airports

EASYJET is set to strike tomorrow at several major airports in a popular European country.

EasyJet flight crew will walk out of airports across Portugal from tomorrow, with flights expected to be cancelled.

The airports include Lisbon, Porto and Faro.

The strike will run from October 2 to 6 and has been called by the SNPVAC union, which the airline’s cabin crew in Portugal belongs to.

Overall, it is estimated that the strike over the coming days could ground around 500 flights which includes 35 to and from the UK.

This includes two return flights and one outbound flight from London Southend Airport.

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EasyJet operates from a number of UK airports including Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle, London Gatwick and London Luton.

The strike comes due to an ongoing dispute with the airline about pay, rostering and working conditions for cabin crew in Portugal.

Any travellers due to fly to or from Portugal during the strike dates are being advised to check their easyJet app or emails for updates.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese government has promised that there will be a minimum of one Lisbon to London and then London to Lisbon flight per day during the strike.

On the other hand, it appears that no UK flights to or from Faro or Porto remain protected.

The SNPVAC union has announced further walkouts later on in the year in December between 19–23.

A spokesperson for easyJet told Sun Travel: “We are extremely disappointed that the union representing our Portugal-based cabin crew has announced an industrial action from 2 to 6 October, despite our willingness to continue a constructive dialogue and reach an agreement to meet our employees’ requests and protect the sustainability of easyJet business in Portugal.

“We are sorry for the impact the unnecessary action will have on our customers and we are doing all we can to minimise disruption, including actioning some cancellations in advance to allow our customers to rearrange their travel plans.

“Customers whose flights are cancelled have been informed directly and offered options including a free transfer or a refund.

“We advise customers travelling to or from Portugal between 2 and 6 October to check the status of their flight via our Flight Tracker.”

The TikToker posted a side by side comparison of prices at a Greek airport, and many holidaymakers, despite visiting the country several times, didn’t know there was a ‘secret menu’ available

Holidays are an expensive business, especially if you plan to grab a coffee and a toastie at the airport. Even a bottle of water can set you back £2-3, which is a kick in the teeth when you’re delayed and stuck in a hot terminal.

So, when one TikToker posted the prices at a busy Greek airport, it inspired a flood of comments, but not for the reason you might think. The Greek holiday fan, who posts under the username @zantegeezer with videos about the party island, went to an outlet at the airport that sold the usual pre-departure fare, and one thing surprised his followers.

He started his video saying: “I always post this every time I come to the airport. There is a regulated menu. Basically it means Greek government enforce these very good value for money options.”

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He goes on to show the regulated menu, which includes inexpensive prices for coffee, tea, toasties, and water, all the basic airport staples. He then holds up the café menu, saying:

“That’s a normal menu. You see the price difference there? I mean, look at the proper espresso you get off the regular menu”. The cafés usual menu shows a single espresso costs €4.80, just over £4, but travellers who order it via the regulated menu can get it for €1.80, a more reasonable cost of around £1.53.

A filter coffee is listed as €4.70 on the normal menu, yet if customers were to order off the regulated menu they’d spend just €1.60, around £1.36. And the bargains don’t stop there. Bottled water, in 0.5 or 0.75 litre bottles can be bought for €0.60 or €0.90, around £0.51 and £0.77 respectively.

Hungry travellers can enjoy a toast with ham and cheese for €1.80, and if you’re dying for a cuppa before you get on the plane, a hot tea costs €1.60 on the regulated menu, or €4.00, about £3.43, if you order from the normal menu.

The TikToker finished by saying: “Just so you know, any airport in Greece you can get cheap stuff by law. Sort it out.” Regulated menus are also available in other locations across Greece in spots such as ports and ferries and places with a captive audience such as certain tourist sites.

However, there is a slight catch. The regulated prices only apply to basics such as water, coffee, and simple snacks like toasties, and only have to be offered on a takeaway basis, so the establishment isn’t under any obligation to let you use its tables. You’ll also generally be offered Greek brands, so don’t expect Volvic or San Pellegrino for the low price.

The video received many positive comments from people sick of rip-off airport prices. Over the summer, a number of airport prices came under scrutiny by fed-up travellers, from food costs to the hike in airport drop-off fees across major hubs.

