The airport states on the website: “Naples Airport will be closed in November 2026 for extensive and planned runway upgrades, in compliance with stringent industry regulations and in line with GESAC’s priority commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards.”
The decision to close in November was due to this being the quietest month for the airport.
EasyJet currently operates flights to Naples from London Gatwick, while Ryanair has flights from Manchester, London Stansted and Edinburgh.
Passengers heading to Naples will instead fly to Salerno-Pontecagnano Airport.
Naples Airport will instead offer a shuttle bus from the other airportCredit: AlamyIt will reopen on November 30Credit: Getty
A shuttle bus will then operate from the airport instead, costing €12 (£10).
Otherwise the train from Salerno to Naples Central is a cheaper option for £5 each way.
European diplomats have refused to stand for an official photo with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the US, leading to the American hosts cancelling the planned picture.
Two officials confirmed to the BBC the cancellation of the so-called family photo scheduled for Friday morning, which would usually include representatives from all the nations in attendance.
The meeting, which gathers top diplomats from the world’s biggest economies, is being hosted in Atlanta by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ukraine is not not a G20 member but has been invited to similar meetings in recent years. However, Ukraine was not invited to this meeting.
Relations between Ukraine and the US have been particularly tense this month, with a diplomatic standoff between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump over Kyiv’s strikes on oil infrastructure within Russia.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband is present and a diplomatic source confirmed the UK was among the countries which refused to participate in the picture.
One British official said: “The UK has a longstanding policy not to have direct, bilateral engagement with Russian ministers since the invasion of Ukraine and we are not about to change that”.
A US official said the photo was cancelled “after it became clear some of the delegations were unwilling to participate in a joint photo”.
“Rather than allow a ceremonial photo opportunity to become a diplomatic distraction, the US decided to forgo the photo and keep the focus on the substantive discussions,” the official said.
In contrast to Ukraine, relations between the US and Russia appear to have partially thawed in recent weeks, as Trump waived some sanctions and agreed a deal to import Russian diesel for the American market.
The move comes as Trump attempts to lower fuel prices in the US ahead of mid-term elections at the start of November, after months spent grappling with the political consequences of the Iran war.
Ukraine and its European allies have heavily criticised Trump’s deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky called it “a gift” to Putin that amounts to “an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged”.
Putin has said Russia, which introduced a ban on diesel exports earlier this year, is willing to supply both the US and global markets with oil and petroleum products.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and currently controls approximately a fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Moscow has in recent weeks intensified its deadly missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
A NUMBER of major train services that head to the country’s biggest airport are currently suspended due to an incident.
Emergency services are dealing with an incident resulting in several rail lines that head to Heathrow Airport being closed.
A number of rail services that head to Heathrow Airport have been suspendedCredit: PA:Press Association
The disruption is currently impacting the Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express, and Great Western Railway services, with all lines between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals and Reading closed.
Elizabeth Line customers are being advised to use bus connections between Hanwell and West Ealing, towards Ealing Broadway or Southall.
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National Rail is also advising passengers that the disruptions could continue until at least 12pm.
It comes as a casualty was reported on the tracks shortly before 8am.
Tickets are currently being accepted on London Underground, London Buses, Southwestern, Thameslink, DLR, South Western Railways and Chiltern Railway services.
If travelling from central London, the Piccadilly Line is still running so the London Underground is an option.
Services include the Elizabeth Line and the Heathrow ExpressCredit: Alamy
Though, to be on the safe side, travellers should allow extra time to get to the airport.
National Rail’s website currently states: “The emergency services are currently dealing with an incident between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminals / Reading.
“So that they can safely carry out their work, some lines have been closed.
“Trains operating between these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised as a result.
“Major disruption is expected until 12:00.”
Meanwhile, there are also disruptions between Weybridge and Surbiton.
South Western Railway has stated on X: “A speed restriction over defective track is affecting the railway between Weybridge and Surbiton.
“Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised because of this problem.”
The U.S. Air Force has handed Lockheed Martin a $694 million contract for the production of AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic missiles. In 2023, the service had moved to cancel ARRW, which had been in line to be the U.S. military’s first operational hypersonic weapon. At the time, we had reservations about the service’s intent and speculated the missile could make a major comeback or continue development in a classified setting. The program has since made an incredible turnaround, and there are already plans for another variant that will be able to use an all-new seeker to hit moving targets, including enemy warships.
The ARRW contract was awarded on September 29, but only announced today. It is not immediately clear how many missiles are to be built under this deal or when the Air Force expects to start taking delivery of them. The Air Force has previously disclosed plans to integrate the missiles onto its B-52 and B-1 bombers. Other aircraft with sufficiently large payload capacities and physical space to carry outsized stores could potentially carry AGM-183As, or variants thereof, in the future.
