chaos

FROM flight cancellations caused by the Iran war to massive airport queues caused by new travel entry rules – going on holiday has never been so stressful.

Even myself – who travels abroad every month – approached the airport with trepidation this week.

My latest trip took me to the city of Bilbao, following the launch of new TUI city breaks to the Spanish city.

But before I could be excited for cheap wine and pinxtos, I was ready to be stuck in the airport for hours on end.

The new European rules – called the Entry/Exit System or EES – have resulted in massive problems especially at busy airports.

More than 80 passengers missed their Ryanair flight because of huge airport queues in Marseille, while over 100 people were left stranded when an easyJet flight to Manchester left without them.

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The Sun’s Travel Reporter Alice Penwill was even stuck in queues for more than three hours at Lanzarote.

This is because of the requirement of biometric checks from all Brits which includes fingerprint scanning, and is a much slower process than passport stamping.

So after arriving late into Bilbao on a Friday, it’s safe to say I was prepared.

My first chaos-avoiding trick? Book a seat as close to the front as possible.

This will mean you can get off the plane as quickly as possible, meaning you can be at the front of the queue.

I was in row 5 out of 36, so was easily one of the first off the plane.

But this doesn’t always work depending on the airline and airport.

This is because many of them don’t have direct access to the airport via jet-bridge and instead offer the dreaded bus service to taxi you to the building.

Thankfully, there is a way to make sure you are still at the front of the queue even if you pile on.

The best way is to go to the very first bus, and go to the front doors.

Then, rather than piling to the back of the bus for a seat, stay in the middle of the doors on either side.

This means that you will be delivered directly to the airport security entrance and, no matter what side the doors open, you will be at the front.

Both of these tricks allowed me to be fewer than 10 people back when trying to get through airport security.

This still saw me waiting around 25 minutes and, frustratingly, unable to use the empty e-gates and instead stuck in the one-man security queue.

Not only that, but each person was taking at least 1-2 minutes due to the slow machines – so you can imagine how many hours that will take if there are more than 100 passengers on a flight.

But, it was reassuring when I saw how long the queue was behind me, and meant I avoided the majority of the queue.

I would also suggest that if concerned, fly to a smaller airport where there are fewer UK flights.

Bilbao only welcomes 1.6million tourists a year compared to Barcelona‘s 16million or Madrid’s 11million.

This means far fewer passengers travelling through the airport at any one time.

It is also worth avoiding arriving at the same time as other UK flights which you can easily see from airport departure boards.

This is because it is mainly Brits needing to do these checks, not other Europeans, so if there are lots of flights landing at the same time, this will see hundreds more passengers all queueing at the same time.

Airports which have been hit by the chaos recently have included Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, being a major hub, as well as Milan Airport in Italy and Lisbon and Faro Airport in Portugal.

Or – avoid it entirely by travelling to destinations which aren’t following the ne EES rules.

Greece became the first EU country to confirm that Brits are exempt from the rules in a bid to avoid the massive queues.

This means your trip to somewhere like Athens or Crete should be a much easier experience at the airport.

Safe to say I was ready for some Spanish wine…

MOUNTING fears of jet fuel shortages have US travelers on edge ahead of summer vacations.

The holiday industry is bracing for a major fallout due to the Iran war’s impact on global travel.

“Anxious” Americans are worrying about whether they can return home if they travel to Europe or Asia for their summer vacation, said one expert.

For example, will their their long haul-flight end up suddenly being chopped due to a lack of fuel while overseas?

Alternatively, “will my short-haul domestic flight to the international airport be canceled?” Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, told Forbes.

“It’s a level of anxiety that travelers have never really had to worry about, and absolutely it could worsen.”

People across the world are keen for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen to shipping, because of spiraling costs hitting everything from grocery shopping to global fertilizer supplies.

But, even if this vital, narrow corridor was to permanently reopen today, it’ll be too late to salvage this year’s summer holidays, experts have warned.

That’s because airlines have now got to stick to a hurriedly rejigged schedule with airports – which must be booked months in advance.

It comes as the global jet fuel shortage is ramping up fuel prices for US carriers, which in turn are axing cheap airfares and some flights to save money.

Some airlines are already passing on extra costs to travelers by increasing fees for baggage and other add-ons, via steeper ticket prices, and fuel surcharges.

And, unfortunately, it will take months for vital supplies of oil and jet fuel to return to normal, according to Kpler, an energy consulting firm.

“It’s going to take until at least July,” Matt Smith, head US analyst, warned CNN.

“And even that may be optimistic at this point.”

United, American, Delta and Southwest airlines spent about $100 million a day on average among them on fuel in 2025.

But jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the war began, when the United States and Israel started ​bombing Iran on February 28.

Delta Air Lines — which frequently flies to destinations across Europe — said it was aware of the continent’s “potential jet fuel supply issue.”

The carrier has already slashed some flights this summer.

United Airlines announced in March that it was “tactically pruning flying that’s temporarily unprofitable in the face of high oil prices.”

It’s the “largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” IEA executive director Fatih Birol told Associated Press last Thursday.

“If we are not able to open the Strait of Hormuz… I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel,” he warned.

It will take an estimated two years for the world to recover from energy shortages caused by the war in Iran, Birol added.

More than 110 oil-laden tankers and over 15 carriers loaded with liquefied natural gas are still waiting in the Persian Gulf.

America’s own jet fuel supplies aren’t currently a huge concern, as local carriers are insulated to a certain extent.

The US produces 13 million barrels of oil a day and imports some four million barrels a day from Canada, De Haan told Forbes on April 16.

However, it’s a different situation in Europe and Asia, both of which are facing a potential shortage because of the ongoing conflict.

In Europe, multiple countries are now relying on less than 20 days of coverage in their fuel supplies, warned the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Asia-Pacific countries are the most reliant on oil and jet fuel from the Middle East, followed by Europe.

“The strait accounts for around 40% of Europe’s jet fuel imports, but no jet fuel has passed the strait since the war broke out,” said Amaar Khan, head of European jet fuel pricing at Argus Media, last Friday.

America has this month come to Europe’s aid to help bolster jet fuel supplies due to the war, sending about 150,000 barrels per day in April.

This is about six times the normal level, according to Jacques Rousseau, managing director at financial firm Clearview Energy Partners.

Airlines chop flights and increase fees amid the Middle East crisis

Here are just some of the impacts on travelers due to the Iran war…

Air Canada:

From June 1 to October 25, 2026, Canada’s largest carrier will chop back flights to New York due to rocketing fuel prices.

Alaska Air:

Fees for the first checked bag have risen by $5 and by $10 for the second on its North American flights. A third checked bag has increased considerably, from $50 to $200.

American Airlines:

Baggage fees have risen by $10 for the first and second checked bags, and by $150 for the third checked bag on domestic and short-haul international flights.

Delta Air Lines:

The carrier is charging an increase of $10 on passengers’ first and second checked bags and a $50 increase on the third.

Frontier Airlines:

This carrier is reviewing its full-year forecast due to rising fuel prices.

Jetblue Airways:

Baggage prices will rise by either $4 or $9.

Spirit Airlines:

This budget US carrier has begged Donald Trump’s administration for hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency funding to offset rising fuel prices.

Southwest Airlines:

Checked baggage fees will rise by $10 for the first and second bags.

United Airlines:

The airline is slashing unprofitable flights.

Also, first and second checked bag fees will spike by $10 for customers travelling in the US, Mexico and Canada and Latin America.

