading abroad this summer may want to double-check their liquid allowance or risk having their items confiscated.

Despite restrictions relaxing in certain locations, 17 major UK airports still enforce the old 100ml luggage rules after a huge U-turn.

A number of UK airports have recently introduced new rules when it comes to airport security.

Some travellers can now bring containers of up to two litres on their flight, meaning no more last minute scrambles for a clear plastic bag or the fear of having your favourite fragrance confiscated.

The changes have come with the introduction of new CT scanners that have begun to be rolled out at major airports.

However, despite rules relaxing at certain locations, many others still enforce the old rules around liquid limits.

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A number of UK airports still require containers to be 100ml or less for liquids, gels, pastes, sprays and aerosols.

The rules apply to the liquid limit of the container, meaning a 200ml bottle that is half-empty would not be allowed.

It’s still worth double-checking the liquid regulations from the airport you’re travelling from.

The list has changed multiple times over the past few years, with some airports temporarily relaxing the limits at points.

Passengers heading out from a certain group of airports can carry two-litre containers through security.

These include Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol, Belfast International and Belfast City.

However, anyone planning on bringing large containers back from their holiday should double- check with regulations at their return airport.

Many holiday destinations will still enforce the 100ml rule, so while you may have been able to bring a full-size bottle in hand luggage on the way out, you’ll need to make sure it’s in checked luggage for the return.

When referring to liquid limits, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t just apply to toiletries.

According to the government website, liquids include “drinks, soup, jam, honey, syrups, creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, mascara, sprays, aerosols, gels, pastes, toothpaste and contact lens solution”.

A travel enthusiast who has been to airports around the world claims that one in Europe is the hub he’d never want to fly through again, despite it being named the best in the continent

A college student who has visited over 60 countries, passing through 90 airports along the way, has revealed his list of the five worst places to fly.

Theo, who posts as theoandtheglobe on TikTok, is a 22-year-old travel enthusiast who has made hundreds of videos documenting his trips, racking up over 47,800 followers on the platform in the process. But despite his deep love of travel, there are certain airports he would avoid in the future.

And topping his list is an airport that’s a major hub in Europe, with many Brits passing through to visit the City of Love or just to catch connecting flights. Theo started his list with: “First, Charles de Gaulle. CDG in Paris. I mean, pretty obvious and easy. It’s just a super chaotic airport, really inconvenient to fly through, and not fun.”

Theo’s comments come despite the Parisian hub being named the Best Airport in Europe in the 2026 Skytrax World Airport Awards. The airport gets mixed reviews online. One passenger said: “CDG airport is located in the suburbs of Paris. Despite being one of Europe’s busiest transportation hubs, I found it a bit weird. Immigration and customs procedures are manual and there are few counters, resulting in long wait times.”

But one happy traveller wrote: “I’ve travelled quite a bit to many airports and this one has to be the largest. It’s quite beautiful for the most part with impressive architectural features, various well-thought-out amenities, and shops and restaurants all over the place.”

Theo continued his list of airports that left him unimpressed, saying: “Second is Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Super far from the city, terrible location, and the way they do security is the worst of any airport I go through, I’ve been through or flown through.

“It’s literally like, they do security at the start of a set of 10 gates, but there’s only one person working at the security. The person in front of me brought a full bottle of water and it took like 10 minutes, and I almost missed my flight. A very weird, inconvenient way to do security.”

“Third is Hong Kong. This airport is too reliant on modern technology. If you have a problem with your passport or boarding pass or anything, you have to wait way too long to see [a person]. There’s basically no employees here. It’s just kinda like a giant modern building, that happens to be an airport, and there’s no one working there.”

Continuing his list, Theo put Delhi fourth.

“This is for two reasons. Delhi actually is a really nice building and a really nice airport, but the two reasons are they check your documents outside of the airport. And it’s actual soldiers. I know it’s their job, but why are they holding freaking AK-47s? Why are they checking my documents to get into the airport? Pretty ridiculous.”

He added: “And the second reason is to go through security. You need to take out every single wire. You need to take out all your phone chargers, all your portable chargers, all your AirPods. It’s everything. It’s ridiculous if I’m being honest and security takes way too long.”

He finished his list by saying: “Last but not least is Bogota airport, and this airport is just not prepared for the people it gets. Avianca makes it a big hub of people transiting through from North America to South America. And you can tell the airport is just not meant or built for that at all. It’s a pretty bad building in my opinion.”