Many shared their experiences with finding these cheaper deals. One said: “Santorini Airport only had €6.50 Evian water on display but they had the cheap Greek stuff when I asked.”, while another was unaware of these ‘secret menus’: “I didn’t know! Paid €4 for a bottle of water and € 7.90 for a sandwich at Zante airport!”

And there were plenty of calls for other countries to follow suit. “I need to call my representatives for the local and European Parliament. this has to be a European wide directive.”, said one. While another poster commented, “This is one of the best things about Greek airports. needs to be made Europe-wide”

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EASYJET flights are set to be disrupted across Portugal for five days due to strikes – and it starts this weekend.

Staff are staging walkouts which will see flights cancelled at airports in cities like Lisbon, Porto and Faro.

Members of the SNPVAC union, which the airline’s cabin crew in Portugal belongs to, has announced walkouts from October 2–6.

The union has estimated that the strike in October could ground around 500 scheduled flights overall.

Some UK flights have already been cancelled ahead of the strike action.

Two return flights and one outbound flight from Southend Airport have been cancelled.

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No flights from London Stansted Airport have been affected so far, according to reports.

From the UK, easyJet operates flights to Portugal from the likes of Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Gatwick, Luton, Southend, Manchester and Newcastle.

Passengers due to travel to or from Portugal during the strike dates are being advised to monitor communications from easyJet.

The Portuguese government has ensured that there will be a minimum of one Lisbon-London-Lisbon rotation per day during the strike.

No UK service from Faro or Porto appears on the protected list, and the order does not identify specifics when it comes to flights.

Anton Radchenko, aviation expert and CEO of AirAdvisor advised that “passengers should wait for a flight-specific decision and preserve the exact time of any cancellation notice.”

He added: “If easyJet cancels and they still need to travel, they should request rerouting at the earliest opportunity, including on another airline where that would reach the destination materially sooner, rather than automatically accepting a refund.”

It comes after cabin crew workers for easyJet previously held strikes in France between August 15 and 16.

Last month, easyJet pilots, again in France, staged a walkout across two days in September.

Members of the SNPL pilots’ union staged the strike over a pay dispute between September 13-14.

The SNPVAC union has announced further walkouts later on in the year in December between 19–23.

A spokesperson from the airline said: “We are extremely disappointed that SNPVAC is planning strike actions despite our willingness to continue a constructive dialogue.

“We had just started a conciliation process through the mediation of DGERT with the aim to reach an agreement to meet our employees’ requests and protect the sustainability of easyJet business in Portugal.

“The current union demands are unworkable especially given that our crew are already paid significantly above the Portuguese national average

“We are doing everything we can to minimize the impact of the strike on our customers including actioning some cancellations in advance to allow our customers to rearrange their travel plans.”

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

IT’S bad news if you are due to travel to a popular holiday hotspot tomorrow as flight chaos is expected across the country.

Air traffic controllers are due to strike across Italy tomorrow for four hours, which could send airports into chaos.

The strike will take place between 1pm and 5pm with the main airports expected to be impacted including Rome, Naples, Milan and Venice.

However, the strike is national meaning that ENAV – the company that runs Italian air traffic control – will walk out at all 33 Italian airports.

Under Italian laws, flights in the morning and evening are guaranteed to operate as usual.

These flights are between 7am and 10am and 6pm and 9pm.

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All connections to Italian islands also remain guaranteed.

So if you are able to move your flight, especially to the morning, then you’d be protected from a cancellation.

As a strike is outside of an airline’s control, you sadly won’t get any compensation.

But the airline does have a duty of care, which means they must provide you with food and water as well as book you into a hotel if you are stuck overnight.

Flights expected to be impacted tomorrow include a 12:30pm Wizz Air service from Milan to London Luton, a 2pm easyJet flight from Milan to London Gatwick and a 1:20pm easyJet flight from Rome to London Gatwick.

Passengers are being advised to check their flight status with their airline and airport before travelling.

There will be another strike on October 16, lasting 24 hours – but this time it will be easyJet flight crew walking out.

Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, and Sulaimaniyah airports suspend flights as US ramps up pressure on Iran’s aviation sector.

Four Iraqi airports have suspended all flights to and from Iran days after the United States announced new aviation sanctions on any global companies doing business with Iranian airlines.