Virgin Atlantic:

This carrier is reducing flights and raising fares.

Westjet:

The Canadian airline ​has chopped seat capacity for June.

A C$60 ($43) fuel surcharge will be slugged on some bookings.

Source: The Independent

Ryanair has threatened to cancel flights to a popular EU country if border control delays do not improve, as the EU’s new Entry Exit System (EES) causes waits of up to 40 minutes at its airport

Ryanair has threatened to cancel flights to a beloved European hotspot unless lengthy queue delays are brought under control.

David O’Brien, CEO of Ryanair’s Malta subsidiary Malta Air, has put the government on notice that the airline could divert capacity away from Malta to rival Mediterranean destinations if border check hold-ups at the airport fail to improve.

“If we find ourselves with significant congestion and delay, we’d have to redirect capacity away from Malta to other destinations and that’s not something we’d like to do,” he told the Times of Malta.

The EU’s new entry/exit system (EES) has triggered significant delays at a string of busy airports, with passengers in Malta facing waits of up to 40 minutes.

Have you been caught up in EES delays? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

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The problem affects all non-EU travellers, with passengers from the UK – Malta’s biggest market – bearing the brunt of the disruption.

“Europe is utterly unprepared in a general sense. We hope Malta is prepared. We haven’t reached summer peak yet,” Mr O’Brien warned.

David Curmi, executive chairman of national carrier KM Malta, also voiced his concerns to the Times of Malta over mounting delays.

“We are unable to wait for passengers to board our aircraft. Passenger compensation regulations state that we have to compensate all passengers, including those who arrive late because of this system,” he said.

Both aviation chiefs have called for the system to be suspended to prevent delays and passengers missing their flights during the peak summer period.

It was announced yesterday that Greece has suspended EU fingerprint and facial scans for British holidaymakers. The country has chosen to abandon the new biometric security measures amid fears about queue chaos spreading across the continent. Queues have been hitting the country, with four-hour waits reported in many destinations, including Greece.

Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, emphasised that the decision would “ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece” and would “significantly reduce waiting times” while easing congestion at airports.

A total of 122 passengers were reportedly prevented from boarding the flight from Milan Linate to Manchester on Sunday due to delays at passport desks triggered by the roll-out of the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES). The 11am departure was delayed for 59 minutes before taking off with the bulk of seats vacant.

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Under the EES, travellers are required to register their biometric information, which involves having their fingerprints scanned and photograph captured.

They must also respond to questions about their visit, such as whether they have accommodation arranged, sufficient funds for their trip and a return ticket.

All children must register, though under-12s are exempt from fingerprinting. EES is free for travellers.

Prior to its launch earlier this year, the Home Office warned travellers to anticipate “longer wait times at border control”, while Advantage Travel Partnership advised visitors to southern Europe to “allocate four hours for navigating the new system”.

The system is designed to strengthen border security by reducing illegal migration and identifying visitors who overstay. Once registered, travellers won’t need to repeat the process for three years. Any future border crossing during that timeframe will require verification of an individual’s fingerprints and photograph, which is anticipated to be faster than the initial registration.

Ryanair has been contacted for further comment.

As the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully introduced, airlines have issued advice on what time Brits should arrive at the airport to avoid disruptions

Airlines including TUI, easyJet and Jet2 have issued updates and travel advice amid the rollout of the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES), urging travellers to arrive at the airport as ‘early as possible’.

Brits heading abroad have been hit with major travel disruptions following the rollout of the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES). There have been reports of lengthy border control queues at European and UK airports, along with missed flights, as thousands of holidaymakers pass through the new digital border system for the first time.

The EES, which was fully implemented on Friday, 10 April, requires all Brits travelling to the Schengen area to “create a digital record” and register their biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photograph. It is required for their first arrival at the airport border in the Schengen area, and after the initial registration, the EES remains valid for three years.

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The government noted that the EES “may take each passenger extra time to complete, so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border.” Yet, travellers have reported gruelling delays of up to three hours and missed flights, and airlines have issued key advice to passengers as they grapple with the new digital border system.

TUI

In a travel alert on the EES, TUI advised passengers: “At some airports, you might still find longer queues, particularly at busy travel periods. We know this isn’t the travel experience you want before, or after your holiday – and it’s certainly not the one we want for you – so please know we’re doing all we can to support.

“To help your journey run as smoothly as possible, please allow a little extra time when passing through border control. Keep any essential medication in your hand luggage in case of delays, and when departing the EU, head straight to passport control after dropping your bags to avoid hold‑ups. Bringing some extra water for comfort is also a good idea.”

easyJet

In an “important update” released earlier this month, easyJet warned: “Airports across Europe may experience longer queues at passport control whilst the new European Entry /Exit System (EES) border checks are being completed.

“This will mean you may need to have your biometrics taken, including your face and fingerprints scanned.” They advised passengers to plan their travel to and through the airport as they may “experience longer queues”.

Travellers who need to drop off their bags should “go there as soon as it opens”, and then make their way through “security as early as possible”. They further cautioned that there could be additional checks at passport control before the gate, and that passengers should go to the gate or boarding area “as soon as it’s announced”.

easyJet added that travellers should ensure they have all the correct documents required for travel, although Brits do not need to do anything before arriving at the border for the EES. They further warned that there could be “longer queues” at their arrival airport.

Jet2

On expected delays from the EES, and how it could impact holidaymakers, Jet2 said: “There may be longer wait times at Border Control at some EU Airports, especially at busy times. Once you start your EES registration, it should take around 1-2 minutes per person to complete.

“There may be longer wait times than usual when you arrive in destination and before your flight back to the UK. Unfortunately, this is outside of our control. But remember, there’s nothing you can prep before you travel.”

Meanwhile, in response to a traveller following delays at Faro Airport, Jet2 advised on X: “We kindly recommend customers arrive to the airport as early as possible, to allow plenty of time to make it through.”

For travel back into the UK, Jet2 said: “You’ll also need to pass through EES when leaving the EU in the same way you do on arrival. Depending on how busy the airport is, this may result in longer wait times at passport control before boarding your flight to the UK. After checking in for your flight, please head straight to security and passport control in order to arrive at your gate in plenty of time.”

British Airways

On general information about the new digital system, British Airways explained on their website: “You should allow extra time to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, the first time you enter the EU. There is no cost for EES registration, and your digital record will last three years before you need to register again.”

In response to a question on X about arrival times at the airport, a member of British Airways said: “Hi there. We ask customers travelling on our European short-haul flights to be there two hours prior to departure. It would be three hours if you’re travelling on a long-haul flight and one if you’re travelling on a domestic flight within the UK.”

For more information on the new EES system, visit the government website.

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

A content creator known as Just Deano arrived to Tenerife after his EasyJet flight from Manchester Airport but said passengers caused chaos over disruption fears

A content creator said “panicked” passengers started to shove each other over fears that new travel rules would leave them queuing up for hours.

The new Entry/Exit System (TTS) travel requirement has caused chaos across several European airports — and some Brits have even missed flights because of long waiting times in countries like Spain, Portugal and Poland.

These rules require non-EU nationals, including Brits, to register their biometrics, as opposed to having their passports stamped at border control, but it has led to major disruption.

However, Just Deano, who touched down in Tenerife this week, said there was a lot of carnage from flustered travellers, despite him getting through immigration within minutes.

The Yorkshireman, who hails from Huddersfield, travelled to the popular Spanish Island from Manchester Airport via EasyJet.

