Travel delays strikes and disruption

A 48-HOUR strike in Europe has already seen Eurostar trains cancelled – and more could follow.

Strikes across Italy and France today and tomorrow are impacting rail services including Eurostar trains to and from the UK.

Cancelled Eurostar trains include the 7:12am service from Paris to London and then the 3:31pm service from London to Paris, both today.

Tomorrow, the 7:12am service from Paris to London will also be cancelled.

A number of other Eurostar trains are facing delays as well including between Paris and Brussels, which will impact Brits changing trains at Paris.

According to the Eurostar website, the cancellations are due to “strike action on the French network” and that “local and national traffic in France will be heavily disrupted”.

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Passengers are being advised to keep an eye on Eurostar’s website and app for updates.

The Eurostar delays and cancellations aren’t the only trains impacted.

Across France and Italy there are nationwide strikes over the next 48 hours on rail services.

In France, strike action today is causing disruption across the entire country’s network including trains heading to Normandy, Brittany and Provence.

The action started at 7pm yesterday and will continue until 6am tomorrow.

According to Rail Europe, delays of between one-and-a-half hours and three hours can be expected on trains being run by TGV INOUI, OUIGO, and Eurostar.

On the other hand, in Italy, workers at state-owned rail companies such as Trenitalia, Trenord, and Trenitalia Tper will strike tomorrow from 3am until 2am on Friday.

Delays and cancellations are expected across the country including services to destinations such as Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and Naples.

Though due to Italian laws, there will be services at peak times which include between 6am and 9am and between 6pm and 9pm.

According to RTL Today, train connections to Luxembourg are also being impacted.

For Brits on holiday in either Italy or France, if you are due to get on a train within the country or even on a Eurostar service, expect delays and cancellations, as well as busier train stations.

Sun Travel has contacted Eurostar for comment.

TENS of thousands of flights face being cancelled this winter as fears continue to grow over the high cost of jet fuel.

Airlines have already been forced to scrap thousands of flights in recent months since the Iran war broke out.

However, experts have warned that unless costs go down, cancellations could now affect winter schedules.

Italy‘s ITA chief executive Joerg Eberhart said they could be forced to cut as may as a fifth of flights from October to April, he told the FT.

Turkish Airlines echoed this, saying they could be forced to make “frequency cuts of even stop destinations” after summer if it continues.

Others have warned that is puts added pressure on airlines to fill planes, which is often not the case during the quieter winter season.

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Most UK airlines have said that they don’t see any immediate threats to upcoming flights, as many have ‘hedged’ fuel costs, which is paying a set price for a period of time.

However, Ryanair has warned that budget airlines face the biggest struggle, due to the low margins.

The budget carrier’s boss Michael O’Leary previously warned: “If pricing stays higher for longer this summer, we think a number of our airline competitors in Europe are going to face real financial difficulties. I think there will be failures.”

Spirit Airlines has already been a victim of the ongoing fuel crisis, having gone into administration last month.

And while UK flights might not be cancelled, the cost of flights is expected to only go up.

International Airlines Group (IAG), which also owns Iberia and Aer Lingus, said it will likely pass on extra costs to cover the additional £1.72billion costs of its fuel this year.

And Virgin Atlantic has added a new fuel surcharge, ranging from £50 to £360.

Experts have said costs could continue to go up, due to the UK’s reliance on US jet fuel.

This is because US suppliers could divert their fuel inwards due to it being the busy American holiday season, particularly for “driving season” (when domestic holidays boom).

S&P Global’s research director for fuels Eleanor Budds told Telegraph: “Prices could rise again. The UK is replacing a good part of its imports. If the US can’t keep up those volumes, [the UK] is very exposed”.

WE might have racked up hundreds of flights between us but that doesn’t mean the team at Sun Travel never make mistakes.

Here are some of the silly things we’ve fallen for on holiday – and how to make sure you don’t too.

Underestimating airport queues with EES

I consider myself an airport aficionado – always allowing just the right amount of time to get through an airport and to the gate on time – and while that works in the UK, it doesn’t always abroad.

In some international airports you have to have your passport checked twice – once before security and once afterwards. Many forget about the second security check, which can have long queues.

And with the recent introduction of the European Entry/Exit System seeing some passengers miss their flights back to the UK as queues build up, it’s more important than ever to check the lay of the land.

On a flight back from Rhodes a few years ago, my husband dismissed my claims that we needed to leave time for passport control, preferring to enjoy his last pint of Mythos in the departure lounge.

So when I finally did manage to drag him to the gate – and discovered a queue of more than 100 people trying to filter through two customs desks – there were some choice words between us (mainly me saying: “I told you so!”)

Remember this summer, if you have not done passport control at the same time as security, make sure you leave enough time to get to your gate and do the checks there. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Booking a late flight home without a late hotel check out

It always seems logical to book the earliest flight out and the latest flight home – because why wouldn’t you want to make the most of your getaway? I tend to forget about the logistics, however. What will I actually do on the last day when hotel checkout is at 10 or 11am?

It’s an error I’ve made (embarrassingly) too many times now, enduring a late night flight home after a day of lugging my suitcase around in sweaty temperatures.

Of course, most hotels allow you to leave luggage at reception for the day, but I like to be able to shower, too – especially if I’ve been out in the sun all day.

Best thing to do is request a late check out. Most hotels will charge a small fee for this and the length of extra time given will vary, although if you’re lucky and no one is checking into your room that day, you may be allowed ample extra time at no charge.

It’s also worth asking if there is changing room or shower you can use. Hotels often allow guests to use the facilities on check out day and usually accommodate for this by offering a space to get changed and freshen up ahead of the journey home. Sophie Swietochowsi, Assistant Travel Editor

Visiting Europe on Sundays – when everything is shut

If there is one thing I love doing, it’s going on holiday without using any annual leave.

That means cramming in as much as possible to a weekend, heading off after work on a Friday and leaving on a Sunday.

However, in lots of places in Europe, you will struggle to find much to do on a Sunday, meaning you really only have one day to explore.

