Flight

CATANIA Airport in Sicily has been forced to cancel all its flights again today after yet another eruption on Mount Etna.

Volcanic ash in the airspace has resulted in the suspension of inbound flights until at least midnight tonight.

The airport first stopped incoming flights on Saturday due to ash in the airspace and limitations have since been placed on departures too.

This morning, a warning on the airport’s website explained that due to “volcanic activity and weather conditions” cancellations and delays are expected until “23:59pm today, Monday, September 28.”

Flights to and from London Gatwick and London Luton remain on the schedule – but are likely to be cancelled due to the flight limitations.

Some passengers took to social media over the weekend explaining they had travelled across to Palermo to get a flight home from there instead.

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It’s only been two weeks since the last time that Catania Airport had to close due to volcanic ash after an eruption.

Some UK flights were affected then too, either being cancelled or diverted to Palermo on the northwestern coast of the island.

In August, ongoing eruptions from Mount Etna forced the airport to shut for five days in a row resulting in hundreds of cancelled flights.

Families who had their flights cancelled were left stranded with videos on social media showing holidaymakers sleeping on the airport floor and even luggage belts.

Last time Mount Etna erupted, nearby Malta International Airport had to cancel 19 flights due to volcanic ash.

Catania is Sicily’s busiest airport handling around 12.4million every year – which works out to around 40,000 passengers each day.

YOU’LL be able to travel to 34 more destinations with Jet2 from the UK soon.

The airline is launching a number of new routes for Winter 26/27, with destinations including winter sun spots, city breaks and pretty Christmas markets.

It marks the airline’s biggest winter programme as well as its first winter season from London Gatwick Airport.

Destinations in Europe include La Palma in Spain, Copenhagen in Denmark and Vienna in Austria.

Though, you can head further afield too as there are flights to two spots in Egypt – Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh – as well as a route to Agadir in Morocco.

For some winter sun with temperatures up to 24C in December, fly to Hurghada in Egypt.

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The Egyptian resort city sits on the Red Sea and is the ideal spot to head off scuba diving to see colourful coral reefs.

And there is sunshine year-round.

You’ll get the best of both worlds too as after exploring the water you can head to the desert, for a quad biking or camel riding experience.

Another destination getting Jet2 flights is a city that feels more like stepping into a Disney movie.

Often referred to as a fairytale city due to its winding medieval streets, Tallinn in Estonia takes just three hours to get to from the UK.

The old town of the city is full of interesting shops as well as grand medieval churches and walls.

For a city centre, it is very quiet as well.

And if you happen to visit in December, go the Christmas market, full of chalets selling handmade Estonian gifts as well as glögi – which is essentially Estonian mulled wine.

At the centre of the market is the world’s oldest recorded public Christmas tree as well, which dates back to 1441.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, said: “We are seeing strong demand from customers and independent travel agents for all kinds of winter holidays, so we have responded by putting a fantastic selection of brand-new routes on sale for Winter 26/27.

“Whether holidaymakers want winter sun, a festive Christmas market break, a ski holiday to the Alps or a city break, this expanded programme gives them more choice and flexibility than ever before.

“The addition of 34 new winter routes, three new destinations and our first winter season from London Gatwick Airport shows how we are continuing to grow in direct response to demand.

“This is about giving customers more of what they want for winter, with an exciting mix of destinations that caters for every type of getaway.”

Flights for the new routes cost from as little as £30 per way.

And if you don’t want to wait, the airline currently has 6.3 million seats on sale to 42 destinations for this winter.

After the aircraft touched down in Birmingham, airport police boarded the plane and escorted the four adults off

A group of adults were escorted off an easyJet flight by police after allegedly vaping throughout the five-hour journey. Passenger Annalise Galstaun captured the moment four adults were removed from the plane by airport police after it landed at Birmingham Airport.

Annalise was travelling from Larnaka International Airport in Cyprus to Birmingham on the evening of September 16 when the incident unfolded. Sitting just two rows behind the group, she said she saw EasyJet cabin crew warn them multiple times to stop vaping during the flight.

But despite the repeated warnings, Annalise claimed the passengers continued to vape discreetly, hiding the devices behind their legs while sitting in their seats.

After the aircraft touched down in Birmingham, airport police boarded the plane and escorted the four adults off, causing a 25-minute delay on the tarmac.

Annalise said: “They were warned a few times by EasyJet staff but continued to vape on the sly throughout the journey, hiding the vapes behind their legs on the seat.

“I felt quite annoyed as we were delayed around 20/25 mins grounded on the floor waiting for them to be escorted.

“There were children on board crying as it was about 11pm and we were just stuck on the tarmac.”