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Families are being delayed at security and some items are being confiscated

Parents have warned holidaymakers about a viral toy as it is causing chaos at airport security this summer. Stress relief toys called NeeDohs and squishy shaped dumplings are popular among children, but they are causing problems at airport security.

The squishy toys contain liquid which parents say is being detected on scanners at airport security and have caused travellers delays as they wait to get their bags checked. Emma Barnes was travelling to Barcelona from Birmingham airport on May 29 with her ten-year-old twins when their cases were pulled aside by security.

The part-time teacher, from Chester in Cheshire said: “I didn’t know it was a thing until it happened to us. We had five or six squishies in total spread across random pockets in our bags. I didn’t think twice, I thought it was just a squishy toy the kids had and especially on a short hall flight when they don’t have a television, they need something.

“It caused us so much stress. It is stressful anyway at airport security and when the first case got pulled and I thought ‘oh no what is it’.”

Emma explained security officials went through their bags until they found one of her children’s NeeDoh squishies. She said: “The first case got pulled and they took the squishy out and said we can’t tell what the component is inside of it and they had to drug test it.

“My daughter then said to me ‘I put two in the other cases as well’. The queue behind us was getting massive and I was dying inside. The security was really nice, they scanned and swabbed them and gave them back to us.

“I wanted to help warn other parents travelling this summer as everyone’s kids have squishy toys. We could see the airport staff thinking ‘this is going to be a bad summer ahead’.”

Emma said next time she will treat the squishies. Other parents said online “my son’s got taken off him” and that “Play-Doh has the same issue”.

Leanne, from Derbyshire, had a similar experience at East Midlands airport earlier this year. Her seven-year-old daughter put a NeeDoh in a bag without telling her mum. “Thankfully we were allowed to keep it,” she said. “I have heard that some airports dispose of them.

“My little girl is in the special educational needs (SEN) pathway so they help her regulate emotions when she’s stressed, so she was so worried it would be taken from her. The security lady said they flag up all the time. It was not a nice experience but I do understand why it happened when we knew what our daughter had done.

“It has never been flagged until now. It is becoming a bigger and bigger thing – the scanners aren’t liking them at all.”

A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: “Things like squishy toys contain liquid – this includes NeeDohs which use malt syrup. Smaller versions of the toy are under 100mls but larger versions are not. The problem is that as they don’t have measurements printed on them security staff have to estimate their size.

“Our advice is that all but very small squishy toys should be placed in hold baggage.”

A Birmingham Airport spokesperson added: “These items are not a security prohibited item, but as with any item carried as cabin baggage, they are required to clear security screening”.

Gatwick Airport said the toys are not prohibited but like all items, are subject to security screening. Government officials have also issued concerns about the toys, including Aberdeen City Council in Scotland who put out a warning on July 13 about potentially dangerous versions of the popular squishy toys, with more than 1,000 being seized from local shops in a month.

Hillingdon Council trading standards officers seized 500,000 squishy dumpling toys in two months at Heathrow airport which were coming into the UK to potentially be sold. Officials fear businesses are selling dangerous counterfeit versions and urge people to check where they are buying the toys from.

Hillingdon Council said: “Heathrow Airport is a gateway for goods entering the UK, and we’re proud to play a leading role in protecting consumers. As part of this work, our Trading Standards officers have been carrying out targeted checks on “squishy” toys at Heathrow. In the past two months, the council has seized 500,000 squishy toys. Many are similar in design and lack proper labelling and traceability information.

“The main issue is the absence of clear details of a responsible UK-based business and the correct UKCA or CE safety markings, making it hard to verify compliance and take action.”

Ryanair has released a statement claiming that 16 airports in Europe will create “long queues for UK families” as the school summer holidays loom and airports face their busiest time of year

Ryanair has released a strongly-worded statement claiming that “UK families face hours of extra queues as EU EES chaos continues”, naming 16 airports where “passengers are experiencing significant delays”.

The budget airline called for an emergency extension and flexibility in implementing the Entry/Exit System (EES), warning that without action families heading off on their summer holidays would face long waits. These delays would affect passengers no matter what airline they flew with.

Its statement read: “Ryanair today [July 15] warned millions of UK families travelling to Europe this summer to prepare for lengthy passport queues and airport delays caused by the EU’s failed Entry/Exit System (EES), which continues to create disruption months after its introduction.

“With schools now breaking for summer and passenger volumes reaching peak levels, the failed EES rollout is going to cause unnecessary delays and long queues for UK families.”

It claimed: “Ryanair has identified a number of recurring EES hotspots where passengers are experiencing significant delays due to slow processing times and excessive passport control queues on both arrivals and departures.”