And before touching down, he told his subscribers: “What you’re really interested in is probably how long it’s going to take me to get through to immigration because I’ve seen reals and posts and videos about this — and apparently it is a nightmare.

“So, this is the best flight ever video, but hopefully it don’t go wrong at the immigration.”

However, after landing, it wasn’t the queues that caused trouble, it was the passengers themselves, according to Deano.

He said: “Ok, so it’s quarter to nine now, let’s see how long it takes. Everyone is panicking over this issue. So everyone is pushing and shoving past each other. It’s chaos. Absolute chaos. But we will see how long it takes.”

The camera then cut to the next scene where Deano said: “All that fuss for nothing! It’s 20.52. That took me seven minutes from getting off the bus from the plane to getting through.

“I didn’t have to fingerprint. I don’t know if that’s because I’ve done it before. I’m not really sure but all that fuss for nothing. Seven minutes, that’s all it took. People panicking, pushing and shoving. Crazy. Absolutely crazy. We’re out and we’re good to go.

“We went to the e-gate machine. It didn’t ask for my fingerprints, probably because I have already done that in different countries. And then you went past and did the whole look at the photo, another automatic e-gate.”

EES was introduced to replace the passport stamp and it automatically checks when a person enters and exits a country in the EU.

This means Brits need to register details including fingerprints, facial images and to scan their passports on their first visit in the Schengen area.

However, after it was recently rolled out, many passengers at Tenerife South Airport claimed some of the machines failed to work with fingerprints being rejected. Others said they missed their flights because of the delays.

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

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

Police have even had to come in to control the chaos but Deano said he encountered no such problems during his trip to Tenerife where he is staying for one week.

After posting his video, which you can watch in full here, one person replied: “I would hate to be a Brit traveller now.”

Another said: “You did well getting through new border gates. Took me 4 hours last week getting through Barcelona. 3 non EU planes landed at similar times so had 500 people getting angry and impatient to get through.”

A third said: “You were extremely lucky to get through so quickly probably yours was the only flight landing around that time.”

KANYE West’s Poland concert has been cancelled amid his tour chaos – just weeks after public outrage as he was announced as the headliner for Wireless Festival in the UK.

Over the past few years the American rapper has been mired in controversy for making a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments.

After his concert appeared to be cancelled by the stadium, Kanye has so far remained silent on the matter.

“We would like to inform you that the Ye (Kanye West) concert planned for June 19, 2026, at the… Slaski stadium will not take place due to formal and legal reasons,” said stadium director Adam Strzyzewski in a statement posted on Facebook.

Authorities in Poland had already signalled they would seek to ban the planned June 19 concert.

The decision by the Slaski stadium in the western city of Chorzow, first reported by Wyborcza newspaper, comes just days after he  postponed a concert in Marseille, France, “until further notice.”

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Kanye, also known as Ye, said on X: “After much thought and consideration, it is my sole decision to postpone my show in Marseille, France until further notice.”

At the time, French media reported that Interior Minister Laurent Nunez was looking to ban the June 11 gig.

A source, said to be close to Nunez, told the AFP news agency that the minister was “highly determined” to axe the event.

Just weeks ago, Wireless Festival was cancelled after Kanye was blocked from entering the UK following days of backlash.

The Home Office confirmed on April 7 that West’s application to travel to the UK had been denied amid an antisemitism row over his headline slot.

Officials said the decision to refuse permission was made on the grounds that his presence would not be conducive to the public good.

West was due to headline all three nights from July 10 to July 12 at Finsbury Park, North London – playing to 150,000 people in total.

But Wireless organiser Festival Republic confirmed the popular event had been cancelled altogether following the Government’s decision.

Festival Republic said in a statement: “The Home Office has withdrawn YE’s ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom.

“As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking YE and no concerns were highlighted at the time.

“Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent, and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had.

“As YE said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK.”

Back in January Ye apologised for his behaviour, which he attributed to untreated bipolar disorder, and renounced past expressions of admiration for Adolf Hitler.

In a separate statement on X, the fashion designer added: “I know it takes time to understand the sincerity of my commitment to make amends.

“I take full responsibility for what’s mine but I don’t want to put my fans in the middle of it.

“My fans are everything to me. Looking forward to the next shows.”

Airlines could face ‘an existential crisis’ in just a few weeks’ time if the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues, an aviation expert has said, amid warnings that more flights could be cancelled

British tourists could face up to eight weeks of cancelled flights and airport chaos this summer as major airlines grapple with imminent fuel shortages, experts have warned.

European giants KLM and Lufthansa announced yesterday that they would be axing hundreds of flights due to the soaring cost of jet fuel – while Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), warned that European airports have only “six weeks or so” of supply left due to shortages caused by the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

The warnings have new sparked fears of disruption just before the busy summer holiday season, with airlines set to slash more routes and cut back on schedules if the crisis goes on.

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One aviation expert said that the period between now and mid-June could prove crucial, as airlines could face an “existential crisis” if the global oil shock has not by subsided by then.

Sally Gethin told the Daily Mail: “The worst case scenario is if this carries on for six to eight weeks and the shortages start really biting. This could pose an existential crisis to airlines – even if they slap on fuel surcharges they still won’t recoup the cost.

“You could be looking at tens of thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands, of flights being cancelled globally. It could affect holiday companies as well, although consumers will be protected if their trips are covered by ATOL.”

The Mirror has approached all of Britain’s largest airlines and airport operators to ask whether they are preparing contingency plans for jet fuel shortages. Simon Calder, a travel journalist, reassured holidaymakers today that Mr Birol’s warning was “a mile off” but accepted prices of foreign holidays are likely to rocket this summer. He told Channel 5’s Matt Allwright Show families should look at holidaying in the UK, such as at Bournemouth, instead.

On Thursday, easyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said all the airports it serves are “operating as normal”.

He went on: “We only ever in this industry have three to four weeks visibility (of jet fuel supplies), and that is the same as it was pre-crisis.

“We have visibility to the middle of May, and we have no concerns.

“What we’re seeing is airports and fuel suppliers working well to bring jet fuel to the airports.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the BBC yesterday that Britain has “no issues with supply at the moment” in jet fuel, diesel or petrol as she left a meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington DC.

The IMF this week urged countries to manage energy demand by adopting measures such as subsidising public transport and promoting remote work to combat a surge in energy costs caused by the conflict.

BRITS are set to face more disruption to their holidays as 14 airports in Spain begin indefinite strikes.

Major airports across the country will face industrial action starting on April 17, as air traffic controller unions stage a walk-out which will see flights delayed or even cancelled.

The action has been called by the unions USCA and CCOO which affects air traffic controllers operated by Saerco.

As many as 14 airports across Spain, including those in the Canary Islands, face disruption.

On the Canaries, this includes major airports in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.

The strikes affect mainland stops too; Jerez de la Frontera, La Coruña, Madrid-Cuatro Vientos, Vigo and Seville.

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Other airports in Castellón, Burgos, Huesca and Ciudad Real will also experience industrial action.

These airports see thousands of passengers pass through each day – so the disruption will affect millions.

Spain is one of the most popular destinations for British holidaymakers and experts have said tourism numbers could hit 100million this year.

The Spanish authorities have the power to impose minimum service levels as air traffic control is considered essential – so not every flight will be cancelled.

However, there are warnings of potential delays, last-minute schedule changes as well as cancellations and missed connections as a result.

The bad news is that air traffic controller unions have indicated that the strike action will be ‘indefinite’ so it isn’t clear when it will end.