EasyJet said in a statement: “Flight EZY6610 from Larnaca to Birmingham on 16 September was met by police on arrival due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively onboard.

“Our cabin crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.

“We take these incidents seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour onboard.

“The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority.”

BRITISH Airways has confirmed one of its routes won’t start up again until next winter at the earliest, due to the Iran conflict.

It first suspended flights to the destination in February of this year.

British Airways has confirmed the suspension of its flights to Abu Dhabi won’t lift until winter 2027 at the earliest.

The airline cited the Middle East conflict and ‘airspace instability’ as the reason for its continued delay.

Talking to Simple Flying, a BA spokesperson said: “Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, we have made further changes to our flying schedule to provide greater clarity for our customers.

“We’re keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options. (…) Our flights to Abu Dhabi are scheduled to resume in Winter 2027/2028.”

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However, Simple Flying noted that Abu Dhabi appears to have been removed from BA’s long-haul plans for 2027 altogether.

Currently for those wanting to travel to Abu Dhabi with BA, they will have to book a flight from Heathrow to Doha, then switch to another airline like Qatar Airways to continue their journey.

The indirect route takes around 11 hours rather than seven.

But there are two routes back on the cards this year with British Airways – the first is to Dubai.

The airline will resume flights to Dubai from November 3.

These will initially operate once a day during the winter season before increasing two services each day during the summer season.

Flights to Amman will also restart on November 3 after being suspended in March.

iPhone users are being urged to take advantage of a little-known travel hack that could stop you feeling confused or panicked over potential changes to your upcoming flight

Turning on one setting on your iPhone could save you from panicking if your flight information changes. Flights in and out of the UK have been thrown into disarray this week after an air traffic control failure caused cancellations and delays to more than 2,000 flights, leaving passengers in limbo.

The majority of the disruption occurred on Tuesday (8th September) and Wednesday (9th September), and while airports are now back up and running, experts warn the knock-on effect of the catastrophic failure of the NATS air control system will continue to be felt for the rest of the week.

If you’re travelling soon and worried about potential disruptions to your flight in the aftermath of the system failure, then there is something you can do to give yourself peace of mind – and it’s all to do with your phone.

Michelle Winterfield, who usually shares finance tips on Instagram, recently shared a video in which she said if you do one thing with your iPhone on the morning of your flight, you’ll be spared any potential headaches if your gate is changed, your flight is delayed, or there are other updates to your travel plans.

She said: “Here’s a flight hack nobody tells you about. The morning of your flight, text yourself your flight number. But here’s the key: you have to include the airline code. So, if you’re on Delta Airlines flight 2358, you type DL2358.

“Then that text turns into a live link that tells you your gate, your departure time, your baggage claim number, and it updates in real time. No more hunting for screens in the airport. If someone’s picking you up, send them the flight number too, and they can literally watch your plane flying across the screen and see the exact moment your arrival time updates.”

If you have a connecting flight, you can text yourself both flight numbers and take all the stress out of trying to find the right information for your next flight when you’re racing through the airport.

The only downside to the trick is that it only works through iMessage on an iPhone or other Apple device, and there is no function for the same flight tracking on Android phones.

Michelle added in the caption: “The morning of your flight, do this before you leave the house. It changes everything.”

Commenters on the post thanked her for her advice, as many had no idea it was a feature on their phone. Others who used the hack before agreed with Michelle that it’s definitely a “life-saver”.

One person said: “I’ve used this for years, mostly for those picking me up! Works like a charm.”

Another added: “If this is right, it sure would be handy!” Someone else posted: “I never knew, wow! Thanks, girl, you’re a lifesaver.”

It’s important to note the phone trick doesn’t guarantee that your flight won’t be delayed, and it won’t take away the stress of dealing with airport chaos if something similar to the air traffic control nightmare were to happen again. However, it can help you keep track of your own flight information, no matter where in the airport you are.

How to track a flight on an iPhone

• Open the Messages app on your iPhone or other Apple device
• Type in the airline code and the flight number into a chat with yourself, or send it to a friend or family member
• Tap Send via iMessage
• Wait for the flight number to be underlined, as this indicates that your phone recognises it as a link
• Tap or press and hold the underlined text, then select ‘Preview Flight’
• You should now be able to see the flight information

You will need to know your airline’s IATA code as well as your specific flight number to make the trick work. Your flight number is specific to the flight you’re booked on, and should be on your ticket. Some common IATA codes include:

• British Airways: BA
• RyanAir: FR (in Ireland), RK (for RyanAir UK)
• EasyJet: U2
• Jet2: LS
• Virgin Atlantic: VS

UCLA senior wide receiver Mikey Matthews expects the Bruins’ aerial attack to be as electrifying and dominant as their ground game was in a season-opening win over California.