The statement went on to name airports including both beach and city break destinations. This included family-friendly holiday hotspots such as Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Alicante, and Malaga, alongside destinations including Milan and Verona.

Ryanair went on to claim these airports suffered from similar issues, saying: “Months after EES went live, many airports still do not have fully functioning self-service kiosks in place, while border staffing levels and infrastructure remain inadequate to process peak passenger volumes. The result is avoidable delays, longer queues and unnecessary stress for UK passengers travelling during the busiest holiday period of the year.”

The airline gave advice to families heading off on their holidays soon, continuing: “Ryanair is advising UK passengers travelling to and from non-Schengen destinations, or transiting through affected European airports, to allow extra time for their journey and be prepared for extended waits at passport control, where EES checks may require passport scanning, fingerprint capture and facial image verification.”

Neal McMahon, Ryanair’s chief operations officer, said in a statement: “Families heading away for a well-earned summer holiday should be thinking about suitcases, suncream and sangria, not standing in passport queues for hours. The reality is that the EES system isn’t working properly and families are paying the price for a system that does not work months after launch. Passengers should not be the testing ground for unfished border infrastructure.

“We support calls from EU Member States to urgently extend the EES flexibilities. This will give airports and border authorities the time to improve the infrastructure, fix the broken devices and hire more staff so that families can travel through Europe without disruption.”

Full list of airports Ryanair named for ‘significant delays’

1. Lisbon
2. Tenerife South
3. Madrid
4. Lanzarote
5. Alicante
6. Malaga
7. Milan Bergamo
8. Milan Malpensa
9. Verona
10. Paris Beauvais
11. Berlin
12. Cologne
13. Frankfurt Hahn
14. Krakow
15. Budapest

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RYANAIR has warned that holidaymakers flying to airports in 16 popular destinations should expect lengthy queues.

New entry rules have caused difficulty for passengers, with some missing flights and waiting hours in passport queues.

Millions of Brits heading on holiday this summer should expect huge queues in some of Europe‘s most popular airports.

Since the introduction of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) in April, passengers have had to wait hours in passport queues, struggle with broken machines, and even miss flights.

Months later, no self-service kiosks have been installed, meaning border staff have hit capacity and are unable to process high numbers of passengers.

EES is an automated IT system for registering non-EU holidaymakers travelling for a short stay, requiring checks each time they cross the border of Schengen region destinations.

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The move aimed to make border checks more efficient than when standard passport stamps are used, making border crossing easier and faster

Now, however, Europe‘s most popular airline, Ryanair, has asked for EES flexibility to be extended until 2028 to let airports operate efficiently before the full rollout begins.

Chief operations officer at Ryanair, Neal McMahon, said: “We support calls from EU Member States to urgently extend the EES flexibilities.

“This will give airports and border authorities the time to improve the infrastructure, fix the broken devices and hire more staff so that families can travel through Europe without disruption.”

The major airline has pointed out 16 airports that it calls “recurring EES hotspots”, which have consistently flagged excessive delays due to slow processing.

Locations, including Tenerife, Lanzarote, Alicante and Malaga, are all popular destinations for Brits in peak summer holiday season.

Major city break airports, such as Madrid, Krakow, Budapest, Berlin, and Paris Beavouis, have equally been impacted by the changes.

The listed destinations are not the only places impacted by queues – 150 passengers reportedly missed flights from Toulouse, France due to queues of up to 500 people, as well as 50 in a similar case from Athens.

Ryanair bosses have advised travellers to allow extra time on their journey and be prepared for extended waits when EES checks require passport scanning, fingerprint capture and facial image verification.

McMahon continued: “Families heading away for a well-earned summer holiday should be thinking about suitcases, suncream and sangria, not standing in passport queues for hours.

“The reality is that the EES system isn’t working properly and families are paying the price for a system that does not work months after launch. 

“Passengers should not be the testing ground for unfished border infrastructure.”

ANOTHER nine airports across Europe are at risk of massive queues this summer, Ryanair has warned.

The long wait times at airports are being caused by the rollout of the EES system, which now requires biometric checks from Britons.

Not only does this take longer, but slow, broken or even a lack of machines has seen passengers even miss their flights due to the long queue times at the airport.

Ryanair has already warned to expect longer queues at the following airports:

• Tenerife South
• Palma
• Alicante
• Malaga
• Milan Bergamo
• Krakow
• Paris Beauvais

But it has since warned of more airports that have already seen huge delays.

