routes

TRAIN travel can be very expensive in the UK, especially when you’re travelling halfway across the country.

But one train company that offers affordable tickets has applied to start two additional direct routes between major UK cities.

Lumo, which offers affordable journeys onboard its fleet of electric trains, has plans to add even more routes to its network.

FirstGroup, which owns Lumo, has revealed that it has submitted applications to begin new direct routes between Cardiff and York, and Rochdale and London Euston.

The Cardiff to York route would run via Birmingham, Derby, and Sheffield.

Meanwhile, the Rochdale to Euston route would stop at Manchester Victoria, Eccles, Newton-le-Willows, and Warrington Bank Quay.

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The company hopes these routes will be operational by December 2028.

Lumo hopes to run return services between the cities to six times a day throughout the week from Cardiff to York.

It hopes that this journey would “replicate the success of the Edinburgh to London service” which Lumo started in 2021.

As for the Rochdale to London route, the application proposes three return services on weekdays and Sundays and four services every Saturday.

Lumo said this would provide residents of the north-west a “convenient and competitively priced” direct rail service to London. 

The train company also applied to extend its new route between Scotland’s Stirling and London Euston.

The service between Stirling and London has been approved and will start to run from next year.

The new application has asked for it to be extended past May 2030 when the contract currently ends.

Lumo’s new route will link London Euston directly to Stirling, calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert.

Lumo tries to keep its train fares affordable and aims for 60 per cent of its single fares to be under £30.

Onboard a Lumo train, there are no first class seat options. But wherever you sit, you’ll have USB sockets and tray tables.

Passengers can also personalise their lighting through the button on the back of the seat in front of them.

Additional amenities include free Wi-Fi, a winged headrest for comfort and a coat hanger.

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Lumo will connect two more major cities from December 2025…

Customers travelling between London and Glasgow can do so on a new Lumo service which starts in December 2025.

Lumo announced its new service on social media. It said: “Our new timetable starts on 14th December 2025!

“Our new Glasgow service will start in December and we’re also adding an additional service from Newcastle to London King’s Cross every weekday.”

Lumo plans to run two northbound and one southbound service on weekdays and one service in each direction on Sundays between London King’s Cross and Glasgow.

The new route will go between the two cities but will also stop at Falkirk High and Newcastle.

If booked in advance for journeys in 2026, tickets start from as little as £33.90. Anyone travelling from Newcastle to Glasgow can buy tickets for just £10.90.

For more on trains, here is the way that passengers can travel on UK trains without buying tickets.

Plus, this is where you can find the most beautiful train journey – it takes 10 minutes and costs £3.

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it is reducing capacity in another European hotspot this winter over a tax row with the German government – it comes after cuts to routes in Belgium and Spain

Ryanair has revealed plans to reduce its capacity in Germany this winter, following earlier route cuts in Spain and Belgium. The move will affect 24 routes across nine German airports, reducing the airline’s carrying capacity by 800,000 for the season.

The decision comes amid a tax dispute with the German Government. Ryanair is urging Germany’s transport minister to lower the costs of air travel in the country, claiming that current charges are reinforcing Lufthansa’s alleged “monopoly” in the region.

The Irish airline has warned the German government that it will relocate this cut capacity to other EU countries unless the 24% aviation tax increase introduced in May 2024 is reversed and air traffic control charges are reduced.

Speaking from Berlin, Ryanair’s CMO, Dara Brady, said: “It is very disappointing that the newly elected German Government has already failed to deliver on their commitment to reduce the regressive aviation tax and sky-high access costs which are crippling Germany’s aviation sector.

“As a result, Ryanair has been left with no choice but to reduce our Winter ’25 capacity by over 800,000 seats and cancel 24 routes across 9 high-cost German airports. This completely avoidable loss of connectivity will bring our capacity below Winter ’24 levels and will have a devastating impact on German connectivity, jobs, and tourism.”

The carrier told ministers that German air traffic will keep falling unless the nation becomes more competitive alongside other European destinations. But it also highlighted that if officials choose to slash costs, Ryanair could potentially double passenger numbers and generate more than 1,000 extra jobs across the country.

Ryanair’s reductions will affect the following airports, among others:

• Berlin
• Hamburg
• Memmingen
• Dortmund
• Dresden
• Leipzig

Germany transforms into a tourism magnet during winter months thanks to its famous Christmas markets. Plus the snow-covered landscapes of the Black Forest is an idyllic backdrop couples flock to for a cozy winter break.

Ryanair’s declaration follows shortly after it announced a 16% cut in its carrying capacity across Spain. Last month, the budget airline disclosed this was also down to a row over airport charges.

At the end of August, Ryanair slashed its operations to Brussels Airport by 6% citing “high” airport fees. CEO Michael O’Leary also confirmed the carrier wouldn’t be rolling out any expansion schemes in Belgium this winter because of the extra levies.

A UK train station that lost its direct routes to Europe during the pandemic could soon welcome them back.

Eurostar rival Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS) said they were likely to restart train routes from Ashford International Station when they launch.

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The Italian train operator revealed plans earlier this year to take on Eurostar with UK-Europe routes.

And it has since confirmed a £1billion investment into the UK economy which would include reopening the Kent station.

Initial plans include an “Innovation Hub” in Ashford International Station by early 2026, the Times reports.

The first trains to Europe will then launch in 2029 from London to Paris, which includes a stop in Ashford.

Rail minister Lord Peter Hendy also backed the return of European connections at Ashford International.

He said earlier this year: “I firmly believe that competition offers the best prospect of international services returning to Kent stations.”

Eurostar scrapped all trains from Ashford back in 2020, as well as trains at Ebbsfleet International.

Despite a campaign with more than 75,000 signatures for trains to return to Ashford, Eurostar has yet to confirm if they will.

Initial suggestions of reopening it in 2026 have been quashed.

The Eurostar has been the only railway line to use the Channel Tunnel since 1994.

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However, other operators have since revealed plans to take them on.

Virgin has revealed plans to launch trains from the UK to Europe by 2030.

This would include routes from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam – similar destinations to Eurostar.

Another rival is Gemini Trains, who has teamed up with Uber.

The new train operator recently bought 10 high speed trains ahead of plans to launch from both London and Ebbsfleet to Paris and Brussels by 2029.

Evolyn, a new start up, expressed plans for London-Paris trains back in 2023, with initial plans to launch next year.

And Eurostar themselves has revealed huge expansion plans, with potential new European destinations.

When it comes to France, it could relaunch train routes to Marseille and Bordeaux, having previously once stopped there.

And the CCO said they could also one day stop in cities in both Germany and Switzerland.

This could include places like Cologne and and Frankfurt, as well as Geneva and Zurich.

Here are four Eurostar routes that have been scrapped over the years.

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The budget airline has warned passengers of impending strikes in France that could disrupt the plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers heading to destinations including Greece, Italy and Spain

Ryanair has delivered a stark warning to passengers planning to travel in October that hundreds of flights could be cancelled.