To add to the chaos, there have been reports of hour-long queues at airports waiting to register with EES over the last week.

At Palma Majorca Airport in Spain, there were reports of queues “between two and three hours” at passport control on April 11.

Meanwhile, Lanzarote Airport has had three-hour long queues to register with EES.

The new requirement was officially rolled out last week which led to huge queues at border control – some passengers even missed their flight.

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.

For more on Spain, here’s one airport to CLOSE for over a month with all flights cancelled – thousands of Brits set to be impacted.

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GLADIATORS star Jodie Ounsley has shared rare loved-up snaps with her rugby player girlfriend Ellen Ramsbottom.

The pair went public with their romance in July last year and now Jodie has called her other half “my calm in all the chaos” in a gushing birthday tribute.

The BBC One star, known as Fury on the show, took to her Instagram feed to share a series of snaps of the two of them together as well as solo pictures of Ellen.

In one photo, the ladies are glammed up in stunning dresses as they hold hands while walking down a hotel hallway.

In another picture, the two are seen enjoying a beach day as Ellen plants a kiss on Jodie’s face.

She captioned the post: “The person who holds everything together behind the scenes, my calm in all the chaos and the one who makes me cackle like no one else.

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“Happy Birthday, ya special human,” Jodie concluded.

Their fans flocked to the comments section to send the couple some love as one said: “Eugh the beautiful eyes in this relationship is unreal!”

Another person gushed: “You two seem like a ‘forever’ kinda couple. I love it xxxx.”

While a third added: “Happy birthday to your special person.”

Jodie and Ellen first met when they were 16, playing together at Loughborough Rugby.

They went public with their romance last Summer in a YouTube vlog and their relationship appears to be going from strength to strength.

The post comes after Jodie’s dad Phil Ounsley, 56, tragically died after collapsing on one of Yorkshire’s three peaks in December.

She shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram as she penned: “Heartbroken. Yesterday, my dad suddenly passed away while doing one of his favourite things—walking Pen-y-Ghent.

“He had hiked that peak countless times throughout his life, but none of us knew he wouldn’t walk back down that day.

“I don’t have the words. All I can say is that he was, and always will be, my absolute hero.

“He encouraged me to dream big and loved me wholeheartedly, and for that I will be forever grateful. Until we meet again, Dad.”

Jailed Senegal fans await judge’s reply to their denial of wrongdoing at the Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco.

Eighteen Senegalese football supporters convicted over a pitch invasion during the chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat in January have denied any wrongdoing.

A Moroccan court in February sentenced the 18 Senegalese football fans to prison terms ranging from three to 12 months on charges of hooliganism.

Prosecutors sought stiffer penalties in the appeals court in Rabat, but the initial sentences were upheld on Monday.

The Senegalese argued that they had been forced onto the pitch because of a surging crowd or to avoid being spat upon and projectiles thrown towards them.

They said it was not to protest against a refereeing decision at the end of the contentious AFCON final on January 18, which Senegal won 1-0. Senegal Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko spoke out to decry the decision.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) reversed Senegal’s win last month, awarding the title to Morocco two months after the final.

The Senegalese Football Federation immediately instructed its lawyers to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Defence lawyer Naima El Guellaf asked on Monday that videos of the incidents be shown to verify the identities of the 18 Senegalese in court.

It is a move rejected by the prosecution, who said the Senegalese were caught in the act.

“The entire world saw these terrible images live,” it argued.

The judge is yet to respond to the request to replay videos of the incidents.

“There have been mistakes; the people involved in what happened are currently in Senegal and are not present here,” a second defence lawyer, Patrick Kabou, told the AFP news agency.

With EasyJet passengers missing flights, and tourists with other airlines left affected too, the Mirror can explain more about the rules that have come into affected at European Union nations

Brits have been plunged into travel chaos after long delays due to new EU border rules which have led to some passengers missing their flights home and ending up stranded abroad.

Around 100 EasyJet passengers were left behind when a flight from Milan’s Linate airport to Manchester left travellers behind who were stuck in massive lines, on Sunday. The new European Entry/Exit System (EES) was fully rolled out across the EU on Friday and it requires people from third-party countries, including the UK, to go through biometric and facial recognition checks.

Huge lines hit major airports in several cities, including Paris, Lisbon and Milan, as desperate travellers were forced to wait to clear immigration.

Some stranded passengers claimed people were vomiting and passing out in the huge queues at Milan’s Linate airport, on Sunday, as they also dealt with a heatwave.

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What is the EES?

The EU’s Entry/Exit System started on October 12, 2025, but it was rolled out fully on Friday, April 10. It is a new digital border system for people from third-party countries, including the UK, entering the Schengen area, which is essentially anywhere in the EU and a few additional countries.

This new system has replaced the old method of officials manually stamping passports when people arrive into the Schengen area.

What does the new process look like for Brits?

British travellers are asked to create a digital record at the port or airport on arrival, on their first visit to a Schengen area country after this new system. People do not have to fill anything out before they travel and the EES registration is free of charge.

Travellers could be asked to have a photo taken at a dedicated booth and submit their fingerprints. People could also be asked to provide fingerprints or a photo when they leave the Schengen area.

The government noted that the EES may take “each passenger a few extra minutes to complete”, but once done, the EES record is valid for three years.

Later this year, Brits will also need to participate in the new visa-waiver scheme, the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), which is set to be implemented in late-2026.

Not to be confused with EES, ETIAS will require Brits visiting the EU to apply for a visa-exemption, with the application costing €20 (about £17.42), although it will be valid for three years.

What countries are in the Schengen area?

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not within the Schengen area, and therefore EES is not applicable when travelling to either of these countries.

What issues have travellers faced so far?

One Brit revealed she was among the 100 people desperate to get home after the EasyJet flight took off from Milan and abandoned them. Carol Boon, 59, speaking to the BBC, said she had been away for a hen do but was left stuck in a “very stressful” situation at the airport with “people arguing, someone fainted, someone was sick”.

Another traveller, Max Hume, from Leeds, told the BBC that he spent a staggering £1,800 to get back home as soon as possible and travelled through Luxembourg.

EasyJet told The Mirror that the ordeal was “outside of our control” and said it held the flight for nearly an hour, adding: “These delays are unacceptable and so we continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed so our customers’ travel plans are not impacted.

“Should a customer miss their flight due to EES delays they are offered free flight transfers on a later easyJet flight. For customers who book on other airlines they will need to contact their travel insurance to make a claim.”

Another passenger slammed EasyJet for the ordeal and claimed she was only offered £12.25 in compensation from the airline. Speaking to the BBC, the 17-year-old student, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, said she was forced to wait 20 hours in the airport with her boyfriend until they could get a flight the next day.

Kiera said these new flights would set her mum back £520 and they were going to Gatwick instead of Manchester. The student added that the couple got to the airport hours ahead of their flight but still didn’t make it on. She said: “We got here at seven-thirty for our flight at eleven so were super early. We got to Border Control and it was a massive queue of people.”

Jet2 has issued a fresh alert to passengers at Faro Airport, in Portugal, after reports of “congestion” through the site. In response to a passenger’s post online, a spokesperson for the airport said “the queues are completely out of our control”, adding: “We kindly recommend customers arrive to the airport as early as possible, to allow plenty of time to make it through.”

A spokesperson for ABTA, the association of travel agents and tour operators, says: “We’re advising passengers to go straight to passport control as soon as you have gone through check-in and security; that way you get the EES checks out of the way as early as possible.

