warned

Air traffic controllers in Washington and the pilots of President Trump’s helicopter met to discuss communication issues one week before a jet was allowed to take off just as Marine One left the White House, federal investigators said Thursday.

Controllers reported not receiving the standard three-minute warning call ahead of Marine One flights, and both sides agreed to an alternative in those instances — but that plan to relay the radio call through someone else also was unsuccessful on the day of the Aug. 4 incident near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report shows.

Having both the jet and helicopter in the air at the same time seemed to violate safety procedures put in place after last year’s midair collision near the busy airport that killed 67 people, but officials stressed that the president was never in danger. The Pentagon also has a long-standing agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration to provide controllers with a three-minute warning before the president’s helicopter takes off that predates last year’s crash.

The NTSB said recordings from the tower showed that the controllers never heard the calls from Marine One’s pilot that day warning that the helicopter was getting ready to take off, but separate recordings posted by ATC.com show the helicopter did make those calls.

The helicopter pilots tried to relay their three-minute call through the helicopter facility at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, but that also was unsuccessful.

After an airliner collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29, 2025, the FAA decided all takeoffs and landings at the airport would be halted anytime a helicopter passes by on a conflicting route. The airspace near the White House and Reagan is heavily congested with military and commercial aircraft.

The FAA acknowledged the helicopter and airliner briefly got too close before the two aircraft started to move away from each other. The airplane quickly climbed above the helicopter after Marine One’s pilots saw the plane and paused until it safely left the area.

The NTSB said preliminary estimates show the helicopter and plane were about eight-tenths of a mile apart laterally and about 700 feet apart vertically at their closest. The crew of the Envoy Air flight told investigators they received a traffic warning from their collision avoidance system right after they took off, but they never saw the helicopter.

The official FAA recordings from the tower at Reagan did not include the warnings that Marine One was getting ready to head to Andrews Air Force Base with the president aboard.

A recording posted by ATC.com showed the Marine One pilot telling the tower that the helicopter was “three minutes to life” just like the 2013 agreement between the FAA and the military calls for. But the controller seemed surprised a few minutes later when the helicopter took off.

“Uh, Marine One, you said, uh, you’re proceeding as briefed?” the controller asked before giving the helicopter directions and commenting, “OK, no three minutes, roger, proceed as briefed.”

After the controller warned the helicopter about the plane taking off, the Marine One pilot said he saw the traffic and declared, “We’ll be doing a momentary delay.”

After last year’s midair collision, it became clear that poor communication between air traffic controllers and the military had been a long-standing issue. During a congressional hearing, it came out that a hotline connecting the Pentagon to the tower at Reagan hadn’t been working for more than three years, and the FAA hadn’t even realized it.

The NTSB said that after this incident involving Marine One, FAA technicians determined there wasn’t an adequate line of sight between the radio receiver at the airport and the location where the helicopter takes off at the White House. So those radios were moved from the neighborhood where they had been located to the top of the tower at Reagan. Subsequent tests showed the radios working well after that change.

Funk writes for the Associated Press.

YOUR neck pillow could get you in trouble next time you fly.

A little known rule in place with Wizz Air has warned that they can fine you £55 for taking it onboard.

Most airlines don’t count a neck pillow as a separate piece of luggage, meaning you can bring it along with a bag.

Yet Wizz Air have some of the strictest rules, and can ask you to fit it into your suitcase.

If it doesn’t, they can then fine you the £55.

The website states: “Neck pillows are not considered a separate free item and must fit within your applicable cabin baggage allowance.

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“If you wish to bring a neck pillow on board, it must be packed inside your cabin bag.

“If it does not fit within your permitted baggage allowance, it may be treated as an additional item and be subject to the applicable oversized or excess baggage charges.”

Additional charges are around €65 (£55).

While most people online claim they haven’t been charged at the airport – it all depends on the staff.

One person wrote on Reddit: “It depends how lucky you are and what instruction received the crew at the gate, do they need to be more strict about rules or not.

“For example, most of the time they just leave you holding the pillow outside of the backpack but last time my girlfriend has been asked to put her pillow back inside and measure the backpack.

“Because there was no space for it, they charged 50€ just for the pillow.”

Here are some of the other airline rules you need to know about.

And here is another luggage fine you need to be aware of.

Holidaymakers warned viral airport photo trend can turn dangerous in seconds

British holidaymakers are being warned against copying viral plane-spotting videos at a popular Greek island airport. It comes after two tourists were seriously injured by jet blast within days of each other.

Skiathos International Airport, officially called Alexandros Papadiamantis Airport, has become one of Europe’s most famous plane-spotting locations because its runway sits extremely close to the coastline and surrounding public areas. Aircraft pass remarkably low over spectators as they approach, attracting holidaymakers who gather nearby to photograph and film arrivals and departures. It features a short, narrow runway measuring 5,341 feet.

But two recent incidents have highlighted the risk when aircraft are taking off. On August 10, a 52-year-old Italian tourist suffered serious head injuries after the force from a departing aircraft reportedly knocked her to the ground.

She was initially treated at the Skiathos Emergency Clinic before being airlifted to Volos General Hospital. Just three days later, another Italian woman in her early 50s reportedly suffered a severe arm fracture after being knocked over by the jet blast from another departing aircraft.

Local authorities and the airport have consistently placed large warning signs around the perimeter fence to emphasise the serious risks of being near departing aircraft. The prominent signs displayed around Skiathos International Airport, Alexandros Papadiamantis, alert onlookers that the force of engine thrust can push people and objects away. Police and city officials keep reminding visitors to avoid congregating directly behind the runway.

Emily Matthews, travel advisor at Private Portugal Tours, says tourists should understand that standing near a runway to watch a plane land and positioning themselves directly behind an aircraft preparing to depart can expose them to very different risks. “The videos that make Skiathos famous can make the whole experience look like an unusual holiday attraction, but tourists need to pay attention to exactly where they are standing and what the aircraft is doing,” Emily said.

“Standing directly behind a departing aircraft to get a dramatic video is something holidaymakers should avoid. If there are warning signs telling you about jet blast, take them literally and move away.”

Take off is where tourists need to be particularly careful

Skiathos has sometimes been described as Europe’s answer to St Maarten in the Caribbean, where aircraft famously pass low over a beach before reaching the runway. That close approach is what many tourists travel to photograph.

However, watching aircraft take off can be more hazardous for spectators too close to the runway perimeter, as large aircraft generate substantial thrust as they depart. Warning signs at Skiathos specifically alert visitors to the danger of jet blast.

“People may arrive because they have watched a video of an aircraft flying low overhead, then assume that anywhere around the runway is part of the same experience,” Emily said. “The important distinction is what happens when a plane turns around and prepares to take off. If you are positioned behind it, you can suddenly be in the path of extremely powerful airflow.

“Do not choose your position because a video looked impressive from there. Look at the warning signs around you and keep well away from areas where spectators are being warned about jet blast.”

Do not assume the crowd means the spot is safe

Plane spotting at Skiathos is well established, and large numbers of spectators can gather close to the airport. Emily says that creates another risk for tourists: assuming that a location must be safe because dozens of other people are already standing there.