The budget carrier is alerting customers about looming strikes in France that threaten to wreck the holiday plans of tens of thousands of travellers. France’s biggest air traffic controllers’ union, Syndicat Majoritaire des Contrôleurs Aériens, is preparing to down tools from October 7 to 10. The union members are taking action over their current working conditions.

Initially planned for September 17-18, the industrial action was delayed due to political turmoil across the country. Now rearranged for October 7 to 10, one travel company is forecasting ‘chaos’. The walkout won’t just hit flights bound for France but also those travelling through French airspace.

Now Ryanair’s chief executive has warned that 100,000 passengers could see their flights disrupted next week as a consequence of the strike. Michael O’Leary estimated that the industrial action would cost Ryanair around £20m.

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The budget airline CEO called for overflights to be protected from strike action, saying disrupting them is an abuse of the free single market. Countries including Spain and Greece already do that, but France doesn’t offer such protections.

Mr O’Leary said that Ryanair was expecting to be asked to cancel about 600 flights, with almost all of them overflights. “That’s about 100,000 passengers who will have their flights cancelled needlessly next Wednesday and Thursday,” he told Sky News.

“On any given day at the moment, we operate about 3,500 flights and about 900 of those flights cross over French airspace and about two-thirds of those, around 600 flights, are cancelled every day there’s an air traffic control strike. The UK is the country whose flights get cancelled most because of the geographic proximity to France.”

The airline voiced its exasperation earlier this summer when a Belgrade ATC strike held up 99 flights and affected more than 17,800 passengers in merely two days. The French strikes could cause significant disruption.

During the peak travel season in October, Charles de Gaulle Airport alone typically sees over 200,000 passengers daily, and France recorded roughly 1m overnight stays by international tourists between October 9-11 in 2024.

Holidaymakers are being urged to check with their airlines 48 hours before departure to learn of any disruption. They are also advised to brace themselves for a longer-than-expected wait at the airport and arrive well ahead of their flight.

Downloading airline apps can also help you stay updated, and be prepared for delays on things like trains and coaches as affected passengers seek alternative means of transport.

If your flight has been delayed or cancelled as a result of strike action by cabin crew or pilots, then you are entitled to compensation by law. That’s because the airline could have foreseen and preempted this problem.

However, strikes by airport staff and air traffic controllers are not considered to be within the control of the airline, so no compensation would apply. If strikes have an impact on your airport then get their early or follow the advice from your airline. Problems with airport staff strikes can result in major queues to check in bags, so if this kind of industrial action is announced, you might want to think about reducing your baggage to just carry-on cabin bags in order to cut out one queue.

Sept. 25 (UPI) — Breeze Airlines will begin offering international flights to the Caribbean, which makes it the first U.S. airline in over 10 years to get Federal Aviation Administration approval for overseas trips.

The startup has been in business for five years and will begin trips to sunny destinations beginning in January. The flights will be to Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The international flights will leave from Norfolk, Va.; Charleston, S.C.; New Orleans, La.; Providence, R.I.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Tampa, Fla., and they will only be on Saturdays.

Breeze was founded by David Neeleman, JetBlue founder, in 2021. The airline now serves 81 cities, with 291 non-stop routes.

“We picked places that have all-inclusive resorts because people like to go on Saturday and fly back (the following) Saturday. It’s a good complement to what we’re doing already,” Neeleman told USA Today. He said the airline has peak traffic on its other routes on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. That leaves spare capacity to fly to resort destinations on Saturdays.

Neeleman said Breeze service will be the same for international fliers.

“We’re excited to be able to fly people out of the country,” he said. “You can expect the same great service and the same great airplanes on international, and I think it’s going to be a big hit with our guests.”

The airline also announced it has been certified by the FAA as a U.S. Flag Carrier. That means Breeze can take cargo and passengers whose travel is funded by the federal government.

“Becoming a U.S. flag carrier is a huge milestone for Breeze, and one that our team members have been working tirelessly on for the last three years,” Neeleman said.

Skye Taylor, 50, from Southampton, travelled the world with Virgin Atlantic for 16 years and has revealed the worst routes for drunk and disorderly passengers

A former cabin crew worker has shared her experiences of “absolute chaos” on certain routes where passengers consumed the most alcohol.

Ex-flight attendant Skye Taylor, who spent 16 years travelling the globe with Virgin Atlantic, made her comments after a discussion on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne show. Travel correspondent Simon Calder sparked the debate by questioning whether it was time to trial alcohol-free flights.

Simon highlighted an increase in individuals combining alcohol with prescription drugs, leading Claire to ask: “If the airlines decide that they’re going to trial this and ban the sale of alcohol on flights, does it not just encourage us to get tanked up at the airport?”

After the conversation, Skye, 50, from Southampton, argued that a complete ban wasn’t the solution. However, she did advocate for restrictions on alcohol, attributing most of the issues she faced on the job to alcohol-related incidents.

Offering a troubling insight, she revealed: “Long haul flights… It is absolute chaos sometimes. I had an absolutely awful experience in upper class. I am going to say it because it was awful.

“There were a lot of quite well off guys off to a boxing match in Vegas and because they were in upper class there was no control on how much they were drinking.

“They literally drunk the bar dry which led to some behaviour that I couldn’t imagine seeing, like trying to touch the cabin crew, just in general, awful.”

She revealed that passengers mixing alcohol with prescription medication often caused the biggest headaches.

Skye also urged travellers to exercise caution, revealing how one drink at 30,000ft in the air was equivalent to downing three on the ground.

The mum, who left the industry after developing insomnia, said some upper class passengers felt overly entitled after splashing out so much cash for their seat.

However, she insisted this shouldn’t give them the right to make cabin crew workers feel threatened.

And discussing the contrast in different destinations, she added: “It is crazy to see the difference in routes. Say you are going to Dubai, the majority of your passengers are not going to be drinking because they don’t drink alcohol (in Dubai), so there are very very few incidents on flights like that.

“But the rest of the time the incidents are caused by alcohol and it is scary, it is scary sometimes when you are up there.”

So what does Skye reckon are the worst flights for drunken behaviour?

Las Vegas

Skye discovered the American party capital Las Vegas was the worst flight when departing from the UK.

She explained: “On the way out it can just be carnage. Which does make you feel unsafe as crew and other passengers if they are flying with families and stuff like that as well.”

But the return journey is frequently vastly different.

She revealed: “It is very different, if you come back from Vegas nobody wants to drink on the way home, so it is a very different atmosphere. Everyone is relaxed, chilled, everyone is going to sleep. It makes your job very easy.”

Magaluf and Ibiza

Predictably, two of Spain’s most legendary party hotspots featured on Skye’s list of the most challenging flights.

While detailing some of her tactics for handling disruptive passengers (see below), Skye highlighted the destinations as among the most problematic on budget carrier routes.

Jamaica

Remembering a flight to the Jamaican capital of Kingston, she revealed “it was absolutely chaos”.

Skye added: “And it was a big aircraft but we had the staff to deal with it then and I think most airlines now don’t have the staff. They are down to minimum crew and that’s not leaving anyone to watch for people drinking because they are too busy.”