It is the latest ramping up of sanctions since the US launched Operation Economic Outcast in August in an effort to isolate Iran from the global economy.

Iraqi state media said flights will no longer be operating from Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah airports.

Iraq was one of the top destinations for Iranian airlines, especially after Iraqi airlines stopped flying to Iran at the start of the US-Israel war on Iran in February.

Passengers travelling between Iran and Iraq will now be forced to make a land journey of at least 12 hours, depending on the destination.

Najaf airport

Iraq’s state news agency reported the suspension at Najaf international airport earlier on Friday.

Airport director Hussein Muhanna told the AFP news agency that “all flights were halted between Iran and Najaf airport following a directive from the prime minister’s office to the governor” of Najaf.

Iraq and neighbouring Iran are both Shia-majority countries, and flights to and from Najaf carry Iraqi Shia Muslim pilgrims to Iran’s holy cities or Iranians visiting sacred sites in Iraq.

In a post on X, the Iranian Consulate in Najaf responded to the suspension of flights to and from Iran, saying “Najaf international airport, the shrine of the first Imam of the Shia, and the capital of their last Imam, is closed to the largest Shia country in the world?!”

An Iraqi employee of an Iranian airline at Najaf airport told AFP Iranian carriers usually operate at least 20 daily flights, but after the suspension, only four flights to other destinations remained scheduled on Friday.

Several other regional countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have either cancelled or restricted flights to Iran to enforce US aviation sanctions.

That is despite the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council warning neighbouring nations against imposing a US flight ban.

Iranian airlines are now relying on a few reduced routes, including Turkiye, Russia, China and Armenia, to remain operational.

“We cannot say that Iran is totally cut off from air traffic, but shrunk considerably,” said Al Jazeera’s Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Tehran.

Reporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera’s Jack Hewson said Iraq’s central government has made no statement about the flight suspensions, likely because it “doesn’t want to antagonise” pro-Iranian factions in Iraq’s parliament.

Explaining the country’s decision to comply with the US move, Hewson said: “Companies providing ground services, like refuelling, baggage, it appears, are not willing to risk secondary sanctions and being frozen out of the international US dollar system.”

“Iraq’s in a very difficult position,” Hewson added. “It’s tied to the US, but it’s also tied to Iran. And at times like these, it’s squeezed between the two.”

VAPES could be seized in UK airports under a new rule that is coming into force next week.

As it stands, there is not a strict limit on how much e-liquid vapers can bring back with them from their holidays.

But come Thursday, October 1, that is set to change.

From next week, travellers coming into the UK will be limited to just 50ml of liquid, which equates to around five standard bottles of 10ml of juice.

Anyone arriving with over this amount must declare it and pay tax and duty.

Failure to do so, could see your goods confiscated and seized, according to government guidance.

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With that in mind, you can expect to pay an extra £2.20 on every extra 10ml brought into the UK.

It comes as Brits are set to be charged more for vaping as part of new rules also coming into force on October 1.

The change will see a flat rate of 22p per millilitre or £2.20 per 10ml on vaping liquid, regardless of how much nicotine it contains.

It means a single 10ml bottle of juice currently scanning for £3.99 will rise to £6.63 by next week.

Meanwhile, any three for £10 deals on 10m liquid will rise to £17.92.

The rise in e-liquid duty was first announced in the Spring Budget in 2024 but reconfirmed by former Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the Autumn Budget last year.

FAA halts East Coast flights due to equipment outage, affecting major US airports in New York, Newark, and Philadelphia.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has halted flights to several busy East Coast airports amid an equipment outage, snarling more than 1,000 flights.

On Monday, the FAA issued ground stops at large commercial airports, including New York’s John F Kennedy International (JFK) and LaGuardia; Newark Liberty International in New Jersey, as well as Boston Logan and Philadelphia International Airport.

The flights were halted on the day that 130 world leaders and dozens of ministers were arriving in New York for the annual high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on social media platform X that flights have resumed into New York’s LaGuardia and into Philadelphia, but that ground stops are still in effect at Newark, JFK, and Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The ground stop has also been lifted in Boston.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told reporters on Monday that it had “lost the primary circuit” at what is called Philadelphia TRACON, or Terminal Radar Approach Control, which controls air traffic into Philadelphia and airports across the busy northeast US airspace.

