Planes flights and airlines

FROM major hubs like London Heathrow and Gatwick to regional airports – a number of airlines have scrapped been forced to scrap lots of routes in recent months.

Here are all the routes that have been axed this year by airlines like Ryanair, Vueling and Virgin Atlantic.

London Heathrow

Earlier this year, Virgin Atlantic scrapped its flights to Riyadh entirely after just a year.

The airline also suspended flights from London Heathrow to Dubai due to the ongoing Iran War until winter 2027.

Flights to Seattle have been paused until March 27, 2027.

A Virgin spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend our seasonal service to Dubai for the winter 2026 season, while services to Seattle will also be temporarily suspended for the winter 2026 season only, before resuming in March 2027.

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“Customers can continue to travel to Seattle with our partner Delta Air Lines who will offer daily services from London Heathrow.“

“We’d like to apologise to any affected customers and will be contacting them with their options which include rebooking or a refund.”

Also no longer serving London Heathrow is Loganair which axed three routes this year.

The airline had flown to Dundee, Orkney and Shetland.

A Loganair spokesperson said: “Following a review of the route’s long-term viability, Loganair can confirm that its Dundee–London Heathrow service will cease after Friday 23 October, and the operating base will close.

“Earlier this year, we served notice to the stakeholder group behind the Public Service Obligation route after the contract became financially unsustainable.”

London Gatwick

Norse cancelled its route between London Gatwick and Los Angeles due to the rise in fuel prices in April.

The airline cited the “global fuel crisis” as the main reason.

Norse only introduced the route between the UK and American city back in June 2023.

At that time it operated seven flights per week.

Bournemouth Airport

Jet2 pulled five scheduled routes from Bournemouth Airport before they even launched earlier this year.

The airline began flying from the airport in February 2025 with two aircraft.

Plans even included adding a third aircraft along with more destinations in 2026.

But the company said in July 2025 that following a review, it had “taken the decision to withdraw services to Malaga, Dubrovnik, Jersey, Reus and Verona for summer ’26”.

Leeds Bradford

easyJet is cancelling all flights from Leeds Bradford from January 5, 2027.

Current routes from Leeds Bradford Airport include Barcelona, Majorca, Malaga and Paris, as well as Geneva and Belfast.

Last week, the airline said in a statement: “Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January.”

It added: “We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand.”

Cardiff Airport

Vueling has withdrawn its flights to Alicante from its winter 2026–27 schedule just four months after first placing flights on sale.

The airline had scheduled a three-weekly service to Alicante over the Christmas and New Year period.

The last flight of the year from Cardiff Airport to Alicante is on October 24.

Neither the airline nor Cardiff Airport has confirmed if the flights will be returning for the summer season.

Manchester Airport

In March 2026, Aer Lingus announced it would be stopping all of its long-haul routes from Manchester Airport.

The airline had provided routes from Manchester to New York, Orlando and Barbados.

In January of this year, the airline said it was “undergoing a period of uncertainty on transatlantic services” at its Manchester base.

It continued: “To minimise customer disruption in the event of a closure of the Manchester base, which operates transatlantic flights from Manchester to New York, Orlando and Barbados, Aer Lingus is no longer selling transatlantic flights to/from Manchester for travel from 31 March 2026.”

IndiGo axed its two routes between Manchester and India on August 31.

It only started the routes to Mumbai and Delhi back in July 2025 – one-way flights between Manchester and Mumbai started from £290.

Southampton Airport

Loganair will close its base at Southampton Airport at the end of October.

The closure means that flights between Southampton and Manchester and Manchester and Exeter have been cancelled. The final flights were on August 20, 2026.

London Stansted

Ryanair has been forced to make several major changes in 2026 – one of which will affect London Stansted.

The airline announced it would be closing its Berlin base in October which is set to impact routes from Stansted as part of the winter 2026/27 schedule.

The details on which services and reductions hasn’t been specified yet.

A UK airport with international flights is set to undergo a multi-million redevelopment – its first in nearly a decade.

Belfast City Airport in Northern Ireland has revealed the latest plans for its £200million expansion.

The plans are part of the airport’s Master Plan 2040 and would include expanding passenger facilities as well as creating new airfield infrastructure.

There will be new airport access as well as a new forecourt, additional parking and a hotel.

There are currently no plans to extend the airport though.

The airport is also hoping to increase its operating hours from 15 to 16 hours per day.

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In addition, the airport wants to increase its annual flights from 48,000 to 61,000.

Other plans include a potential new rail connection.

The wider 2040 plan includes serving up to seven million passengers per year, compared to just 2.36million today.

Eventually there will be new aircraft stands, aprons and a taxiway too.

Routes from the airport are mainly to other UK destinations, but there are flights to Amsterdam as well as seasonal routes to destinations including Majorca in Spain.