The most challenging route, she discovers, is from the UK to Las Vegas.

Following her description of Las Vegas as the most difficult route, Skye noted that paradoxically, on the homeward flight to England, nobody aboard wishes to drink.

‘Booze ban is not the answer’

According to the International Air Transport Association, air rage incidents have risen by 8% in the past year. And while not believing that an alcohol prohibition on flights was the solution, Skye did offer one recommendation.

According to Skye, most difficulties emerged when travellers brought aboard alcohol purchased in the airport, before uncorking the bottle during the flight. She firmly believes any booze bought in duty free should be collected during boarding, then returned after touchdown.

Skye reckons this would prevent passengers “acting like they are in Wetherspoons” which occurs on numerous routes.

She concluded: “It definitely needs tighter restrictions and even if alcohol is free on board, just reduce that, especially routes that cause the problems, so low cost routes it is going to be Ibiza, Magluf, that type of flight.

“Stop them bringing alcohol on that board, because that is when they act up. I don’t know how they get away with it anyway, it is purchased outside the aircraft and it shouldn’t be in their hands, that’s my opinion.”

The airline has disclosed plans for new routes for airline passengers looking for a holiday

Ryanair has announced four new routes in Portugal. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has unveiled four new routes in Portugal for the winter – including one to an ‘epic hidden gem’.

The airline’s new routes will see flights go from Porto to Gothenburg and Porto to Polish capital Warsaw. It will also see flights run from Faro to Krakow in Poland, and from Funchal to Shannon in Ireland.

Krakow is seen by many as an unheralded but beautiful destination for tourists with stunning castles in the city and surrounding area. It has a medieval Old Town and a rich history.

The Sunshine Seeker travel website describes the city as an ‘epic hidden gem’. In a glowing reference, it says “there’s a treasure trove of hidden gems waiting to be discovered off the beaten path.”

Charlotte, who runs the site, listed the breathtaking Zakrzówek Park and Lake, St. Joseph’s Church and Tyniec Abbey as all spots well worth a visit. She also named museums, galleries and markets – and drew attention to the city’s many moving landmarks to the Holocaust. At least three million Jewish Poles were killed during the Nazi occupation of Poland.

Ryanair and the move to new routes

The airline is omitting Lisbon from the list for new routes. This is because, according to Ryanair’s CEO, ANA, which operates most of the nation’s airports, admits to having reached maximum capacity in the country’s capital.

However, O’Leary insists that Lisbon airport can accommodate more traffic if it were given the slots for takeoff and landing permits that Portuguese airline TAP does not use. He said Montijo Airport, a new airport infrastructure in Lisbon, would be more viable than Alcochete, because it would be operational more quickly.

Meanwhile, Ryanair has bolstered its Madeira operations this winter by putting a third aircraft in Funchal (FNC) and adding a new route, part of 171 routes across Portugal. The news comes as man air carriers have increased their routes this winter to Spain.

That has happened after Ryanair said it would cut around 600,000 seats to and from the country, as well as about 400,000 seats to and from the Canary Islands. That change is part of a disagreement with another airport operator.

Vueling, Iberia Express, and Binter have added 434,000 extra seats compared to last autumn and winter already. Other airlines, including Volotea and Wizz Air, have also expressed a desire to fill part of this gap.

Ryanair has blamed the Spanish airport operator Aena for the move – and criticised its decision to raise the fees it imposes on airlines. Ryanair has, in addition, shut its two-aircraft base in Santiago, located in northwest Spain, and put a halt to all flights to Vigo and Tenerife North.

Ryanair’s chief executive, Eddie Wilson, said AENA’s decision to ramp up airport charges by 6.62% as “excessive”. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, said if Ryanair leaves certain airports, other airlines will take on that capacity. “The king is dead, long live the king!” Puente said – attacking the Irish airline’s alleged ‘blackmail’.

AENA’s president, Maurici Lucena, accused Ryanair of distorting the figures. He said the airline was attempting to ‘make more money’ at the expense of taxpayers.

MAJOR budget airline Ryanair could be returning to a European airport that it recently axed flights to after 20 years.

Ryanair recently scrapped all of itswinter flights to Bergerac Dordogne Périgord Airport in France following rising airline taxes in the country.

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The small town in the southwest of France is known for its historic charm, with an old town full of half-timbered buildings.

Ryanair made the announcement back in June, where it also scrapped winter flights to other French destinations including Brive and Strasbourg.

Since the announcement, the president of the Dordogne Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), who represent the airport, has shared with The Connexion that the airline is likely to return to the airport in summer 2026.

Following the news, French media began to speculate that it could result in the closing of Bergerac Airport.

President of the CCI, Christophe Fauvel, told the publication that this could not be the case.

He explained: “We have to understand that Ryanair only announced the suspension of its London Stansted service during the winter months.

“Our traffic is very seasonal, with the majority of our passengers flying between April and October.”

He added that the route’s winter suspension would only impact around 18,000 passengers and that the airport is planning to carry out works on the runway between January and February at the airport anyway.

He then confirmed that “at the present moment, everything suggests that Ryanair will be at Bergerac for the summer of 2026″.

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The president continued to explain how it is the economic sector that is concerned about the airport’s future, particularly because Bergerac Airport generates between €60million (£51.8million) and €100million (£86.3million) each year for the region.

As a consequence, if the airport was forced to close, some of the surrounding areas such as Dordogne, south of Gironde, some of Lot-et-Garonne and also Lot, would be impacted.

In addition, the French region has a long-standing relationship with the UK, with many Brits choosing to live in the area as well as having direct flights since 2003.

The president assured that he is confident this key link will continue in the future, despite Ryanair cancelling winter flights.

In regard to other airlines, a few have eyed up creating a route between the UK and the French region including Vueling and Volotea.

Ryanair currently runs flights from several UK airports to Bergerac, including Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Liverpool, Edinburgh and London Stansted.

British Airways also operates flights to the airport from London City and Southampton and Jet2 has flights from Leeds Bradford Airport and Manchester.

These airlines dominate routes to and from the airport, with the only other routes coming from Rotterdam with airline Transavia and Brussels Charleroi with Ryanair.

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Bergerac is a pretty town to explore, including the Musée de Tabac, which tells the history of tobacco and a popular spot that shows the region’s wines – Maison des Vins.

Narrow cobbled streets and a bustling main square make the town the ideal spot for a quieter French holiday in comparison to popular city spots like Paris.

And there are a number of river cruises in the region too, down the Dordogne river.

The town is also around an hour and 20 minutes from Bordeaux and two and half hours from Toulouse.

Sun Travel has contacted Ryanair for comment.

There is also a little-known French town that’s been likened to Cornwall with riverfront cottages and new UK flights.

Plus, there is a French town that looks more like Italy – with Roman buildings and huge music festival.