WORD OF WARNING

Ryanair travel warning to passengers flying to Europe this summer

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These include:

• Lisbon
• Lanzarote
• Madrid
• Milan Malpensa
• Verona
• Budapest
• Berlin
• Cologne
• Frankfurt Hahn

Ryanair is now calling for more flexibility from the EU to be extended to 2027, which allows countries to pause EES checks if there are high volumes of passengers.

The airline has said that not only do many airports still not have fully-functioning self-service kiosks, but they called border staffing and infrastructure “inadequate”.

Passengers are being advised to allow extra time to get through the airport, after some passengers waited more than three hours already.

And Rafael Schvartzman, vice-president for Europe at the International Air Transport Association (Iata) warned queue times could stretch to as much as six hours.

Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer, Neal McMahon, said: “Families heading away for a well-earned summer holiday should be thinking about suitcases, suncream and sangria, not standing in passport queues for hours.

“The reality is that the EES system isn’t working properly and families are paying the price for a system that does not work months after launch. 

“Passengers should not be the testing ground for unfished border infrastructure.”

Last month, 150 Ryanair passengers missed their flight from Toulouse, France to the UK due to queues of up to 500 people in the airport.

In another case, around 50 passengers returning home from Athens recently missed their flight as they were still queuing through the airport.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill recently also queued for three hours to get out of Lanzarote Airport.

Set to make travel easier for thousands of families, a new rule has been launched across 13 airports today (Wednesday, 8 July) – and in perfect time ahead of the summer holidays

Families going on holiday with children this summer can benefit from a new travel rule that has been launched across UK airports.

From today (Wednesday, 8 July), children aged eight or over will be able to use the eGates at 13 UK airports, offering a smoother journey home for families. Previously, the eGates were only available to travellers aged 10 and over, and those with younger children would need to join the family queue, which can take considerably longer.

Reducing the age limit is estimated to allow around 1.5 million additional children to pass through the electronic gates and other re-entry points far more quickly. While children can now be aged eight or over to use the eGates, they must also be at least 120cm (3ft 11in) tall, so they can be easily detected by the biometric scanners.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, said: “Today’s change will make journeys easier for families with small children and reduce the hassle of travelling home after a holiday. It will also free up more time for tourists to enjoy our fantastic country this summer and in the years ahead.”

Karen Dee, Chief Executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, also said it was a “welcome development”.

She commented: “It will give more families the ability to take advantage of this technology, speeding up the border process and reducing waiting times for many. Airports work very hard with border authorities to ensure the UK’s front door is both secure and welcoming, with those coming home and visiting enjoying a smooth experience.”

In perfect time ahead of the summer holidays, the change will affect 13 major UK airports. This includes:

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Cardiff
• East Midlands
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• London City
• London Gatwick
• London Heathrow
• London Luton
• London Stansted
• Manchester
• Newcastle

The eGates at airports, which form part of the government’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), scan passengers’ passports and are designed to streamline the entry process. Residents in Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, and the US will also benefit from the airport change.

Travel Insurance Expert at Confused.com, Tom Vaughan, commented on the eGates rule change for children. He said: “The minimum age for UK airport e-gates drops from ten to eight today, meaning up to 1.5 million more children could clear the border automatically instead of queuing at a staffed desk. This is great news for families travelling with young children. Anyone who’s queued at border control with tired kids will know it could mean shorter waits and a smoother end to the journey home.

“It’s also a sign of where things are heading. As facial recognition technology becomes more established, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the age threshold lowered further in the coming years. But whether or not your child can use an e-gate, the basics still apply: everyone in the family needs a valid, biometric passport to travel. It’s easy to overlook this among the excitement of planning a trip.“Our research shows that confusion around passport validity is still common, with less than half (43%) of holidaymakers aware that passports for EU travel must be issued within 10 years of departure. That’s a significant number of people who could turn up at the airport only to discover their passport isn’t valid, regardless of which gate they’re heading for. With summer getaways in full swing, it’s worth taking a few minutes to check every family member’s passport now. Our passport checker can help you spot any issues early, so the only thing slowing you down at the border is the length of the queue.”

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

The travel offcials have urged people to not risk stress and ask for help where needed

A UK airport has issued guidance for passengers set to travel very soon in a bid to help make the process less stressful.

Ahead of the busy summer travel season, officials at Manchester Airport have reminded passengers that those with non-visible disabilities can wear the Sunflower lanyard if they prefer not to disclose their condition or use the airport’s assistance service. The lanyard discreetly signals to staff that the wearer may need extra time, patience, or understanding while travelling through the airport.