Matthew Hall, Chief Executive of Belfast City Airport, said: “Delivery of our Master Plan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will benefit passengers and businesses across the region, whilst delivering key elements of the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme for Government.

“Every airport on the island of Ireland will need to play its part in meeting future demand, and this draft Master Plan exemplifies Belfast City Airport’s commitment to doing so, while reinforcing our position as a vital economic enabler for the region.

“We want more passengers to arrive by public transport and leave their cars at home, hence a focus on greener journeys within the Master Plan.

He added that they have partnered with Translink to look into creating a new rail halt linking the airport with Belfast city centre on the Bangor line.

TUI is set to launch new flights to a pretty island with golden beaches and quaint villages

Next summer TUI will launch flights between the UK and Djerba in Tunisia.

The flights will take off from London Gatwick Airport twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.

Just three hours and 15 minutes from the UK, Djerba is known for its 34C weather, sandy beaches and Star Wars sights.

Even in winter you can still expect temperatures around 20C – much warmer than the UK.

As one of Tunisia‘s lesser-known islands, travellers can book a holiday to the island with TUI from £659.

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The island sits off Tunisia‘s south-east coast and across the island’s coast you will find resorts and pretty villages.

Travellers can book many different experiences on the island including seeing the desert, heading to cave villages and exploring Star Wars filming locations.

Away from the beaches, there are also sprawling souks to explore such as Houmt Souk.

Lisa Minot, Head of Travel, who recently visited, said: “Relatively undiscovered by us Brits, Djerba is a great-value option for those looking to explore beyond the Med favourites.

“The resemblance to the alleyways of Mykonos and Santorini is striking and my arty stroll ends at a small cafe under a sprawling canopy of trees in a sunlit square.

“But when I tell you a small cup of strong coffee here costs 25p, you’ll know I am nowhere near the trendy Greek isles.

“The small town of Erriadh sits at the centre of the island of Djerba —which was used as a filming location for Star Wars — just off the south coast of Tunisia.

“And at its heart is Djerbahood, the passion project of a famous French art gallery owner who convinced some of the world’s best street artists to travel to Djerba, and its inhabitants to allow their walls to be daubed.

“Now, more than 250 murals and sculptures have transformed the heart of the neighbourhood.”

You could stay at TUI BLUE Palm Beach Palace which is a beachfront, adults-focused hotel.

Alternatively, head to TUI MAGIC LIFE Penelope Beach, which is an all-inclusive resort ideal for family holidays, with sports, entertainment, food and drink included.

TUI UK & Ireland Managing Director Neil Swanson said: “Tunisia has been growing in popularity with our customers, and it is easy to see why.

“It offers sunshine, great beaches and really good value, which is exactly what many people are looking for when they are planning their next holiday.

“Djerba gives them all of that, but with something a bit different too. It has a lovely laid-back island feel, beautiful sandy beaches, warm temperatures for much of the year and plenty to explore if you want more than a week by the pool.

“By adding TUI Airways charter flights from London Gatwick, we are making it even easier for customers to get there as part of their TUI holiday.

“It is a brilliant option for families, couples and groups who want somewhere sunny, great value and a little less expected.”

A UK airport is set to close for an entire day this week – with strikes having already caused chaos.

Norwich Airport in Norfolk will be closed on August 28 due to another air traffic control strike taking place at the airport.

As a result, the airport will not be able to operate across the day meaning all flights will be cancelled, as there will be extremely low staff numbers.

It comes as Prospect union announced the strike as part of an ongoing dispute over pay, terms and conditions.

Strike action started last Monday after the airport failed to make an offer to resolve the dispute, with several cancellations on Friday including Loganair flights to and from Aberdeen.

Strike action means that staff will work strictly to their contract, not work overtime, won’t swap shifts and will withdraw goodwill.

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In a statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to the 24-hour strike by Prospect union members in Air Traffic Control, Norwich Airport will be closed to air traffic on Friday 28 August and no flights will operate to or from the airport that day.

“Airlines have been informed. Passengers due to travel on Friday should check with their airline for the latest information about their flight and the options available to them.

“We apologise for the disruption and inconvenience this will cause to passengers.

“We remain firmly committed to resolving this dispute through constructive dialogue and will continue to engage with Prospect with the aim of reaching agreement.”

Destinations you can fly to from the airport include Faro, Malta, Alicante and Amsterdam.

Cancellations include a flights to Aberdeen, Corfu, Amsterdam, Alicante, Majorca and Dalaman.

David Avery, Prospect National Secretary for Aviation said: “It is extremely disappointing that we have still not received an acceptable offer from Norwich Airport, which has left us with little choice but to push ahead with this industrial action.

“Our members in air traffic control are not making unreasonable demands, they are simply asking for pay levels and terms and conditions that are normal for their colleagues across the country.