“We’re also advising passengers to follow their transport provider’s advice on when to arrive at airports/ports etc. If flying, the usual rule is to arrive at the airport for a flight from Europe at least two hours before, so we’d encourage people to apply that as a minimum, but to also check with their airline and airport.”

THE new EES travel system came into full effect just days ago – and it is causing travel chaos at airports in Europe.

Over the weekend, huge queues at border control meant some passengers were forced to miss their flights while others waited hours to leave the airport.

EES, which is the EU’s Entry/Exit System, became fully operational on April 10, 2026.

The new rules require all non-EU nationals to register their details like fingerprints and facial images before going abroad.

It will replace the need for stamps and is designed to make border crossings quicker.

But so far, lots of passengers have faced huge queues at border controls, some over four hours long.

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This weekend, the use of EES biometrics at three Portuguese airports; Lisbon, Porto and Faro, were actually stopped because of excessive passenger wait times.

To ease the queues, EES registration was halted on the morning of April 11 – it later restarted in the afternoon.

Public Security Police spokesperson Sérgio Soares, told press “the collection of biometrics at departures from Humberto Delgado (Lisbon), Francisco Sá Carneiro (Porto) and Gago Coutinho (Faro) Airports was interrupted from the beginning of the operation this morning.

“The interruption continues and is currently being reevaluated. This is to ensure that the waiting time is not longer than what we intend, namely so that people do not miss flights.”

However this was the case at Milan Airport in Italy.

Some passengers were left behind over the weekend as a result of the huge EES registration queues.

The BBC reported that over 100 people were left stranded when an easyJet flight to Manchester left without them.

The delays due to the new EES checks means travellers were waiting in lines over three hours long.

Some passengers left in the heat of the airport were throwing up and passing out.

One passenger told the BBC that her having to rebook her flights cost her an extra £520 as a result.

Another stranded passenger who spoke to The Independent said they had booked another flight at the cost of £1,600 – and with a connection through Luxembourg.

easyJet told The Sun: “Due to delays in EES processing by border authorities, some passengers departing from Milan Linate yesterday experienced very long waiting times at passport control.

“We held flight EJU5420 from Milan to Manchester for nearly an hour to give passengers extra time but it had to then depart due to crew reaching their safety regulated operating hours. Customers who missed the flight have been offered a free flight transfer. 

“We continue to urge border authorities to ensure they make full and effective use of the permitted flexibilities for as long as needed while EES is implemented, to avoid these unacceptable border delays for our customers.   

“While this is outside of our control, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.”

Meanwhile, at Brussels Airport on the very first day of the EES rollout, the Airports Council International reported that in one instance there weren’t any passengers on a plane when the gate closed.

It said one flight from Brussels to the UK was missing 51 passengers at departure.

And then, “another flight had zero passengers on board at gate closing time, and 90 minutes later, 12 passengers were yet to reach the gate”.

There were concerns raised about the new travel rules prior to the full rollout, with officials asking for EES to be delayed until later in the year.

If you’re heading abroad soon, here are our seven tips for the new EES rules.

And this travel app could help you avoid massive airport queues caused by EES.

AIRPORTS in Europe are at risk of running out of fuel in just weeks, experts have warned, sparking fears for half term holidays.

The conflict in Iran continues to cause chaos across the world, with the latest seeing President Donald Trump slam the regime for breaking the short-lived ceasefire.

This came after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz just hours into a two-week ceasefire agreement.

Travellers are now being warned that flights could be cancelled and prices could soon rise as fuel reserves are expected to run out due to ongoing closure.

And it could mean chaos for Brits heading abroad for the school May half-term holidays.

According to ACI Europe (the lobby group for airports in Europe), fuel reserves are expected to run out in less than three weeks unless the Middle East increases supplies.

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ACI Europe warns: “If the passage through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in any significant and stable way within the next three weeks, systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality.”

It added that the shortage of fuel supply is likely to “severely disrupt airport operations and air connectivity”.

Around 140 ships usually pass through the Strait of Hormuz – yet has dropped to just seven ships today.

For Brits, this could mean travel chaos for May half-term getaways including popular destinations such as Spain, Italy and France.

The announcement comes as a number of airports in Italy already warned that they were running out of fuel.

According to local reports earlier this week, Brindisi-Casale Airport confirmed that Jet A1 fuel was not available for a short period of time.

While this didn’t result in any flight cancellations, airlines were warned to fly with enough fuel for the return journey.

This is because any remaining fuel was being reserved for emergency situations including medical flights.

A statement said at the time: “Jet A1 fuel is temporarily unavailable at Brindisi Airport.

“Refueling is permitted only for state, emergency medical services, and medical flights.

“Pilots are advised to refuel at previous stopovers to cover subsequent flights.”

Restrictions were also in place at other airports in Italy including Milan Linate, Venice, Bologna and Venice temporarily.

Despite this, Antonio Maria Vasile, president of Aeroporti di Puglia, commented regarding the news of the alleged fuel shortage.

He said at the time: “Fuel supplies continue regularly, and there is no risk of an imminent shortage.”

And it isn’t just Italian airports being hit by the fuel crisis.

The Australian government has warned that the country only has around 30 days of jet fuel left.

The announcements also come as some Asian countries are grounding flights and European airlines are making plans to deal with shortages.

Back in March, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said: “It’s entirely possible that parts of Asia are just going to run out of fuel.”

Both Scandinavia’s SAS and Poland’s Lot have already cancelled flights.

Air New Zealand has cancelled thousands of flights due to fears of fuel shortages.

And UK airline Skybus announced that it was stopping all flights between Cornwall and London due to a huge rise in fuel costs and a drop in new passenger bookings.

Even Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, has also warned of “the risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June” unless the war ends quickly.

Fuel prices have soared compared to what they were before the war in the Middle East broke out.

Last week, the cost of filling up an average diesel tank broke through the £100 mark for the first time since December 2022.

And the Iran conflict has taken Dubai off the holiday list, with the UK Foreign Office still warning against non-essential travel.

Hundreds of thousands of travellers were left stranded abroad when the conflict resulted in airspace closures and Dubai Airport closing.

While limited flights have returned, most airlines are still axing flights to Dubai, as well as other destinations in the Middle East.

This has also had a knock-on effect of airlines that travel via the Middle East, such as Thailand, Vietnam and Australia.

British Airways has axed more flights to the Middle East this week as the crisis continues.

And some airlines are even hiking the cost of baggage due to rising fuel costs.

If conservative commentator Steve Hilton is elected California’s next governor, as President Trump wants, it would mark a “political revolution” for the liberal state, the candidate said.

The state’s Democrat-controlled Legislature, “after all their years of lecturing us about democracy,” would be forced to work with him “to enact the changes that Californians just voted for,” and he would be willing to work with them too, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur and former Fox News host said.

If firebrand Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is elected governor, he will take a decidedly different approach, he said.

“You want to know how I’m gonna work with a Democrat Legislature? I’m not. I’m gonna get every single one of them unelected,” Bianco said. “Every single day, I’m gonna stand on the steps of the Capitol, and I’m gonna tell the California voting public about the idiots in Sacramento that are ruining their lives.”

For the first time in years, the state GOP is riding into its convention this weekend on a wave of optimism about the upcoming gubernatorial race.

