Wizz Air

Ryanair is among those to have cancelled and rerouted flights amid the conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as continued attacks in Gaza

Ryanair has had to cancel over 800 flights in the last month and reroute planes due to the tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as the continued unrest in Gaza, reports the Express.

Despite this, Ryanair announced on Wednesday that it still managed to operate more than 109,000 flights in total in June, suggesting that less than 1% of flights were impacted.

The Ireland-based firm reported that it transported 19.9 million passengers over the month, marking a 3% increase compared to the same month the previous year. This means that it has carried a total of 202.6 million passengers over the past 12 months, a rise of 7% year-on-year.

It’s not the only airline to have seen an increase in passenger numbers. Fellow budget carrier Wizz Air stated that it carried 5.88 million passengers in June, a 10.8% increase compared to the same month last year. As a result, its seat capacity was 10.4% higher year-on-year. Wizz Air has carried approximately 65 million passengers over the past 12 months, marking a 4.7% increase year-on-year.

The ongoing tensions in the Middle East saw operations halted at Dubai airport last week, with passengers being warned to anticipate further delays and cancellations. Emirates, which operates a number of flights from the UAE airport, subsequently cancelled all flights to and from Tehran, up to and including July 5, 2025.

In a statement in its travel updates, the airline warned: “Customers connecting through Dubai with final destinations in Iran will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice.”

The company added that it would plan to resume operations to Baghdad from July 1, and Basra from July 2.

Tensions in the Middle East have continued to cause disruption across air travel. Back in April, easyJet made the decision to pause all flights to and from Tel Aviv. The decision is still in place as the carrier continues “closely monitor the situation”, with passengers who have existing bookings being asked to get in touch with the airline up to a week in advance.

A statement on the airline’s travel updates, which was first shared in April, explains: “Due to the current situation in Israel, we have made the decision to pause our operations to and from Tel Aviv.

“Customers currently in Tel Aviv wishing to discuss their travel options can contact our Customer Services team on our dedicated line on +44 (0) 330 5515147.

“Customers with existing bookings, who are due to travel next week, will be contacted directly via email and SMS using the details provided at the time of booking and check in.

“If you made your booking through a travel agent, please contact your travel agency for help with your full travel plans.

“We are continuing to closely monitor the situation. The safety and security of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority.”

Have you had a flight or holiday impacted by the cancellations? Email us at [email protected].

From being bombed in World War Two to ferrying business passengers to Amsterdam, a transport hub which is no longer in use could soon be ready for its next chapter

This ghost town of an airport site could soon spring back into life thanks to a £500 million regeneration. If plans come to fruition, holidaymakers would be able to jetaway to European hotspots on low-cost flights for the first time in 12 years.

The last scheduled flight left Manston Airport in Kent for Amsterdam on April 9, 2014 and since then its been used as a lorry park. Currently undergoing a major refurbishment, the revived airport is slated to reopen in 2028.

The airport can be found in the village of Manston in the Thanet district of Kent, 14 miles north-east from Canterbury by the coast. It was used by the Royal Air Force during the World Wars after it opened in 1918, and was frequently targeted by bombs during World War Two’s Battle of Britain.

READ MORE: Ghost town with dying streets brought back to life by unexpected tourist boom

Manston has a single runway that is 2,748 metres, or 9,016 feet, long. Wide at 60 metres, it was designed to handle emergency landings for Concorde and the Space Shuttle.

Initially, the revived airport will focus on cargo operations but plans are afoot to introduce passenger services. The multimillion pound revamp will include new terminals and upgraded runways.

Tony Freudmann, main board director at controlling airport company RiverOak Strategic Partners, told Kent Online: “Looking at the way the passenger market is going, we are confident we can persuade one or more low-cost carriers to base their planes here.

“It does not work for us if they fly in just once a day because that is not economic. If they base three or four planes at Manston, we will have rotations three or four times a day, as they have at Southend.

“That will cover our costs and bring passenger footfall through the terminal all day and every day. We will reinstate the twice daily KLM service to Amsterdam Schiphol that we had before and that will give business people in particular access to almost anywhere in the world.”

Passenger routes to the the Netherlands, Spain, Cyprus and Malta could be introduced, flown by budget airlines including Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air.

Survey work is underway at the airport site and expected to be concluded in early 2026. A public consultation into possible flight routes will be launched at that time.

If plans go ahead, construction work is expected to be completed by early 2028, when recruitment for operational roles would begin. Demand for flights at Luton Airport and Stansted Airport is said to suggest additional additional passenger flights would be popular in the region.