“We hope that the employer can quickly return to the bargaining table with an improved offer that will enable this dispute to be resolved without the need for strike action.”

DELAYS are set to hit three major airports over the weekend due to a strike by air traffic control.

The walkouts started today and will continue for the next few days with warnings of disruption.

Members of the Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers Association staff have staged strikes affecting service at Oslo Airport Gardermoen, Bergen Airport Flesland, Stavanger Airport.

This also includes workers at Røyken – an air traffic control centre.

The strike officially began just before midday today and is scheduled to continue until Monday next week.

Avinor, a company that operates most of the public airports in Norway, has warned that Oslo Airport Gardermoen could be closed for several hours during the weekend.

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It added that part of the airspace over western Norway could also be closed periodically.

On the Oslo Airport Gardermoen website, a message reads: “Due to an ongoing air traffic controllers’ strike, flight operations at Avinor’s airports are currently disrupted.

“The strike is affecting capacity in Norwegian airspace, resulting in delays and cancellations across multiple departures and arrivals.

“The extent of disruptions may vary. All passengers are advised to follow updates from their airline. Avinor apologises for the inconvenience.”

Avinor spokesperson Helene W. Jensen told local media today that “delays will increase throughout the day and become worse this evening.”

Initial disruptions mainly affect flights to and from Oslo, the country’s capital.

Airlines from the UK fly into Oslo Airport Gardermoen include Ryanair, SAS, British Airways and Norwegian.

So far none of the cancelled flights area heading to or from the UK.

Passengers are being advised to check for information with their airline and if they haven’t received information about a cancellation, to go to the airport as normal.

A BUDGET airline is scrapping its flights from a UK airport.

Vueling first launched flights from Cardiff Airport back in 2012.

It planned to operate seasonal flights to the Spanish city of Alicante this winter.

However, Vueling has now withdrawn it from its winter 2026–27 flights from Cardiff – just four months after first placing flights on sale.

The airline had scheduled a three-weekly service to Alicante over the Christmas and New Year period.

The last flight of the year from Cardiff Airport to Alicante is on October 24.

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It’s flights to Malaga will end on October 18, which was already planned.

Neither the airline nor Cardiff Airport has confirmed if the flights will be returning for the summer season.

A Vueling spokesperson said: “At Vueling, we are constantly analysing our network and flight schedule to offer our passengers the best connectivity options and adapt our offer to the connectivity needs of each route.

“In this regard, our route between Alicante and Cardiff will not operate during the 2026 winter season. In any case, we continuously evaluate any opportunities that may arise in the future.”

Passengers have taken to social media who have been affected.

One said: “They always seem to cancel lots of winter flights out of Cardiff due to low sales. They release them late then wonder why they don’t sell. Shame as Vueling provide a great service.”

Another said: “We usually fly with them in February and the flights are pretty full so I am surprised.”

A spokesperson for Cardiff Airport said they were “disappointed” that the service had been withdrawn.

They added: “Alicante remains a popular destination from Cardiff, with TUI and Ryanair continuing to offer direct flights this winter.

“We remain focused on working with our airline partners to grow our route network and give customers across Wales greater choice from Cardiff.

“We would encourage any customers affected by Vueling’s decision to contact the airline directly regarding their booking and to explore the alternative travel options available from Cardiff.”

RYANAIR is offering bargain rescue flights to any easyJet travellers faced with cancellations at a major UK airport.

EasyJet announced earlier this week that it will be axing all of its flights from Leeds Bradford Airport.

The last flight will be on January 5, 2027.

Destinations the airline flies to from the airport include Paris, Barcelona and Malaga.

Now, Ryanair has announced that it will be launching ‘rescue fares’ from £29.99 for passengers impacted by easyJet’s flight cancellations at Leeds Bradford Airport.

From today, Ryanair flights between Leeds Bradford and Malaga in Spain, will be £29.99.

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Ryanair currently operates 10 weekly flights between Leeds and the Spanish holiday hotspot.

Travellers will be able to book the rescue fares between now and the end of February 2027.

Ryanair’s Director of Comms, Jade Kirwan, said: “While easyJet abandons Leeds Bradford, cutting its full schedule from 5 Jan 2027, Ryanair is saving the day with rescue fares from just £29.99 for affected passengers – particularly those booked to fly easyJet from Leeds Bradford to Malaga, who can now switch to one of Ryanair’s 10 Malaga services per week.

“Ryanair’s rescue fares are available to book now on the Ryanair app/website.”

When easyJet announced that the airline will be scrapping flights from Leeds Bradford Airport, a spokesperson said: “Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January.

“Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.

“We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand.”

A NUMBER of Ryanair passengers missed their flight this week due to more airport queue chaos.

Travellers at Copenhagen Airport became stuck in long queues on Tuesday.