According to recent polling, Hilton and Bianco both stand a chance of winning more votes in the June 2 primary than any of the many Democratic candidates, who have spread thin their party’s nearly 2-1 advantage in voter rolls. If the GOP candidates do that, they would advance to a head-to-head contest in November’s general election, and one would become the state’s first Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Much could change to prevent that scenario. More Democrats could drop out. Voters could coalesce around one or two of those left. Hilton, with Trump’s endorsement, could consolidate Republican support and push Bianco out of contention.

Still, the prospect of a Republican governing California, a stronghold of the anti-MAGA movement, has captivated political experts and spectators alike.

Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on the death penalty shortly after taking office, a policy the next governor could reverse. At San Quentin, an inmate is moved from his cell on death row.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Trump, in his recent endorsement, said he has “known and respected” Hilton for many years and would help him “turn it around” in California after an “absolutely horrendous job” by Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state Democrats.

“With Federal help, and a Great Governor, like Steve Hilton, California can be better than ever before!” Trump wrote.

Many Democrats predict the opposite: grandstanding and gridlock as either Hilton or Bianco’s MAGA-aligned agenda meets stiff resistance from powerful state Democrats repulsed by the president’s movement.

“If the new governor decided to go hard MAGA, they would face enormous pushback,” said state Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), who considers it unlikely for both Republicans to advance.

“I don’t think there’s any question that the state would descend into chaos,” said Phil Angelides, a Democrat and former state treasurer who lost to Schwarzenegger in the 2006 gubernatorial race.

The limits of power

California governors hold substantial power.

They direct and appoint leaders to the state’s many executive agencies, boards and commissions, which oversee vast portfolios in vital areas, such as the environment, California’s university systems and the state parole board. They craft the state budget and have a line-item veto to eliminate legislative appropriations. They can make major unilateral decisions — such as welcoming federal troops into California cities — and command a bully pulpit to drive public opinion and policy, including through statewide ballot measures.

Demonstrators confront California National Guard troops and police outside a federal building during protests in Los Angeles in 2025 after the Trump administration sent in the National Guard. The Republican candidates for California governor said they would welcome similar orders by the Trump administration.

(David McNew / Getty Images)

California’s next governor would have the power to end Newsom’s moratorium on the death penalty, appoint state judges and grant state pardons. During emergencies the governor would be able to reshape state regulations, suspend laws and redirect funding, as Newsom did during the COVID-19 pandemic by banning price gouging, halting evictions and postponing the 2020 tax deadline.

But their power also has limits.

Many of the governor’s appointees are subject to state Senate confirmation. The Legislature can change and amend the governor’s proposed budget and pass a budget bill distinctly different from his proposal. Democrats, with their supermajority, can also override the governor’s vetoes.

The independently elected state attorney general can sue to defend state laws, regulations and residents, a power current officeholder Rob Bonta, a Democrat, has exercised more than 60 times to challenge the Trump administration. The California Supreme Court, which leans liberal, can rein in the executive branch if it determines it has violated the state Constitution or other statutes.

Trump has repeatedly pushed the limits of executive authority and benefited from having a Republican-controlled Congress and a conservative U.S. Supreme Court majority that holds an expansive view of executive power. Hilton or Bianco would face the opposite in California, where many legislators would refuse to acquiesce to a Republican governor, especially one almost certain to face a swift recall, political experts said.

Hilton or Bianco could “potentially build alliances” with Democrats on issues such as housing and affordability and drive change that way, said Kim Nalder, a political science professor and director of the Project for an Informed Electorate at Sacramento State. But “if the Democratic majority in the Legislature decides to dig in its heels, then they could oppose practically everything [the new governor] would do.”

Nalder said Hilton or Bianco could also “try to rule in a Trumpian way” by testing the boundaries of their authority. She expects Bianco would do so given his recent decision to “violate the norms of democracy” by seizing more than half a million 2025 ballots as part of an unusual local sheriff’s investigation into allegations of voter fraud that state and county officials say have no merit.

But he “wouldn’t have the public support or the hold on the other branches of government that Trump has,” she said, “so it would be much more difficult.”

Angelides said electing either Hilton or Bianco would put someone “deeply associated with the MAGA movement” atop a deeply blue state government in which many career employees hold opposing views, which would cause a cascade of disruptions.

“There’s no reason to believe it will be different than the chaos we’ve seen in the Trump administration: an evisceration of a number of state agencies, as well as the departure of a lot of talented people who will not stay and would not jeopardize their careers, their reputations, to work under a governor from the MAGA movement,” Angelides said.

State employees are protected by powerful unions with deep ties to Democratic leaders, which Hilton said he would sever.

A Bonta spokesperson said in a written statement that the attorney general “works in service of the people of California — not the Governor,” and would not hesitate to exercise his independent authority under the state Constitution.

“We hope to maintain a close working relationship with whomever California’s next Governor is, but our mission and our priorities will not change,” the spokesperson said. “Regardless of who is in that office, we will continue to enforce civil rights laws, investigate and prosecute complex crimes, protect public safety, stand up for consumers and the environment, and fulfill our duty to Californians.”

Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón (D-Goleta) also offered a diplomatic response, saying in a statement that “it is critical that whoever our next Governor may be helps advance the lives and goals of California and its communities.”

In their own words

Hilton and Bianco both said they would radically reshape state government, in part by dismantling regulations that are hampering development and making basic necessities — housing, food, gas, electricity — too expensive.

Hilton, a top advisor in British Prime Minister David Cameron’s coalition government more than a decade ago, would install agency leaders who would be hyper-focused on slashing costly regulations in order to “reduce the burden of cost and hassle on California families and businesses,” he said. “Elections have consequences, and so it would be irresponsible not to use maximum aggression to make the changes as quickly as possible.”

The top two Republican candidates running for California governor said they would have a much better relationship with President Trump than Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who challenged the president’s policies in court and mocked him on social media.

(Mark Schiefelbein / Associated Press)

Bianco said “every single regulation in this state is leaving” if he wins, with California becoming far more business friendly. “The environmental activism, the environmental activism terrorists who are controlling state government, are going to be put in their place, which is outside where nobody hears from them.”

Both Hilton and Bianco also sharply criticized California Democrats for challenging Trump at every turn, a practice they would end.

“I would be wanting to work with the administration to help Californians,” Hilton said.

“Why would you ever push back on a president unless they were seriously trying to destroy your state?” Bianco said. “California is failing because of its own policies.”

Hilton said he expects Bonta to lose to his Republican running mate for attorney general, Michael Gates. Bianco said that if Bonta remains in office, he would completely “defund” the state Justice Department.

Hilton and Bianco also shared similar thoughts on Trump’s immigration crackdown and deployment of the National Guard to Minneapolis and Los Angeles, the latter without Newsom’s approval.

Hilton said that he “certainly would never want to see, in California, the scenes that we saw in Minneapolis, nor would I want to see repeated the scenes that we saw in our state last summer,” but that those clashes were “provoked and instigated by Democrat sanctuary policy,” which he would end.

California’s sanctuary policies largely bar local police and corrections officials from conducting or assisting federal authorities in immigration enforcement, which state leaders say is not their responsibility and could undermine community trust in local police.

Bianco said that Trump sent in troops because Newsom “was derelict in his duties to protect the people of California,” and that it is more important to address “failed Democrat policies for the last 20 years.”

“President Trump has done not one single thing to harm California in the last year,” he said.

Matt Lesenyie, an assistant professor of political science at Cal State Long Beach, said that if Hilton or Bianco becomes governor, Sacramento will see “a lot of gridlock and grandstanding, and that’s from both parties.”