I found this out the hard way on a trip to Lille, planning to spend all Sunday exploring – only to find all of the shops and cafes completely closed. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Not checking what is nearby when booking an all inclusive

The perk of a decent all-inclusive is you never have to leave the hotel – it’s all there for you.

BUT… even the best hotel will leave you wanting some outside space after a while.

The problem is, many of these big resorts require lots of land, which means they’re often far from a vibrant town and good attractions.

So don’t get caught short. However good the hotel looks, if you’re the kind of person who still wants a few independent restaurants or bars during your stay, or even just a few extra beaches to visit, make sure to have a good look at the map before you book.

I’ve been to plenty of excellent all-inclusives that are within walking distance of a nice town with a few decent local restaurants. And in other situations where it has been pretty remote, there has been an excellent local bus service that takes you to the nearest busy spots. Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

Fined for not checking in before the airport

In the fun and chaos of getting ready for a holiday, I have previously forgotten to check in to my flight and as a result had to do it at the airport.

While with most airlines there is no problem doing this, that is not the case for Wizz Air.

Due to fly to Albania, the window to check in online for my flight had closed so I had to check in, in person, at the Wizz Air desk at Stansted Airport. And to print off my boarding pass I had to fork out £35.

Needless to say, I now make sure I set aside time to check in to a flight online before heading to the airport – an easy way to avoid the nasty fee. Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

Not checking when big attractions are closed

I’m always telling readers, friends and family to do their research before they head off – but that doesn’t mean I always follow my own advice.

On a recent trip to Seoul, I was keen to spend my first day, straight off the plane, visiting the main Gyeongbokgung Palace – only to realise it was closed on the day we arrived (Tuesday). 

We instead had to head to the pretty but smaller Changdeokgung Palace (which for the record, is then closed on Mondays).

Even there, our failure to prepare was a mistake. The palace itself was open and we wandered the ancient courtyards with ease, but the much-recommended Secret Garden, with its blossoms in bloom, was already sold out for the day.

While no one wants to plan any trip with military precision, it makes sense to research your bucket list must-sees before you go.

Or look to the very many experience companies like TUI Musement or Get Your Guide to take some of the pain of organising a visit away. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Boarding first on a plane with kids

Flying with kids is a tricky business. After the trip to the airport, getting through security and walking to the gate they’re already cranky.

So when the cabin crew offer for families to board first, the temptation is strong.

But in my experience, after travelling several times every year with my seven-year-old son, if you don’t need to squeeze a small suitcase into the overhead cabin, resist getting on that plane until the last minute.

Because your kid may well want to get settled into their seat to watch their favourite shows on the iPad, but that distraction will lose its appeal relatively quickly.

That’s particularly problematic if they close the plane doors and suddenly announce there’s an extra hour on the tarmac because of some ATC strike or other over Europe.

I always try to let my child have an extra ten minutes or so to stretch his legs, before making our way on to the flight. Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

Foreign scam websites

When I think of falling for scam websites, I tend to picture somebody from an older generation who doesn’t use computers all too often.

But literally anybody can fall for a scam website, even a Gen-Z travel writer who spends most of her day on the internet.

On holiday in Japan, I booked myself in for what I thought was the famous Pokémon Cafe, and rocked up with my email reservation on hand, ready to try some themed dishes.

But I was turned away for turning up with a fake reservation, which I had paid £30 for. With the booking website entirely in Japanese and turning up at the top of my Google search, I had stupidly assumed it must be the one.

The remedy? Read plenty of reviews, check out Trust Pilot, and where you can, book with brands or apps whose names you already recognise. It’s always worth double-checking the website’s URL too, and showing a friend for a fresh pair of eyes to look something over before you book it.

And most importantly – don’t assume you’re too smart to be scammed! Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

Thinking free WiFi is enough abroad

Despite having not been a student for more than a decade, I’ll never stop wanting to save the pennies on holiday.

So why on earth would I pay for a WiFi package or an eSim?

It turns out, this is a pretty stupid way to look at the problem especially when it comes to trying to use Google Maps, call an Uber, or even message a lost mate when suddenly the free McDonald’s WiFi isn’t working.

Trust me – the eSim is worth the fiver. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Packing the wrong passport – yes really

As a travel journalist of 27 years, it is still astonishing to me that I have not once but TWICE left home with the wrong passport. (I blame it on the change to a new blue passport when my old pre-Brexit one ran out.)

The first time, I’d made it as far as one stop along the Thameslink train to Gatwick before glancing at my passport and realising I’d taken my husband’s old – but still current –  burgundy one.

Cue a dash BACK on the train to my local station, a run across the car park to my poor husband waiting with the correct one, and a 20-minute delay that had frightened me half to death, swearing I’d never do it again.

So I have NO excuse for literally getting as far as Heathrow the second time and realising I had the wrong passport only when I tried to check in my bag.

With nowhere near enough time to travel all the way back home and to the airport again, I was forced to wake up my sleeping husband, order a cab to pick up my passport and ask the driver to bring it to me.

With just FIVE minutes to spare before the bag drop closed, my knight in shining cab arrived and handed over the passport while I threw £60 cash through the window to him. Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Not checking in straight away so left with dud seats

There’s just minutes to go, and my finger is hovering on that check in button.

If there is one thing you should never do, its check in at the last minute.

I used to just do it whenever I remembered, rather than as soon as that 24 hour window opens – and nearly always I was left right at the back, in a middle seat, by the toilet. For 11 hours.

The early bird really does catch the best seat if you check in first – promise. Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Falling foul of strict luggage rules

Sometimes for something to fully sink in – you have to make the mistake yourself.

I found this out the hard way when I flew with two different airlines – Wizz Air and Ryanair – and not realising that the requirement for hand luggage was slightly different (by a meagre 3cm, I might add).

On my flight back, I was asked to put my suitcase into the dreaded Ryanair sizer and was told to try and repack, or put it in the hold.