The Ryanair flight was scheduled to have 179 passengers, however 54 didn’t even make it onboard.

When the flight closed for boarding, any passengers who weren’t onboard had their luggage unloaded from hold.

The delays were not due to the new Entry/Exit System (EES) that has been causing delays at other European airports.

Instead, they were due to a water leak.

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A spokesperson for the airport said: “The longer queues at passport control on Tuesday afternoon were caused by an extraordinary operational issue and were not related to the EES system.

“On Tuesday afternoon, an unfortunate water leak occurred in a server room connected to the passport control area in Pier E, one of the airport’s two passport control facilities.

“As a result, all passengers had to pass through passport control in Pier C for the remainder of the day.

“When half of the available passport control capacity is taken out of operation, longer waiting times are unfortunately unavoidable.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this caused our passengers.”

Sun Travel has contacted Ryanair for comment.

This is the latest in a number of incidents of passengers missing their flights in Europe recently.

However, other cases have been caused by long queues at airports due to EES.

For example, back in April, about 100 passengers were left stranded at Milan Linate Airport after their easyJet flight to Manchester left without them.

BRITS heading to Europe now have to go through the new Entry/Exit System (EES), but some parents have been unclear on whether kids have to use it too.

Some families hadn’t realised that children under 12-years-old need certain biometrics taken at the border.

On ABTA, the confirmed advice reads: “People of all ages will need to go through the EES checks.

“Children under 12 will not need to provide fingerprints, but they will need to have a facial scan taken.”

This is where the confusion lay as some parents believed their younger children were exempt from checks altogether.

Any Brit over the age of 12 is required to have both their fingerprints taken and their face scanned for registering.

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If you are heading abroad as a family, it’s important to leave extra time for EES checks as delays have been reported to be up to six hours.

Some passengers have even missed flights as a result.

Passengers returning to the UK from Athens in June were still in the airport queuing through passport control and missed their flight to London Luton.

One holidaymaker told the BBC there had been a “mega queue” at Athens International Airport.

Hundreds of people were waiting at both security and passport control and the plane was forced to leave without them.

Something else to be aware of if travelling as a parent with a different surname, as this can result in airport delays.

Tough rules at the border are in place to prevent child trafficking and parents could be asked for proof of relation.

Along with valid passports, it’s advised to keep important documents to hand, these include;

• A sealed copy of any Court Order you have permitting you to travel alone.
• A consent letter from the parent(s) or holders of parental responsibility not accompanying you.
• Your child’s birth or adoption certificate.
• Your marriage certificate or Decree Absolute if you were married to the non-accompanying parent but are no longer married.

While we can’t guarantee that it will make journeys any quicker, Sun Travel do have suggestions on how to make it a bit more bearable with kids.

The first is bring entertainment, it could be worth setting the kids up with an iPad or something that will keep them occupied.

Take advantage of the priority lane if there is one for families – usually this is for those with young children.

For more tips on how to avoid EES chaos at the airports, head here.

GOING to the airport follows a strict process – check in, drop your bags off, head through security and – for many of us – get stopped for a search.

And when that inevitably happens, nine out of 10 times the reason is something that seems silly or you could have easily prevented.

And there are actually two items that we all carry that cause issues.

The first is our gadgets – whether that be a laptop, iPad or phone.

According to Which?, layering electronics can trigger a manual search.

Smiths Detections has said that layering electronics should be avoided.

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Instead, travellers should place them next to each other.

They explained: : “Where possible, avoid stacking multiple electronic devices directly on top of one another in cabin baggage. Instead, place them side by side.”

And another popular item most of us travel with – a water bottle – can also cause an issue.

Smiths Detection explained that travellers should avoid packing bottles and liquid containers near to gadgets.

They explained that they “should ideally be packed separately from electronic devices and not directly underneath or immediately adjacent to them”.

While in a lot of airports new CT scanners allow us to keep all our gadgets and liquids in our bag, these items can still be flagged.

The scanners are meant to make the security process faster, but you could still queue to have your bag manually checked.

If you are heading through an airport as a family, make sure to look out for family lanes which can help you bypass queues.

At London Luton Airport you can reserve a 30-minute window online from between four days and 60 minutes before you arrive at security to bypass the queues, for free.

Manchester Airport has a similar system but you get a 15-minute slot.

THE world’s best airlines have been revealed and one in the UK has been named No1 in Europe.

The 2026 Flyer’s Choice Awards, conducted by AirlineRatings.com, is voted on by travellers for airlines that deliver the best experience.

But when it came to the UK/Europe category, a major UK airline came out on top – British Airways.

It is the second year the airline has won the award.

The awards stated: “That’s particularly impressive in a region with such a diverse mix of airlines, from traditional flag carriers to the low-cost giants that carry millions of passengers every year.”