“A crowd is not a safety assessment,” she said. “It is very easy on holiday to think, ‘Everyone else is doing it, so this must be where you are supposed to stand.’

“That logic can be especially persuasive when people have their phones out and appear to be waiting for exactly the same photograph. But warning signs do not stop applying because a crowd has formed beside them.”

The August 10 incident is currently being investigated by local authorities, according to reports. The tourist was believed to have been standing at a plane-spotting area close to the airport when she was knocked down. Skiathos has also seen jet-blast injuries in previous years, reinforcing that the hazard is not theoretical.

The ‘perfect’ video is not worth standing behind a departing aircraft for

Emily also warns tourists against trying to recreate footage they have seen online frame-for-frame. Viral travel videos often show only the few dramatic seconds when an aircraft passes or begins its take-off roll. They do not necessarily show the warnings around the location, how far the person filming is from the aircraft or what happened immediately afterwards.

“Social media can flatten the difference between watching something and participating in the risk,” Emily said. “You might see people’s clothes and hair being blown around and think that is part of the fun. Once enough videos like that circulate, being hit by the blast can almost become part of the attraction.

“Two serious injuries within days should be enough to remind people that being knocked off your feet is not a harmless holiday experience.” She advises tourists who want to watch aircraft to choose a position away from the direct line behind departing planes, respect barriers and signs, and move if local staff or authorities instruct spectators to do so.

Keep children away from the jet-blast area

Families should be particularly cautious about bringing young children into crowded plane-spotting locations where departing aircraft are nearby. “Children are naturally going to be excited when a huge aircraft passes close overhead, but this is one place where parents should decide where the family stands rather than simply following the crowd.

“If you cannot clearly understand the warnings or you are unsure whether your position is exposed to departing aircraft, move farther away. You can still enjoy watching the planes without trying to stand in the most dramatic possible spot.

“Skiathos is famous for an extraordinary view that aviation enthusiasts cannot experience at many other European destinations. That does not make every position around the runway equally safe. The simplest rule is to remember the difference between the spectacular low approach people travel to see and putting yourself behind an aircraft as it powers up to leave. A holiday video is never worth ignoring a warning sign for.”

If you’re travelling as a family or group, a little-known hack can be useful for those who pack a lot, and most airlines allow it as long as you follow certain restrictions that they set

Every group of travellers inevitably has one person who is filled with dread when they put their suitcase on the baggage scales. It might be the person who is super organised and taking the essentials everyone needs, or just a holidaymaker who loves to have multiple outfit options per day.

If you’re travelling as a couple, family, or group, then ‘bag pooling’ can be a handy hack to know, and many passengers haven’t heard of it. When you book checked luggage with airlines such as Ryanair, Jet2 and easyJet, you can choose a weight allowance, usually 15, 20, or 23Kkg, and if you book more than one suitcase, the allowance can be shared between them and doesn’t have to be equally divided.

For example, if as a couple you book two 23kg bags, that gives you a 46kg allowance, which can be distributed as you please. One of you could take 15kg and the other 30kg. But airlines do have an upper limit, due to restrictions on the maximum weight that baggage handlers can deal with. Here’s what some of the UK’s most popular airlines say about bag pooling and their specific rules around it.

EasyJet

Bag pooling is allowed on easyJet flights, and the airline clarifies: “If you’re travelling with family or friends on the same flight and booking, you can pool your total weight allowance.

“This means the total weight allowance can be split among the total number of bags booked, as long as no single item weighs more than 32kg. Maximum total size (length + width + height) = under 275cm. Please note that you cannot pool weight between hold bags and sports equipment.”

Ryanair

One of Ryanair’s FAQs asks: “Is bag pooling allowed?” to which the airline replied: “Yes. Bag pooling is allowed between passengers with check-in bags on the same flight reservation. This means that checked baggage allowances can be shared across passengers on the booking. For example, if you have 2 20kg Check-in Bags (40kg total) on your booking, one of those bags could weigh 15kg while the other weighs 25kg. However, no bag can weigh more than 32kg.”

TUI

TUI has clarified its rules around bag pooling on its website, however, passengers who’ve booked a TUI package holiday should double check which airline they’ll be flying with, as they sometimes use airlines such as Ryanair or easyJet. You’ll need to follow airline specific guidance.

On its official FAQs page, asking “Can I pool our luggage allowance?”, TUI states: “If you’re travelling with TUI Airways, you’re allowed to pool your luggage allowance with anyone else travelling on your booking. However, each bag can only weigh up to 25kg.

“If you’re unsure of your luggage allowance, then you can find this on your booking confirmation or by logging into Manage my booking. If you’re flying with any other airline, you’ll need to contact them directly.”

Jet2

Jet2 representatives took to social media after a passenger asked about bag pooling: “If one person is over does all the weight pool together or does everyone individual need to be 22kg?”, they queried, going on to explain that they had a group booking for 10 passengers, each with 22kg of checked luggage included in their booking.

A Jet2 spokesperson advised: “Yes you are able to pool your luggage providing you do not go over your overall weight limit and no one bag weighs more than 32kg.” The customer then followed up to ask: “So one person won’t be charged if their case is overweight slightly and the rest are under?”, to which Jet2 replied: “That’s correct. If one bag is slightly over, but others are under, you will still have room within your overall allowance and will not be charged.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

PASSENGERS are facing serious delays and disruption at Heathrow Airport following flooding in the central terminal area.

Access to both Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 is restricted with flyers warned not to try and access either by road.

Heathrow has asked the public to only travel to the terminals via rail and underground services.

If passengers must travel via road they are asked to use park and ride and head to Terminals 5 or 6 to use the free rail services from there.

The airport said: “Our teams are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, we apologise for any disruption caused.”

It comes amid the school summer holidays – marking the busiest period of the year for Heathrow.

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In a statment issued via social media Heathrow Airport asked passengers to utilise the Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line and Picadilly line services to access the airport.

The statement read: “Flooding in the central terminal area has resulted in on-going road closures restricting access to Terminals 2 and 3.

“Passengers travelling to or from either of these terminals today must not travel by road.

“Passengers are strongly advised to use Heathrow Express, Elizabeth Line and Piccadilly Line rail services where possible.

“Any passengers that must travel by car must use Park and Ride, head to Terminals 4 or 5 and take free rail services from there, or change at local rail stations.

“Please allow extra time for your journey. Our teams are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, we apologise for any disruption caused.”

WASHINGTON  — Fear was growing in hospitals across the country in 2009 as a frightening epidemic that came to be called the H1N1 swine flu swept across the globe.

From Galveston, Texas, where a hospital ran out of test kits, to Loma Linda University Medical Center in San Bernardino, which had to set up tents to handle a crush of patients, to New York, where hospitals scrambled to bring on extra emergency staff, it appeared the nation’s healthcare system would be overwhelmed.

The worst did not materialize. The lesson, though, was clear: The nation needed larger caches of standby medical supplies and hospitals that were better prepared to handle a surge of infected patients.

A decade later, the coronavirus crisis is exposing many of the same gaps. Inadequate supplies of protective masks, ventilators, intensive care beds and other medical resources are forcing mass closures of schools and businesses and restrictions on everyday activities as public officials rush to slow the virus so America’s medical system isn’t overwhelmed.