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Two stunning but overlooked destinations just a couple of hours from the UK are slated for a huge tourist boom, after a major airline ramps up its offerings – but there is one small catch

British Airways is ramping up its offerings as it launches two new direct routes – with prices starting at just £60. The upmarket airline has revealed that Brits will soon be able to fly to two new stunning destinations under its Gatwick-based subsidiary, BA Euroflyer, bringing its total number of short-haul destinations to 130. This includes the fairytale city of Graz in Austria and the overlooked hotspot of Rabat in Morocco.

However, there is one small catch. Both new routes won’t debut until November this year, meaning Brits wanting to explore somewhere new this summer won’t be able to take advantage of the new flights.

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“We are excited to further strengthen our connectivity between London and Austria with the addition of Graz,” said Karen Hilton, managing director of BA Euroflyer. “We will be the only direct operation between the two cities, offering more choice to our customers, whether it’s for business, leisure, or visiting friends and family.

“With its year-round warm weather, Morocco is ideal for those seeking an off-season escape without a lengthy flight time. The addition of Rabat means we now fly to three fantastic destinations in Morocco – an excellent choice for families, couples, and friends alike.”

Graz, Austria

Graz is the capital city of the southern Austrian province of Styria, but has long remained out of the tourist spotlight. Overshadowed by the likes of Vienna and Salzburg, this quaint city was named a UNESCO City of Design in 2011, and its historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

BA will operate flights to Graz three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, starting on November 21, 2025. The journey takes, on average, two hours and 20 minutes.

Highlights include the prominent mid-16th century clock tower on the Schlossberg mountain, which offers breathtaking views of the city – showing off its impressive range of architecture from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Historism and Art Nouveau eras. Its main square, Hauptlaz, is a great place for those wanting to pick up souvenirs at the weekly markets – and used to be used as an execution site back in the Middle Ages.

“Next to the Grazer Dom cathedral is one of the most striking buildings in Graz,” explains travel experts over at Lonely Planet. “This is the Mausoleum of Ferdinand II, part of St. Catherine’s Church, complete with soaring turquoise domes. Ferdinand had his court artist Giovanni Pietro de Pomis, originally from northern Italy, start work on the mausoleum and church in 1614.”

Rabat, Morocco

Attracting a fraction of the tourists that flock to Marrakech, Rabat is actually Morocco’s capital – and is brimming with rich history, impressive architecture, and things to do. BA will fly to the city twice per week (on Wednesdays and Sundays) starting on November 5, 2025.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage city thanks to its blend of tradition and modernity, this riverside region boasts manicured green spaces and an efficient tramway linking its districts together. The biggest attraction has to be Kasbah des Oudaias, a 12th-century citadel located within the Kasbah’s medieval gates. Initially constructed as a military fortress to protect the region, this preserved landmark now has a Mediterranean feel to it, and is filled with artisan shops and cobbled streets.

“Rabat is also a modern eco-responsible capital with its green spaces. Beautiful parks await you, such as the botanical test garden or the Exotic Gardens of Bouknadel which is a few kilometres from the city,” hails the country’s official tourist board, Visit Morocco. “Rabat also boasts an outstanding coastline; on the Atlantic Ocean shores, it has kilometres of well-equipped beaches that lead to the neighbouring city of Casablanca.”

*BA Euroflyer flies from London Gatwick to Graz from £60 each way, and to Rabat from £70 each way. This included taxes and carrier fees.

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Wizz Air has announced that it will suspend operations from its Abu Dhabi hub. The budget airline currently operates more than 30 routes from the Middle Eastern base.

Wizz Air has scrapped a number of routes as “hot and harsh” weather is damaging its planes.

On Monday, the Hungarian airline announced that it would discontinue its Abu Dhabi operations starting in August.

Ticket sales have been halted from the Middle Eastern capital to Varna from July 14, followed by Belgrade on July 19, Tirana on July 20, Kutaisi on July 29, and Sarajevo on August 31.

Six additional routes will be temporarily suspended, including Krakow (July 29–September 19), Budapest (paused until September 1), Vienna (paused until September 21), Katowice (paused until October 26), and both Astana and Samarkand (paused until November 1). Services to Sofia and Cluj have already been discontinued, Aviation Weekly reports.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email [email protected]

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The publication also notes that Pratt & Whitney GTF engine issues have led to 20% of Wizz Air’s Airbus A320neo-family fleet being grounded over the past financial year.

The budget airline currently operates more than 30 routes from its Abu Dhabi base.

Last month, Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said the carrier was strategically reducing operations in “hot and harsh” environments. He explained that capacity would be reallocated to lower-risk areas to help reduce operating costs and prolong engine life.

“Hot and harsh is a significant issue which we are going to address,” the CEO said. “That will not only lower operating costs and extend engine lifetime, but it will also increase productivity on sectors.”

In a statement issued this morning, the airline said three main “operational challenges over the past year” led to the decision to “suspend all locally based flight operations effective 1 September 2025”. They are:

• Engine reliability constraints, particularly in hot and harsh environments, which have impacted aircraft availability and operational efficiency.

• Geopolitical volatility, which has led to repeated airspace closures and operational disruptions across the region, as well as weakened consumer demand.

• Regulatory barriers, which have limited the company’s ability to access and scale in key markets.

Mr. Váradi added: “We have had a tremendous journey in the Middle East and are proud of what we have built. I thank our highly dedicated employees for their relentless efforts and commitment to developing the WIZZ brand in new and dynamic markets. However, the operating environment has changed significantly.

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“Supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability, and limited market access have made it increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions. While this was a difficult decision, it is the right one given the circumstances. We continue to focus on our core markets and on initiatives that enhance Wizz Air’s customer proposition and build shareholder value.”

Passengers with existing bookings beyond 31 August will be contacted directly via email with options for refunds or alternative travel arrangements. Customers who booked through third-party providers are advised to contact their respective agents. The suspensions do not affect other flights of the Wizz Air group.

The announcements come as Wizz extends its operations in other markets, including by adding several new routes from its UK base at Luton Airport.

From last month, Wizz Air started whisking passengers away four times weekly from Gatwick to the quaint Polish city of Wroclaw. Come the start of August, Londoners will also have the chance to jet off from the same bustling hub to the Polish capital, Warsaw, and even Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Birmingham hasn’t been left behind; the heart of the West Midlands gained thrice-weekly connections to Rome as of June, with future plans to link up with Sibiu and Suceava in Romania.

Last week Mirror Travel sat down with Yvonne Moynihan, the new managing director of the UK wing of the airline.

In a wide-ranging interview, she wanted the bag fees to be set for a hike due to upcoming European Union legislation. Ms Moynihan also admitted that she had recently been stung by the airline’s hand-luggage rules, forking out for a £60 fine as a result.

Wizz Air UK managing director Yvonne Moynihan has warned that passengers will be hit with higher luggage fees if new EU hand luggage legislation is implemented

Wizz Air has launched seven new routes, including to a little-known region filled with natural beauty.

As of last month, Wizz Air is flying four times a week from Gatwick to Wroclaw in Poland. It will be flying from the same London airport to Warsaw in Poland and Medina in Saudi Arabia from the beginning of August.