Lufthansa followed behind in second and KLM came third.

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Singapore Airlines was the biggest winner when it came to awards, winning a total of four titles.

The airline won the award for Preferred Economy Airline, Best Cabin Crew Service, best airline in Central and South East Asia and the Airline That Gave the Greatest Peace of Mind.

Delta Air Lines then led the way in the USA/Canada category, Emirates won in Africa and the Middle East, Qantas won in Australia and Pacific, Cathay Pacific won in North East Asia and LATAM won in South and Central America.

Other categories included Favourite Low-Cost Carrier, which was won by Vietjet Air, followed by AirAsia and then Jetstar and easyJet in third place.

Qatar Airways gained the title for the Preferred Business Class, while Emirates was voted to have the Preferred Premium Economy.

AirlineRatings.com CEO Sharon Petersen said: “We are incredibly fortunate to live in a world where travellers have so many airlines delivering safe, reliable and reassuring experiences.

“The continued strength of brands like Singapore Airlines and Qantas in the Peace of Mind category is a real credit to the trust they have built with passengers over many years.

“Confidence in an airline is earned over time, and these results demonstrate the value of that consistency.”

A MAJOR budget airline cancelled around 100 flights at a number of airports over the weekend – and there could be more to come.

Travellers are being warned that there could easyJet flight cancellations due to strikes, in the next two weeks.

Between August 15 and 16, an initial walk out led to nearly 100 flights to and from France cancelled, impacting thousands of passengers.

And there is the possibility that cabin crew could start a number of strikes again over the coming days.

A notification for strike action remains in place until September 2.

The notice gives workers at the airline the option to strike with 48 hours notice.

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With the strike notice still in place for the couple of weeks, travellers are being warned that the chaos might not yet be over.

If further strike action is called, it is expected to take place on weekends as this will create the most disruption.

The previous strikes impacted all of easyJet’s bases in France including Paris Orly, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Lyon, Nice, Nantes, and Bordeaux.

According to The Connexion, no further strike dates have been confirmed at the moment.

Three unions are involved in the action, which has been called over poor working conditions and uncooperative management.

The Connexion added that easyJet has offer alternatives to all passengers impacted but the strike action over the past weekend, including other flight options.

Due to the strike action being called by easyJet’s staff it cannot be classed as ‘extenuating circumstances’ and as a result passengers should receive compensation and refunds.

THE UK’S largest regional airline will cease operations at a popular base in a matter of weeks.

Three routes will be axed after the flights were deemed to be “financially unsustainable”.

Loganair has confirmed plans to withdraw all flights from Dundee Airport later this year.

The airline currently runs flights from Dundee to London twice a day, having swapped from London Stansted to London Heathrow back in 2023.

However, this route, along with flights to Orkney and Shetland, will end on Friday, October 23.

A Loganair spokesperson said: “Following a review of the route’s long-term viability, Loganair can confirm that its Dundee–London Heathrow service will cease after Friday 23 October, and the operating base will close.

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“Earlier this year, we served notice to the stakeholder group behind the Public Service Obligation route after the contract became financially unsustainable.”

The airline revealed that it had “explored alternative options but have not been able to identify a viable way forward that meets the objectives of the PSO while allowing the route to operate sustainably”.

The airline, which was founded by Willie Logan in 1962, has operated flights from the Scottish city for 12 years.

Loganair advised that all customers affected by the change will be contacted directly.

“We are also supporting Dundee-based colleagues and will explore alternative roles across the Loganair network wherever possible,” the airline rep added.

“These decisions reflect the same disciplined, decisive approach that has driven previous improvements in Loganair’s punctuality and resilience, protecting the long-term future of the airline, our people, and the lifeline connectivity we provide to communities across our network.”

It comes after Loganair also confirmed it would be closing its base at Southampton too.

MORE Brits are facing problems at the border in Europe, with many being stopped and facing even longer queues – and it could affect thousands.

The new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires biometric checks from Brits, has been in place since April.

But a new report from The Telegraph has found that those with ‘faded fingerprints’ are being rejected by the machines – a problem associated with older passengers.

One 80-year-old woman told the publication how EES failed to recognise her fingerprints on a trip to Palma in Majorca.

Angela Evans said: “I tried several times, on different machines and with assistance from a member of staff, but to no avail. My fingerprints would not register.

“I suspect this is because of my age – 80 – and that my fingers are probably worn smooth and not ‘ridgy’ enough to record.”

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Another holidaymaker, Barbara, struggled to register her fingerprints at Salzburg Airport.

After holding up a “long line of passengers”, Barbara said she discovered she has “no fingerprints”.

Both women had to then see a member of airport staff and queue to have their passports manually stamped.

Another older couple couldn’t get through the EES gates at Naples Airport and had to join a queue that was so long it went outside the terminal.