Note to self for next time – Ryanair do take oversized bags seriously and you will be pulled up on it. Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Not realising you need a passport for Eurostar

What’s the number one thing you need for your holiday? A passport, right? Well, according to my younger self, I turned up to the Eurostar in London St Pancras without it – thinking it’s train travel, why would I need it?

If I actually took a moment to think I would’ve soon realised I was travelling into another country, and therefore will always need my passport – whether I be travelling by boat, train or plane.

After forking out for another two Ubers to South London and back and paying to change my Eurostar train to a later option, I certainly learnt my lesson.

Now I pack my handbag first, and the first item I put in there? My passport. Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

Forgetting about ‘free attraction’ days

I’ve travelled to a few different destinations including San Francisco and New York (usually very expensive destinations) to discover that if I had better planned, I could have saved myself cash on some of the attractions while there.

Museums, galleries and other attractions often have days or times where admission is free.

For example, in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco there are a number of different attractions to explore such as the Conservatory of Flowers, which usually costs $15 per adult to visit but is completely free on the first Tuesday of each month.

The Japanese Tea Garden – another popular spot in Golden Gate Park – usually costs $16 per adult to visit but is free on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9am and 10am.

Likewise, in New York, the Morgan Library & Museum is free on Fridays between 5pm and 8pm.

The best way to see when different attractions are free is by picking up a travel guide – I find Lonely Planet is good at highlighting free times and days – but you can also do a quick Google search about the attractions you want to visit. Cyann Fielding Travel Reporter

Wrong plugs even in Europe

I’m guilty of being a last-minute, careless packer, throwing things in here and there without thinking about it all too much.

And so, headed on holiday to Switzerland, I threw in my Europe plug adapters without a second glance.

But it turns out I should’ve done my research first, as just because a country is in Europe, it doesn’t mean that they use an EU plug adapter.

So I ended up having to fork out some Swiss francs on a type-J plug adapter…in a country where just a bottle of water cost me £5. Jenna Stevens, Travel Reporter

(To save you the research, here’s the outlier countries in Europe that don’t use an EU plug)

• Ireland, Cyprus, Malta: Type G (UK-style 3-prong plug)
• Switzerland & Liechtenstein: Type J (3 round pins)
• Italy: Some older hotels still only accept a Type L (3 pins in a line)
• Denmark & Greenland: Type K (3 round pins in ‘smiley face’ shape)

Nearly falling for pickpocketers

One of my biggest pet peeves is slow-walking tourists looking at their phones in London and not paying attention. But I’m a hypocrite because when I visit a foreign country, I do exactly that.

And having my head down, looking at my phone is how I almost got pickpocketed in Barcelona.

Distracted trying to find my bearings meant I was the perfect victim. Only when I felt something on my shoulder did I turn around to see a man with his hand in my backpack.

Luckily I caught him in action before he got his hands on my purse, but it taught me to be aware of my surroundings, especially in countries where tourists can stick out like a sore thumb. Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

AROUND 150 Ryanair passengers were left stranded at a European airport following massive queues.

The passengers at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France missed their Ryanair flight last week due to lengthy queues at border control caused by staff shortages.

The flight to London Stansted left without some of its passengers as queues at border control meant they couldn’t reach their gate in time for the flight.

One passenger told The Connexion that it was “pure chaos” adding that “there was no structure at the airport” and “people pushing at all times”.

The woman’s flight wasn’t the only one to be impacted either – in total four flights were boarding at the same with destinations including Marrakech in Morocco, Tunisia and two to London.

Reportedly, around 500 people were in the border control area including passengers with babies.

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The woman also revealed that despite just managing to get onboard her flight, the pilot announced shortly after that 150 passengers had not made it.

On its website, the UK Civil Aviation Authority states: “Airports will try to do their best to ensure a smooth operation and provide passengers with a comfortable journey. However, sometimes problems do occur.

“If you miss a flight due to a long queue at security, even though you arrived at the airport on time, it is unlikely that an airline would pay compensation or consider itself obliged to offer you a free alternative flight.

“We are pleased to see that some airlines are helping their passengers find alternative flights voluntarily.

“We would recommend that you contact your travel agent or airline to help book you onto an alternative flight, but you may need to pay extra to do this.

“If you have taken out travel insurance, contact your insurance provider to see if your expenses are covered and make sure you keep receipts for these.”

A Ryanair spokesperson told Sun Travel: “Due to delays caused by border control staff shortages at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport on 30 May, a number of passengers booked to travel from Toulouse to London Stansted were not in the boarding gate area when boarding for their flight closed and missed their flight from Toulouse to London Stansted.

“All passengers that were at the boarding gate when this flight from Toulouse to London Stansted boarded were accommodated and travelled without incident.”

Sun Travel has contacted Toulouse-Blagnac Airport for comment.

ONE of the world’s most iconic mountain resorts is set to close its airport for months.

Attracting millions of ski enthusiasts and keen hikers every year, it’s a place loved by A-listers, with the likes of Goldie Hawn and Mariah Carey boasting luxury homes in the stunning area.

But those wanting to jet off to Aspen, Colorado, next year are set to have their plans hindered.

Located in the Rocky Mountains, the outdoor haven, frequented by the Kardashians, can ordinarily be reached via flights to Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE).

However, the travel hub has now confirmed that flights will stop and the airport will close its doors for seven months from next spring.

As of April 4, 2027, the airport will grind to a halt for a staggering 229 days.

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The closure will allow for a major airport regeneration to take place, with runway reconstructions planned.

Neither commercial nor private aircrafts will be permitted to use the airport while the project is going on.

Flights will not resume until November 19, 2027, but the works are not expected to be completed fully until 2029.

The airport usually connects major US cities like LA, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and Denver to the ski hotspot.

The renovation project, which is predicted to cost a hefty $575million, will allow the airport’s decades-old terminal building to be modernised.

Aspen/Pitkin County Airport director Diane Jackson said: “Our team is committed to coordinating with federal partners, airlines, general aviation partners, and the broader community as we prepare for this important project and the future of the airport.