Over in the West Midlands, Birmingham is now linked up with Rome three times a week as of June, with new flights to Sibiu and Suceava in Romania later this year.

When it comes to the Suceava route, the budget carrier will operate flights three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with fares starting from £17.99.

Corporate communications manager at Wizz Air Olivia Harangozó said: “We are delighted to be adding Suceava to our route network from Birmingham. The city and surrounding region offer incredible natural beauty and historical significance, making it an ideal destination for travellers hoping to discover somewhere off the beaten track.”

READ MORE: Abandoned UK airport step closer to reopening after TUI and Ryanair talks

This week the recently appointed head of Wizz Air UK, Yvonne Moynihan, conceded that the airline would have to raise luggage fees in response to a potential new European Union regulation. In an interview with the Mirror, Moynihan outlined how Wizz Air UK might adapt to new hand luggage rules.

While the regulation is still pending, it could force budget airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air to abandon steep additional fees for secondary cabin bags.

The decisive element for budget airline passengers lies in the EU’s Transport and Tourism Committee’s stipulation: “Passengers should have a right to carry on board one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop (maximum dimensions of 40x30x15 cm), and one small hand luggage (maximum dimensions of 100 cm and 7 kg) without an additional fee.”

In practical terms, it means that budget airlines could no longer demand high fees for a supplementary cabin bag. Despite the UK’s exit from the EU, the new directives would still influence UK travellers as EU-headquartered airlines, such as Wizz Air, fall within their scope

Airline executives have spoken out against the proposal, fearing it will lead to pricier tickets or additional baggage fees in order to compensate for lost revenue.

READ MORE: Wizz Air warns new law will increase prices and create ‘absolute zoo’ at airportREAD MORE: All major UK airports’ 100ml liquids rules explained for summer holidays

“We highly object, along with the other airlines. It essentially erodes consumer choice,” voiced Ms Moynihan regarding the decision. The head of the fledgeling budget carrier drew parallels to Ourania Georgoutsakou’s critique, the managing director of Airlines For Europe, who said that the policy is akin to “going to the cinema and being forced to have Coke and popcorn with your ticket.”

Ms Moynihan anticipates the EU legislation will be diluted before passing into law but warned that carriers like Wizz Air may ultimately raise their luggage charges to makeup for decreased profits. At present, ancillary services such as seat selection and baggage fees contribute nearly half of Wizz Air’s revenues.

The planning of main rail routes through the Alps was shaped by national ambition and rivalries. The opening of Austria’s Semmering railway in 1854, the Mont Cenis route (also known as Fréjus) between France and Italy in 1871 and Switzerland’s Gotthard tunnel in 1882 defined the broad contours of Alpine railway geography in the late 19th century. But Habsburg planners were keen to secure better links with Adriatic ports, so in 1901 they sketched out a bold plan for the Neue Alpenbahnen (new Alpine railways), of which Austria’s Tauern railway was the most important. It opened in 1909. When it closed for rebuilding in November 2024, it was a sharp reminder of how much passengers and freight rely on a handful of key Alpine rail routes. Lose one key Alpine link and the effects of that closure are felt across Europe.

The last couple of years have been tough for Alpine rail operators. Landslides, floods and derailment have played havoc on the lines. So three cheers for the more recent good news stories. The important Mont Cenis route reopened this spring, having been shut after a landslide in August 2023 (though there was a wobble last week when another landslide briefly interrupted services). That closure necessitated the cancellation of all high-speed trains between France and Italy. These links have now been restored, allowing travellers this summer to speed from Paris to Turin in just 5hrs 40mins, or from Lyon to Milan in under five hours.

New services on classic railways

Other major Alpine routes welcomed new long-distance trains this summer. On the Brenner route from Austria into Italy, a new seasonal Railjet service now runs from Munich right through to the Adriatic port of Ancona. Since late June, the famous Semmering railway has seen new direct trains from Warsaw to Rijeka which slip by dead of night through the Austrian Alps – 20 hours from the Polish capital to the Croatian coast. Last month also saw the celebrated Gotthard route hosting a new daytime train from Zürich to Pisa, an eight-hour journey that takes in not merely the Alps but also some glorious Ligurian coastal scenery along the way.

But the best is yet to come. The Tauern railway will reopen on 14 July. The return of this major rail axis through the Austrian Alps has had a transformative effect on European rail timetables, as many key trans-Alpine train services are restored. Overnight services from Stuttgart and Salzburg to Venice, suspended since last year with the Tauern closure, return from 14 July. So does the Nightjet from Munich to Rome.

It is remarkable how the loss of one key rail link can reshape European geography. During the Tauern closure, journeys from Switzerland and southern Germany to Slovenia have been slower. Within Austria, Salzburg and Carinthia will be happily reconnected with the reopening of the railway. Trains will again glide from Salzburg to the lovely Carinthian city of Villach in just 2hrs 32mins, from where there are good onward connections to Slovenia and Italy.

The Tauern railway is an old-style main line carrying a mixture of freight and passenger services. It was never designed for high speed and the scenery is too good to rush. So the fact that even the fastest trains average under 50mph is a blessing.

Salzburg to Villach

The debut southbound passenger train through the restored Tauern tunnel is an Intercity scheduled to leave Salzburg at 06.12 on 14 July. And here’s hoping for good (but not too hot) weather on that Monday, as the Tauern railway is at its best on a sunny summer morning. The railway cuts up the Salzach valley from Salzburg, the scenery initially revealing little of the drama that lies ahead. It is only beyond Schwarzach that the hills close in and the railway presses south, with the great wall of the Tauern Alps ahead. The last stop before the Tauern tunnel is Bad Gastein, a remarkable Habsburg-era spa town with belle epoque charm. It is a great spot to break the journey and enjoy the mountain air, or the town’s radon-rich spa tradition.

Continuing beyond Bad Gastein, the railway plunges into the Tauern tunnel. This is one of the shortest of the great Alpine rail tunnels and there is just seven minutes of darkness before the train emerges into Carinthian sunshine, with the landscape now hinting at a more southern demeanour. I love this stretch, as the railway drops down towards the Möll valley, following the latter down towards the River Drau, which is crossed just after stopping at Spittal. After bridging the Drau, sit on the right for great views of the river, as the railway parallels it downstream to Villach.

Here the Drau is just in its infancy; but further down its long course it becomes the Drava and flows east to join the Danube, on the border between Croatia and Serbia. It is a river which has shaped European history, just as the Tauern railway has shaped travel patterns through the Alps.

Björn Bender, CEO of Rail Europe, captures the huge sense of relief across the wider European rail industry when he says: “The Tauern tunnel reopening is so important, as it’s a key route for trains from Bavaria to Slovenia. It is also used by travellers heading through the Alps to north-east Italy. The Austrian province of Carinthia becomes so much more accessible again. And the Tauern reopening on 14 July is just the prelude of more good things to come. In December the new Koralm tunnel opens, cutting journey times between Vienna and Klagenfurt, the provincial capital of Carinthia.”

