spots

A Ryanair passenger recently found themselves gazing at a safety card, wondering what two curious-looking symbols in particular could mean. Happily, someone was on hand to explain

An eagle-eyed airline passenger spotted a curious-looking symbol on a safety card.

When wedged into a slim Ryanair seat waiting for takeoff, letting your eyes wander around the cabin is natural. After a quick skim-read of the potential snacks on offer from the in-flight menu, they may end up resting on a small triangle position above windows— a curious symbol that we’ve previously written about.

They then might find themselves looking at the passenger safety card, which, it turns out, is a little confusing on Ryanair planes.

A Reddit user recently snapped one of them and posted it alongside this comment: “I spent a two-hour flight staring at this, and I cannot work out what they mean!?! What is next to the glasses? And is that an ear? If so, what is coming out of it?”

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They circled two parts of the card in particular. To give full respect to their comprehension skills, it is not at all obvious what they’re supposed to show. Happily, someone with knowledge of such things was on hand to decode the curious pictures.

“Top right is supposed to be an ear with an earring and a woman wearing a necklace, bottom right is false teeth – things you should remove before using the emergency escape slide, if you needed to use it,” they wrote.

The explanation surprised some in the comments, who had seen completely different objects after staring at the pictures for long enough. “Oh, it is false teeth! I thought it was a stack of steaks,” one person admitted.

Another added: “An earring? I thought it was someone holding up a severed head!”

A third joked: “There is a legal requirement for passenger safety cards to be issued / available. There is no legal requirement for these cards to make any kind of sense.” And a fourth chimed in: “I’m pretty sure the bottom one means ‘don’t pick up your glasses, you need a spare hand for a slice of black forest gateau’.”

When it comes to the little black triangles, the reasons they’re there is as follows.

These markers, which can be either red or black, are strategically placed within the cabin. If you observe closely, you’ll see they align with the wings outside the aircraft. These triangles serve as indicators for the flight crew when they need to inspect the wings, providing them with the optimal viewing points for the external slats and flaps.

This feature proves particularly beneficial during winter months when ensuring the wings are adequately de-iced is crucial. A cabin crew member, known as @_hennylim_ on TikTok, took to the social media platform to elucidate this system.

“1. Passengers sitting next to the triangles get the best view of the wings. 2. If flight crew need to check the wings, these triangles let them know the best vantage points for the slats and flaps outside,” she explained.

Travellers who use a prohibited item in popular holiday destinations could face fines of up to £1,700, as tighter restrictions are enforced in more European locations, including on their beaches

British holidaymakers could face fines of up to £1,700 this summer if they’re caught on the beach with one prohibited item. The restrictions will come into force from July 1 in France, while other popular tourist destinations like Spain and Italy have already introduced the ban.

Across Great Britain, there are approximately 5.6 million vapers, according to data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), with many taking up the habit in a bid to quit smoking. While we’re used to people publicly and legally vaping, Brits jetting off abroad could unwittingly incur hefty fines on beaches where vaping is banned.

Many European countries, such as France, Barcelona, and Benidorm, are enforcing stricter vaping regulations, which can result in severe penalties for tourists. These are the vaping regulations you need to be made aware of before your summer getaway…

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France

From July 1, France will prohibit smoking in outdoor areas frequented by children, including beaches, parks, schools, bus stops, and sports venues. This is part of a wider initiative that started in 2011 with a beach ban and has since broadened.

Those caught breaking these laws could face fines of up to €135 (£115).

Spain

Spain has been notably active in broadening its smoke-free areas, often treating vaping on par with smoking. In 2024, the Spanish Medical Association unveiled new anti-smoking regulations that also encompass vaping in public spaces such as beaches and restaurant terraces.

Several well-known Spanish beaches where vaping prohibitions are now in effect include L’Albir Beach in Alicante, Levante and Poniente Beaches in Benidorm, Barceloneta, Nova Icaria, and Bogatell in Barcelona, and Malvarrosa Beach in Valencia. If caught breaking the law, travellers could face penalties up to €2,000, equivalent to £1,700.

Greece

In December 2024, EU Health Ministers greenlit stricter anti-smoking measures in Greece, incorporating a ban on vaping in outdoor areas like beaches. If caught, fines can escalate up to €500, equivalent to £420.

Italy

In Italy, regulations vary by town or district. In 2019, Bibione in Veneto introduced a beach smoking ban, which was subsequently adopted by other seaside towns. Major cities like Milan have also enforced bans on vaping in crowded outdoor areas, with fines ranging from €40 (£33) to €240 (£200) for offenders.

