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London CNN —Air passengers across Europe faced delays on Monday on one of the summer’s busiest travel days after the UK’s air traffic control system suffered a “technical issue” resulting in restrictions on flights. “Our priority is always to ensure that every flight in the UK remains safe and we are sincerely sorry for the disruption this is causing. A spokesperson for Manchester Airport, in northern England, told CNN: “We are aware of a nationwide air traffic control issue that is affecting flights in and out of airports across the country. Ireland’s air traffic control service provider AirNav had said that there were “significant delays” to flights traveling within UK airspace on Monday. “Flights between Ireland and UK airports, and flights traveling to or from Ireland that travel through UK airspace are experiencing significant delays,” it said.

Persons: NATS, Lee Vanstone, ike W, ingle Organizations: London CNN — Air, Air Traffic Services, ”, Pisa Airport Locations: Europe, Pisa, Pisa Airport

☆ Video shows a man stealing a taxi after being refused a ride by another one, sparking a 130mph police chase
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A video shows the moment a thief stole a taxi from outside Gatwick Airport near London. Mohammed Ahmed had been denied a ride by a taxi when he saw another left unattended with the keys. He sparked a police chase and was "swerving in the road and reaching dangerously high speeds," police said. A video shows the moment a thief stole a taxi from an airport and sparked a 130mph police chase. The Sussex Police spokesman said they were alerted to the situation as Ahmed was driving dangerously, "swerving in the road and reaching dangerously high speeds."

Persons: Mohammed Ahmed, Ahmed, Det Insp Darren Lillywhite, NPAS, Warwickshire Police RPU Organizations: Gatwick Airport, Morning, British, Mercedes, Sussex Police, The Sussex Police, Warwickshire Police, Telegraph Locations: London

☆ Passengers flying from Italy to the UK took a detour to northern Africa because the airline had to deliver a part for another plane
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A TUI plane was meant to fly from the south of Italy to the United Kingdom. But an unscheduled diversion meant it took a detour and stopped off in northern Africa. Passengers had to wait on the runway in Tunisia while the airline delivered a part for another plane. TUI passengers on board a flight from Italy to the UK found themselves unexpectedly diverted to northern Africa, where they remained on a runway for an hour while the airline delivered a plane part. Last December, TUI passengers were left stranded in the wrong country overnight, after their plane made an unscheduled stop due to staff scheduling issues.

Persons: TUI Organizations: Passengers, London Gatwick Airport, Boeing, Google, Independent, Gatwick Airport Locations: Italy, United Kingdom, Africa, Tunisia, Lamezia Terme, Terme, London, Enfidha, Hammamet

☆ Some strikes at UK airport Gatwick cancelled, suspended - union
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Passengers wait in the queue for check-in in the South Terminal building at Gatwick Airport, in Gatwick, Britain, December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File PhotoLONDON, July 24 (Reuters) - Some of the strikes planned by baggage handlers and other workers at Britain's no.2 airport Gatwick in the peak summer travel period have been suspended or cancelled, the Unite trade union said on Monday. But improved pay offers mean that DHL workers, who provide services to easyJet, have cancelled their walk outs completely after they voted to accept a 15% pay rise, the union said. Currently ASC workers have not yet suspended their walk outs, while Menzies have suspended some of them. A fourth set of workers, who are contracted by GGS, have suspended strikes between July 28-Aug.1 to allow negotiations to continue but are still due to walk out Aug. 4-8.

Persons: Toby Melville, Menzies, Sarah Young, Eva Mathews, Savio D'Souza, Kylie MacLellan Organizations: Gatwick Airport, REUTERS, Gatwick, British Airways, DHL, Workers, Menzies, ASC, GGS, Thomson Locations: Gatwick, Britain, Britain's, TUI, easyJet, Rhodes, Greece, London, Bengaluru

☆ Some workers suspend strikes at London's Gatwick -union
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - A first round of strikes planned by baggage handlers working with easyJet (EZJ.L) at London's Gatwick airport has been suspended after a better pay offer, their union said on Tuesday, warning that other walkouts will still go ahead. Around 600 DHL workers who fulfil contracts for Gatwick's biggest airline easyJet (EZJ.L) have called off strikes planned for 28 July to 1 August and will now be balloted on the new pay offer, trade union Unite said in a statement. "As an act of good faith, Unite’s Gatwick DHL members have agreed to suspend their first set of strikes while they are balloted on the new offer," Unite Regional Officer Dominic Rothwell said. If members were to reject the deal, the union said it would set out fresh strike dates. Strikes planned by around 450 ASC, Menzies Aviation and GGS staff, who work for other airlines including British Airways, are still scheduled to take place from July 28 to Aug. 1 and from Aug. 4 to Aug. 8.