Tickets from Salzburg to Villach via the Tauern railway cost from £9 one way (increasing to £13.50 or £18 once £9 tickets are sold out) from Rail Europe. This is a discounted Sparschiene ticket, which needs to be booked in advance.

Nicky Gardner is co-author of Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide (18th edition, Hidden Europe, £20.99) available from the Guardian Bookshop

Bello Ardo still remembers how they were sent away from Dapchi, a town in Yobe State, North East Nigeria.

It was 2015. He had just arrived with his family and herd, hoping to graze and rest after a long journey from Bauchi State. He approached the District Head, then the Divisional Police Officer, seeking permission to stay. But the community rejected them.

“They said, ‘We don’t want to see cattle here. We also don’t want to see strangers. Take your animals and leave our community,’” he recalled.

He moved southward to Ngamdu in Borno State, only to be met with hostility. “We went three days without water until the community leader intervened,” he said. 

Bello is a herder, an occupation he inherited 45 years ago. His parents were originally from Zamfara in the North West, but migrated to Kano, where he was born. He learnt to herd cattle in the once lush Falgore Game Reserve. 

By 2011, things had changed. The grass thinned, the rivers shrank, and he began migrating in search of pasture, following designated grazing routes, moving from Kano to Bauchi, then Yobe, Borno, and finally Adamawa. In each state, he made brief stops; sometimes staying just a day, and in some places up to three years. But the pattern remained the same: rejection, scarcity, and tension.

Bello is now the State Chairman of Sullubawa, a Fulbe clan known for cattle herding and spread across northwestern Nigeria. But titles mean little when the land offers no relief and the institutions once meant to support herders no longer function. The grazing routes Bello once followed stretched across the country’s northern region. They protected herders, shielded farmers, and helped maintain order. 

Those routes are gone, erased by urbanisation, farmland expansion, and state neglect. In their absence, herders searching for water and grass now stray into cultivated land, fuelling suspicion, resentment, and violence.

What happened to the routes?

There was a time when the routes had names.

Older herders, like Bello, still remember them, not as lines on a map, but as muscle memory. They could list the rivers they crossed, the forests they skirted, and the wells that dotted the way.

“The Falgore Forest was demarcated by the government,” Bello said. “Locally, we call this demarcation ‘centre.’ On the west of this demarcation were farmlands, on the east, wilderness with lush vegetation. To the north, a grazing route for cattle. This  leads to states like Bauchi and Benue.”

Leaving Kano, Bello arrived in Burra, Ningi, and then Tulu in Toro, all in Bauchi. Here, he spent three months in the Yuga Forest. Then he moved eastward, circling back to Gadar Maiwa in Ningi until he reached Darazo, still in Bauchi. From here, he spent the next 30 days migrating into Yobe.

He moved through Funai, under Ngelzarma town, and Dogon Kuka under Daura town, both in Fune LGA. He then travelled north of Damaturu to graze in Tarmuwa, south to Buni Yadi, east to Kukareta, and further on to Gashua and Nguru.

He said all these places have pastures but limited water, except during the rainy season.

Bello left Yobe in 2015 and arrived in Borno. After initial hostilities, he grazed Ngamdu, Benesheikh, Auno, and Jakana. Then, he entered villages like Dalori around the Alau Lake in Konduga. And then he entered the Komala Forest, still in Konduga. He left Borno in 2017 and migrated to Adamawa.

These were not random movements. They followed established corridors, called burtali, designed to support seasonal migration. Marked by the defunct Northern Regional Government during Nigeria’s First Republic, burtali were official grazing routes, some stretching hundreds of kilometres. They connected water points, grazing reserves, and veterinary posts, and were governed by traditional authorities and state institutions.

Herders knew where to move and when. Farmers knew which areas were off-limits during the season. Communities in between prepared for the passing of cattle and offered rest. There was friction, yes. But it was friction with the structure. Disputes could be mediated. Violations could be punished. Movement was predictable, and conflict was, for the most part, containable.

“The easiest way to identify the route is by cattle footprints,” Bello said. “It is always busy. There are also trees like dashi [hairy corkwood] and cini da zugu [jatropha], planted on both sides. The government planted some. Farmers also plant them to protect their fields.”

“Most of those routes have become farmlands, roads, or houses,” he said. “We now migrate through tarred roads and residential areas.” Even during his migration, Bello recalled that some routes were already blocked. “In some places, I followed the burtali and others tarred roads.”

In Sokoto State, Abdullahi Manuga, another nomadic herder, confirmed that most routes have been encroached upon. “When we reach a blockage, we have no choice but to go through towns or residential areas,” he said. 

This, experts say, is where tension begins. “When a route is blocked, the herder will try to find a way around it,” said Malik Samuel, a Senior Researcher at Good Governance Africa. “And in this process, animals stray into farmland or residential areas. This then leads to conflict.” 

Abdullahi explained the challenge: “With over 1,000 cattle, you cannot control all of them. One or two will stray into farmlands, often leading to clashes with farmers.”

The scale of the problem is vast. In 2018, desertification degraded more than 580,000 square kilometres of northern Nigeria, affecting about 62 million people. In Yobe, a HumAngle investigation uncovered how the shrinking ecosystem has intensified competition between farmers and herders. In Sokoto’s Goronyo and Gwadabawa, pastoralists have abandoned the Rima Dam, once a key watering point, due to drying reservoirs and farmland encroachment.

The disintegration did not happen overnight. It came in stages: farmlands slowly consumed designated routes. Grazing reserves fell into disuse. And eventually, the state disappeared from the equation altogether.

“Population has grown, while resources, land and water have not,” Malik said.

He stressed that the burtali were designed to prevent this tension. “These are the only routes known to herders. The reason behind the creation of these routes was to avoid tension between farmers and herders.”

Since 2020, more than 1,356 people have been killed in Nigeria due to farmer–herder violence, according to SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based consultancy. Amnesty International has identified the government’s failure to intervene or prosecute perpetrators as a major driver of the crisis.

Climate migration and desperation

Like Bello, Abdullahi is also on the move.

He is originally from Jangebe in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State, and has followed a path shaped by drought, conflict, and disappearance. His reason is the same.

“Scarcity of pasture, the expansion of farmlands, and continuous rustling of our cattle made us migrate,” he told HumAngle. “Most of our animals have been rustled. The bulls in our herd are barely up to five.”

Seven years ago, when pasture began to vanish in his village, Abdullahi left. He first moved into Niger State. Then, he went from Gezoji to Tudun Biri in Igabi town of Kaduna, then he returned to Kwana Maje in Anka, Zamfara State. He moved again, this time to Mallamawa in Katsina, and then re-entered Niger State. Here, he grazed the Ibbi and Wawa Forest until forest rangers challenged him. This made him move to Gidan Kare, a village in Sokoto State, before settling in nearby Dange Shuni town.

Both Bello and Abdullahi left Zamfara. While the former travelled east, through Kano, Bauchi, and Borno, the latter moved west. Their journeys trace a human map of collapse, one that cuts across nearly half of Nigeria’s landmass.