“So much that was predicted has come to pass,” said Marcia Crosse, former head of the healthcare section of the Government Accountability Office. Since the early 2000s, the GAO, the federal government’s leading internal watchdog, has issued a steady stream of reports about poor pandemic planning.

As the current crisis has widened, President Trump has attempted to deflect responsibility for his administration’s poor planning, suggesting the coronavirus outbreak was inconceivable.

“Nobody knew there would be a pandemic or epidemic of this proportion,” the president said Thursday.

The opposite is true. The GAO, public health experts and others issued a steady drumbeat of warnings that America would sooner or later face a widespread infectious disease outbreak or a major bioterrorism attack and was woefully unprepared.

In both 2018 and 2019, U.S. intelligence agencies issued insistent warnings in their annual Worldwide Threat Assessment.

“We assess that the United States and the world will remain vulnerable to the next flu pandemic or large-scale outbreak of a contagious disease that could lead to massive rates of death and disability, severely affect the world economy, strain international resources, and increase calls on the United States for support,” the 2019 report noted.

That is only the most recent warning. As early as 2003, the GAO cautioned that many urban hospitals lacked enough ventilators to treat a large number of patients suffering from respiratory problems that would be expected in an anthrax or botulism outbreak.

“Ventilators have long been recognized as a weak link,” said Crosse, who spent 35 years at GAO before retiring in 2018.

Today, a lack of ventilators is emerging as a potentially critical shortfall because patients hit hardest by COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, often suffer severe respiratory problems.

Federal policymakers concentrated heavily on pandemic preparedness in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and anthrax scare in 2001, which both exposed gaps in the nation’s emergency response system.

In 2005, the administration of President George W. Bush published a landmark “National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza.” The document, among other things, highlighted the need for plans to distribute necessary medical supplies from the nation’s Strategic National Stockpile and to support state and local efforts to “surge” medical personnel and facilities to handle an outbreak.

Medical equipment such as masks and protective clothing in particular were given high priority as planners recognized that doctors, nurses and other medical staff were most vulnerable.

After the swine flu epidemic in 2009, a safety-equipment industry association and a federally sponsored task force both recommended that depleted supplies of N95 respirator masks, which filter out airborne particles, be replenished by the stockpile, which is maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

That didn’t happen, according to Charles Johnson, president of the International Safety Equipment Assn.

The stockpile drew down about 100 million masks during the 2009 epidemic, Johnson said.

“Our association is unaware of any major effort to restore the stockpile to cover that drawdown,” he said.

Last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said that available supplies included just 12 million N95 masks and 30 million surgical masks, a tiny fraction of the 3.5 billion masks one of Azar’s deputies later testified the nation’s healthcare system would need.

Already across the country, there are signs of medical centers running out of protective equipment, compounding the challenges caused by the federal government’s inadequate supply of coronavirus testing kits.

At Sinai Health System, which serves largely low-income patients on Chicago’s South and Southwest sides, hospital officials started signing out masks and other protective equipment as carefully as they handle narcotics.

“We’ve never had to do that before,” said Karen Teitelbaum, the system’s chief executive.

These shortages are particularly appalling, said Jeffrey Levi, a professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University and former head of the Trust for America’s Health, a nonprofit public health advocacy group.

“Every time we have an emergency, protecting healthcare workers has been the No. 1 policy issue,” Levi said. “To have neglected that is shocking.”

Making the case for investments in material and hospital planning has long been challenging as most people have difficulty envisioning a major disaster, acknowledged Dr. Eric Toner of Johns Hopkins University, an authority on pandemic preparedness.

Hospitals also are under pressure to keep margins thin and eliminate spending on staff and supplies that aren’t used all the time.

The budget crunch represents a particular challenge for so-called safety-net hospitals, institutions that serve many uninsured patients and those covered by Medicaid, and consequently collect less revenue. These same hospitals are now expecting a large surge in coronavirus patients but have limited resources to ramp up staffing and add intensive care beds if needed.

“Cash is very limited,” said Charlie Shields, chief executive of Truman Medical Centers in Kansas City. Shields said the finances are under even more stress since the hospital canceled elective procedures and shut down its dental services to prepare for the pandemic, moves that reduce hospital revenue.

Toner at Johns Hopkins noted these kinds of strains are why the federal government should have provided a stronger backstop.

“The argument we’ve made for 20 years is that if we want to have prepared healthcare institutions, this has to be a societal responsibility, and that means a government responsibility.”

After 9/11, the federal Hospital Preparedness Program was created in 2002 to help hospitals plan for public health emergencies and terrorist attacks.

But as time passed, the program was steadily cut. In 2007, Congress trimmed $44 million from the program’s budget. In 2014, lawmakers cut $120 million.

Overall, money for the program has been slashed by about half since 2003, said John Auerbach, chief executive of the Trust for America’s Health.

Auerbach, who was Boston health commissioner for nine years, said he and other public health officials routinely pleaded with Congress to restore the spending.

He said lawmakers frequently offered the same response: “Do we still need that?”

Holidaymakers jetting off abroad to the Spanish island of Majorca this summer are being warned about ‘biting fish’ in some popular beach hotspots following several reports

Tourists heading on holiday to Majorca are being warned about ‘biting fish’ following a string of reported ‘attacks’.

More than 2 million Brits jet off abroad to Majorca, also known as Mallorca, every summer for a sun-soaked Mediterranean getaway on Spain’s largest Balearic island. But an unusual phenomenon is threatening to dampen days spent along some of its pristine sandy shores and clear turquoise waters.

Following the weekend, there have been several reports of people being bitten by small fish while swimming in the crystal-clear waters off Majorca. The incidents were recorded around the beaches of Illetes and Cala Comtessa, which are in the municipality and resort town of Calvià.

The Spanish news publication Majorca Daily Bulletin said that “several people” reported seeing “small fish, which seemed to have about two teeth, biting our legs, but in the end, they actually drew blood and everything” over the weekend. At first, they believed the fish were “removing dead skin” rather than taking a nibble of flesh.

One witness to the fish-biting events recalled to the publication following the weekend: “The attacking fish are back in Mallorca waters, and I saw it for myself on Saturday in Illetas, groups of people leaping up and down as they were nibbled and even bitten by small fish.

“Last year I was bitten three times, so far I’ve been lucky this year, but it appears others have not. One man even joked that perhaps they are part of the anti-tourism movement!”

But this isn’t the first time there have been reports of small biting fish in the shallow shores of Majorca. Just last summer, a woman suffered a serious fish bite while at Playa de Palma, and a German tourist also claimed to have been bitten by several fish on two different occasions within the same week.

“Today, however, the bite was rather serious, and I got out of the water straight away, as it was even bleeding,” he told the Majorca Daily Bulletin last summer. However, they weren’t the only ones to report fish bites, and there’s thought to have been a string of minor incidents along the shores of Majorca dating back to the summer of 2023.

It’s thought to have become more common over the years, and local news outlets report a spike in fish nibbling on swimmers during the summer months. Further incidents have been recorded in Majorca, including Palma, Sa Ràpita, S’Estanyol, Cala Pi, and Cala d’Or.