“This project is a long-term investment in the safety, reliability, and future of Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, and we will continue to engage with our community every step of the way,” her statement continued.

A NATIONWIDE strike across a European country today has already resulted in hundreds of flights being cancelled.

The walkout has affected public transport workers including train staff and cabin crew across Portugal.

The strikes follow a proposed labour legislation change, which they claim are an  “assault on workers’ rights”.

Airlines have been forced to cancel flights already, with TAP Portugal warning earlier this week that 500 flights would be cancelled and only 79 flights would be running.

Nearly 100 flights have been cancelled to and from Lisbon Airport already.

This includes a number of UK arrivals and departures including:

GROUNDED

Major strike action to affect entire European country TOMORROW including flights

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Two European airports cancel ALL flights at short notice due to unexpected strike

• 7:20am Lisbon to London Heathrow with British Airways
• 10:05am London Heathrow to Lisbon with British Airways
• 11am Lisbon to London Heathrow with British Airways
• 2:30pm London Heathrow to Lisbon with British Airways
• 3:15pm Lisbon to London Heathrow with British Airways
• 4:25pm Lisbon to London Heathrow with British Airways
• 11pm London Heathrow to Lisbon with British Airways

EasyJet and Ryanair flights are yet to be affected, but more may be cancelled throughout the day.

Nearly 60 flights to and from Porto Airport have been cancelled, including Ryanair flights, although no UK routes have been affected yet.

Faro Airport is also seeing cancellations , affecting around 40 arrivals and departures.

These include:

• 6:50pm London Gatwick to Faro with British Aiways
• 7pm Leeds to Faro with Ryanair
• 7:35pm Faro to Leeds with Ryanair
• 7:40pm Faro to London Gatwick with British Airways

Along with cancellations, there are lots of delays as well.

easyJet warned passengers that passengers should expect “some disruption” throughout the day.

They told Sun Travel: “Due to a national strike in Portugal on 3 June, like all airlines operating to and from the country we can expect some disruption to our flying programme. 

“We will be doing all we can to minimise the impact of the strike action and will contact customers directly with their options if their flights are affected.

“While this is outside of our control we are sorry for any inconvenience this strike action may cause.”

Other public transport services are also being affected in the country.

Lisbon Metro said no train services will run at all today, wile the Porto Metro will have “limited services”

The strike could also cause problems in the coming days due to a knock on effect.

STRIKES across Portugal are set to go ahead tomorrow causing widespread disruption across the country.

Rail workers, cabin crew and public transport staff are all staging a walkout.

At its airports in Portugal, strike action is predicted to affect hundreds of flights with 500 at risk of being cancelled and delayed.

Over half of these flights are operated by TAP Air Portugal, as well as other Portugália and SATA services.

On social media, TAP Air Portugal said it would still operate a minimum of 79, it is also rebooking travel options for affected passengers.

The airline Air Europa has cancelled all of its flights between Madrid and Lisbon and Porto.

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The union added that easyJet and Ryanair flights are also expected to be impacted.

easyJet told Sun Travel: “Due to a national strike in Portugal on 3 June, like all airlines operating to and from the country we can expect some disruption to our flying programme. 

“We will be doing all we can to minimise the impact of the strike action and will contact customers directly with their options if their flights are affected.

“While this is outside of our control we are sorry for any inconvenience this strike action may cause.”

Ryanair however told The Independent that it did not expect any disruption and would operate as normal.

Away from airports, staff working for FECTRANS are expected to walkout.

This is expected to limit service on the Lisbon Metro and will disrupt those with travel plans across the city.

Union members include those working on the Porto Metro, so Porto is another city set to be majorly affected by the strike action.

Due to the sheer volume of staff strikes, it’s thought that the delays could impact travel on the following days, too.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

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

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

A EUROPEAN city has been forced to cancel all flights at short notice – affecting thousands of passengers.

Air traffic ​in Belgium ‌will be halted from 12pm ⁠to 7pm ​today due to an unexpected air traffic controller strike.

At Brussels Airport, passengers are being told not to travel to the airport.

In a statement, they said: “All flights to and from Brussels Airport between 2pm and 9pm will unfortunately have to be cancelled by the airlines.

“Please do not come to the airport if you are flying between 2pm and 9pm.”

This has already included some British Airways flights from London Heathrow.

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According to local media, this has also affected Brussels Charleroi Airport, with 30 flights cancelled so far.

This mainly means Ryanair passengers, who are the primary carrier at Belgium‘s second biggest airport.

Ryanair slammed the strike, which has affected 20,000 passengers.

The airline’s boss Michael O’Leary said: “While we respect the right to strike, it is unacceptable that airlines were given zero notice of today’s Belgian ATC strike.

“As a result, airlines were forced to cancel flights at short notice, unfairly impacting thousands of passengers travelling to/from Belgium – many of whom are now stranded at Charleroi and Zaventem Airports.”

But Wizz Air passengers are also being hit, with flights being forced to divert and land at other airports.

Brussels Charleroi said in a statement: ” A new work stoppage will bring operations to a standstill starting at 2:15pm at Charleroi Airport.

“As a result, all flights scheduled to depart or arrive from 2:15 p.m. onward are canceled.

“Passengers with a flight scheduled after 2:15pm departing from or arriving at Charleroi Airport are advised to contact their airline for refunds or rebooking.

“Passengers with flights scheduled after 9:00pm are advised to check their flight status on their airline’s website.”

Similar restrictions are affecting other airports in Belgium too, including Antwerp, Liege, Ostend-Bruges.

The strikes are due to a disagreement over a new digital control tower being introduced.

A BRAND-NEW train service has been halted just a week after its launch due to a mechanical fault.

The new route promises low prices and faster, direct services to London.

Lumo services between London Euston and Stirling have been cancelled in both directions due to a mechanical fault on the service’s sole train.

The journey was set to depart from Stirling at 8:50am this morning, travelling on the West Coast Main Line to get to London Euston by 3pm.