After waiting for two hours and missing their transfer pick up, the couple were seen by a member of staff but said they were “put off flying” as a result.

While fingerprints don’t technically ‘fade’, they do change as skin loses its elasticity with age.

The surface is then less defined and harder for digital scanners to read.

It’s not the first issue to come with the introduction of EES.

One woman who is an identical twin faced a problem when she was mistaken for her sister.

In some cases, Brits have been left in queues of up to six hours while waiting to register with EES.

Some holidaymakers have even missed their flight because of delays at passport control.

A MAJOR European airport continues to be impacted by a volcanic eruption.

Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy has has faced hundreds of cancellations and delays, as well as a multi-day closure over the past week.

It has since issued yet another travel warning this morning as Mount Etna continues to cause travel disruption.

In the latest statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to Etna’s eruptive activity, the closure of the airspace corresponding to Sector B1 has been extended.

“Arriving flight operations have been restored to 12 aircraft per hour until 6:00 PM today, 18 August.

“There are no restrictions on departures. Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport.

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“Further updates will follow.”

While the airport is now open, Etna is still erupting with a new lava flow emerging just yesterday.

Cancellations today include a flight due to land at 12pm from Manchester Airport.

While most flights remain ‘scheduled’ according to the airport’s website, as the day progresses delays could emerge.

Last week, cancellations at the airport saw passengers stranded with some even sleeping on luggage belts.

Numerous other flights were diverted to Palermo Airport, also in Sicily.

There were also disruptions at Malta International Airport last week, as an ash cloud caused by Etna travelled across the country.

IF YOU are thinking about where to go on your next holiday, then you might want to consider Albania.

New research has found that Albania is among Europe’s fastest-growing holiday destinations.

In fact, according to Thomas Cook, bookings are up a staggering 293 per cent year-on-year.

And it isn’t surprising as Albania has loads to explore including pretty beaches with crystal clear waters, a quiet capital city and cheap wine.

Recently, even the cast of TOWIE were in the country, filming the latest series of the popular reality TV show in Drimadhë – a small village near the Llogara National Park on the Ionian coast.

Brits wanting to head to the under-the-radar country, can fly direct from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Liverpool during the summer.

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Head to Tirana

The capital of Albania is Tirana and despite being the capital, you won’t find heads of crowds here.

The city can reach 35C in the summer and is even one of the sunniest cities in Europe with more than 2,500 hours of sunshine each year. Pints in the city cost as little as £1.50 too.

Travel reporter Cyann Fielding who visited the city recently, said: “One thing I really love about the city is it still feels completely undiscovered by Brits, lacking crowds and the typical souvenir shops on each corner that tend to come with that.

“In the heart of the city, visit Skanderbeg Square, where you’ll be able to get a clear view of the surrounding architecture – a mix of traditional Albanian villas and Soviet grey concrete buildings.

“If you want to earn your pint, climb the city’s very own pyramid, which has spectacular views of the mountains that border the capital.

“Make sure to also look out for ‘pillbox’ bunkers which are littered across the city – many of which have been turned into vibrant and quirky bars and cafes.”

You could stay at Hotel Elisa Tirana, Affiliated by Meliá with a spa, cafe and bar, for seven nights from £360 per person.

Maldives of Europe

Albania is also home to the so-called ‘Maldives of Europe’ in Ksamil, which earns the nickname from its pretty beaches with soft sand and crystal clear water.

You can head to Ksamil Beach, where you will also find the hand of Ksamil, which is a set of stairs up to a platform that is the palm of hand, hanging over the water.

If one beach isn’t enough, you can also head to Lori Beach ans Paradise Beach, which aren’t a long walk from Ksamil Beach. On Lori Beach you can also rent sunbeds and umbrellas.

In the town itself you will find a number of bars and spots to grab a bite to eat as well.

You could stay at the four-stay Ventus Hotel right by the beach for a week costing from £171 per person.

UNESCO World Heritage sites

If you prefer exploring history, Albania has some beautiful historical towns such as Berat and Gjirokastra – which are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Berat dates back 2,400 years and is known as the City of a Thousand Windows with boxy white houses and numerous Byzantine churches from the 13th century.

Gjirokastra, on the other hand, can be found in the Drinos River Valley and is known for its ornate 17th century houses.

Known as the ‘City of Stone’, visitors can explore a 13th century citadel as well as an old bazaar, traditional marketplace.

You could stay at the Te Gjyshi at Grandfather Hotel for seven nights costing from £199 per person.

Durres

Less than an hour from Tirana, you could head to the city of Durres.

In the city, you’ll find the Durres Amphitheatre, which is one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in the Balkans.

Make sure to also head to Durres Beach, which boasts a long stretch of golden sand as well as shallow waters ideal for families.