The passing offense lived up to Matthews’ expectations against Cal — but only for a half.

After quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed 12 of 18 passes for 179 yards in the first half, he completed just two more passes for five yards — the Bruins’ only yardage in the third quarter.

The rushing attack carried the Bruins to victory, breaking open a tied game with three fourth-quarter touchdown runs.

UCLA receiver Mikey Matthews (7) celebrates after quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) ran for a touchdown against Cal at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

(Godofredo A. Vasquez/For The Times)

While UCLA called a run-heavy script in the second half, throwing it just four times compared to 18 rushing attempts, the passing game clearly stalled.

Offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy said the offense had to improve after last weekend’s 45-24 victory, noting that two penalties in the third quarter — including on third and one — derailed drives and that the self-inflicted wounds were a teaching moment.

“You have to make sure that every drive, you’re treating it independently. There was a lull in the third quarter, but when you look at it, I was happy with how they responded,” Kennedy said as the team prepared for Saturday’s home opener against San Diego State. “Obviously, you’re not happy with the production of the third quarter, but you’re happy with how they responded in the fourth. There was always belief on the sideline. We had three really bad drives and that’s just as much on me as it is on anyone else.”

Iamaleava played a vital role in keeping the offense on track. And despite largely not contributing through the air in the second half, he looked more comfortable and confident than he ever had in his college career. Matthews called that poise Iamaleava’s greatest improvement since the duo arrived in Westwood last year.

Kennedy said the senior signal-caller was walking up and down the sideline, talking to teammates and stressing a “next drive” mentality.

And Iamaleava’s short-term memory focus echoed his coordinator’s in-game philosophy.

“We will make corrections on bad plays on Sunday, there will be things where we have to make in-game adjustments, but when you are talking about a missed assignment, there’s nothing you can do about it,” Kennedy said. “The only thing you can do about that is worry about ‘how do I get better, how do I learn from my mistake,’ and you have to do it in the moment. You are in a 60,000-seat stadium and it’s not the easiest thing to do, but having other people understand, ‘Let’s move on,’ that’s where he did a really good job.”

Leading up to the opener, Kennedy said he was “beyond confident” in Iamaleava as a leader, player and face of the program, and added that Iamaleava’s willingness to run hard and take hits instills conviction in the team and makes him an easy person to rally around.

“He’s had the opportunity to play young in his career. He’s been in the spotlight for so long,” UCLA assistant quarterbacks coach Jon Boyer said. “He’s dealt with victories. He’s dealt with adversity, and now he does feel valued, and I don’t want him to feel like he’s in it all alone ever.

“He’ll be tested this year where moments of doubt come in, and that’s our job to provide that vision of hope and come up with a plan to get him out of whatever he’s facing.”

Matthews, who led the receivers with four catches for 88 yards, is confident his quarterback will put the ball in the hands of many UCLA receivers he can trust.

“We’re deep in the receiver room. Landon Ellis, Semaj Morgan, Brian Rowe, Aidan Mizell, Shane Rosenthal. I can literally just go down,” Matthews said. “I feel like everyone is bound to have a breakout season, breakout game, whatever it is. Everyone’s going to eat in that room. That’s just how much we trust everyone throwing the ball down the field and everything like that.”

People have even reported getting the ‘best’ seats using this free method

Ryanair passengers flying abroad to escape the UK weather might want to consider a ‘trick’ to help them be assigned ‘better’ seats without paying extra. The trick, as explained by ITV This Morning’s money-saving specialist Jordon Cox, does involve a little bit of luck, but it could pay off by saving customers up to £38 per person.

On Ryanair, the cost of choosing a specific seat varies based on the route, travel dates, and when you buy. Based on the airline’s published fees table, passengers can expect to pay between £3 and £30 when booking in advance, with fees as high as £38 per seat when booking at the airport desk.

Customers can avoid any cost entirely by accepting a random seat allocation from the airline. However, you leave it up to chance what part of the plane your seats will be in.

These random seats are picked and assigned at the exact moment you complete your online check-in, which is open up to 24 hours before the flight’s scheduled departure time. The airline’s automated system selects the seats, and customers have no say in where they end up if they choose this route.

Ryanair’s algorithm is notorious for assigning middle seats first to these free-allocation passengers, as reported by The Telegraph, and is said to hold back window and aisle seats. Many people will argue that middle seats are not the best place on a plane because they offer the least space when both seats on either side are occupied.

ITV This Morning’s money-saving specialist Jordon Cox claims online that travellers might be able to take advantage of a workaround to avoid being put in a middle seat. In a post on Instagram, he suggests that one method ‘tricks the system’ into giving you the exact seat you want at no extra cost.