Bedford said that the backup fibre had a break and told reporters that it could take up to 13 hours to repair. He said the cut was between the city of New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Newark, New Jersey, which is home to Newark Liberty International Airport.

“An Amtrak construction crew accidentally cut into a fiber line in New Jersey which caused a telecom outage and forced FAA to pause flights in the Northeast,” Duffy said in a post on X.

Newark delays

At Newark alone, more than 1,000 flights had been delayed or cancelled. Throughout the US, there were nearly 4,000 delayed flights and 500 cancelled.

United Airlines said it would waive change fees for impacted travellers. Newark serves as a major hub for the airline.

“Flights that had been destined for Newark have either been held at their departure airport or diverted to alternative airports. Once the FAA outage is resolved, we will work to safely get our customers to their destinations and have issued a travel waiver to give our customers flexibility to manage their travel plans,” a representative for United Airlines said in a statement provided to Al Jazeera.

Newark has recorded the highest levels of delays and cancellations of any airport, according to FlightAware, which tracks flight disruptions in real time. As of 3pm Eastern Time in the US (19:00 GMT), 31 percent of departing flights from Newark had been cancelled, along with 29 percent of inbound flights. Meanwhile, 17 percent of departing flights from the United hub had been delayed, as had 17 percent of inbound flights.

A ground stop was also issued at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, a private airport neighbouring New York City.

Hundreds of flights have been delayed at major airports in the US after construction workers accidentally cut a cable needed for air traffic control.

Ground stops and delays were issued on Monday afternoon for airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Hours later, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the cable had been repaired and airports would resume normal operations, though delays were still expected.

The major east coast disruption came ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City on Tuesday, which is expected to be attended by scores of world leaders arriving into New York-area airports.

That includes UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who managed to board his flight before the delays began and was expected to arrive on time.

The delays happened after the damaged cable impacted the Terminal Radar Approach Control system, which is used to guide planes during takeoff and landing, transport officials said.

New Jersey public transportation agency NJ Transit told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that its construction workers had accidentally severed the line and that markers had been wrongly placed at the digging site.

The BBC has reached out to NJ Transit for comment.

Duffy earlier said the damage was caused by workers from Amtrak, the US national operator of intercity railroad service, who were doing the construction work. This “caused a telecom outage” which forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground flights, Duffy posted on X.

An Amtrak spokesperson said in a statement, reported by US media, that the incident involved a NJ Transit contractor. Telecommunications company Verizon, which owns the cable, also said it was not responsible.

The severed cable was actually a backup network, and the error was only discovered after the primary circuit failed, according to the head of the FAA, Bryan Bedford.

Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey – one of the three major airports that services New York City – was the most heavily impacted by today’s air traffic control disruptions, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.

It reported that 267 departing flights were delayed today, while a further 257 flights destined for Newark were also delayed.

John F Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, both in New York, were also affected, as was Philadelphia International Airport.

One passenger, Douglas Tewnion, said he boarded a flight to New York from Edinburgh and that his plane had been diverted to Boston, Massachusetts instead.

He told the BBC that, two hours after his flight was due into New York, he and the other passengers were still “sitting on the same plane, on the tarmac at Boston with no information”.

Though “everyone is in good spirits”, Tewnion said “it’s just a pain” to see two more hours waiting added onto a lengthy flight.

Additional reporting by Ione Wells

ONE airline has announced it is axing all flights from three UK airports next year.

It cited “high fuel costs” and “changing consumer demand” for the cancellations.

Turkish carrier Corendon Airlines will reduce its schedule for next summer which includes cutting the UK airports it serves from six to three.

It will stop flying to Antalya from Gatwick, Birmingham and Newcastle in 2027.

The airline increased its offerings with additional flights from the UK just last year.

Despite the reduction, Corendon Airlines will still fly to Antalya twice-weekly from Glasgow with three flights a week from both Manchester and London Stansted.

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The airline confirmed it will take a “disciplined approach to capacity for 2027 following a year shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, high fuel costs and changing consumer demand”.

UK country manager Matthew Carpenter said: “In response to a difficult trading year owing to the impact of the Iran conflict, we’ve therefore decided to reduce the number of UK airports we serve. 

“We have also decided to end some aircraft agreements, with a consequent reduction in the overall fleet, which has a natural impact on our UK schedule and capacity.