Passengers have been encouraged to check Lumo’s website for updates, and will face no extra cost for using alternative train services.

In a post on X, Lumo said Stirling and Larbert passengers would receive a taxi or road transport service to Motherwell to join an Avanti West Coast service.

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Greenfaulds and Whifflet passengers expected to travel by ScotRail to get there.

Passengers travelling from Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes were told to join either Avanti West Coast or London Northwestern services to get to Euston.

A spokesperson for Lumo said: “Since launch, the vast majority of our services have operated as planned, however, a few services have been cancelled with alternative travel offered to customers.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and are working closely with Alstom who maintain the trains to ensure minimal disruption to customer journeys.”

Only launched last week, the new route offers budget travel routes betwen London and Stirling, costing £29.90.

For some Scottish towns, this service became the first direct rail route to London.

The faulty train is said to be a refurbised Class 222 Meridian train, previously used by East Midlands Railway.

Lumo hopes to increase its schedule to four daily services, plus an additional journey between Euston and Preston, as early as late July using more new trains.

It is unknown what caused the train fault, but rail services on the London Euston to Stirling route are expected to resume on Tuesday.

MISBEHAVING Brits could be slapped with a permanent flight ban under new Labour rules.

Labour Ministers are currently looking at establishing a blacklist to stop abusive behaviour towards cabin crew and disruption to travel.

This includes considering how information about drunk and abusive passengers could be shared between airlines.

Currently, if you misbehave on a flight you can be banned by the airline you are travelling with – but other airlines would not know this.

If the new rules were to go ahead, it would mean that public officials could keep information about passengers, including a history of any bad behaviour during flights.

In an airport setting, public officials would likely include police, border force officers and immigration officers.

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The official would then warn an airline if the passenger was trying to check in with them.

Then, the airline could decide whether or not they want the passenger travelling with them.

The new system would be compliant with data protection rules, so no new legislation would need to be created for the rules to be introduced.

Having said this, data protection rules don’t allow airlines to share information about travellers, hence the need for a public official.

It comes as the number of drunken and violent incidents on planes has risen in recent years.

Earlier this month, a drunk woman believed to be British lunged at another passenger, causing chaos on an easyJet flight.

A government source said: “Everyone should be able to enjoy a pint at the airport, but anti-social behaviour on flights is totally unacceptable.

“It threatens the safety of passengers and crew, and disrupts hard-earned holidays.

“There are already tough laws in place to deal with offences committed on flights, but we are exploring with industry how we can better address this issue, ensuring we crack down on people who persistently cause chaos.

“Everyone should be able to fly without fuss.”

Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of industry body Airlines UK, said: “UK airlines have a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour.

“Additional measures for the most serious cases of disruption, including the creation of a national ban list, are an important next step in ensuring a tiny minority of passengers cannot disrupt air travel for the majority.

“We welcome the government’s support for further action and will work closely with ministers on delivering the right solutions.”

According to LBC, Phil Ward, Chief Operations Officer of Jet2, also said the airline would support new rules of sharing passenger information between airlines.

He said: “The creation of a national database will mean that, as well as being banned from flying with us, disruptive passengers can also be banned from flying with other UK airlines.”

In a recent YouGov survey of 5,000 adults, 37 per cent said they supported the proposal for new rules, with 38 per cent saying they somewhat supported it.

Only 11 per cent opposed.

Being drunk on a flight is a criminal offence and can lead to a fine of up to £5,000 and two years in prison.

A meeting will be held later this month where industry leaders will discuss the plans.

The Sun’s Head of Travel shares her thoughts

LISA Minot, The Sun’s Head of Travel, shares her thoughts:

Plans to blacklist drunk and abusive passengers on a nationwide database can’t come soon enough.

Onboard incidents have skyrocketed in recent years and a full ban on those found guilty across all airlines would be the kind of punishment that would have real consequences.

At the moment, while one airline can ban a passenger for life, data protection means other airlines are not alerted.

Having seen the chaos a drunken passenger can wreak myself on a flight from Cape Verde back to the UK anything that will show disruptive passengers there are real consequences is a good move.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has repeatedly called for a ban on passengers drinking in departure lounges but why should the vast, innocent majority pay for the sins of a tiny minority?

This proposal is a much more sensible way of ensuring planes are not turned into battlegrounds without punishing the law-abiding passengers.

HOLIDAYMAKERS are to get twice as many trains to one of Britain’s busiest airports after the country’s largest rail operator was taken into public ownership.

The Government has pledged to double the frequency of Gatwick Express services between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport from December, as Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) became the latest train company to be nationalised today.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander hailed it as “a defining moment in our reform of the railway”, with GTR’s four brands – Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express – carrying one in six of all train journeys made across Britain.

As well as the boost for Gatwick passengers, more early morning services on Saturdays and Mondays will be introduced from this summer.

The Government also pledged to crack down on graffiti in Thameslink train toilets, upgrade signalling between Farringdon and Blackfriars to cut delays, and deploy 110 new travel safe officers to tackle anti-social behaviour across the network.

Ms Alexander said millions of passengers across the South East and East of England would now be “travelling on rail services back in public hands — run for the public good, not private profit.”

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She added the nationalisation gave the Government “an opportunity to tackle the bread and butter issues people want, like driving down cancellations and improving the frequency of services to Gatwick Airport.”

GTR chief operating officer John Whitehurst said the railway “carries millions of people to work, to school, and to see friends and family every single day,” adding that public ownership “gives us the chance to go further to deliver the railway that millions of people across the South East deserve.”

GTR is the fifth operator to be nationalised under the current Government, joining c2c, Greater Anglia, South Western Railway and West Midlands Trains. LNER, Northern, Southeastern and TransPennine Express had already been brought into public hands before Labour came to power.

The nationalisation is part of a sweeping overhaul of Britain’s railways, with a new body called Great British Railways (GBR) set to bring responsibility for both tracks and trains under a single roof for the first time since privatisation in the mid-1990s.