He said: “On the day that you’re checking in (I recommend about five to six hours before your flight), go into seat selection and see what seats are still available. A lot of these will be middle seats.

“Go to a separate tab and make a new booking for the flight you’re on. Put in some bogus names, then select each person a ‘seat’ in the places you DON’T want to sit. Because you’ve selected all those seats, and they’re in ‘someone else’s’ basket – for a short time, you can’t be sat there.

“That’s your cue to go back to your actual booking, and check-in with ‘random’ seat selection. You’ll be placed in one of the remaining seats – hopefully the only ones left are the aisle and the window.”

Reddit users claim that the sweet spot for securing the ‘best seats’ is not long before your flight takes off. By this time, the early check-in passengers have already been forced into specific parts of the plane, reducing the pool of available seats for those still unassigned.

In certain circumstances, Ryanair will likely randomly offer passengers an extra-legroom seat for free, but only under very specific conditions. However, because Ryanair never leaves a flight intentionally unbalanced and cannot leave critical seats empty, they will release them into the free pool at the absolute last minute.

If the only empty spots left on the aircraft are the premium legroom seats (like the emergency exit rows), the algorithm is forced to give them to you for free because it has nowhere else to put you and safety laws state that the emergency exit rows (Rows 1, 16, and 17) cannot be completely empty during takeoff and landing.

Experts say there is a major shift in travel trends in 2026

Flight chaos and cost driving people to trains and cruises, report says Holiday experts say the rising cost and uncertainity of air travel is sparking a rising interest in rail and cruise breaks in the UK. Bookings for rail and cruise itineraries have jumped 31% year-on-year, according to a report from The Luxury Holiday Company – with 87% saying they are interested in a rail or cruise holiday in 2026.

Nearly half say these types of holidays now offer better value for money and 27% say they want to avoid ‘airport hassle’

The report also found a growing shift towards multi-generational holidays whike people want to prioritise ease, comfort and ‘together time’. The data shows that European-specific rail holidays are alsogetting longer, with average stays increasing by 14%, while European and Scandinavian cruises have surged by 433% year-on-year.

Scenic journeys also play a major role, with more than a third saying scenery and views are a core part of the holiday experience.

Alison Nicolle, rail and cruise travel specialist at The Luxury Holiday Company, said: “Our research shows Brits’ travel priorities this year include a strong desire for experience-driven or bucket-list-style holidays. We’re seeing a rise in rail and cruise holidays year on year, and there’s no sign of this slowing down.

“In 2026 travellers want to see more, and enjoy the journey itself, all while reducing the stress of constant planning. We’ve seen demand rise for groups booking a cruise or rail holiday, as group bookings have skyrocketed 55% in the past year.

“This isn’t just a niche trend. Groups want holidays where everyone, from grandparents to grandchildren, can experience beautiful destinations, relax and enjoy the journey itself. Slowing down, seeing nature and prioritising relaxation over adventure are the most important factor to more than a third of travellers this year.

“Clients are booking longer rail journeys as well as choosing itineraries that combine scenery, culture and indulgence. It’s no longer about getting there quickly, it’s about travelling well.”

MANILA: Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier Riyadh Air launched its first flight to Manila on Wednesday, marking the latest addition to its growing network of global destinations.

Riyadh Air operated a 290-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft for the route between the Saudi and Philippine capital, with its arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport around 3:55 p.m. marking the first operation of the service.

“The new … service adds another option for passengers traveling between the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, and another international carrier to NAIA’s growing network. Welcome to Manila, Riyadh Air!” NAIA said in a statement announcing the Riyadh Air service.

There are more than 910,000 Filipinos living and working in Saudi Arabia, as the Kingdom hosts the biggest number of overseas Filipino workers and was their top destination in 2024, according to Philippine government data.

In that year alone, almost 22 percent of Filipinos, or more than 480,000, who sought work abroad chose the Kingdom, driven in part by the Saudi Vision 2030 economic diversification program.

Saudi tourists are also one of the Philippines’ fastest-growing and highest-value markets, according to the Philippine Department of Tourism, with tourism receipts reaching over $37 million in 2024, a 46-percent rise from the previous year.

The Saudi carrier has swiftly expanded its air links with Asia with the launch of multiple flights across the region in recent months, including to Malaysia, Pakistan, India and Thailand.

Riyadh Air’s Manila route followed the airline’s launch of its Bangkok service last week, with Thailand eyeing more high-value tourism from the Middle East.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is expecting about 600,000 travelers from the Middle East this year, after recording about 210,000 arrivals in the first half of 2026.

It shows similar trends across Asia, where popular holiday destinations are increasingly targeting tourists from the Middle East as part of their tourism growth strategy.