Portugal

Portugal has put into effect vaping restrictions on beaches, but the rules can differ by region, so holidaymakers should verify local regulations before visiting.

Offering advice before jetting away, Dan Marchant, Director of Vape Club (www.vapeclub.co.uk), said: “As vaping regulations continue to change, it’s important for travellers to stay up to date with the local laws to avoid any unexpected fines or more serious consequences. Always check local legislation before you travel.

“This can be done through the foreign office website or the customs department of the country you’re visiting. Some countries have strict rules not only about where you can vape, but also whether you can bring your vaping device into the country at all. It’s worth doing a bit of research ahead of time to avoid issues at the border or during your stay.

“In some destinations, buying vaping supplies may be difficult and possibly even illegal. If it is allowed, bring what you need – but we would advise you to double-check import limits. If you are travelling to a vaping-friendly destination by plane, remember to pack your batteries and vaping devices in your carry-on luggage. This ensures they remain in a pressure-controlled environment, as they’re not allowed in checked baggage.”

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Students could face subject “cold spots” if universities are not allowed to work together more to deliver courses, according to a new report.

The review by Universities UK, which represents 141 institutions, found universities were reluctant to collaborate because of concerns around breaking business laws designed to promote healthy competition between them.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it wanted to support collaboration where possible in a “very challenging” financial situation for the sector.

A government review of how higher education will be funded in the long term is under way in England, and is expected to be published later this year.

The Universities UK report said greater collaboration between universities could be a solution for institutions who are struggling to cut costs and become more efficient.

Some universities are already delivering courses this way, to the benefit of students.

Mature student Joe Vincent, 33, lives at home in Devon with his partner and baby while studying in Plymouth for a masters degree in pharmacy from the University of Bath, over 130 miles away.

“It’s everything for me”, he says, adding that being able to study and qualify locally “is the difference between me having this career, and not having this career”.

In 2018, he trained as a pharmacy technician at a nearby college, because there was no local university course available to become a pharmacist.

This close collaboration between universities is also intended to meet a shortage of community pharmacists in the South West.

Sir Nigel Carrington, who led the review for Universities UK, said more clarity was needed to prevent universities having to make decisions about which courses to close, or merge, in isolation from one another.

He told the BBC there was a risk of “cold spots emerging in which there will be no opportunity for prospective students to study the subjects they want to study in their home cities or their home regions”.

He said neighbouring universities should be allowed to look at which subjects they recruit the fewest students for and agree that only one of them should teach that course, “divvying up other courses between them” and working out where delivering a subject would be most cost effective.

After the University of Cardiff announced job losses earlier this year, vice-chancellor Prof Wendy Larner told The Times newspaper she was “deeply frustrated” by legal advice not to consult other universities on the impact of course closures, adding the system was “set up to enhance competition, not collaboration”.

The CMA enforces the existing law, which applies across different sectors to protect consumers, in this case students.

In a blog post published on Friday, it said it recognised the financial problems facing universities and that it wanted to support collaboration where possible.

The CMA said ideas such as sharing back-office functions, or discussing possible mergers with other universities, were unlikely to raise competition law concerns.

Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement at the CMA, said: “We know universities are interested in collaborating on courses they offer and we are working to understand how this fits with overall plans for higher education reform.”

It would be for the government to change the law, or how universities are regulated, to allow up-front conversations to be had about whether some subjects need a different kind of collaboration in different regions.

University budgets have been strained by a 16% drop in international students – who pay higher fees than domestic students – after changes to visa rules came into force last January.

University income in the form of fees has also failed to keep up with inflation, rising for the first time in eight years this autumn from £9,250 to £9,535.

The higher education regulator in England, the Office for Students, has said four in 10 universities are heading for a financial deficit by this summer, despite thousands of job losses already having been announced.

Course cutbacks or closure announcements have also followed one after the other this year, from the University of East Anglia to Sheffield, Durham, Bournemouth and many more.

It has become a patchwork of individual institutional decisions, largely driven by market forces, including how many students want to sign up for individual subjects.

The government said it had been clear that universities needed to increase opportunities for students and contribute more to growth in the economy.

In response to the review, Jacqui Smith, the Skills Minister, said: “I am pleased to see the sector taking steps to grip this issue as we restore our universities as engines of opportunity, aspiration and growth.”

A review of the longer term future of higher education in England is expected to be published before the summer.