“This is a short-term reaction and we plan to review the trading conditions again in January and hope to re-introduce flights to Birmingham, Newcastle and Gatwick as soon as oil prices stabilise and trading conditions improve.”  

Corendon Airlines will continue flying to Crete from both London Gatwick and Manchester Airport.

The airline was first formed in 2004, and launched its first flight one year later.

In 2025, Corendon Airlines reportedly carried 10 million passengers a year across Europe.

A GROWING number of UK airports are facing delays and cancellations following another air traffic control failure.

This comes just a fortnight after a major outage left thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the UK.

London Gatwick, Glasgow Airport and Belfast International Airport are amongst airports currently seeing disruptions.

Earlier this morning, it was reported that an issue with National Air Traffic Services (NATS) was affecting airspace in the north of England and Scotland.

NATS has stressed that the issue is unrelated to the major air traffic control outage that saw over 500,000 passengers stranded.

Belfast International Airport has confirmed on its website that it is experiencing NATS-related delays, saying: “We are currently experiencing some delays to flights due to a NATS air traffic control issue.”

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Passengers who do not have a confirmed flight have been instructed to not travel to the airport.

Glasgow Airport has also issued a statement on its website about the delays, saying: “A technical issue affecting NATS air traffic control services at the Prestwick Centre is causing disruption to some flight departures and arrivals.

“As a result, some services operating to and from our airports are experiencing delays, primarily at Glasgow Airport, and further disruption is expected due to the knock-on impact across the network.”

London City Airport said on X: “We are experiencing some disruption due to an issue at @NATS Prestwick.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and working with NATS as they resolve the issue.“

It also told passengers to check with their airline to find out the latest flight information.

Both London Gatwick and Stansted are “operating as normal”, the airports have confirmed, but a handful of departing flights may be delayed.

After over an hour of fixing delays, NATS has now confirmed the issue at its Prestwick centre in Scotland is now fixed.

The air traffic control firm has apologised for today’s flight disruption and said it is working with airports and airlines to “minimise any further disruption”.

Transport Secretary also commented on the incident, calling the disruptions “deeply frustrating” and warning passengers of “some delays”.

THE under fire boss of air traffic control has been told he “must quit” after a number of UK airports were hit with delays following another technical glitch.

Thousands of passengers saw their flights disrupted after an issue with the National Air Traffic Services [Nats] affected airspace in the north of England and in Scotland.

Holidaymakers are facing lengthy delays after the issue which began at Nats’ Prestwick centre in Scotland.

Airports in Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester were registering delayed flights and urged passengers to check with their airlines while Luton Airport said domestic flights had been disrupted.

Nats has stressed that the issue was unrelated to a massive outage that saw hundreds of flights cancelled just two weeks ago.

In a statement on the most recent air traffic control outage, a Nats spokesperson confirmed the issue was now fixed – but disruption is still on the cards for many holidaymakers.

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But calls for Nats chief Martin Rolfe to resign have intensified after the latest debacle.

The 51-year-old senior executive of National Air Traffic Services was paid £1.5 million, including £871,000 in bonuses, last year and has already faced questions over his future.

The executive has previously been accused of overseeing a “litany of failures” during his time as CEO of the UK’s air traffic control services.

At least 200 flights departing or arriving into the UK have been cancelled so far today, aviation analytics company Cirium has said.

Ryanair has said more than 25,000 of its passengers are expected to be disrupted after the latest air traffic control incident and called for Rolfe to resign.

Chief operations officer Neal McMahon said: “Just three days after Nats assured airlines and passengers that it had introduced robust ‘mitigation plans’, its flight data processing system has failed again.

“More than 25,000 Ryanair passengers have already suffered disruption, with over 140 Ryanair flights delayed, yet Nats still cannot tell passengers when this disruption will end.

He added: “Rolfe has presided over repeated system failures, repeated passenger disruption and repeated failures to deliver an effective back-up system.

“Enough is enough. Martin Rolfe should resign today.”

Easyjet said in a statement: “A NATS Air Traffic Control system failure in its Prestwick Centre is causing delays to flights with some unable to operate.

“This, once again, calls into question the resilience of NATS’ systems and demonstrates the need for firm actions to prevent these repeated failures.