A flight attendant has told travellers to stop wearing a common item of clothing to travel on planes. According to Cher Dallas, a certain garment should always be avoided

When people travel, a lot of thought can go into their outfits, but there’s some items of clothing you may actually want to avoid wearing on planes. According to flight attendant, Cher Dallas, there’s a certain item that people should stop wearing as soon as possible when jetting off abroad.

Cher, who shares travel tips and stories on TikTok, said there’s one item she never wears to travel on a plane, and there’s good reason why too. It’s one piece of air travel advice you may want to follow from now on when you jet off on adventures around the world.

It’s not the first piece of advice of its kind to be shared either. Previously, another flight attendant cautioned travellers about wearing certain clothes on planes too.

What is her advice?

In a candid clip discussing the clothing, Cher said: “Since everyone gets fuming mad at me when I say don’t wear shorts when you travel, coming from a flight attendant, guess how many diapers got changed on the seats yesterday on my one flight? Four.

“Guess how many announcements we made for people to not do that? Three. People don’t care.

“Guess how many of those diapers were poopy? All four.

“They change them on the seats, and you want to rub your skin on there? You do.

“You want to. You’re dying to. Enjoy your staph infection. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Why should it be avoided?

There are a few reasons why it’s best to avoid wearing shorts on planes. Many flight attendants note that airplane seats are rarely deep-cleaned between quick turnaround flights and can harbour bacteria, body fluids or spills from previous passengers.

Wearing long trousers creates a physical barrier so your skin does not touch the upholstery directly. It’s much better to keep your legs covered.

As well as this, plane cabins often get very chilly during flights, and shorts leave you exposed to cold drafts. If surfaces are sticky, bare legs could also stick to chairs.

It’s also considered wise to cover your legs in case of an emergency. In a rare emergency evacuation, where evacuation slides are deployed, bare legs can suffer painful friction burns or scrapes as you slide down.

Therefore, there are various reasons why shorts should be avoided. As well as exposing you to germs, they can actually be problematic in other ways too.

This is why it’s best to avoid wearing them any time you board a plane. You’ll be glad you did it later down the line.

“You’ve left everyone here stranded. You could’ve cancelled this flight hours ago which would’ve given many vulnerable people here half a chance,” one passenger wrote on X

British Airways has been accused of leaving passengers stranded in Italy after thousands of flights were cancelled across the UK.

Tens of thousands of people were impacted on Tuesday after a technical issue by National Air Traffic Services (Nats) grounded flights.

Among the carriers affected by the air traffic control issue was British Airways (BA) – with a number of passengers taking to social media to complain about the situation.

Among them was Simon Weeks, who said he, along with others, had been left stranded in Italy for hours without any update from the airline.

Sharing a letter he received from BA late in the evening, the Brit claimed “all hotels” in the port city of Brindisi were now “fully booked”.

He added: “You’ve left everyone here stranded. You could’ve cancelled this flight hours ago which would’ve given many vulnerable people here half a chance.”

BA said it was forced to cancel or divert more than 100 flights on Tuesday, which had impacted “tens of thousands of customers”.

Passengers received a letter from the carrier apologising for the inconvenience, but were left to find a place to sleep themselves.

The statement read: “We’re sorry that your flight has been delayed overnight… We don’t underestimate the inconvenience this will cause.”

It continued: “We’re sorry, but we’re unable to provide you with accommodation, and you need to make your own arrangements.”

“You can submit a claim to us with your receipts and we will reimburse reasonable accommodation costs.”

The disruptions, expected to continue into Wednesday, impacted travel at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to speak with Nats’ chief executive officer Martin Rolfe on Wednesday before she addresses MPs in the Commons for the second reading of the Civil Aviation Bill.

Rolfe has said he “always accept(s) full responsibility” when asked if he was considering his position after the incident.

He told Sky News: “I am the CEO of a piece of critical infrastructure, so it is my job to take responsibility for that.

“What I absolutely take responsibility for is keeping people safe and delivering the best service we possibly can on a day like today.

“You will understand my focus is entirely about how we actually resolve this issue, get things back to normal, help our airlines, our airport customers and the travelling public.”

LONDON — More than 400 flights were canceled Tuesday due to a technical issue in Britain’s air traffic control system, reported the flight monitoring website Flightradar24.

Britain’s National Air Traffic Services said a problem had been identified in its flight processing system and engineers were urgently working on the issue, which affected flights across the U.K.

In an update, it said it had “implemented a fix and our flight system is starting to recover.”

About 425 flights to and from U.K. airports, including Heathrow, were canceled, affecting services operated by multiple airlines including British Airways, EasyJet, KLM and Lufthansa.