Experts say rising sea temperatures could contribute to the bizarre happenings. “There are no studies into this, but the reason behind what’s happening could be that the temperature of the water is higher,” Ron Farage, Assistant Curator at Palma Aquarium, previously told the local publication, Ultima Hora.

“And these fish are less scared, in this case of human beings, when they are more hungry, which is a consequence in summer of this increase in the temperature of their natural habitat.”

Meanwhile, the expert added that beachgoers shouldn’t be scared of the fish, because “they’re not poisonous and they don’t do any real damage”. Instead, they tend to be curious about dry skin or existing wounds on people, which they can mistake for food.

Marine Biologist Silvia García from Oceana also told the Majorca Daily Bulletin that the culprits are likely young fish. “They are usually juvenile fish, only a few days or weeks old, so small and transparent that they are barely visible in the water.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

While getting an emergency passport is usually straightforward for adults, as long as you can get an appointment, families are being warned that the process is more complex for under 16s

Families travelling with children have been warned it’s especially important to check the passports of under 16s before you fly due to a rule that’s often overlooked.

Brits who book a last-minute break, or leave it until the day before to check their passports, may find they need to get an urgent replacement if there are issues such as damage or not enough validity left on the document.

Generally, adults can get a replacement passport using the Passport Office’s one-day premium service, subject to appointment availability. This means your passport is ready to collect from the office in around four hours.

But many parents don’t realise this service is only available for those renewing an adult passport. It can’t be used for new passports, and it’s not available for under 16s.

The fastest service available to get a new or replacement child passport is one-week fast track, and you’ll still need to make an appointment and visit a passport office to use this service. Usually, you can get a next day appointment after you apply, but it’ll depend on availability.

According to airport transfer provider Welcome Pickups, who highlighted the issue during the peak summer holiday season, the reason kids can’t get a last-minute passport is due to safeguarding. Their details must be in the Passport Office’s system for at least five working days before the document can be issued.

It also revealed that more than 705,000 UK passports currently have fewer than three months’ validity remaining, which would cause issues when trying to travel to the vast majority of countries from the UK. Another 350,000 passports were issued over 10 years ago, meaning that why they may be within their validity date, they would be rejected for travel to the EU.

Alex Trimis, CEO of Welcome Pickups, says: “The rules around children’s passports exist for good reason, but very few parents realise you can’t simply rush an appointment the way you could with your own passport.

“Our advice is simple: check the issue date, not just the expiry date, especially if you’re heading into Europe. And if anyone in the family needs a new passport before a trip, start the process the moment the holiday is booked, not the week before it starts.”

4 key passport checks to make now

• Issue date – passports cannot be more than 10 years old even if it hasn’t expired yet. Many countries, including those within the Schengen Area won’t accept passports that breach this rule
• Six/three-month rules – if you’re travelling to the Schengen Area you also need three months of validity left after your planned departure date. Some countries are stricter and ask for six months
• Damage – torn pages, water damage, or heavy wear and tear can also see your passport get rejected
• Full pages – some countries ask that your passport has a certain number of blank pages so they can stamp you in and out. If you travel a lot, consider paying extra for a frequent traveller’s passport with more pages

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

If you’re heading to the beach you may see this fun-looking activity on offer, but tourists are being warned that taking part could invalidate your insurance – and other surprising things can also see your insurer refuse to pay out

When you’re on a sunny holiday overseas, it’s likely you get more adventurous and trying some new activities or sports can look more appealing, especially after a few drinks.

But holidaymakers are being warned that taking part in a variety of activities can invalidate your travel insurance, meaning that an accident could leave you up to £80,000 out of pocket.

The travel insurance team at Quotezone.co.uk listed seven holiday activities that could interfere with your travel insurance coverage, and many of them are popular in holiday hotspots. According to its study, 36% would like to try an activity-filled holiday, and 35% said they can’t relax when they are just sunbathing, meaning lots of Brits would be tempted to try out one of these high-octane activities when bored.

Banana boats were among the activities that Quotezone cautioned Brits against. It said: “Whilst most standard travel insurance policies do include banana boats under general water sports, it’s important to do so safely. Not wearing a life jacket, being under the influence of alcohol, or going on a boat that isn’t run by a licensed operator could all result in a rejected claim should you get injured.”

Another thing to look out for on the beach is organised sports events. With the popularity of fitness breaks growing, many Brits now take part in organised sports activities as part of their holiday, but physical strain and injuries might not be covered under your travel insurance in these cases.

Water sports such as scuba diving and jet-skiing can also be risky and may need specialist cover. Some policies cover scuba activities, but only up to a certain depth, and if you don’t dive with a qualified instructor or neglect to follow local laws, you may not be covered in an accident.

Back on dry land, any activities with wheels can be a danger, from hiring a scooter or motorbike to go karting, especially if you don’t wear a helmet or follow local laws. Quad biking is another activity that’s rarely covered by standard insurance policies, but an accident can be extremely costly. A quad biking accident in Greece, for example, that includes surgery and medical repatriation could carry costs of over £80,000 for someone without adequate insurance.

Helen Rolph , travel insurance expert at Quotezone.co.uk said: “Many Brits don’t realise that popular holiday activities like jet-skiing or quad biking could leave them thousands of pounds out of pocket if they’re not properly insured.

“Even if coverage is in place, claims can still be rejected if local safety laws are broken, the holidaymakers don’t wear a helmet or are found to be under the influence of alcohol.

“When heading abroad, people often think activities like banana boating and go karting, popular with young travellers, stag and hen parties – are included as standard, but this is rarely the case and could leave thrill-seekers at risk.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

STRIKES at an airport in Spain have started today – with passengers being told to ditch cabin bags for hand luggage to avoid the chaos.

Walkouts from multiple unions will continue across the next couple of weeks affecting baggage handling and check-in.

Palma Airport on the island of Majorca is one of the busiest in Spain during the summer season – and lots of its workers are going on strike.

The first walkouts are by those working in technical maintenance, ground equipment and airport infrastructure roles.

These are being planned by three unions, which started yesterday and will continue until July 30.

Swissport – who handle check in and boarding – is also striking today, as well as on August 1, 4 and 8.

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On these days ground staff will walk out between 7am to 12pm, then again from 7pm to 10pm.

The airport has warned passengers that today could be particularly bad as the strikes coincide at the same time.

Airlines affected by the Swissport ground handlers’ dispute include TUI.

But others could be affected too, as a statement from the airport said that “its impact will stretch beyond Swissport-handled airlines”.

While flights are yet to be cancelled, according to Qsensor, the wait time at security in Palma Airport this morning has been 26 minutes longer than average.

Passengers going to the airport during this time have been asked not to arrive too early and even ditch check-in bags for hand luggage instead.

On its website, the airport issued advice to travellers who are heading through the terminal on strike days.

• Check in online: Complete your check-in online before heading to the airport to minimise time spent in queues.