“We will do all we can minimise the impact of this for our customers and advise anyone due to fly today to check our flight tracker for the latest information.”

The airline said the latest disruption “calls into question the resilience of Nats’ systems.”

The firm said earlier this morning that engineers were working to resolve the issue but that regulations had been imposed to “maintain safety.”

And, British Airways said it is “disappointing” that some customers may experience disruption after “yet another technical fault with Nats”.

A spokesperson for the airline said: “Yet another technical fault with Nats means some of our customers are likely to experience disruption to their travel plans today.

“This is disappointing and whilst it is an issue that is entirely out of our control, we’re doing everything we can to limit the impact on customers and are keeping them updated.”

A Nats statement this afternoon read: “The issue in our Prestwick centre is now fixed. We are working with airports and airlines to safely lift air traffic regulations as quickly as we can to minimise any further disruption.

“Passengers should still check the status of their flight with their airline.

“We apologise for the disruption.”

Passengers tpoday are being advised to check with their airline for information on their flights.

Holidaymakers at Glasgow airport were reportedly been left waiting on the tarmac for hours amid the delays.

Meanwhile, Luton Airport said domestic flights had been disrupted by the air traffic control issue.

And several flights at Manchester Airport have been delayed with passengers warned to expect further disruption.

However, most airports south of Manchester are broadly unaffected by the issue but flights travelling north may be subject to some delays, Nats said.

British Airways and Easyjet have issued messages to passengers hoping to travel today, warning them that some delays are expected.

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited has said flights are being disrupted across all of the airports it operates.

Meanwhile, Belfast International Airport said it is experiencing some delays amid the air traffic control issue.

Passengers and airlines “deserve better”, an aviation industry body has said after the second air traffic control issue within two weeks.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: “The UK’s ATC (air traffic control) system is critical national infrastructure and it must be resilient enough to keep people moving.

“Passengers and airlines deserve better and the independent CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) report, together with the forthcoming Civil Aviation Bill, must address the underlying weaknesses in the system so that these failures stop happening.”

The previous Nats failure affected thousands of passengers with many stuck abroad amid the chaos.

Nats announced that a “technical issue” with its “flight processing system” had caused the widespread travel chaos just two weeks ago.

A majority of the UK’s biggest airports were brought to a standstill by the failure, which is understood to have been caused by a software error.

It led to calls for Nats chief Martin Rolfe to resign with furious airline executives blaming him for the failure.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander previously demanded Rolfe launch a rapid review into the chaos last week and said that she did not believe the most recent air traffic control issue was “unavoidable.”

He previously faced turbulence in 2023 when he oversaw his first failure in air traffic control, which affected more than 250,000 passengers.

The August bank holiday failure was sparked when a small piece of incorrect data set off a mass system failure lasting just a few hours.

Jet2 passengers with flights before midday can check-in and drop off their luggage during a four-and-a-half hour window the day before their trip at 12 UK airports

Jet2 has confirmed a rule allowing passengers with flights before midday to check-in and drop off their luggage a day earlier.

Passengers usually have to arrive at their departure airport at least two hours before their flight and queue at check-in desks to get boarding passes before dropping off luggage.

However, Jet2 offers a twilight check-in service at 12 airports across the UK which allows passengers to bypass this process the night before, making morning departures less stressful.

Not only can passengers save valuable time on the day of their flight, they can also avoid having to wait in long check-in queues to drop off bags.

Jet2’s twilight check-in service is only available to passengers with flights due to depart before midday at the 12 airports listed below.

If you have an eligible flight, you can use the free twilight service within a four and a half hour window the evening before your morning flight and drop your bags off between 4.30pm and 9pm.

Passengers must also check-in for flights online any time from 28 days and no later than 24 hours before their flight via Jet2’s website or app.

Explaining how the service works, Jet2 said: “Check in online. You need to do this no later than 24 hours before your flight, but to make sure you don’t miss out, we recommend you check in as soon as online check-in opens, 28 days before you travel.

“Drop your bags at the airport. One person in your party can drop off up to six people’s bags. Simply take your luggage to the airport between 16:30-21:00 the evening before your flight. Don’t forget your boarding passes and passports!

“Sail straight through to security. On the morning of your flight, bypass check-in and head to security. Relax and enjoy your getaway!”