But he also said he does not expect that to happen, because undecided voters are going to “figure it out” and coalesce behind a Democrat — even if at the last moment.

“That last slice of the electorate,” he said, “doesn’t wake up until the last two weeks.”

Times staff writer Katie King contributed to this report.

NEW travel rules for Brits visiting Europe are being rolled out tomorrow, and it includes everything from airports to ferry ports.

The new rules require all non-EU nationals to register their details like fingerprints and facial images before going abroad – but it’s set to cause chaos as some countries aren’t ready.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) started a phased rollout on October 12, 2025 in 29 European countries and will be fully operational as of tomorrow – April 10, 2026.

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

Non-EU nationals – which includes Brits – will be required to register their details on their first visit to a Schengen area country.

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

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Up until now, not every traveller has had to register with EES, but from tomorrow, that will change.

Even through the phased process, it hasn’t been smooth, and there have been reports of long queues across Europe with travellers at airports waiting for hours to register with EES.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill spent three hours getting through the arrivals hall at Lanzarote Airport last month.

And delays have been reported at other airports like Brussels, Lisbon and Prague.

With summer holidays on the horizon and lots more Brits going abroad than off-peak season, officials have even called for the EES to be delayed until later in the year.

Airports Council International, Airlines for Europe and Iata, the airline trade body, have warned about further delays of “four hours or more” during the summer.

Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said told Travel Weekly just two days ago that there are still “significant issues” with EES.

She added: “While we understand the importance of modernising border processes, a smooth rollout must be prioritised in order to avoid major travel chaos at peak periods.

“With very high demand for travel over the upcoming summer holiday period, we are deeply concerned about the impact delays could have at a time when it is vital we maintain high consumer confidence within a travel sector facing global uncertainty and rising costs.”

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary called EES “a shambles” and called for EES to be delayed “for five months” until the end of September to ease congestion.

To avoid the predicted travel chaos, some airports are preparing to open Brit-only border control queues in the hope of easing wait times.

The Spanish operator, Aena, said it would adapt security and border control for Brits at Ibiza, Menorca, Malaga and Palma, Majorca airports.

It’s not just airports, ferry terminals and the Eurostar using EES – but reports state that these will actually miss tomorrow’s deadline.

Visa HQ reported that France’s Ministry of the Interior has postponed full EES checks at border points like the Eurostar terminal in St Pancras and the ports of Dover and Calais.

French authorities said that travellers on Eurostar, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle and cross-Channel ferries will not be asked to provide fingerprints or facial images as the technology is not yet in place.

At the Port of Dover, only lorry drivers, coach and foot passengers are registering with EES.

The EES system has been “paused for several weeks” because reportedly, ‘software integration tests failed and physical booth space is still inadequate’.

For more on EES and what to expect – hear from our travel expert who will guide you through the registering process.

And one of the world’s best airlines becomes latest to introduce strict new rules on travel item.

Britain’s Got Talent has been accused of a ‘fix’ after one if it’s contestant has been revealed as a West End star who appeared in the musical Lion King

A Britain’s Got Talent star’s West End past has been revealed. But now, Nic Vani has shared his dreams of finally being centre stage in a production, rather than in the background.

During his audition, Nic impressed all four judges with his impressive rendition of Circle of Life, taken from the hit musical, The Lion King.

But one explanation for his outstanding performance is the fact that he starred in the production as a performer. And according to reports, he played the iconic role of Simba.

Nic received a standing ovation from the judges, Stacey Solomon, who is standing in for Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, KSI and Alesha Dixon. And he received four yesses.

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Nic, a father of three, described himself as a singer, without mentioning his professional past. And the reason for appearing on the show was that he finally felt ready to take his career to the next level. During his audition, Nic said: “In my current music career, I’ve always been at the back – so now I think that it’s time for me to be on the spotlight.”

However, after his performance, viewers started to do a bit of digging and found out he was a professional singer. A source said of Nic: “Nic loves performing and has been grafting in musical theatre for decades, but he has always been the swing player waiting in the wings and never the headline West End star. BGT has opened doors for all kinds of stage talent and Nic stepping out of the shadows to show his singing to the world could be the moment to change.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson said: “Anyone can apply for Britain’s Got Talent whether they are professional or amateur, irrespective of their experience. All contestants are auditioned on merit and judged on their performance on the day. Some of the acts appearing on the show may have tasted a level of success in their craft, but are not household names. All enter the contest with the hope of elevating their career to the highest level.”

As well as starring in The Lion King, he also landed a role in The Book of Mormon and has toured with former Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse. Fans were not happy about the revelation as they believed the show should be about discovering untapped talent. Taking to X, one person wrote: “Nic vani.. the guy who literally played Simba in The Lion King.. why are they letting people like this on #bgt ??”

And his celebrity links were also on full display as Oti took to Instagram and wrote: “I love you so much and I hope this is the start of a beautiful journey for you.”

Although many were unhappy about his inclusion, others celebrated his talent as they felt he should have been given the coveted golden buzzer.

Another viewer said: “This man was phenomenal!!!! And should have had the golden buzzer!!! His performance made the hairs on my neck and spine stand on end!! Amazing!!!!”‘

Another act that was given Stacey’s golden buzzer was a primary school group who performed a unique version of All Things Bright And Beautiful. But within the song they then paused and performed a comedy skit.

Nic may be wanting to follow in the footsteps of BGT legend Susan Boyle, who shot to fame back in 2009 with her rendition of I Dreamed A Dream.

Following her performance, she made it to the final but lost out on winning the competition to dance group Diversity. Susan is now worth an estimated £22 million and has finally moved out of her childhood home.

Susan, who recently celebrated her 65th birthday, showed off her transformation. And fans were so taken aback by her news look, they said that the TV personality was ageing “backwards.”

Sharing a snap of her in a football shirt, showing off her blonde hair she captioned the post saying: “I’m so proud to support the wonderful charity, Street Soccer Scotland. I’ve absolutely loved getting my hands on this beautiful limited edition Street Soccer Scotland x Timorous Beasties football shirt.”

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The Luxembourg entry for the Eurovision Song Contest is under investigation after their song held similarities to the singer Birdy’s song Keeping Your Head Up

Luxembourg has been thrown into chaos regarding its participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest after its entry’s song is facing a copyright investigation.

Mother Nature by Eva Marija has been accused of being almost identical to the 2016 hit song “Keeping Your Head Up” by singer Birdy. It emerged that the chorus of the song is similar to Birdy’s, prompting her team to launch an investigation.

Now, a spokesperson for the singer has said that they are aware of the situation. In a statement, they said: “The Birdy camp is now aware, and they are reviewing. And the Luxembourg broadcaster RTL confirmed that it was exploring the suggestion of copyright infringement.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Luxembourg broadcaster RTL told The Sun: “We, the Eurovision team, take the discussions about possible copyright infringements seriously and want to deal with them transparently.”

But this is not the first time the legendary song contest has had its fair share of disruption. Back in 2024, the final aired from Malmö in Sweden. However, the run-up to the show was blighted by boycotts and even arrests.’

The Dutch actor Joost Klein was told that were not allowed to perform after an alleged heated argument, which reportedly turned physical.

But it wasn’t just that; the contest was thrown into further chaos as people gathered to protest against Israel’s inclusion despite the country’s war with Palestine. Activist Greta Thunberg was also seen supporting the pro-Palestine protesters. The protests occurred outside the Swedish arena.