Stop by one of the restaurants along the seafront as well, to try out a catch-of-the-day grill, often with mussels and squid.

You could stay at the four-star Hotel Alion in Durres, Albania from £165 per person, including flights.

Golem

Golem is a great destination for beach lovers, thanks to being sat on a long stretch of the Adriatic coastline.

This pretty spot is also less than an hour drive from the airport.

Visitors can head along the seafront and find a boardwalk full of cafes, bars, restaurants and shops.

Golem is also the perfect place to try out different water sports such as banana boat rides.

You could stay at the four-star Martiness Hotel in Golem for seven nights from £299 per person.

A EUROPEAN airport has finally restarted flights after a week of chaos – but passengers are still being warned of cancellations.

Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy, was forced to cancel hundreds of flights last week as well as close for a number of days due to Mount Etna erupting.

Today, the airport is open again, however flights are still being cancelled.

There are currently no restrictions on departures, but only five flights are allowed to arrive at the airport per hour.

And despite departure flights going ahead, there are already several delays this morning affecting Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways passengers.

In the latest statement on the airport’s website, it says: “Due to Etna’s eruptive activity and the associated release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the airspace corresponding to Sectors B1 and B2 has been closed.

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“Arriving flights are limited to 5 aircraft per hour until 2:00 PM today, Monday 17 August.

“There are no restrictions on departures.

“Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport. Further updates will follow in the coming hours.”

In the latest update, at 7:09am this morning a new volcano vent opened, creating a new lava flow.

“Intense explosive activity” also resumed at the summit crater, with an ash plume rising a few kilometres, according to Volcano Discovery.

Some passengers have been left stranded during the volcanic activity.

Barbara Krmelj, 35 and partner Roy Barone, 46, were due to fly back to London on August 11 but their flights were cancelled.

As a result, the duo had to take an extra week’s leave from their jobs and while they have been given new flights, they anticipate that they too will be cancelled.

The couple, who said they are likely to have been left £1,000 out of pocket, added: “We can’t enjoy all the beauty around us as we feel trapped on the island.”

Another passenger, Evgenia Filimianova, 39, flew to Sicily from London to attend a friends wedding but their return flight was cancelled.

Evgenia said: “It feels like there is no way out. Emotionally, it’s not easy – it’s stressful and tiring and we weren’t prepared for it.”

Last week, the volcanic ash also caused issues at Malta International Airport.

A MAJOR international airport is about to undergo two decades of change with a massive expansion.

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport in Australia dates back to 1919 making it one of the oldest international airports in the world.

And it has revealed its Master Plan 2045 that will completely transform the airport.

Over two decades, the AUD$6billion (£3.1billion) project will completely overhaul the airport including expanding the international terminal, as well as redeveloping two domestic terminals.

There will be two new gates at the international terminal, as well as 12 new ‘swing gates’ at the domestic terminals, which can also be used for international aircraft depending on demand.

There will also be a new concourse between the domestic T2 and T3 terminals, which is where the new ‘swing gates’ will be, allowing the area to be transformed for international departures.

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At the international terminal (T1), travellers will also find additional baggage reclaims and new gate lounges.

Tech upgrades at the airport, which will be finished by the end of this year, include a $200million (£104million) update to T2 Domestic Terminal with new security scanners and self-service bag drops.

Flights at the airport are set to increase as well, from around 75,000 currently per year to 130,000 by 2045.

As a result, international passengers are expected to double from around 16million per year today, to 36.4million in 2045.

There will also be a new hotel which will add 200 to 500 rooms near T1 and between 500 and 900 elsewhere at the airport.

Across the entire airport, there will be a number of new shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and potentially even a pub too.

According to the planning documents, there will be “amusement centres” and “entertainment facilities” as well.

By 2045, the airport aims to handle 72.6million passengers a year – compared to the 42.5million passengers today.

It will be the airport’s largest terminal transformation since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: “Approval of Sydney Airport Master Plan 2045 provides a clear pathway to plan for future demand and invest in the infrastructure Sydney will need over the next two decades.

“As Australia’s international gateway, this plan ensures we can continue supporting tourism, trade, investment and jobs while delivering the capacity needed for future generations.”

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said: “Kingsford Smith is Australia’s busiest airport, it must remain fit for the future.

“Airports aren’t artworks, they’re constantly evolving to become more efficient and improve the passenger experience, and this new Master Plan maps out the airport’s plan to do just that.

“As demand grows, a modern Kingsford Smith will remain crucial to transport, tourism and industry across New South Wales and the nation.”

A EUROPEAN airport has been forced to close for the third day in a row as a volcano eruption continues to disrupt thousands of passengers.

Flights at Catania Airport in Sicily, Italy, will now be suspended until at least early Saturday due to ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing volcanic eruption.

Over the course of this week hundreds of flights have been cancelled with further flights diverted to neighbouring airport Palermo.