In both men’s stories, geography is memory. But it is also grief.

Bello said that across Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa, formerly lush plains have turned brittle, while rivers have grown unpredictable. Rain falls heavier, less often, and in bursts that flood lowland routes.

The consequences are not only ecological. They are generational. 

Some herders are giving up the trade. Others are sending their children to work in towns. Abdullahi said he now substitutes herding with subsistence farming and being a shop attendant. But even this is a struggle. “he land is already full,” he said. “I have lost interest in grazing. I want to settle in one location and raise cattle on a ranch.”

For Bello, too, something fundamental is shifting.

“The migratory culture is dying,” he said. “It is dying because of the crisis and rejection, limited resources, and sudden realisation of the importance of education.”

He now believes that pastoralists must adapt. 

“Many herders now prefer ranching. We want to combine our traditional knowledge and modern ways to raise cattle differently and educate our children.”

What was once passed down as tradition is now being considered for survival. The land is changing. The climate is changing. And slowly, the herders are changing too.

Farmers at the frontline

“There are several farms here that have encroached on grazing routes,” said Sanusi Salihu Goronyo, a 49-year-old farmer from Sokoto. “Owners of these farms have clashed several times with herders when their animals stray. Some farmers got these lands on lease from local government authorities.”

Sanusi has farmed in the Middle Rima Valley, near the Goronyo Dam, for over 15 years. He grows rice, onion, garlic, and wheat, alternating between rainfed and irrigation farming. He started with five hectares. But unpredictable weather has made farming harder.

“Sometimes the dam overflows and destroys our crops,” he said. “One year, we lost everything we planted; rice, onions. More recently, our onion seedlings died because the soil here could not support them.” Sanusi has since expanded his farm to 20 hectares, hoping to improve his harvests.

In Bauchi, the story is the same. “The burtali has existed for as long as I can remember,” said Kamalu Abubakar, a 32-year-old farmer from Nabordo in Toro LGA. “But many of the routes have been encroached on. Even here in Toro, people who were never farmers now farm, out of hardship.”

He said this desperation often leads people to cultivate land along migration routes. “When herders come through with their animals, it leads to clashes.”

There are no longer visible signs of the burtali. The routes have faded, not just physically, but from institutional memory. “Almost everywhere is farmland now,” Kamalu said. “A few spots are left for grazing; sometimes cattle stray into farms. But some herders intentionally drive animals into fields.”

To herders, the land is a path. To farmers, it is a livelihood. What was once shared in the vacuum left by failing institutions is now contested. What was seasonal has become criminalised.

“When this happens, people take action,” Kamalu said. This “action,” sometimes, means reporting to authorities. Other times, they confront the herders directly.

Kamalu farms on five hectares of land inherited from his father, who leased it from the government more than thirty years ago. These are not wealthy farmers. They survive on small plots. A single ruined field can mean food lost, income gone, or a child pulled out of school.

That shared precarity, between farmer and herder, is rarely acknowledged in how the conflict is portrayed. Most reports focus on violence: killings, raids, destruction. But the real story often begins earlier, with broken systems, shrinking trust, and a quiet dread that builds over time.

Nguru-Hadejia wetlands in Yobe, a once critical water source for herders, have become a point of contention as water access shrinks and farmlands expand. In Bauchi’s western agricultural belt, areas like Toro and the Yankari-Katagum corridor are now recognised zones of ecological tension, where water and land are in short supply.

Sanusi said there are no functioning mediation systems anymore. “In the past, we would call the village head. He would speak to both sides. Now, no one comes”

Some communities in Adamawa State have tried to fill that gap. Bello, a community elder, explained: “When animals stray into farmlands, we get reports from the police. First, we identify the culprit. Then, if he has been arrested, we ensure the farmer is compensated. We also discipline the herder to prevent a repeat.”

Experts note that local accountability matters. “In the North East, elders take action when community members rustle cattle. They report to the police. However, in places like the North Central, leaders often stay silent. That is what leads to retaliation,” Malik said.

In the absence of authority, vigilantes have emerged. Some protect farms. Others patrol bush paths. Most are poorly trained and loosely organised. Many are young men with long grievances and short tempers.

The result is tension that simmers without resolution.

Kamalu described his fear. “Maybe one cow enters. Then someone hurls an insult. Then they come back with weapons. Or maybe they don’t. But we don’t know.”

The fear is mutual. Herders move silently, hoping not to be seen, and farmers sleep lightly during the migration season. No one trusts the other or trusts the state to step in.

The deeper costs are not only in lost harvests or stolen cows, but in stalled futures. “Our children don’t get an education,” Bello said. “We don’t have healthcare. No water, no electricity. People stereotype us. It is all because of ignorance. If we were educated, we would have equal opportunities like others.”

Still, some herders are finding alternatives.

“We bought plots of land here in Jimeta,” Bello said. “That is our community now. Our children are in school. We created a ranch to keep our cattle during the dry season. After harvest, we buy stalks from farmers and feed them. Our cattle drink from the River Benue. We use boreholes from nearby communities for our water.”

They hope to buy more land. Build a dam. Dig a borehole. Secure a future.

For now, they adapt, one season at a time.

The security gap

What happens when movement is no longer managed, and survival turns into trespass? That question haunts the herders, who try to pass unseen, and the farmers, who try to protect what little they have. It also points to a more profound crisis that does not begin with herders and farmers but ends with them trapped in the middle of a larger security breakdown.

“The population will keep growing. People will need more land to farm and more space to live,” said Malik. “The government must evolve with these trends.”

The failure to adapt has opened the door for non-state actors. In some cases, herders say the attackers are not even Nigerians. Claims of foreign infiltration, fighters from Niger, Chad, or Mali crossing porous borders, are challenging to verify, but frequently repeated. The risk, Malik warns, is that armed groups now move across the region disguised as herders, exploiting migration routes that span West and Central Africa. Nigeria’s North East, the most significant entry point for cross-border pastoralists, is especially vulnerable.

Malik explained that even internal movement is no longer predictable. Routes once mediated by district heads and grazing committees are now insecure or unmarked. Communities that once welcomed herders have grown hostile. Vigilante groups have stepped in, blocking passage, collecting tolls, or enforcing rules with force.

“We encounter terrorists, especially in Borno,” said Bello. “They rustle our cattle or demand taxes. In 2017, over 100 of our cattle were stolen. Other herders lost more. Through our association, Pulako, we contributed to helping the affected herders, two or three cattle each. But it is part of why we left for Adamawa.”

In northeastern Nigeria, the Boko Haram factions of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’adati wal-Jihad (JAS) and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have embedded themselves in areas long abandoned by the state. Movement is no longer just a logistical challenge but a matter of territory and surveillance. Pastoralists must now navigate dry land, blocked paths, with armed groups asserting control.

“JAS rustles cattle and sells them in the south to fund their operations,” said Malik. “ISWAP taxes herders who graze in territories around Lake Chad. When JAS steals cattle from those herders, ISWAP intervenes to retrieve them. They even resolve herder-farmer conflicts, ensuring farmers are compensated when herds destroy crops.”