A B-1 bomber seen carrying an ARRW missile, or a relevant test article, on an external pylon during a flight test. USAF capture
“The contract was executed under the Department of War’s Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition Contract to modernize America’s Arsenal of Freedom,” according to an Air Force press release. “This milestone marks the formal transition of the boost-glide hypersonic missile program from prototyping and flight testing into production, solidifying the Air Force’s commitment to fielding standoff, high-speed strike options.”
As noted here, the AGM-183A is a so-called boost-glide vehicle-type hypersonic weapon, which uses a rocket booster to bring it first to an optimal speed and altitude. The nose cone on ARRW then breaks away, and a wedge-shaped unpowered boost-glide vehicle concealed within is released.
A rendering depicting an ARRW hypersonic missile’s nose cone breaking away to reveal the unpowered boost-glide vehicle inside. Lockheed Martin
The vehicle then glides to its target along a relatively shallow flight path within the Earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speed, defined as anything above Mach 5. It is capable of maneuvering along the way, sometimes erratically. The mix of speed, flight trajectory, and maneuverability creates significant challenges for opponents in terms of spotting and tracking the glide vehicle, let alone attempting to intercept it. As a result, hypersonic weapons of this type offer particular benefits for piercing enemy air defenses to very rapidly strike time-sensitive and otherwise high-value targets.
The ARRW production contract “is a turning point in our advanced weapons roadmap,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said in a statement accompanying today’s release. “By moving ARRW from test to production, we’re providing our combatant commanders with a credible, high-speed strike weapon capable of penetrating the most advanced anti-access and area-denial systems.”
“Fielding ARRW enhances our ability to hold targets at risk anywhere around the world,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said in his own statement. “This hypersonic weapon provides the Joint Force a flexible and rapid response option for highly contested environments.”
A graphic offering a very general comparison of the typical flight trajectories of hypersonic boost-glide vehicle weapons and air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles, as well as aeroballistic (or quasi-ballistic) missiles and traditional ballistic missiles. GAO
There had already been steady signs in recent years that ARRW’s fortunes were changing and that it had not actually been axed, despite the Air Force’s stated plans to do so. The Air Force’s 2026 Fiscal Year budget request last year confirmed that the service had fully rebooted the program and was seeking new funding to procure actual missiles.
The service’s 2027 Fiscal Year budget request, released earlier this year, revealed further plans “to begin [ARRW] INC 2 [Increment 2] technology efforts such as but not limited to integrating pre-planned product improvements, design, trade studies, hardware upgrades, facilitization, affordability initiatives, and testing.”
A live AGM-183A ARRW missile seen under the wing of a B-52 bomber at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam ahead of a test in 2024. USAF
A request for $296 million would support “the design, test, and evaluation of Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) Increment 2 with terminal seeker and data link capability and other cost reduction production initiatives into ARRW,” those same documents added.
In general, the U.S. Air Force has historically framed hypersonic weapons, including ARRW and HACM, as being especially critical for success in future conflicts, especially high-end fights, such as one in the Pacific against China. This was underscored by the launch of an AGM-183A with a live warhead from a B-52 flying from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam in 2024. The future anti-ship variant could be even more relevant in a Pacific context.
“…the Guam test sent clear signals to China. The Air Force has made no secret of how important it views the development and fielding of hypersonic weapons as part of larger preparations for a potential future high-end fight against the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the Pacific. This is further underscored by the fact that the mention of the ‘terminal seeker and data link capability’ for Increment 2 of ARRW is actually contained in the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) section of the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request.”
A rare look at an ARRW shortly after launch, from a test in 2021. USAF A low-quality image of an ARRW after launch during a previous live-fire flight test. USAF
“In the context of a major conflict in the Pacific, there would also be a very high demand for prompt, long-range anti-ship capability. The ability to conduct those strikes even in the face of dense anti-air defenses would be even more attractive for engaging very high-value vessels, such as China’s growing fleets of aircraft carriers or big deck amphibious assault ships. The PLA Navy’s (PLAN) combat fleets, overall, continue to grow in scale and scope at a prodigious rate, as well. This, in turn, has put additional emphasis on the development and fielding of new and improved anti-ship capabilities that can be air-launched, as well as employed from the maritime and ground domains, across the U.S. military in recent years. Increment 2 ARRWs could also offer another means to strike mobile, high-value targets on land, such as ballistic missile transporter-erector-launchers.”
China’s aircraft carriers Shandong, at left, and Liaoning, at right, sail together, along with various escorts, as elements of their air wings fly overhead, in 2024. Chinese state media
If nothing else, after moving to cancel the ARRW three years ago, the Air Force has now fully reversed course and has placed its first order for production examples of this hypersonic missile.
The Night Riviera Sleeper from London to Penzance will depart from London Euston instead.
And passengers heading to London Heathrow have been warned as well.
Heathrow Express trains and the Elizabeth line will also not be operating from London Paddington.