Manchester Airport explains: “The Sunflower lanyard now offers access to all lanes at departure security, in addition to our Family and Assisted Travel lane.

“All channels at departure security offer next-generation security screening, offering a quicker, quieter and more customer-friendly process for all passengers. Security colleagues have hidden disability awareness training and will assist you with any questions that you may have while passing through the security process.”

If you’d like to pick up a lanyard at Manchester, you can collect one from the Assistance Reception areas in the Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 check-in halls on the day of your travel.

It says: “We will be happy to provide you with a lanyard, even if you feel you don’t need or haven’t booked assisted travel in advance. If you have a Sunflower lanyard already, you can use it if you wish. We are sorry, lanyards cannot be posted to you ahead of travel.”

What is the sunflower lanyard?

According to Hidden Disabilities Sunflower: “Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone, with a “non-visible” condition genuinely needs support.

“Some people question whether you have a disability because you don’t look ‘like you have a disability’.

“That is why we created the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower – to encourage inclusivity, acceptance and understanding. It is a simple tool for you to share that you have a hidden disability voluntarily.

“Simply by wearing the Sunflower, you’re just letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time.”

The Sunflower has been launched across Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Latin America, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, the UAE, and the USA. Find out where it is known near you using the Sunflower map.

RYANAIR has warned Brits of further travel chaos ahead of the school summer holidays, after passengers missed their flights home and have been left in massive queues at the border.

The budget airline has slammed the EU’s rollout of the new passport control Entry/Exit System (EES), claiming it is not ready for the school summer holidays travel period.

As a result, the airline is now calling on European governments to suspend EES, which started back in April.

The airline warned that seven airports are likely to be hit the worst having already experience problems – these are:

• Tenerife South
• Palma
• Alicante
• Malaga
• Milan Bergamo
• Krakow
• Paris Beauvais

Ryanair added that the system should be suspended until September – which marks the end of the busy summer period – to avoid travel chaos.

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Rafael Schvartzman, the vice-president for Europe at the International Air Transport Association (Iata) warned earlier this summer that queue times could stretch to as much as six hours.

It comes as some families have experienced lengthy delays at airports across Europe already this year, which has resulted in missed flights.

Last month, 150 Ryanair passengers missed their flight from Toulouse, France to the UK due to queues of up to 500 people in the airport.

In another case, around 50 passengers returning home from Athens recently missed their flight as they were still queuing through the airport.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill recently also queued for three hours to get out of Lanzarote Airport.

Ryanair is advising passengers to arrive at the airport earlier than usual to ensure they have enough time to get through the queues.

Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer, Neal McMahon said: “As schools break up and Europe enters the busiest travel period of the year, it is clear that EES is still not ready for peak summer volumes.

“Passengers and families should not be used as guinea pigs for a half-baked passport control system that risks creating long queues, missed flights and unnecessary stress at airports this summer.

“It is as simple as postponing EES until September, as other EU countries like Greece have already done.

“Ryanair calls on European Governments once again to delay the implementation to protect passengers, families and airport operations during the school holiday rush, instead of forcing holidaymakers to endure needless passport control chaos.”

Ryanair’s intervention comes after an open letter published online on Wednesday in which top representative bodies for Europe’s airports and airlines said that delays caused by EES had reached a “critical point”.

Ryanair has issued a warning to families travelling this summer.

The budget airline has lashed out at the EU’s passport control Entry/Exit System (EES), arguing that the system is not ready for the end-of-school-term travel period, when millions of families will travel across Europe for their summer holidays.

Ryanair has called on European governments to suspend the rollout of EES until September, when the busiest travel period has passed, to prevent passengers, many travelling with young families, from being forced to suffer long and avoidable passport control queues.

The airline’s intervention comes after an open letter published online on Wednesday in which top representative bodies for Europe’s airports and airlines said that delays caused by EES had reached a “critical point”.

“Passengers have already been forced to queue for extended periods outside terminal buildings and on exposed aprons because border control facilities cannot process arrivals quickly enough. Airlines face half-empty planes at gate closing time, while passengers are stuck in border control queues,” the statement from industry groups ACI Europe, which represents airports, Airlines 4 Europe and the International Air Transport Association, which represents airlines, read.

The group claimed some planes have had to delay takeoff while waiting for passengers and that queues are reaching up to five hours at peak times. Recently, The Mirror exclusively reported that huge passport and security queues at Athens Airport led to passengers missing their Ryanair flight – without the EES gates even being in operation.

Ryanair has warned passengers of the increased queues at passport control when travelling to non-Schengen destinations, and urged them arrive earlier at the airport.