The affected airports, which also included Stansted and City in London, as well as airports in Manchester, Birmingham and Scotland, said the technical issue caused disruptions. They warned passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline.

Budget airline EasyJet said some of its flights were “unable to operate” and that the system failure caused “delays to flights across Europe.”

Some passengers took to social media to complain about being stuck on the tarmac for hours. Many expressed frustration about a lack of communication from airlines.

Heathrow’s website showed that many short-haul flights departing for European destinations had been canceled or delayed.

Arriving flights did not appear to be affected. It was not immediately clear what caused the technical problem.

HUNDREDS of flights have been grounded across the UK following a major ATC failure.

Here is everything you need to know if your flight has been delayed or cancelled.

What is happening right now at UK airports?

Airports across the UK are experiencing huge delays and cancellations with passengers reporting being stuck parked at gates due to Air Traffic Control outages.

It comes after NATS experienced a technical issue just after 1pm today according to multiple sources, halting departures at UK airports.

NATS stated: “We have identified that the issue was in our flight processing system.

“Our engineers are on site and working urgently to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.

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“We recognise the ongoing disruption to travel, for which we sincerely apologise.

“Flights are still departing and airspace is open, but recovery will take some time. We will provide further updates as soon as possible.

“Passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline. We will provide further updates as soon as we have confirmed information, at http://www.nats.aero and on X at @NATS.”

Are flights being affected?

Flights are being impacted across UK airports London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester.

More than 50 flights departing London Heathrow have already been cancelled.

Manchester Airport has advised passengers to “check the latest status of their flight with their airline” amid the turmoil caused by the air traffic control failure.

The airport said it would “Continue to monitor the situation and share further updates as more information becomes available.”

At Luton Airport a Ryanair flight to Dublin scheduled to leave at 4.10PM is now estimated to leave at 7PM.

And a Jet2 flight to Alicante scheduled to leave at 4.25PM, is now estimated to leave at 6PM.

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

Airlines have a duty of care they must offer passengers affected by delays or cancellations.

The Civil Aviation Authority states: “If your flight is delayed, and UK261 applies to it, your airline must look after you while you are delayed.

“This includes providing you with food and drink based on how long your delay is, and accommodation if you are delayed overnight.”

If your airline doesn’t provide these and you end up paying for food, a hotel or transport yourself, keep all receipts so you can claim back reasonable expenses later.

If your flight is cancelled, they must also offer a refund or an alternative flight, even with another airline.

If you accept a refund, they no longer need to offer you any additional forms of care, such as hotels or food vouchers.

Can I claim compensation?

Airlines are not required to offer any compensation if the situation is deemed “extraordinary circumstances”.

This can mean anything out of the airline’s control like extreme weather – or air traffic control failures.

As a result, the current NATS technical outage is classed as an “extraordinary circumstance”.

In the last major NATS outage in 2023, travellers did not receive compensation.

The Civil Aviation Authority revealed that around 700,000 passengers were impacted by the last outage.

This included 300,000 people by cancellations, 95,000 by delays of over three hours and a further 300,000 by shorter delays.

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.

THERE is nothing worse than a delayed or cancelled flight – and one airline is now making passengers pay extra if they want help quicker.

Wizz Air has launched a new add-on called ‘Disruption Assistance’, which it claims is ‘added protection’.

According to the airline, passengers will “get extra support if your flight is disrupted on the day of travel”.

The new add-on means that travellers will get notifications for disruptions over two hours, for any reason including severe weather, issues at airports or even strikes.

Another part of the add-on is that you will get rebooked quickly when time matters, even if this means needing to travel with another airline.

You will also be able to request a full refund if the alternatives offered to you don’t work.

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The final part of the add-on is that you will get “access [to] easy self-service tools or speak to an agent”.

You can add Disruption Assistance during the booking process or in Manage My Booking on the airline’s website or app.

In addition, if your flight is impacted on your day of travel, you will be sent an email to the Disruption Portal where you will be able to rebook via one of the options given or offered a refund.

According to EX-YU Aviation, the add-on costs between €9.90 (£8.51) and €14.90 (£12.80) per person.

Legally, the airline must rebook you under EU/UK Regulation 261/2004, if your flight is cancelled or delayed by more than five hours.

Airlines will usually try to rebook you on their own airline’s next available flight.

However, if they are unable to get you to your destination on the same day or next day, they must legally book you onto a rival airline and reimburse you.

Essentially, the Disruption Assistance add-on means you don’t have to battle with the airline’s customer service for a new flight or refund.

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.

IF you need a loud announcement to tell you when it’s time to board, you might be in trouble at certain airports.

More silent airports are being introduced all over the globe – and these ones have no background noise, but it means you could potentially miss your flight.