• Travel light if possible: Travelling with hand luggage only allows you to bypass potential check-in and baggage carousel delays.
• Monitor your airline’s app: Keep a close eye on text alerts or app notifications from your airline for real-time schedule updates.
• Arrive on time (but not too early): Stick to the standard arrival window recommended by your carrier (usually two to three hours before departure). Arriving half a day early can worsen airport congestion.

On the strike, a TUI spokesperson said: “We are aware of planned industrial action affecting airline operators at Palma airport.

“At this stage, we do not anticipate any disruption to our customers. However, we are working closely with our local teams and airport partners to minimise any potential impact.

“As always, we will proactively update our guests if there are any changes to their itinerary. Customers should continue to check their flight details as usual before travelling.”

Meanwhile, Ryanair told Sun Travel that it will “operate as normal” with “no impact to operations”.

easyJet also said its flights will be operating as normal.

British holidaymakers travelling to and from a popular Spanish destination have been warned about planned strikes that could cause delays and disruptions during the summer holidays

Brits jetting off abroad to a major holiday hotspot are being warned about travel disruptions due to planned strikes set to start this week.

Holidaymakers travelling through Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) could face significant delays as Swissport workers are due to strike on Tuesday, 28 July, with TUI one of the affected airlines. Further walk-outs in the Swissport ground handling strike are planned for the summer holidays, including on August 1, 4, and 8 from 7am to 12pm and 7pm to 10pm.

To make matters worse, full 24-hour daily walkouts are also set to take place this week, starting from today (Monday, 27 July) until Thursday (30 July). This industrial action, known as the metal sector strike, has been planned by three unions and covers 39,000 workers across the Balearic Islands who are demanding “fair wage increases and protection against inflation”, Palma Airport outlined.

However, Palma Airport warned that there is a “crucial overlap date” for Tuesday, 28 July, as the two strikes coincide. This could result in the worst-impacted day for travellers passing through the airport with delays and disruptions, as various airlines could be affected.

Palma Airport explained that Swissport provides essential passenger, baggage handling and ramp services to a specific group of international carriers, including TUI, Condor, TAP Air Portugal, Air Canada, Etihad Airways, Albastar and DAT. While other airlines at Palma use different ground handling providers, such as Ryanair, EasyJet, or Jet2, the airport warned that “large-scale airport strikes can occasionally create a minor knock-on effect”, but Swissport passengers are expected to be the worst affected.

Meanwhile, the airport warned that the regional metal sector strike “covers technical personnel across the entire airport”, meaning that its impact will “stretch beyond Swissport-handled airlines to affect all carriers operating at Palma, Ibiza, and Menorca.” They added that “passengers on any airline could face localised delays” on those specific dates (July 27 to 30).

The airport warned that during the strikes, passengers could face “longer waiting times” and “potential operational bottlenecks.” In addition, travellers could face delays when checking in or dropping off their bags before departure, when at the boarding gate, and at the baggage carousels after landing in Mallorca, during the Swissport strikes.

In advice to holidaymakers set to travel to or from Palma, the airport advised the following:

• Check in online: Complete your check-in online before heading to the airport to minimise time spent in queues.
• Travel light if possible: Travelling with hand luggage only allows you to bypass potential check-in and baggage carousel delays.
• Monitor your airline’s app: Keep a close eye on text alerts or app notifications from your airline for real-time schedule updates.
• Arrive on time (but not too early): Stick to the standard arrival window recommended by your carrier (usually two to three hours before departure). Arriving half a day early can worsen airport congestion.

Palma Airport, also known as Son Sant Joan Airport, is one of the biggest Spanish airports, connecting Brits to the capital of Mallorca (Majorca), and beyond. In July last year, a whopping 1.8 million tourists travelled through Palma Airport in favour of that Spanish sun-soaked summer getaway.

The airport strikes planned for this week follow protests against overtourism in Palma on Sunday, 26 July. According to the police, around 25,000 people were involved, while the organisers, Menys Turisme, Mes Vida (Less Tourism, More Life), estimate that 70,000 took part in the protest.

For more information on the planned strikes during the summer, visit the Palma Airport website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

There are some items that are best kept in your hand luggage for safe keeping, so make sure these items don’t end up in your big suitcase when you go away for your summer holidays this year

No matter how many times you go on holiday, packing is always an awkward task, as you need to balance the lack of space with the essentials.

And if you have checked luggage in addition to a cabin bag, you may be tempted to throw most of the things you own into your hold baggage. This means you have less stuff to carry around the airport and onto the plane with you.

But there are some things you should never put in checked luggage, and it’s not just the obvious stuff like weapons and flammable items. Here are five items to never send to the hold.

1. Prescription medication

Overall, less than 1% of hold luggage goes missing, and usually it’s simply misdirected, so it will eventually make its way to you. But while you try to retrieve your bag, it’s a good idea to have supplies of essential items.

Prescription medication is better taken as hand luggage, as it’s much less likely to go missing. If there’s a delay with your hold bag getting back to you, you won’t need to worry about missing vital doses of your meds.

If you do lose your medication when travelling, visit a local pharmacy for advice, as they may be able to arrange an emergency supply.

2. Batteries and electronics

Because of the risk of items such as power banks catching fire, items with lithium batteries, such as power banks and vapes, can’t be placed in hold luggage and must be taken onboard with you.

Some airlines have limits on how many Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) can be taken onboard, with Jet2 and Ryanair restricting the number to 15 per passenger. Ryanair also has a limit of 20 lithium batteries or power banks, each up to 100Wh, in hand baggage.

3. Valuable items

If you have jewellery, cash or other expensive items, you may be nervous about carrying them around in your backpack at the airport. However, it’s not a good idea to leave valuables in your checked-in bags.

There’s a risk of damage to items in transit, and while it’s rare, theft from bags does happen by airport staff. While travel insurance does cover lost baggage, it usually has a limit and policies have an excess to pay, meaning you may not be able to claim enough to cover valuable items.

4. Swimwear

When you’re on the way to a sunny beach holiday, you may want to pack swimwear in your hand luggage rather than your big suitcase. This means that if there is a delay in getting your bag to you, you can at least spend some time on the beach or by the pool while you wait for your bag to arrive.

It also means that if you can’t check into your room straight away when you arrive, you can just change into your swimwear and enjoy some sunshine while you wait for your room to be ready.

5. Phone charger and adapter

Once you arrive at your destination, your phone battery is going to be as low as your energy levels, and you won’t want to be scrambling through your suitcase to find your charger.

Ensure you’ve got your phone charger and adapter for the country you’re visiting in your hand luggage so you can get plugged in as soon as you arrive.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Families are being delayed at security and some items are being confiscated

Parents have warned holidaymakers about a viral toy as it is causing chaos at airport security this summer. Stress relief toys called NeeDohs and squishy shaped dumplings are popular among children, but they are causing problems at airport security.

The squishy toys contain liquid which parents say is being detected on scanners at airport security and have caused travellers delays as they wait to get their bags checked. Emma Barnes was travelling to Barcelona from Birmingham airport on May 29 with her ten-year-old twins when their cases were pulled aside by security.

The part-time teacher, from Chester in Cheshire said: “I didn’t know it was a thing until it happened to us. We had five or six squishies in total spread across random pockets in our bags. I didn’t think twice, I thought it was just a squishy toy the kids had and especially on a short hall flight when they don’t have a television, they need something.