Legislation to create GBR was included in the recent King’s Speech, and the first train carrying its branding — a Southern service — was unveiled in Brighton earlier this month.

Chiltern Railways is next in line to be nationalised on September 20, followed by Great Western Railways on December 13, with the full programme expected to be completed by the end of next year.

GTR’s takeover into public hands comes years after Southern became notorious for chronic delays and cancellations.

At its worst, the 7.29am Brighton to London Victoria service failed to arrive on time during any of its 240 runs throughout 2014.

The operator blamed high demand and congestion, though it was also hit by a bitter industrial dispute with drivers and conductors over staffing, including a row over who should operate train doors.

A UK train line will be closed for three days this weekend as the station undergoes major works.

Travellers are advised to plan their journeys in advance as there will be no trains running on the busy West Midlands line.

Between May 29 and May 31, there will be no trains running between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley Station.

Network Rail has announced that the closures will be in place to allow for the installation of a new viaduct.

The planned work will take place over the weekend and services are expected to return to normal on Monday, June 1.

For those travelling southbound on the Cross City line, services will be continuing as normal between Birmingham New Street and Redditch/Bromsgrove.

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The “complex” installation work will also affect services between Birmingham New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway, to ensure all works are carried out safely.

Passengers affected by the disruption will be able to travel on rail replacement buses, running from Birmingham New Street to both Lichfield Trent Valley and Tame Bridge Parkway

For those travelling to Rugeley Trent Valley, the services will be diverted and journeys are expected to take longer than usual, so passengers are advised to allow extra time for possible delays.

The major works comprise of the installation of a 150-metre-long viaduct, located near the new Curzon Street Station, that will transport HS2 trains over an existing Victorian viaduct between Duddeston and New Street.

Director for On Network Works at Network Rail and HS2, Patrick Crawley, said: “We’re reminding passengers to plan ahead for a three-day closure on the Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield to enable the safe installation of a new HS2 viaduct over the existing railway.

“This is a significant milestone in the delivery of HS2 at Curzon Street, and while there will be some disruption, we’ve worked closely with partners to keep people moving and minimise the impact as much as possible.”

Customer experience director for West Midlands Railway, Jonny Wiseman, added: “We want to thank passengers for their patience while this major piece of engineering work is carried out and the northern section of the Cross City Line is closed.

“Rail replacement buses will be running during the closure, and passengers are encouraged to check their travel before setting out.”

PASSENGERS are facing travel chaos this bank holiday following a signalling issue impacting routes to Heathrow Airport.

There are major delays on the Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express trains wreaking havoc for those trying to reach the airport today.

Earlier this evening, customers travelling to Heathrow Airport have been hit with severe delays to their journey.

A signalling failure in the London Paddington area has meant there’s a reduced service on the Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express trains.

Trains running between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport or Reading may be cancelled, delayed by up to 45 minutes or revised.

These delays are expected to last until the end of the day.

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According to Heathrow Express’ website, there are delays in both directions with only two trains departing every hour.

Meanwhile, the Elizabeth Line has reported severe delays between Paddington and Heathrow Terminals while a signal fault in the Southall area is fixed.

The service is also severely reduced, with some stations currently not being served.

On the National Rail site, they advise those travelling from the east to change at Whitechapel for service to Heathrow Terminal 4.

At the moment, services for Heathrow Terminal 5 will terminate before reaching Heathrow, so passengers are advised to arrive at Heathrow and use the free terminal transfers available at the airport.

Transport for London have said that tickets are being accepted on London Underground.

But for those travelling to Heathrow, the Underground doesn’t offer much of a solution.

This bank holiday the Piccadilly Line is undergoing planned engineering works, with no service from Hyde Park Corner to Uxbridge or Northfields.

However, tickets are being accepted by Great Western Rail and local bus services in order to get passengers to Heathrow Airport.

A spokesperson for Great Western Rail said: “Network Rail are currently investigating a signalling issue affecting the relief lines just outside of Paddington.

“To help keep trains running, some services are being reduced – and we’re advising customers travelling to or from Paddington to check before they travel.”

TfL said: “The Elizabeth line services are currently impacted by signalling issues in the Hayes & Harlington area.

“There is a severely reduced service, with some stations not being served, though we are currently looking to increase services.

“There is alternative ticket acceptance with GWR and local bus services.”

TWO major English train stations are set to close as they undergo renovations.

The commuter hubs will be unavailable to the public for 22 days next month as part of the regeneration works.

Both Charing Cross Station and Waterloo East Station in London will not allow travel for a number of weeks over the summer.

The stations’ decades-old tracks and platforms will be given a revamp.

The closures will take place between Sunday, July 26, and Sunday, August 16, as well as on Sunday, May 31, and Sunday, June 7.

There will also be a full weekend closure from Saturday, August 22, to Sunday, August 23, – and again from Saturday, October 10, to Sunday, October 11.

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On these dates, no trains will stop at Charing Cross or Waterloo East, although the Southeastern services will continue throughout the closures.

Trains that usually terminate at Charing Cross will be diverted to London Victoria, London Blackfriars, London Cannon Street or London Bridge. Tickets will be accepted on these alternative routes.

Meanwhile the London Underground service from Charing Cross will run as normal.

The closures will allow a £20million engineering project to be completed, with almost two kilometres of 36-year-old track set to be replaced.

Sections of Charing Cross’s platforms will undergo repairs along with updates to the drainage systems on the tracks.

Structural repairs to the Waterloo East to London Waterloo pedestrian link bridge and the Hungerford Bridge are also required.

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, said: “The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.  

“By consolidating the work into 22‑day closure, supported by preparation and follow‑up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five 9-day closures.”

Urging passengers to “plan ahead and check before they travel”, he added: “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”

BRITS have been forced to miss their flights this year due to new rules across Europe.

The new Entry/Exit System (EES) which requires lengthier checks at the border have caused chaos ahead of the summer holidays.

Some families missed their flights in Milan because the queues were so long, while others in Faro and Tenerife have waited hours to get through.