UK airports where Jet2’s twilight check-in is available

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• East Midlands
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow International
• Leeds Bradford
• Liverpool
• London Gatwick
• London Luton
• London Stansted
• Manchester
• Newcastle

POWER banks are an essential when it comes to travel – but there are strict rules in place for them.

Most know the main ones – like it cannot be used inflight – but here’s one some of you might not know about which could see it taken off you before boarding.

Most airlines allow power banks up to 100Wh without special approval onboard.

But anything over that, without the say-so from the airline, and they could be confiscated for being too big and some countries being particularly strict.

The Wh – which translates to watt-hours – should be printed on the label of your power bank and if travelling on most planes it needs to be under 100Wh or less.

In places like China and Japan, some passengers have had their large power banks taken off them.

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Someone on Reddit explained: “Accidentally brought a power bank that was larger than 100 watt-hour on my international trip.

“It passed US TSA as under 100, clocked 106 and 136 watt-hour in two airports in China and refused on board as over 180Wh at Guangzhou International Airport.”

Rules are strict in Japan too with Japan Airlines currently allowing two power banks with 160Wh or less in hand luggage – but that is going down to 100Wh from January 2027.

A lot have warned that the label with the Wh must be clear or risk it being taken off you as well.

Someone else said: “It is the label that matters and if you have old ones that is too faint, it is almost foregone conclusion that it will be taken.

“Friends encountered in Korea and China recently where their older power banks were taken as it wasn’t clear enough.”

For those travelling to China, there is another requirement and this is that all power banks must be marked clearly with the mark ‘CCC’.

The 3C mark is a China Compulsory Certification and the power banks must also be 100Wh or under for all flights.

Any power banks over 160Wh require airline approval – and anything over that is banned.

Most airlines will also only allow one power bank onboard – but check prior to flying as some do allow two.

Power banks must be stored in hand luggage during a flight but not used while in the air as the lithium battery inside is a fire risk – and storing them in the wrong way can cause huge disruption.

In May of this year, an easyJet flight travelling from Egypt to the UK was forced to divert to Rome after a passenger revealed they had left a phone connected and charging via a power bank in their checked luggage

In July last year, a power bank caught fire on a Bangkok Airways flight from Samui to Hong Kong.

HUNDREDS of thousands of British holidaymakers have faced travel misery this week after a massive air traffic control meltdown left them stranded.

A technical glitch on Tuesday (September 8) triggered chaos at major hubs across the country, leading to the cancellation of more than 2,000 flights arriving or departing the UK.

With the weekend fast approaching, families are wondering: “Will my holiday still go ahead, and who is footing the bill?”

Here is everything you need to know about the current travel situation, why flights have still been grounded, and what aviation bosses are saying.

Will flights be back to normal by the weekend?

The good news for weekend travellers is that the disruption has significantly eased.

Aviation analytics company Cirium confirmed that cancellations are slowing down, with schedules expected to return to normal later today (September 10).

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PLANE CHAOS

Thousands more passengers affected as dozens of flights grounded at UK airports

While 399 flights were cancelled or did not fly on Wednesday, only a “handful” of flights have faced the axe today.

Provided there are no further technical hiccups, weekend flight schedules should run as planned.

Why are airports still cancelling trips?

Even when an air traffic control system is fixed, the aviation network takes time to recover.

Tuesday’s four-hour outage meant that by Wednesday, planes and flight crews were stuck in the wrong locations across the globe.

This creates a “knock-on” effect that airlines have to untangle before schedules can get back on track.

London Heathrow was the worst affected airport on Wednesday, with 79 out of 666 departure flights disrupted.

British Airways (BA) took the biggest hit among airlines, seeing 88 of its 507 scheduled departures affected.

What are airlines and airports saying?

Airlines are furious about the disruption.

BA said it was “sorry” to its customers, but stressed the meltdown was “out of our control”.

Taking a swipe at air traffic bosses, a BA spokesperson said: “Our customers and colleagues are tired of dealing with these issues, time after time. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

Meanwhile, Heathrow has assured passengers that it is working with airlines to ensure the majority of flights operate normally.

But the west London hub advised all passengers to double-check with their airline for the latest information before travelling to the airport.

Will I get compensation?

If your flight was cancelled or delayed due to the outage, you’re unlikely to see a payout.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said that the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) meltdown is considered an “extraordinary circumstance”.