“It caused us so much stress. It is stressful anyway at airport security and when the first case got pulled and I thought ‘oh no what is it’.”

Emma explained security officials went through their bags until they found one of her children’s NeeDoh squishies. She said: “The first case got pulled and they took the squishy out and said we can’t tell what the component is inside of it and they had to drug test it.

“My daughter then said to me ‘I put two in the other cases as well’. The queue behind us was getting massive and I was dying inside. The security was really nice, they scanned and swabbed them and gave them back to us.

“I wanted to help warn other parents travelling this summer as everyone’s kids have squishy toys. We could see the airport staff thinking ‘this is going to be a bad summer ahead’.”

Emma said next time she will treat the squishies. Other parents said online “my son’s got taken off him” and that “Play-Doh has the same issue”.

Leanne, from Derbyshire, had a similar experience at East Midlands airport earlier this year. Her seven-year-old daughter put a NeeDoh in a bag without telling her mum. “Thankfully we were allowed to keep it,” she said. “I have heard that some airports dispose of them.

“My little girl is in the special educational needs (SEN) pathway so they help her regulate emotions when she’s stressed, so she was so worried it would be taken from her. The security lady said they flag up all the time. It was not a nice experience but I do understand why it happened when we knew what our daughter had done.

“It has never been flagged until now. It is becoming a bigger and bigger thing – the scanners aren’t liking them at all.”

A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: “Things like squishy toys contain liquid – this includes NeeDohs which use malt syrup. Smaller versions of the toy are under 100mls but larger versions are not. The problem is that as they don’t have measurements printed on them security staff have to estimate their size.

“Our advice is that all but very small squishy toys should be placed in hold baggage.”

A Birmingham Airport spokesperson added: “These items are not a security prohibited item, but as with any item carried as cabin baggage, they are required to clear security screening”.

Gatwick Airport said the toys are not prohibited but like all items, are subject to security screening. Government officials have also issued concerns about the toys, including Aberdeen City Council in Scotland who put out a warning on July 13 about potentially dangerous versions of the popular squishy toys, with more than 1,000 being seized from local shops in a month.

Hillingdon Council trading standards officers seized 500,000 squishy dumpling toys in two months at Heathrow airport which were coming into the UK to potentially be sold. Officials fear businesses are selling dangerous counterfeit versions and urge people to check where they are buying the toys from.

Hillingdon Council said: “Heathrow Airport is a gateway for goods entering the UK, and we’re proud to play a leading role in protecting consumers. As part of this work, our Trading Standards officers have been carrying out targeted checks on “squishy” toys at Heathrow. In the past two months, the council has seized 500,000 squishy toys. Many are similar in design and lack proper labelling and traceability information.

“The main issue is the absence of clear details of a responsible UK-based business and the correct UKCA or CE safety markings, making it hard to verify compliance and take action.”

Less than 48 hours after the earthquakes of June 24, X (formerly Twitter) users mentioned that a Japanese team did a study on seismic risk in Caracas in the early 21st century. That’s true. In March 2005, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the primary government agency responsible for managing Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA), released the report Basic Plan for Disaster Prevention in the Metropolitan District of Caracas in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The technical report presented a Disaster Prevention Plan as requested by the Venezuelan government. The plan’s goal was to save lives during an earthquake by minimizing asset damage and improving the State’s response capacity.

The study covered only three of the five municipalities that form Metropolitan Caracas: Libertador, Chacao, and Sucre, because the government committed to apply its conclusions to Baruta and El Hatillo. It did not consider what is currently called La Guaira state (Vargas back then).

The Japanese team was headed by Mitsuo Miura (Pacific Consultants International, PCI) and composed of staff members of PCI and OYO International Corporation. They visited Venezuela seven times, from December 2002 to March 2005, when they discussed the results with the Venezuelan officials and conducted field surveys. Upon returning to Japan, the team finished additional studies and prepared this final report.

The diagnosis

The study defined several scenarios to estimate risks, soil displacement, and potential damage. It projected that, in the worst case, a considerable number of buildings in Caracas, depending on their age and type, would collapse, with a high human cost. Only the ones built after 2002 showed high seismic capacity. Twenty years ago, those buildings made up no more than 0.1% of the studied area. 

On the other side, 98,237 buildings were vulnerable. Those built before 1967 (the year of the previous great earthquake in Venezuela) had low seismic capacity, while those built from 1968 to 2001 had a moderate capacity. Of the 1968-1982 buildings, 82% were made of brick and mortar. 

“The project will reduce the number of heavily damaged buildings from around 10,000 to around 1,300, and the number of casualties from around 4,900 to around 400 in the case of a 1967 earthquake.”

The Japanese team evaluated, using Japanese standards, office buildings, homes, bridges and viaducts, and established a range of risks in several seismic scenarios. After surveying the Metro tunnels and stations, they suggested reinforcing columns and structures, as well as adding resistant materials in the gas and water networks, and improving the structure of gas stations to avoid dangerous combustible spills. 

By 2005, shantytowns covered approximately 20% of Caracas’ urban area, and hosted 51.2% of the capital’s population. This study conducted, for the first time, seismic reinforcement tests on four full-scale models of the typical rancho. It demonstrated that the unengineered constructions have low seismic resistance and require reinforcement, as they could not withstand minor loads and showed failures in columns and connections. The bricks did not contribute significant resistance. If those homes were reinforced with beams, their resistance increased by 40% at an additional cost of 5% to 7%. 

The solution

Their plan recommended seven big tasks. To improve safety, reinforce buildings and bridges, control the flux of sediments, and relocate the population living in high-risk areas. To improve response, implement early alert systems and emergency command centers. And to improve coordination, educate the population and stimulate citizen participation. By that time, local technologies made all these projects possible.

“The project”, they assured in the report, “will reduce the number of heavily damaged buildings from around 10,000 to around 1,300, and the number of casualties from around 4,900 to around 400 in the case of a 1967 earthquake.”

There was no plan, no authorities, no clear responsibilities to allow Venezuela’s capital and most populated city to coordinate the response in case of a disaster, the Japanese warned.

When they did the calculations back in 2005, they estimated the plan would cost around 2,800 million dollars (most of them to reinforce all the buildings that could be damaged in an earthquake) and would take 16 years to fully implement. So, if the Chávez and Maduro governments had done their part of the deal, Venezuela would have finished five years ago a seismic prevention and safety strategy in Caracas designed by the experts from a country that knows earthquakes as much as Japan, paying a quarter of the costs estimated for the 2026 earthquakes.

The Japanese team also recommended an early alert system for landslides, to be developed from 2005 to 2007, with a cost of one million dollars. This was meant to protect 19,000 Venezuelans.

The responsibilities

The Venezuelan entities involved in the plan would be the ministries of Public Works and Housing, Transportation, and Planning and Development; the Caracas Metropolitan Mayor’s office; the capital’s five municipalities; and the National Civil Protection and Disaster Management Organization (Protección Civil). 