But some experts have said there is a way to avoid them – if you skip landing in the “danger window”.

Travel advisor Julia cited it as a “danger window” which is when a lot of flights are landing at the same time, causing gnarled-up airports.

But if you manage to avoid landing at the peak times, you might find yourself sailing through airport security in minutes rather than hours.

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So here are some of Europe’s popular airports – and when you might expect the most ESS-using passenger flights to land:

• Faro Airport, Portugal: 6am -11am (usually Mondays)
• Lisbon Airport, Portugal: 6am-8am and 4pm-7pm
• Tenerife South Airport, Spain: 4pm-8pm (usually Saturdays and Sundays)
• Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Spain: 6am-9am and 5pm-8pm
• Lanzarote Airport, Spain: 5am-8am and 4pm-7pm (usually Thursdays and Sundays)
• Milan Malpensa Airport, Italy: 6am-9am (usually Fridays and Saturdays)
• Schiphol Airport, Netherlands: 6am-10am and 12pm-3pm (usually Mondays and Fridays)
• Charles de Gaulle Airport, France: 6am-9pm, 4pm-7pm
• Athens Airport, Greece: 5am to 8am and 12pm-2pm

So when booking your flight, if you can avoid landing or departing at those time? Expect far fewer queues.

And if you can’t… make sure to bring some snacks in case you get stuck in long queues.

The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor revealed her two top tips on how to avoid the EES queues this summer.

Spain has even been forced to launch special queues for elderly Brits and families in an attempt to ease congestion.

A MAIN road into a major UK airport is set to shut over the half term – and could spark getaway chaos for thousands of Brits heading on holiday.

The works will take up to 11 days to complete.

An overnight road closure will block a main access route into Leeds Bradford Airport, with works starting next Monday (May 18).

From 7pm to 6am, the route between the Pool Bank and Dyneley Arms junction and Leeds Bradford Airport will be shut, with works set to last until Friday, May 29.

The airport notified travellers of the disruption via social media, and said a sign-posted diversion route will be in place, operating via the A660.

It added that those travelling from North Yorkshire, the North East, and Wetherby may find their journey times up to 30 minutes longer than usual.

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The airport also suggested to factor in additional time when travelling to or from the area, as disruption is to be expected.

Online, travellers reacted with disbelief and frustration over the schedule of the closures.

One said: “Staggering timing as the Friday and the overnight on Saturday is the first day of half term so lots of families will be travelling.”

Others complained that the works in place last week had caused “horrendous” traffic, where “there was no way to get through”.

Leeds Bradford Airport welcomes more than four million passengers a year, with flights from airlines like Jet2, Ryanair, and easyJet.

Last year, it opened a new multi-million pound terminal and aims to serve seven million travellers annually by 2030.

BRITS will have to follow the new EES rules in Greece this summer – despite previously saying they WON’T have to.

Called the Entry/Exit System, the new biometric scans required from Brits has already caused problems across Europe.

This has seen queues as long as six hours at some airports due to the time each takes, with some families even missing their flights.

Last month, Greece said that Brits would be able to skip these queues in an attempt to ease fears.

The Greek Embassy said “As of April 10, 2026, British passport holders are exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points.”

This was backed by the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, who said Brits will “no longer need to undergo additional EES biometric procedures, ensuring a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece”.

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However, in a u-turn, officials have now said that Brits will not be exempt and will have to follow the new EES rules.

The Greek Foreign Ministry said they have not received any information that “specific nationalities are temporarily exempt from the relevant procedure,” according to local media.

Instead, the rules will only be temporarily paused if there are high volumes of passengers at once, caused by a number of planes landing at the same time.

This won’t just affect Brits, but any non-EU nationals that have to go via the biometric scanners.

And queues have already started to cause problems – one passenger told local media it took “nearly two and a half hours to get through [passport control] in Athens” while island airports like Zante were facing similar wait times.

One source warned it was “just the beginning,” with summer seeing as many as 15,000 passenger a day travel through Athens, the busiest airport in Greece.

If you want to try and avoid the chaos, make sure your plane doesn’t land between 12pm and 2pm, they warned, as that’s when a huge number enter Athens at one point.

Portugal is also another country struggling with huge queues, with one expert saying a family waiting more than six hours because of the EES waits.

It was hoped that both Portugal and Italy would suspend the EES rules until after summer, but they have also echoed Greece in saying this would only be during busy passenger periods.

Ryanair has called on airlines to pause the roll out of the new rules – which started last week – until after summer.

Here are all of the countries where the EES rules are in place.

And here is how one person managed to avoid the long queues in Europe – with two clever hacks.

WAITING times in airports have increased since the introduction of EES – but one destinations has had travellers queueing for up to six hours.

Portugal is a beautiful country for a family break, but the lengthy queues mean that some are spending longer lining up in the airport than they do on the plane.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

EES delays and travel chaos have dominated the news, and some airports in Portugal in particular have passengers waiting in very long queues.

One travel blogger posted on Instagram: “Last week a family I advised landed in Lisbon and stood in line for 6 hours and 40 minutes. Their toddler slept on a suitcase. They missed their transfer to the Algarve.

“EES (the EU’s new biometric entry system) is now live. Faro processes 7x more summer traffic than its capacity. Luggage handlers are striking April through June. And the airport you choose to land in will define your first 24 hours in Portugal.”

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The flight time between the UK and Lisbon is up to three hours, so some British travellers are standing in the airport for longer than they’re on the plane.

Queues through Lisbon Airport have been causing frustration amongst many travellers.

One Brit wrote just yesterday on X: “Warning if you are flying to Portugal any time now, actually spent longer queuing than the actual flight, was a shambles with half the machines not working, and further queues to passport control.”

Another said leaving Lisbon Airport was the “one of the worst passport control experiences” with hours of waiting.

The EU’s EES (entry/ exit) system has increased the queuing time for inward and outward passengers by four and even five times as much, according to The Resident.