Under passenger rights rules, this means airlines do not legally have to pay out compensation for delays or cancellations caused by the incident.

But airlines are still legally required to “look after” passengers, meaning they must provide food, drink, and overnight accommodation if you’re severely delayed or rebooked onto a flight the next day.

Who is to blame?

NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe is facing mounting pressure to resign over the fiasco, with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary branding Rolfe’s position as “untenable”.

Despite the backlash, Downing Street has said it still has confidence in Rolfe, who stated he takes “full responsibility” for the outage.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed the outage was due to a technical issue at NATS’ Swanwick site, ruling out a cyberattack.

She told MPs she did not believe the issue was “unavoidable” and ordered the CAA to conduct an independent, six-month review into what went wrong.

Travel experts say people are confused and think they only need a passport

Thousands of UK holidaymakers are being stopped at international borders and refused entry due to confusion around visas, permits, and entry requirements, new figures have shown/ Data obtained by Confused.com found that more than 2,800 British travellers were refused entry at the US and Australian borders between 2023 and 2025. ^{2,836 Brits were denied entry across the two countries over the three-year period. More were turned away in 2025 alone (1,607) than in the 2 previous years combined (1,229).}

In the US, the 2,533 refusals related to visa or travel-documentation requirements under the visa waiver programme (VWP). In Australia, 303 Brits were refused immigration clearance between 2023 and 2025.

The US figures show a sharp rise in recent years, more than tripling from 424 refusals in 2024. Of the 2,533 Brits turned away, men made up more than two-thirds (1,745), while 18–35-year-olds were the largest age group (1,498). Nearly 100 under-18s were also refused.

Incorrect documentation was behind over half of UK refusals at the Australian border. While some destinations now offer visa-free access, many still require certain permits or specific documentation to be allowed in the country.

Travellers often assume they can rely solely on their passport or arrange permits upon arrival, when in reality, permits can take time to process or come with additional costs. This leaves them at risk of being turned away at the border.

Further research suggests the problem is part of a broader lack of awareness and confidence among travellers. Half say they aren’t confident which countries require a tourist visa for entry and 54% say the visa application process is too complicated or confusing.

Over half of travellers cite visa fees as a deterrent.

Confused.com has launched a new visa checker tool, designed to help UK travellers quickly understand the entry requirements for their destination before they travel.

Tom Vaughan, travel insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “Being turned away at border control is something no traveller expects, but it’s a real risk if you’re unsure about the entry requirements for your destination. Visa rules can be complex and vary between countries, so even small mistakes can result in people being refused entry and losing out on their holiday.

“And it’s worth knowing that if you’re refused entry, it may not be covered by standard travel insurance. Insurers may treat refusals as a preventable risk rather than an unforeseen emergency. This means you could be left to bear the cost of return flights and non-refundable bookings yourself.”

He added: “Visas are just one part of getting ready for a trip. Travellers should also check their passport validity, make sure they have appropriate travel insurance and understand what it does and doesn’t cover, and keep important documents and emergency contacts easily accessible to avoid any last-minute issues.”

Destinations with visa requirements

European Union

• Requirement: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) permit required for short stays (up to 90 days in a 180-day period).
• Cost: €20 application fee (exempt for under 18s and over 70s).

United States of America

• Requirement: Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) under the Visa Waiver Program.
• Cost: $40 USD.

Australia

• Requirement: eVisitor visa or Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), valid for stays up to 3 months.
• Cost: Free eVisitor visa, or a service fee of $20 AUD if applying via the ETA app.

China

• Requirement: Temporary visa-free entry allowed for short stays under a policy running until December 2026.
• Cost: N/A (Free during the temporary policy window).

India

• Requirement: e-Visa or regular paper tourist visa (passport must be stamped upon arrival).
• Cost: £25–£80 for an e-Visa (depending on duration); approximately £127 for a standard paper tourist visa.

Pakistan

• Requirement: Tourist visa required prior to arrival; Intent to travel must be submitted at least 24 hours before departure to obtain a Visa Grant Notice.
• Cost: Varies by visa type and duration (processing takes 7–10 business days).

Kenya

• Requirement: Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) applied for online in advance (recommended at least 2 weeks prior to departure).
• Cost: Approximately £16.