But by 2005, only a civil protection law from 2001 defined some of the corresponding responsibilities. The capital’s Disaster Prevention Administration was being developed. As the Japanese experts warned in their report, there was no plan, no authorities, no clear responsibilities to allow Venezuela’s capital and most populated city to coordinate the response in case of a disaster.

When Japan’s JICA delivered the report to Hugo Chávez, the area under assessment had 17 firefighter stations, 15 municipal police stations, 17 civil protection stations and two emergency control centers. Since then, the only visible change for the inhabitants is the increase of National Police (PMB) command centers.

On June 24, 2026, three buildings went down in Chacao municipality, and inspections are being made to assess the structural damage of several more. In Libertador municipality, at least two residential towers collapsed in San Bernardino, and there’s important damage across the city. In parts of Petare, in Sucre municipality, where many buildings are ranchos, an undetermined number of lodgings collapsed totally or partially, and basic services are not available in some places.

Many foreign crews came to help, especially in La Guaira. One of them is a new research team with seven JICA specialists that arrived in Caracas four days after the earthquakes to design the support measures Japan would contribute to. On June 30, after a request from the interim government, Japan sent tents, water tanks and purification equipment, and erected two campaign hospitales, one in Caraballeda, in the middle of the disaster zone in La Guaira, and another by the Dr. Domingo Luciani Hospital in Caracas.

Besides this, Miyamoto International, a Japanese organization of disaster prevention engineering, came to assess earthquakes’ impact. The team is headed by the famous engineer Hideki “Kit” Miyamoto, the organization’s founder and director. He said they are talking with the Japanese government and reviewing the previous reports. Maybe they will issue a new body of knowledge like the 2005 investigation by JICA. Let’s hope that, this time, the Japanese expertise will be used.

Families heading abroad for the summer have been warned

With countless families anxiously awaiting their summer break at the beach, the holidays could end in tragedy for some if they don’t heed some advice. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel guidance for Spain, urging parents to put their children’s safety first particularly in swimming pools and beaches at the popular holiday destination this summer.

In the update on June 26, the Foreign Office issued specific advise for each swimming location and highlighted a sad but startling truth parents should keep in mind even while trying to relax on holiday: “Every year, people drown in the sea and in swimming pools in Spain.”

According to the Royal Life Saving Society UK, an average of 82 UK citizens drown each year while they are abroad.

Swimming pools

The Foreign Office advised parents to always keep an eye on their children, regardless of their age, while they are in or near swimming pools. For small children, the office urged parents to keep them no further than arms-reach away even if they are able to swim or there is a lifeguard nearby.

Beaches

The Foreign Office advised: “Take care when swimming in the sea. Always supervise children and keep small children within arms-reach. Some beaches, especially around Spanish islands, may have strong undercurrents.”

In the ocean, there are a few more concerns that both everyday beachgoers and parents may need to keep in mind when swimming to avoid serious injuries. This includes hidden rocks, shallow depths, strong undertows and waves coming into shore further and quicker than expected.

The warning continued: “Many beaches have a flag system. Make sure you understand the system and follow any warnings (a red flag means you must not enter the water). Take extra care and get local knowledge if there are no lifeguards, flags or signs.”

It also recommends people heading for pools or beaches in Spain this year check out ABTA’s swim safe pages and Water Safety on Holiday from the Royal Life Saving Society UK.

The Royal Life Saving Society UK recommends a few simple steps to avoid having an emergency in the water. Including keeping children within arms-reach as it notes: “86% of child drownings occur in the absence of adult supervision.”

Before you head into the water, the experts recommend:

• Review local safety notices and learn what the signs and flags mean
• Look out for potential hazards in your surroundings and warn the rest of your group
• Wear brightly coloured swimwear so you can be seen underwater
• Never use inflatables in open water as it can easily be blown out to sea
• Take extra care when intoxicated around water and never enter the water whilst under the influence

The FCDO provides travel advice for more than 220 countries and territories across the globe, covering everything from entry requirements and safety risks to health precautions and local regulations.

Holidaymakers have been advised to carry out amateur detective work to ensure they do not book into fake accommodation this summer, as research showed a third of travellers had seen an increase in potential travel scams on social media.

Consumer experts have urged holidaymakers to do a reverse image search on photographs of holiday homes and check their locations on an online map to verify they are real.

People may be booking in a hurry this year as many have left it later than usual because of uncertainty around the impact of the Iran war, increasing the risk of falling victim to an online or telephone scam.

Some of those caught up in flight cancellations and delays at the start of the Iran war have already been victims of scams.

As well as fake holiday accommodation or flights, people may also be offered tours that do not exist, while scammers sometimes copy photographs from legitimate websites and often ask for bank transfers.

George Ralchev, head of risk at payment service provider emerchantpay, which commissioned the research, said holidaymakers were being targeted by social media scammers “looking to take advantage of the peak travel season”.

Seven in 10 people said they were wary of promotional emails related to holidays because of potential scams, according to the survey carried out by Opinium in May among 2,000 people in the UK.

Two-fifths of holidaymakers said they changed their behaviour while on holiday because of financial safety concerns.

Half now prefer to book holidays with online or high street travel businesses if they clearly explain how they are protecting consumers from fraud.

One woman scammed out of £6,500 while trying to book a Greek holiday villa previously told the Guardian that she had begged her bank to halt the money transfer, only to be told by staff that there was nothing they could do.

To help avoid scams, people could do research to check that a destination actually exists, look for independent reviews and check website links, emerchantpay said.

Holidaymakers may also want to check whether the company involved is a member of Abta, a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry.

People booking package deals with a flight could also check if they are covered under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (Atol) financial protection scheme.

Lisa Webb, consumer law expert at the consumer group Which?, said the findings were “sadly unsurprising” and reflected its own research that social media firms were “failing to take meaningful action to tackle the flood of scams on their platforms”.

Webb said: “The onus should not fall on consumers, but there are ways to help you spot fake holiday listings – such as using a reverse image search to check for stolen images or checking the property’s location on an online map to see that it exists.”

She advised travellers to book through trusted channels and avoid paying by bank transfer for anything advertised on social media. Anyone who thinks they have lost money to a holiday booking scam should contact their bank immediately and report it to Report Fraud or Police Scotland.

According to separate research from Which? undertaken in the summer of 2024 and spring 2025 on Booking.com reviews, hundreds of people complained that they had paid for accommodation that did not exist. Booking.com provided a detailed response at the time and said cybersecurity was a top priority. Expedia customers were also targeted in 2024.

THIS summer’s celebrity trend isn’t a snatched waistline or even a peachy backside.

It’s the ‘11-line abs’ – a pair of razor sharp lines running down the stomach.

A host of stars, including Jodie Comer, Zendaya and Maura Higgins, have been proudly proving the magic number is 11 by flaunting their honed stomachs.

It’s an enviable look that screams gruelling hours at the gym and super-low body fat.

Until now, the number 11 was something women dreaded as it referred to the pair of lines that form between the eyebrows through frowning.

Now, however, 11 has become the ultimate badge of fitness — 11-line abs are created by the natural gap between the six-pack muscles (rectus abdominis) and the abdomen’s side muscles (obliques).

While it may have once been tacky to show off your naked waist, this year people are exhibiting their defined midriffs everywhere — not just at the beach or the gym but on the red carpet, too.