The closure is due to huge £28million upgrade plans, which will affect other routes for the rest of the year.
The train operator warns: “Journey times to and from London will be considerably extended
“Passengers are strongly advised to check their journey before travelling, especially when travelling later in the day, to ensure that their whole journey is still possible.”
London Paddington is closing for an entire weekend next monthCredit: AlamyNo trains will operate from the stationCredit: Alamy
GWR Operations Director Richard Rowland added: “Although trains won’t run into London Paddington for a short period, we’ve worked closely with Network Rail and our industry partners to put alternative routes in place, including GWR services from London Euston, and connections via Waterloo and Marylebone.
“This does however mean some journeys may take longer than usual; so we ask anyone travelling to or from London during this period to plan ahead and check before they travel.”
It isn’t the only train station set to undergo huge works in the next few months.
No trains will be running at Birmingham New Street from December 24 to 28 while the station undergoes a £13million upgrade.
The work will take four months and see the airport shut over the festive period with local authorities and business owners urging the for the dates of the work to be changed
Chios Airport will be shut for four months for the upgrade
A Greek airport will close for four months as major runway upgrades are completed.
Chios Island National Airport in Greece will close between November 15, 2026 and March 15, 2027 for the work to take place.
The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority say the project will extend the runway to 1,799 metres to accommodate larger aircraft ahead of the 2027 tourist season.
The work will see all commercial flights canceled. Emergency operations, including medical evacuations and search and rescue flights, however, will continue using helicopters operating from the parking apron.
As well as extending the runway to the north, the upgrades will also see an overall improvement of the airport’s operational infrastructure.
Originally the work was expected to take five months but it is now scheduled to only take four.
The plans have been strongly objected to by local authorities and business leaders, who see the winter closure as ‘economic strangulation’ for the small island.
They have come up with an alternative timeline that allows the airport to remain open during the Christmas and New Year Holiday.
The mayor of Chios, Giannis Malafis, said it was crucial the island’s airport remained open during the festive period.
He insisted that any decision on the future of the project should be taken in consultation with local bodies and Chios society.
Island representatives are still seeking clear answers on the duration of the shutdown and how this is expected to impact the local economy.
The contractor has pledged to make every effort to speed up the works, with the aim of getting the project done by 28 February.
However, this does not make any difference to the holiday season that is creating concerns for locals.
The HCAA notes that its goal is to limit the runway closure to the shortest possible period.
Just six months after the first Jet2 service from Manchester to La Palma in the Canary Islands took off, the airline has scrapped the route due to a lack of demand
Jet2 is binning the route(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Jet2 has cancelled all flights to a popular Spanish island.
Just six months after the first Jet2 service from Manchester to La Palma in the Canary Islands took off, the airline has scrapped the route. Jet2 has been running two weekly services on Monday and Friday for the four-and-a-half-hour journey since April 3.
The airline had planned to launch budget Friday flights to the island from London Stansted on 6 November, but that has now been abandoned. The decision to end the route is due to a lack of customer demand. The last flight between Manchester and La Palma is expected to leave on 30 October.
At the time, Stephen Turner, chief commercial officer at Manchester Airport, said: “We’re proud to connect people in the North with the places they want to fly to, and the Canary Islands is among the most popular holiday destinations for sunseekers travelling from Manchester. That’s why it’s great to see Jet2 adding a fifth destination in this part of the world to its route network here at Manchester.”
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An airline spokesperson confirmed that affected customers would be contacted directly and offered the choice to rebook or receive a full refund. They explained that the decision followed a programme review and assessment of customer demand. As the route concludes on 30 October, most passengers with bookings during the October half-term should remain unaffected.
A spokesperson for Jet2 said: “As a customer-focused business, we continually review our programme in response to what our customers want, and we will make adjustments where required. This gives us the ability to add flights and holidays in response to demand, and very occasionally we may withdraw them too. Following this latest review, we have taken the difficult decision to withdraw flights and holidays to La Palma.
“Where customers are affected, we will contact them or their independent travel agent to let them know their options, which include rebooking another holiday or receiving a full refund. We would of course like to apologise to affected customers, however with a fantastic programme of services to a huge range of destinations, we are offering superb choice when it comes to rebooking their holidays with us.”
TUI is now the only airline running direct flights from the UK to La Palma.
La Palma is the greenest and quietest of the Canary Islands, nicknamed “La Isla Bonita”. It’s popular with walkers and stargazers rather than beach holidaymakers. Volcanic landscapes, banana plantations and lush laurel forests surround the Caldera de Taburiente, a huge crater with excellent hiking trails. The Roque de los Muchachos observatory sits among some of the clearest skies in Europe, and the island is a certified Starlight Reserve. Beaches are mostly black sand. The capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma, has colourful colonial balconies. The 2021 Cumbre Vieja eruption reshaped parts of the south and is still part of the island’s story, but visiting is safe.