“Opening an airport – even one like Manston which already has in place a full-length runway, taxiways and airport buildings – takes a huge amount of preparation and planning first and so it will be many months before we are ready to welcome construction teams on site,” a post earlier this year on the RiverOak website reads.

Opposition to the proposal to revamp the airport has been loud and coordinated, with groups such as Don’t Save Manston Airport noting that the travel hub previously failed commercially and arguing that it will do again. They have argued for increased aviation capacity is bad for the environment.

Ryanair will implement a major boarding pass change this winter which will see scores of travellers forced to use digital alternatives to the traditional paper boarding passes

Like most British holidaymakers, you likely download your boarding pass onto your phone to avoid queuing at an airport kiosk or finding a printer.

While early check-in and digital boarding passes are convenient and eco-friendly, some passengers still prefer the tangible version. But Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary, has announced that in 2025, the airline will fully transition to digital, with plans to phase out airport check-in desks altogether.

This means the company will no longer accept printed boarding passes, requiring passengers to have theirs ready for scanning on their phones.

Although this might irk those who aren’t tech-savvy, Ryanair states that 60% of its customers use digital boarding passes, with paper ones becoming less popular.

READ MORE: Every new Ryanair route coming to UK airports this summer

At present, Ryanair also charges a hefty £55 to passengers who forget to check in and download their boarding passes before arriving at the airport. This change could potentially eliminate such hidden fees.

Ryanair confirmed that the move to mobile boarding passes will be pushed to November 3, 2025, after it was initially set to take effect by May 2025. In the lead up to the new measure, here are the boarding pass rules for the UK’s most popular airlines.

TUI

The boarding pass rules for TUI depend on whether you’re flying with them. Online check-in is available for all TUI customers travelling on TUI flights (those with flight numbers starting with TOM).

If you’ve booked through TUI but are flying with a different airline, you’ll need to check that specific airline’s website for their boarding pass regulations.

On the TUI website, passengers are informed: “To log into the airline website you will be asked for your flight reference number. Please note, this is not the same as your TUI booking reference. Your flight reference number will be a 6-character alpha-numeric code and can be found on your booking confirmation, e-ticket or in manage my booking on the TUI website.”

easyJet

easyJet promotes the use of their app for downloading mobile boarding passes to keep travel details at hand whilst also cutting down on paper waste. Nonetheless, easyJet acknowledges that some airports in their network are yet to accept mobile passes.

The comprehensive list of easyJet airport destinations requiring a printout of your boarding pass is detailed below:

• ADB – Izmir
• AGA – Agadir
• AYT – Antalya
• AQJ – Aqaba
• BEG – Belgrade-Beograd
• BJV – Milas Bodrum
• DJE – Djerba
• ESU – Essaouira
• HRG – Hurghada
• IVL – Ivalo
• JSH – Sitia
• LXR – Luxor
• NBE – Enfidha-Hammamet
• PRN – Pristina
• RAK – Marrakech
• RBA – Rabat Sale
• RMF – Marsa Alam
• SPX – Cairo Sphinx
• SSH – Sharm El Sheikh
• TIA – Tirana
• TNG – Tangier Ibn Batouta

Passengers departing from these locations can still check-in online via www.easyJet.com but should remember to print out their boarding passes for flying. Additionally, note that a portion of these airports insists on a document check pre-security.

British Airways

British Airways gives travellers the flexibility to opt for either mobile or printed boarding passes and extends the convenience to Apple Watch users as well.

If you’ve got the British Airways app installed, it can alert you when your flight is ready for check-in. Once you’ve checked in and downloaded your boarding pass, you can access it offline on your Apple device.

Here’s how to get your boarding pass on your Apple Watch:

1. Download the British Airways app on your iPhone and Apple Watch.
2. Check in for your flight using your iPhone.
3. Download your boarding pass to your iPhone’s Passbook/Wallet via the British Airways app.
4. Scan your Passbook boarding pass at security and boarding gates.

Alternatively, you can print your boarding pass on regular paper, allowing you to bypass the kiosk and head straight through security. However, BA notes that this depends on your departure airport.

Wizz Air

Wizz Air allows passengers to present both online and printed boarding passes. To board your flight, ensure your complete the following steps:

1. Check in online on our website, using the WIZZ mobile app, or at the airport.
2. Print or download your boarding card.
3. If you have checked baggage to drop off, visit the baggage drop desk in advance. Check-in and baggage drop-off times can be found in the Check-in and Baggage Drop-off Times section.
4. If you hold non-EU travel documents, please proceed to the check-in counter to have your documentation checked and your boarding card stamped.
5. Present the boarding card, along with your travel documents, at the gate no later than 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time.