Earlier this month, actress Jodie Comer looked sensational at a star-studded bash as she flashed her sculpted midriff in a black dress.

But if you think achieving this physique is as simple as jumping on fat jabs, you need to think again — it’s down to exercise and good nutrition, according to women’s fitness expert Shakira Akabusi.

“There isn’t a single magic exercise to achieve visible abs,” says mum-of-four Shakira.

“But a great set of core exercises are planks, dead bugs, hanging knee raises and bicycles. Compound exercises like squats and deadlifts are also great.”

Although Shakira recommends a well-rounded diet, she says “a modest calorie deficit” is necessary to reduce body fat.

She adds: “Your abdominal muscles sit beneath a fat layer, so visible definition relies on overall body composition as well as building muscle.”

The expert emphasised that aesthetics and health shouldn’t be confused.

“Visible ab definition is not a marker of health, and is down to many factors including genetics, hormones, body fat distribution, nutrition and even lighting.

“So, don’t be fooled by social media posts.”

BRITISH holidaymakers going to France may be forced to cover their bare chests or risk being slapped with a £130 (€150) fine.

Men have been banned from walking around shirtless in several seaside resort towns – with one mayor citing concerns over hygiene and decency.

Topless sunbathing is still legal in France – but around 20 towns are clamping down on locals and tourists from baring their chests in city centres.

The glamorous resort of Deauville has hiked up its token fine of £15 (€17) to a heftier £130 (€150).

And in the southern French city of Narbonne – which last year saw blistering highs of 43 degrees – men are barred from going shirtless all summer.

The ban came into force on Monday and will end only at the end of September.

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The mayor of the resort town claimed it was common sense for a tourist hotspot to crack down on bare-chests.

“It’s about hygiene and avoiding exhibitionism,” he said.

One Narbonne restaurant owner hailed the crackdown as “a very good thing”, saying that “this isn’t something the staff of our café can easily police on their own without getting into arguments with customers”.

“Having bare-chested guys on the terrace can put off other customers”, added Anthony Hill, 53, who runs Le 89 cafe in the city centre.

But as a heatwave swept across the holiday hotspot – hitting highs of 34 degrees – not everyone welcomed the ban.

“This excessive puritanism is disturbing. Let people live a little. A bare chest never killed anyone”, complained one user named Gabriel on X.

Another seaside port – La Grande‑Motte – has imposed the same restriction and local resident Marie welcomed the change with open arms.

“If I’m out with my kids in the town centre I really don’t want to see guys without shirts. It’s a matter of decency — and there’s also the smell when they walk past you”, the 37-year-old told French TV.

But one holidaymaker, 55, questioned whether the £130 (€150) was “a bit steep” – though he added that he found rule logical.

French law forbids women from going topless – but there is no nationwide ban on men’s shirtlessness.

If a woman walks around bare-chested anywhere other than on a beach she risks being arrested for “sexual exhibitionism” and thrown in jail.

She may also be charged a fine of around £13,000 (€15,000).

In 2020 a row erupted across the nation after cops asked three topless women sunbathing on a southern French beach to cover up.

A family had complained that the women’s bare breasts had upset their children – but when police took action they were blasted for betraying the “French way of life”.

British holidaymakers heading to Greece this summer are being urged to do four things before they set off to help interactions with local people go smoothly…

Planning a getaway to Greece this summer? Brits have been cautioned against travelling if they haven’t done this crucial thing.

With numerous new rules and regulations being introduced, including EES (entry-exit systems) and QR codes that can be scanned to streamline procedures in different countries, it can be tricky to work out what you’re required to do before setting off. We’re all aware it’s vital to stick to baggage weight limits to dodge any additional charges, and that arriving with sufficient time to clear airport security is essential.

However, Dimitri has cautioned that before landing in Greece, it’s also crucial to familiarise yourself with four phrases that will help you get by and feel more at ease, while showing locals you’ve put in some effort. He said: “Don’t come to Greece this summer if you don’t know these four expressions.”

1. Kalimera/Καλημρα: Good morning

This is used to greet someone in the morning or daytime. You should stress the second syllable, pronouncing it “KA-lee-ME-ra”.

2. Kalispera/Καλησπρα: Good evening

This is the correct greeting from the late afternoon into the evening. It is pronounced “KA-lee-SPE-ra”.

3. Efharirsto/Ευχαριστ: Thank you

Used to express gratitude. It is pronounced approximately as “ef-ha-ri-STO”, with a soft guttural ‘h’ sound represented by ‘χ’.

4. Parakalo/Παρακαλ: You’re welcome

This phrase serves as a courteous reply to “thank you,” and is equally handy when offering something to someone. It is pronounced “pa-ra-ka-LO”.

Master all of the above, and, while fluency in Greek may still be out of reach, you’ll come across as someone who has genuinely made the effort to connect with locals in their native tongue. What’s more, it’ll help put you at ease too.

Dimitri added: “A friendly tone and a smile make these phrases more natural and appreciated.”

In the comments, one user wrote: “Having lived in Greece its great to see this and yes, learning the language is a plus. I’d add to those who may feel nervous in doing so, just do it.”

Another chimed in: “I learned these whilst in Greece! The locals were so friendly and kind and loved that we wanted to speak with them in their language.”

One joker suggested that simply saying the word “gyro,” would suffice – referring to the much-loved Greek street food made from seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, then carved and served wrapped in a warm, grilled flatbread such as pitta.

Meanwhile, another enthused: “Greece is my favourite country would love more than anything to learn the language!!”

Will you be learning any Greek before you go this summer? Let us know in the comments…

Four out of five Brits surveyed didn’t know this passport rule, and even more surprisingly, a huge number don’t know the expiry date of their passport, which could leave them facing a last-minute panic

Holidaymakers are being urged by travel insurance specialists to check their passport details ahead of the busy summer season, as a survey showed a huge percentage of Brits were unaware of a basic passport rule.

The research, carried out by Saga Travel Insurance showed that many Brits didn’t know basic rules around passport validity, entry requirements, and travel regulations post-Brexit. Worryingly, 7% of the people surveyed had previously been denied entry to a country because they didn’t have enough time on their passport to cover the trip.

Saga surveyed 500 people, and found that four out of five (80%) were not aware that different countries have different passport validity requirements, while 50% mistakenly thought that every country requires a passport to have six months remaining before travel.

The travel insurance provider also highlighted that half of the Brits surveyed “are still not confident they understand the visa and travel requirements for visiting Europe after Brexit.” 16% didn’t know when their passport is due to expire, while 8% currently had expired passports gathering dust in a drawer.

One mum recently was left £700 out of pocket after getting caught out by passport rules for a holiday to Greece, meaning she couldn’t board her flight with her husband and children.

Michelle Cooper, Director of Travel Insurance at Saga, said: “Nobody should have their holidays ruined because of a simple passport error. A few quick checks can help people avoid unnecessary stress, unexpected costs and disruption at the airport.”

She added: “It’s important to check the specific rules of the country you’re travelling to so that you know how long you need remaining on your passport. Some destinations require three months remaining on your passport, while others require six months.”