Silent airports were first launched in 2015 to create a calmer, less stressful environment for travellers.

Essentially these are terminals that significantly reduces certain sounds like general boarding calls, final calls, and flight updates – or gets rid of them altogether.

Airports Council International (ACI) Angela Gittens previously told CNN Travel that silent airports are designed to “create a calm, relaxed ambiance.”

She added: “Passengers can wind down while they wait for their flight to board in the common airside lounges, commercial, and food and beverage areas.”

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Instead of announcement over loud speakers, lots of airlines are opting for live updates when it comes to their flights on apps or text messages.

Any sort of changes are usually sent straight to the passenger.

But for anyone not paying attention, it could cause problems – and even mean missed flights.

If any passengers are running late, in a silent airport, they will not be called to board their flight.

It’s likely that any last-minute gate changes won’t be announced either.

The very first silent airport was Helsinki Airport in Finland and many others have since followed suit.

Currently only two airports in the UK are ‘silent’ – Bristol and London City.

Around the world, other silent airports include Riyadh Airport, Barcelona El Prat Airport, and Venice Marco Polo Airport in Italy.

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey almost missed her flight at the airport at Amsterdam Schipol Airport in the Netherlands because there were no announcements.

Kara said: “Returning from Amsterdam Schipol Airport and having checked what gate I would be flying from, I headed straight there and sat down with my headphones on, waiting to board.”

Kara continued: “Yet I didn’t realise the gate had changed until I saw a group of people from the corner of my eye all get up and start running.

“It was only when I saw the women leaving the boarding gate desk that I asked and she told me the gate had moved to one on the other side of the airport.

“So while they can be “less stressful” – keep an eye on your flights.”

“Wheel of Fortune” announcer Jim Thornton’s longtime tenure on the popular game show is officially over.

A spokesperson for Sony Pictures Television, which produces “Wheel of Fortune,” confirmed in a statement shared with The Times on Friday that Thornton’s “employment with ‘Wheel of Fortune’ has been terminated, effective immediately,” following an investigation. Sony suspended Thornton on Tuesday amid an ongoing probe into then-unspecified allegations.

A legal representative for Thornton, 61, did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Friday.

A day before TMZ first reported on the announcer‘s firing, the outlet published numerous photos that show Thornton on his laptop aboard a flight visiting a website that describes itself as a support chat for “people who are attracted to children.” In photos taken by a neighboring passenger, Thornton’s computer screen appears to show messages of one user saying they “saw a couple of cute boys and a hot little girl” at a restaurant they referred to as an “All-you-can-eat Boyfett” and a second user referring to “CP,” commonly shorthand for child pornography. The photos published by TMZ also show Thornton, who is wearing a black jacket embroidered with the “Wheel of Fortune” logo on his sleeve, appearing to type into the chat room.

Thornton’s attorney Allison Hart told TMZ that he became a suicide-prevention advocate after a loved one took their life two years ago and he has since spent time visiting crisis chat rooms to offer “support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation.” According to TMZ, Thornton claimed an acquaintance from a suicide prevention group sent him a link to an unrelated, non-crisis chat room — the one seen in the photos. Thornton also reportedly said he quickly left the disturbing chat room “once he found out what it was.” Time stamps seen in the photos show Thornton remained in the chat room for nearly an hour.

The passenger complained about Thornton to a flight attendant and shared the photos with the crew, according to TMZ. American Airlines informed the outlet that a passenger was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on May 14, although the airline did not identify the individual.

Thornton’s attorney also told TMZ earlier this week that he “did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested and has not been charged with any crime.”

“When questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight, law enforcement spoke to him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing had occurred and told my client he was free to go,” his attorney said.

Thornton’s “Wheel of Fortune” tenure traces back to 2011 following the death of his predecessor, Charlie O’Donnell. His game show credits include “The Price Is Right,” “The Soup,” “Jeopardy!” and “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.” He has performed voice work for the movie “Monsters, Inc.,” and video games including “Wall-E” and “Mafia II.”

Times staff writer Andrea Flores contributed to this report.

ONE woman was left in Turkey for almost a week with her family when her flight home with easyJet was cancelled last minute.

Macy Neve Flye was due to fly home from Dalaman in Turkey to Bristol with easyJet but was left “stranded” with her family after a technical problem with the aircraft.

The date of the original flight was August 22 , due to take off at 11:25pm.

But by the time it hit 12:30am, passengers were told to check their emails, to which they found out their flight home had been cancelled.

To maker matters worse, the return flights home were almost a week later due to the busy summer season.

Macy and her family were been split between two replacement flights departing on August 27 and August 28.

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Talking to creatorzine.com, Macy said: “Being stranded has been nothing but stress, anger and confusion.”