In the wave of Joost Klein’s disqualification, the Dutch radio Avrotos found the punishment “disproportionate” and “very heavy.” A petition was even generated in support of the act to perform in the final.

And this year is now facing its own drama after would-be UK host Scott Mills was sacked by the BBC over issues with his personal conduct. The Mirror also understands that the allegation concerns a relationship from three decades ago. The BBC’s decision to axe Scott relates to a 2016 police investigation into “serious sexual offences” against a boy in his teenage years.

At the time, Scott was questioned by police under caution, but the case was not pursued due to insufficient evidence. But the Mirror believes that the sacking relates to the individual.

At the time, Director General Tony Hall was not aware of the “full picture”, including the accuser’s age, although it’s unclear if other managers did. However, after learning about the age in the last week, the newer management took swift action.

The TV and radio presenter had been a regular face when it came to the international competition, but now speculation over who is to replace him has hit fever pitch.

This year, the event is set to be hosted in Austria with LookMumNoComputer representing the United Kingdom. According to The Sun, Sara Cox and Rylan Clark, who have been regulars at the broadcaster for many years, are likely candidates to replace Scott Mills.

Last year, the sacked presenter was open about his eagerness to return to hosting the contest. He said at the time: “Eurovision is like a melting pot and we’re all there for the same reason and everyone can chat and talk about what songs they like and what they don’t like.”

He added: “We absolutely adore it, it’s our World Cup. I look forward to it so much, and that’s what’s magical about it. Everyone’s there for the same reason.”

The Mirror has contacted a rep for the Luxembourg Eurovision entry.

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HOLIDAYMAKERS could get stuck abroad this summer as up to 10 per cent of flights face cancellation if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary warned.

And the budget airline kingpin said that holidaymakers should book as soon as possible to avoid paying far higher prices.

The price of jet fuel has skyrocketed since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has left the vital shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz blocked.

Speaking to ITV News, the airline chief revealed that between five and 10 per cent of flights in May, June and July could be cancelled if the Strait remains closed.

The Ryanair chief explained: “We have aircraft that are based at 95 airports across Europe.

“And we’ll have to cancel routes at whichever airport where the fuel company advises us they’re short of jet fuel at, say, Malaga Airport or Athens Airport.

“It’ll be those kind of decisions. And we’ll get very little notice – we’ll be told, I think, within five or seven days.

“So we will then be looking around and we will be trying to ground one or two aircraft and minimise inconvenience for customers. But it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be challenging.”

O’Leary admitted that some holidaymakers may get stuck abroad due to flight cancellations, but noted that airlines have a responsibility to get you home.

He said: “Now, you won’t get compensation because it’s clearly beyond the airline’s control, but we will – and in Ryanair’s case we have lots of flights on a daily basis – we will re-accommodate you and get you back.

“You might be stuck for a day or two, but if you’re staying within Europe, you should be reasonably confident.”

Asked if it would be a “gamble” to book a summer holiday, O’Leary admitted “life is a gamble”.

He continued: “I think we’re looking at the risk of five or 10 per cent of cancellations in June or July, but 90 to 95 percent of flights will still operate.

“So, I think you’re really not taking much of a gamble. I would be much more concerned if you delay your booking, that actually you and your family will be paying much higher prices if you get to May, June, or July.”

The blame for any cancellations should be laid at the feet of the US President, not the airlines, the Irish airline boss added.

He added: “There doesn’t seem to be any exit plan at all. But we are where we are, blaming Trump is not going to get us anywhere.”

O’Leary said that this would be an “unknown scenario” for the airline industry and that “the sooner this war is over, the better”.

The new comments from the airline boss come after he said yesterday that jet fuel supplies could be disrupted as soon as May due to the new crisis in the Middle East.

Speaking to Sky News, the airline chief revealed that while Ryanair is “reasonably well hedged” on 80 per cent of its fuel, the company is being forced to shell out nearly double for the remaining 20 per cent.

O’Leary confirmed the airline is paying around $150 (€130) a barrel for the unhedged portion of its supplies.

THE UK’s busiest train line is just hours away from being shut down as Network Rail looks to complete essential upgrades.

Commuters will not be able to use the route for six days starting tomorrow.

The West Coast Main Line (WCML) service between London Euston and Milton Keynes will be paused from April 3 to April 8.

The line closure is part of a £400million project by Network Rail to make upgrades to the line.

New tracks will be laid out in Willesden, north-west London, with Harrow and Wealdstone station getting repairs and upgrades.

A bridge in Ledburn, Buckinghamshire will also be receiving additional waterproofing to prevent further damage.

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More than £7million will be spent on signal upgrades to help reduce failures and improve the reliability of journeys.

Network Rail described WCML as “Britain’s economic backbone”, connecting major cities with “thousands of trains and tonnes of goods every day”.

It said that parts of the line could not manage the service’s more recent demands and needed investment to prevent disruptions.

The network owner said it would provide replacement buses between Milton Keynes Central and Bedford or Potters Bar for passengers to get trains to reach central London.

The WCML operator, Avanti, has warned commuters that its train lines are expected to be busy and has lifted peak restrictions for today.

Normal services on WCML are expected to resume on April 9.

Storm Therese has wreaked havoc across the Canary Islands, but a British expat is urging holidaymakers not to cancel as he claims big changes are coming at the start of April

Weather chaos has been wreaking havoc across Spain recently as Storm Therese sweeps through the Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife and La Palma – prompting numerous holidaymakers to abandon their plans after anticipating days basking in the sunshine.

The storm is currently bringing an unusual mix of torrential rain, 100 km/h (62 mph) winds, and significant snowfall at higher elevations. Authorities have issued a full-scale emergency in Tenerife, calling it one of the most serious storms to strike the archipelago in more than a decade. Despite this, it appears locals are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, as they’re encouraging people to maintain their holiday plans.

Taking to TikTok, one British expat named Mattie Barnett posted on the Tenerife First Excursions account, where he works, to reveal that a major shift is anticipated to arrive in Tenerife in April.

“Bollocks to the rain in Tenerife,” Mattie declared at the opening of the video, before briefly outlining that they’d been forced to endure days of rainfall in the Spanish holiday hotspot. But now, the sunshine had finally returned.

Gesturing towards the popular Playa del Camisón beach, he remarked: “There were people queuing at eight this morning to get the sun beds after half a day of rain.”

Mattie, who hails from Lincolnshire, went on to predict that the weather will likely remain sunny with pleasant temperatures of around 24 degrees through to the weekend. While early April may bring some overcast conditions, Mattie expressed optimism that the warm summery weather would return shortly afterwards.

It appears holidaymakers are placing their trust in Mattie’s forecast, as numerous people confirmed they’re pressing ahead with their travel plans.

“Coming next Wednesday. Need to be seeing blue skies, palm trees and everything in between,” one person commented. Another user stated: “I come on the 28th hopefully still good weather.”

Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, is forecasting that the rainfall will cease by Friday, 27 March, when sunshine will return, with temperatures hovering around 21 degrees for the remainder of the week and throughout Easter weekend, which is typical for this period.

Meanwhile, weather maps from WXCharts suggest that portions of the UK could be battered by heavy snowfall and temperatures plummeting to -9C between April 3 and April 5 – Easter weekend.

Weather charts indicate the snow zone stretching approximately 480 miles from the Scottish Highlands across northern England and the Midlands down towards areas of southern England.

At least 12 major cities could find themselves in the trajectory of the wintry conditions, which may trigger worries about travel chaos, school closures and hazardous driving conditions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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