In the northwestern region, the dynamic is different. Terrorist groups have created informal taxation systems. “They extort herders, like JAS does,” Malik added. “When herders lose everything, they turn to kidnapping or robbery, or are hired by aggrieved herders to retaliate against farmers.”

We extensively documented this pattern across Nigeria’s conflict zones. In one report, Ahmad Salkida, Founder of HumAngle, who is an investigative journalist and one of the most authoritative voices on the Boko Haram insurgency, explained that herders under Boko Haram and ISWAP control are forced to pay taxes based on the size of their herd. 

“They must relinquish a portion of their livestock,” he noted. “And due to multiple factions,  they occasionally pay double, losing more than they can bargain for.”

In other parts of the region, herding communities are routinely forced to pay protection levies, coerced into supplying armed groups, or punished if they refuse, mirroring the same dynamics of extortion and control seen in the North East.

Mobility, once neutral and even protected, has become political. Herders, no longer shielded by the grazing route system, are exposed on every front. 

There seems to be no national framework for managing trans-regional movement. Until July 2024, when the Nigerian government created the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, no institution had the authority or tools to track who was moving, where, or why.

“Past governments tried to introduce ranching settlements,” Malik said. “The Buhari administration attempted, but the public saw it as a land-grab. The problem was poor communication. People have lost trust in the state, so they misinterpreted everything. However, the deeper issue is that each region has a different conflict. The North East is not the North West. So solutions must also be different.”

The state’s absence is not passive. It produces insecurity.

Farmers form vigilantes. Herders arm themselves. Encounters that once ended with negotiation now end in gunfire.

The National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), introduced to prevent this scenario, has stalled, sidelined by politics and inconsistent implementation.

“It is a good idea,” Malik said. “If implemented properly, it could resolve many of these issues.”

With each unresolved clash, local trust erodes. With each unmapped corridor, non-state actors tighten their grip. And as the climate continues to dry rivers and strip pasture from the earth, pressure builds slowly, steadily, dangerously.

What must be done

If there is one thing everyone agrees on, it is this: what exists now is not working.

“The solution must begin at the community level,” said Malik. “We need to bring back the conflict resolution systems that once worked, those local processes that helped farmers and herders find common ground.”

However, informal peacebuilding alone would not resolve a structural crisis. The scale of Nigeria’s environmental collapse and mobility breakdown requires coordinated, strategic, and adequately resourced reform.

Malik believes ranching is essential to ending uncontrolled migration and giving herders security, dignity, and economic opportunity.

“Ranching is the most effective alternative. Moving cattle across states will always spark conflict,” he said. “But if ranches are developed properly, with clinics, water, schools, and markets, those are capital incentives. They make settlement viable.”

He insists this will require more than government goodwill.

“The private sector must be involved. Let investors lease land. Let herders produce meat and milk, and let the state earn revenue. With proper management, we wouldn’t need to import beef or dairy.”

Yet trust is fragile. Malik noted how the RUGA initiative failed not because the idea was flawed, but because people were not consulted. The controversial RUGA programme, suspended in 2019, stood for Rural Grazing Area.

“There was no proper engagement. The public saw it as a land grab. The government must learn to communicate. There must be transparency. There must be accountability,” Malik said. 

He added that at the heart of the tension is something simple: survival.

“The farmer wants to plant in peace and feed his family,” he says. “The herder wants to graze and feed his cattle. When people are allowed to be heard, they often find solutions independently.”

Bello shares this vision, but with a local, seasonal approach.

“During the rainy season, the government should provide ranches for us to keep our cattle,” he said. “Farmers can let us graze on harvested fields in the dry season. Our cattle will help clear the land and leave dung for manure. Then, farmers can do irrigation farming on the ranches. If we rotate this way, both sides benefit, without conflict.”

Abdullahi agrees, but calls for sincerity: “If the government is honest about the RUGA settlement plan and implements it, this problem will go away. Also, forest rangers should treat us fairly. Don’t deny us access completely.”

From the farmers’ side, the expectations are equally modest.

“Herders should avoid people’s farms. Farmers should avoid blocking the grazing routes,” Sanusi said.

“The government should support us with fertilisers and pesticides, even if through subsidies,” Kamalu added.

The proposed NLTP is meant to address many of these issues. But it remains stalled, caught between politics and poor communication.

“If implemented well, it could solve most of the crisis,” Malik said.

A new study has ranked over 100 scenic walking trails worldwide, based on distance, elevation gain and average temperature, with the world’s easiest walks to stunning views revealed

With staycations hitting a peak, Brits have been lacing up their hiking boots and heading to the hills, and it’s no surprise with four UK walkways featuring in AllClear Travel Insurance’s global study as the easiest routes to spectacular vistas.

This comprehensive analysis sifted through over 100 breathtaking walks around the globe, grading each on difficulty from distance, elevation gain to temperature.

Across the pond, Artist Point in Yellowstone seized pole position, while Cadillac Summit Loop nabbed second and New Zealand’s Milford Sound Foreshore Walk clinched third place.

Not to be outdone, the Porthdinllaen Circular in Wales and the Giant’s Causeway Blue Trail in Northern Ireland both snagged the tenth slot.

The Porthdinllaen Circular promises ramblers over an hour of spellbinding coastal panoramas coupled with potential seal sightings. A pleased hiker attested to its charm: “Stunning little coastal walk.”

Another wrote of a delightful find, saying: “There was a secluded beach just before the trail tells you to exit the golf course. I wasn’t missing out on those! The way down is steep but oh so worth it!”, reports the Express.

Echoing this enthusiasm, users are showering accolades on the AllTrails page for Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway Blue Trail – a route riddled with awe-inspiring views. One visitor advices: “A must see in Northern Ireland. Great hike, surreal views. Make sure to bring water.”

The Old Man of Storr route in the Scottish Highlands, one of Scotland’s most iconic locations, came in at number 11 on the list.

This trek takes you up to the Old Man of Storr, a rock formation that was created millions of years ago when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth.

According to local legends, these rocks are the thumb of a giant now buried underground, while some believe that the face of an old man can be seen in the rock.

Rounding off the UK entries on the list is the Chee Dale Stepping Stones Circular, a stunning trail on the fringes of the Peak District.

The world’s 15 easiest scenic walks:

1. Artist Point, USA
2. Cadillac Summit Loop, USA
3. Milford Foreshore Walk, New Zealand
4. Cape Flattery Trail, USA
5. Moraine Lake Shoreline Trail Canada
6. Blue Trail, Path of Love: Riomaggiore – Manarola, Italy
7. Moro Rock, USA
8. Grand Canyon South Rim, USA
9. Bastei – Basteribrücke Bridge, Germany
10. Porthdinllaen Circular, Wales, Giant’s Causeway – Blue Trail, Northern Ireland, and Bryce Point Trail, USA
11. Old Man of Storr, Scotland
12. The Panorama Trail: Männlichen Kleine Scheidegg, Switzerland
13. Chee Dale Stepping Stones Circular, England