She was travelling with her boyfriend and three members of his family, including a five-year-old who were all later transferred to a different hotel.

This was due to the original hotel not having enough space for all 150 passengers affected.

On the ordeal, Macy said: “‘As you can imagine, it has just been awful and stressful. We had budgeted for a two-week holiday.

“This experience has made us not want to fly with them again.”

The family have been advised to keep receipts so they can claim back additional expenses incurred during the disruption.

easyJet confirmed the flight was cancelled after the aircraft experienced a technical problem.

They also said it arranged hotel accommodation and meals, and would reimburse the family for expenses.

It said alternative flights with other airlines and indirect routes were extremely limited because of the busy summer travel period.

Some members of the family were therefore given seats on a flight on August 27, with the remainder booked to travel the following day.

An easyJet spokesperson said: “We are very sorry that Ms Flye and her family’s flight from Dalaman to Bristol was unable to operate due to the aircraft experiencing a technical issue.

“The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our highest priority and we have been doing all we can to support the family, including providing hotel accommodation and meals.

“Alternative flight options including with other airlines are very limited at this busy time of year and so while we have transferred the family onto the next available flights this week, we are sorry for the difficulty caused by the delay returning home.

“We are in touch with the family to apologise for their experience and reimburse them for any expenses incurred.”

They say 10 passengers were told they would not be allowed on the ‘overweight’ flight

A pensioner says a dream family holiday to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary ended in “anger and frustration” after she and her husband were denied boarding on an overbooked easyJet flight home. Eileen Snow, 72, and her husband Stephen, 74, had enjoyed a week in Croatia followed by a week in Montenegro with family when they arrived at Tivat Airport on Saturday expecting to fly back to London Gatwick.

But the couple say they were stopped at the gate and left stranded abroad. The situation was worrying for Stephen, who takes daily medication and says he only had enough to last until the following day. The delay also meant Eileen was unable to visit her late father’s grave on what would have been his birthday.

EasyJet later emailed Stephen apologising that he had been “denied boarding” on flight EZY8814 and referred to procedures used when flights are overbooked. According to Civil Aviation Authority guidelines, an airline expecting to have too many passengers should first ask for volunteers willing to surrender their reservations in exchange for agreed benefits.

But the couple, from Emsworth, Hampshire, insist they did not volunteer to give up their seats. “I was angry and frustrated – I couldn’t believe the level of incompetence,” said Stephen. “It did ruin what had been a perfect holiday with family. Regardless of what easyJet claims, we did not volunteer to stay off the flight.”

Eileen and Stephen had been booked on the 4:50pm easyJet service from Tivat to Gatwick. The flight was already delayed when they reached the gate. The couple says they and three other couples were prevented from boarding despite having reserved their seats well in advance.

Eileen said: “They let many people board after us. We were told the flight was full. Ten of us could not go.”

She says they were told the aircraft was over-fuelled. She claims a woman dealing with the stranded passengers promised to arrange taxis, accommodation, food and vouchers. But Eileen says the woman then left to seek help and never returned.

She said: “She promised all the requested items – taxis, accommodation, food, vouchers. She abandoned us.”

The couple says they repeatedly asked for an easyJet representative and a senior airport manager but were unable to get practical assistance. As the airport began closing, Eileen says the remaining passengers were told they had to leave.

She said an older man approached them before bringing over what she believed was a police, security or border officer. Eileen said: “Some of them had belts with what looked like a gun. We were intimidated.”

An airport worker eventually stepped in and drove the couple to a hotel in his own car, helping them with their luggage. Eileen and Stephen paid for the accommodation themselves.

By the following evening, Eileen was still trying to resolve the situation through easyJet’s WhatsApp customer service. The airline later provided links allowing the couple to seek reimbursement for hotel, food and transport costs and submit a denied-boarding compensation claim.

But Eileen says the experience had left her deeply disappointed. The couple had travelled from 16 to 29 August for the family holiday to mark their golden wedding anniversary. They eventually secured British Airways flights from Croatia to Gatwick and booked a £190 taxi across the border to Dubrovnik.

They then faced a further £177 journey from Gatwick back to their home. An easyJet spokesperson said: “We are very sorry that Mr and Mrs Snow were unable to travel on their flight from Tivat to London Gatwick due to the aircraft exceeding weight limits.

“Weight restrictions are in place for all airlines for safety reasons and in the event that a flight exceeds this limit, we are required to carry fewer passengers. We did everything possible to minimise disruption for our customers including offering the next direct flight, however as this wasn’t suitable, they booked with an alternative carrier and will be reimbursed.

“We have since spoken to Mr and Mrs Snow, apologised for their experience and provided the compensation due. The safety and welfare of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority.”