The airport has been closed for three days now, with flights disrupted over the past seven days.

In the latest update on its website, the airport states: “Due to Mount Etna’s eruptive activity, the closure of Sector C1 and B3 has been extended, resulting in the suspension of departures and arrivals until 2:00 AM on August 15.

“Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport.

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“Further updates will follow in the coming hours.”

Flights cancelled today include:

• 10:50am easyJet service to Bristol Airport
• 11:45am easyJet service to Edinburgh Airport
• 12:15pm easyJet service to London Gatwick
• 12:30pm BA Euroflyer service to London Gatwick

In total, nine flights to the UK are cancelled today as well as nine flights from the UK due to arrive at Catania.

Over the past days, more than 700 flights have been cancelled.

Families have also been left stranded at the airport, with videos on social media showing how some passengers have resorted to sleeping on luggage belts at the airport.

The impact has spread further than the Sicilian airport as well, with Malta International Airport forced to cancel 19 flights earlier this week too.

A REGIONAL UK airport has issued a warning for all travellers heading to the airport from this weekend.

The Metro at Newcastle Airport will close between August 15-23 for repair works.

No trains will run between the airport and South Gosforth across the week while repairs are carried out on the tracks, stations and cabling.

Trains will be cancelled from 5am on August 15 to 11:59pm on August 23.

During the nine-day disruption, there will be replacement bus services.

Travellers are being advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for travelling.

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Trains will be running elsewhere on the line.

Travel North East states on its website: “Your journey will take longer, so please plan ahead and leave extra time for travelling.”

Newcastle Airport recently completed a major upgrade that including refurbishing the departures area by adding 450 new seats.

This was part of a larger project that will grow the airport from eight million passengers by 2035 and nine million by 2040.

The project will include a three-storey airport extension with more restaurants.

There will also be two additional luggage carousels and 20 new plane stands by 2040.

PASSENGERS face further disruption in Europe as an Italian airport remains closed following a volcanic eruption for yet ANOTHER day.

Catania Airport in Sicily has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights since the weekend due to Mount Etna erupting and will remain closed until at least tomorrow.

Over the past few days, 700 flights have been cancelled with others diverted to neighbouring airports including Palermo.

As a result of the disruption, families who have had their flights cancelled have been left stranded, with videos on social media showing travellers sleeping on the airport floor and even luggage belts.

In its latest statement, the airport said: “Due to Mount Etna’s eruptive activity, the closure of Sector B3 has been extended, resulting in the suspension of arrivals and departures until 2:00 AM on August 14.

“Passengers are kindly advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport.

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“Further updates will follow in the coming hours.”

Evgenia Filimianova, 39, was caught up in the chaos after flew to Sicily last week from London to attend a friend’s wedding.

However, when she was due to fly to Athens from Catania earlier this week, her flight was cancelled just 30 minutes before it was due to depart.

Evgenia said: “We were having a very nice day in Taormina, at the wedding, enjoying our time there, but we could see the eruption and the volcano spewing lava.

“The locals seemed very chill and we didn’t get any emergency texts or direction from the people at the hotel, so we weren’t too worried.

“But then I started reading about travel. As soon as there is ash, the airports start closing.”

She added that there were loads of people “sleeping on the floor” when they arrived at the airport, with most other flights and buses already booked up.

Catania Airport isn’t the only spot impacted by the eruption either – Malta International Airport cancelled 19 flights earlier this week as well, with more delayed today.

A MAJOR airport renovation has forced thousands of flights to be cancelled or diverted until the end of the year.

Runway 4 at Paris-Orly Airport in France, will be closed from now until December 17 for extensive repair works.

During this period, the runway will be closed forcing around 3,000 flights to be cancelled or diverted to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

This works out to around 750 flights a month affected.

Any passengers due to travel to the airport between now and late autumn will need to check with their airline if their flight is still running.

And, where applicable, travellers will either be offered to rebook to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or to receive a refund.

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Budget airline easyJet has confirmed that it was asked to cancel flights from August 10 to October 24, with passengers offered alternative flights.

UK flights to and from the airport, usually operated by easyJet and Air France, include Newcastle, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

In an official statement on the airport’s website, it says: “During the work on the runway at Paris-Orly, some flights will be transferred to Paris-Charles de Gaulle from 10 August to 17 December 2026.

“Before you travel, check the flight information provided by Paris Aéroport and view real-time updates on your departure or arrival terminal.”

The main airlines impacted include Air Algérie, KM Malta Airlines, RAM, Pegasus, Iberia and Tunisair.

Works at the airport include renovating the pavements, upgrading lighting and improving the aircraft stands.

Paris- Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport are at opposite sides of Paris, taking around 45 minutes in the car or just over an hour on the train to get between the two.