It’s not just Lisbon either; Faro Airport in the south is experiencing lengthy delays too with some saying that they’ve queued from the terminal to airside.

One big reason for the delays that Lisbon and Faro airports suffer from is caused by what’s called ‘bottlenecking’.

Essentially it’s airport congestion from when lots of flights land at the same time, or delays cause lots of passengers to be in one place at the same time.

They occur mostly at security checkpoints, passport control, boarding gates, and baggage handling areas resulting in lengthy queues.

One of our own Travel Reporters experienced the situation herself in Lanzarote when multiple flights landing at the same time ended up in a three-hour queue through the airport.

The queues have been getting so bad that airlines like Ryanair have even called for EES to be suspended until September – after the peak summer travel period.

While you can’t avoid EES queues, there are ways to make them less uncomfortable.

Make sure to check out our tips from where to sit on the plane to the best time to take a flight.

RYANAIR is axing MORE flights to Europe – hitting four popular airports this year.

The budget airline has confirmed that it would be closing its base at Thessaloniki as well as reducing flights at Athens.

Not only that, but off-season flights to Chania and Heraklion in Crete have been scrapped.

This means 700,000 fewer seats on sale this winter, working out to a 45 per cent reduction, and resulting in 12 routes being scrapped in total.

Ryanair has cited airport charges as the reason behind the reduction in flights, saying the airports are “no longer competitive” in the off peak season.

Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness said they “regretted” the closures and reductions, but said it was because of the “failure to pass through the ADF reduction” unlike other airports in Greece.

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He added: ” The Fraport Greece monopoly have hiked airport charges +66% since 2019.

“Unfortunately, there will now be less low-cost air fares for Thessaloniki’s citizens and visitors, and year-round tourism will be harmed as a result.

“These aircraft will be reallocated to Albania, regional Italy and Sweden, where airports have passed on their Govt’s aviation tax savings – resulting in more connectivity, tourism and jobs this Winter in those regions.”

It comes as the budget airline axes millions of seats elsewhere in Europe.

Last summer, they airline confirmed two million seats across Spain would be scrapped, with all routes to Tenerife North, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, Jerez and Valladolid cancelled.

And back in March, Ryanair cancelled all flights to The Azores, often dubbed the Hawaii of Europe.

JET fuel restrictions could hit airlines on a global scale, a major airline owner has warned.

International Airlines Group (IAG), who owns British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus, initially said that most of its airlines will unaffected this summer.

However, they warned that if the crisis continues, shortages will result in restrictions across the globe.

They said: “If the current conflict continues to restrict flows of both crude oil and jet fuel from the Middle East, there is the potential for supplies of jet fuel to be restricted on a global basis.

“We are engaging with governments in each of our home markets as well as with the EU to ensure that the industry is getting the support it needs to navigate this situation.”

IAG has said they expect their profit to be lower than anticipated. It also expects spend more than £1.72billion extra on fuel costs that previously predicted.

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The closure of the Strait of Hormuz since March has resulted in fears of fuel shortages, and caused airlines to start hiking prices.

Some airlines, such as Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines and Cathay Pacific, have already reduced their flights scheduled for the upcoming months in an attempt to avoid cancellations caused by shortages.

Other airlines like Air France and Virgin Atlantic have already increased the cost of flights.

Despite the warnings, UK airlines have said they are not expecting to be affected by cancellations this summer.

Tour operators including Jet2 and TUI have said they are operating a full schedule as planned.

And IAG said that 70 per cent of the company has hedged fuel for the rest of 2026.

Here are all the airlines that have cancelled flights due to the jet fuel crisis.

TWO holiday destinations are losing their Virgin flights until next year.

The major airline has confirmed that flights to both Dubai and Seattle will no longer go ahead this year.

Flights to Dubai are off the cards for most airlines right now, with the Iran war putting the winter sun destination on the no-travel list.

Virgin Atlantic had already suspended flights from London Heathrow to Dubai, but has now confirmed they would not go ahead until winter 2027.

It comes as its London Heathrow flights to Riyadh were cancelled entirely after just a year.

The airline is also suspending flights to Seattle until March 27, 2027.

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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.

“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.”

The airline is instead adding more flights to two of its destination in Africa.

From October 25, there will be 11 weekly flights to Cape Town, as well as 10 a week to Johannesburg.

They added: “The updated flight schedule enhances convenience for travellers, with earlier morning arrivals into South Africa allowing passengers to maximise their time on the ground, and later evening departures offering a more seamless overnight journey to London.”

THE BOSS of Wetherspoons has hit back at Ryanair after the airline proposed to scrap the beloved airport breakfast pint.

Sir Tim Martin, 71, boss slammed the idea to ban the sale of alcohol before early morning flights as a “Big Brother” approach.

Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary, recently called for a ban after saying the rise in badly behaved passengers is causing huge problems for the airline.

He said it had become a “real challenge for all airlines” and questioned why punters needed a pint in the early hours of the morning.

O’Leary has also previously suggested a two-drink cap, something he says the airline tends to follow onboard, in an effort to clamp down on bad behaviour by passengers.

But JD Wetherspoon chief Martin said it could lead to passengers being breathalysed and added that any drinks limit would be hard to manage, The Times reports.

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He told the outlet: “It is in everyone’s interests to have good behaviour at airports and on flights.

“A two-drink limit would be extraordinarily difficult to implement, short of breathalysing passengers, and would, in our opinion, be an overreaction — especially since many of the problems stem from incoming flights.”

Wetherspoon also claimed that the majority of its airport sales were not alcohol and any ban would result in passengers buying alcohol elsewhere prior to arriving at the airport.

But O’Leary said the problem with passengers is getting worse – previously the airline would have around one flight diversion a week, which has since increased to “one diversion a day”.

Current rules allow pubs and restaurants in airports to serve alcohol at any time as they do not have to follow the same licensing rules elsewhere in the country.

Passengers drunk on a plane can face being jailed for up to two years, and huge fines if they force a plane to divert of up to £80,000.