Persons: Dominic Rothwell, Sarah Young, Muvija, William James Our Organizations: London's Gatwick, Gatwick, DHL, Gatwick's, Gatwick DHL, Menzies Aviation, British Airways, Thomson Locations: London's, London

European travellers are already on high alert over worries about air traffic control problems arising from both the reduced air space available due to the Ukraine war, plus staffing issues and industrial action at some locations. "Given the scale of the industrial action, disruption, delays and cancellations are inevitable across the airport," Unite said in its statement. Concerns over air traffic control delays already prompted easyJet to axe 2% of its summer flight schedule, mostly from Gatwick, on Monday. On the strike-affected days, 4,410 flights are due to depart from Gatwick, equating to over 840,000 potential passengers, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Britain's busiest hub, Heathrow Airport, agreed a pay deal with security workers in June, avoiding multiple days of walk-outs throughout the summer which had been planned by Unite.

Persons: EasyJet, easyJet, William James, Sarah Young, Sachin, Mark Potter Organizations: Gatwick, Menzies Aviation, DHL Services, Gatwick's, British Airways, DHL, Airlines, Financial Times, Heathrow Airport, Unite, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, London, TUI, Gatwick, Europe

☆ People are trashing a budget airline and saying it put them up in 'disgusting' cockroach-infested hotel rooms in Cyprus and Spain after their flights were canceled
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The UK-based budget airline canceled 1,700 flights between July and September, per Reuters. Disgruntled passengers stranded by a budget airline's flight cancellations are blasting the "disgusting" hotels the carrier put them in. Of the 90,000 flights scheduled for the rest of July and August, British budget airline EasyJet has canceled around 1,700 flights, predominantly from London's Gatwick airport, Reuters reported on Monday. Twitter user @angeldelight28 shared pictures of the hotel room she said EasyJet had put her up in after her flight to Liverpool was canceled, leaving her stranded in Larnaca, Cyprus. The pictures showed a barebones hotel room with unidentified stains over the patio and bathroom floors.

Persons: EasyJet, Clare, Zoe Wright, Mark Buntin, Insider's Hannah Towey, honeymoons Organizations: Morning, EasyJet, Reuters, Twitter, Liverpool, Daily, Sky News, Gatwick Locations: EasyJet, London's Gatwick, Larnaca, Cyprus, lanzarote, Bristol, Luton, Dalaman, Turkey, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Amsterdam's

☆ Factbox: Europe's ongoing strike-related travel disruptions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The travel industry is on high alert for disruption after Europe's peak season last year was hit by cancellations, causing chaos at airports. This summer, air traffic control issues are likely to be the weak spot, according to warnings from Eurocontrol, which manages European airspace. Heathrow Airport security workers on June 23 called off 31 days of strikes planned at Britain's busiest hub. At Birmingham Airport, around 100 security officers and terminal technicians will begin continuous strike action from July 18. The strikes will severely impact the airport's security and terminal maintenance, leading to flight delays, the Unite union said.

Persons: Hannah McKay, Tiago Brandao, Pierre John Felcenloben, Antonis Triantafyllou, Milla Nissi Organizations: British Airways, Heathrow Airport, REUTERS, BELGIUM Ryanair, BRITAIN, Heathrow, Birmingham Airport, Glasgow, FRANCE Air, ATC, Nantes, Ryanair, Reuters, SPAIN Pilots, Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, Air Nostrum, Air Europa, Swedish Transport Workers, Union, Geneva, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, BELGIUM, Belgium, Charleroi, Europe, Gatwick, France, Paris, Orly, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux, ITALY, PORTUGAL, Portugal, Iberia, Spain, SWEDEN

☆ Air travel chaos in Europe could be over — but higher ticket prices are here to stay
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON – Travelers to and within Europe this year should be able to avoid the levels of disruption experienced during last year's summer of chaos, but higher ticket prices look set to stay. A number of European airlines limited ticket sales, canceled flights, and adjusted timetables, as airports imposed passenger traffic caps. But the unique circumstances of last year's travel chaos are "largely behind us," according to Airports Council International (ACI). Heathrow Airport, Europe's largest airport by passenger volume, said it is "well prepared to serve demand over the summer peak" this year. While Gatwick Airport, the U.K.'s second-largest, told CNBC via email that it's "not anticipating the same issues airports encountered last summer."

Organizations: Council International, ACI, Heathrow, Gatwick Airport, CNBC Locations: Europe, Europe's

☆ Travel chaos on holiday weekend as passport gates fail at UK airports, causing long delays for passengers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Passengers faced long delays at British airports Saturday after electronic passport gates failed. Many passports were being checked manually by UK Border Force officers until the problem was resolved. A representative for Heathrow tweeted: "We are aware of a nationwide issue impacting the eGates, which are operated by Border Force. A representative for Gatwick airport said some passengers may experience delays at immigration due to the nationwide issue with the e-gates. A Home Office representative told Insider: "We are aware of a nationwide border system issue affecting arrivals into the UK.

☆ UK airports face nationwide border system issue, causing major delays
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, May 27 (Reuters) - Passengers flying into Britain faced major delays after landing at airports on Saturday due to a nationwide issue affecting the automated border control gates that scan passports upon arrival. Images posted on social media showed long queues with hundreds of people at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports with frustrated passengers complaining of having to wait several hours in line. "We are aware of a nationwide border system issue affecting arrivals into the UK," said a spokesperson for the British government's interior ministry, which has oversight of border control. "We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and are liaising with port operators and airlines to minimise disruption for travellers," they told Reuters. Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport, said it had deployed extra staff to manage the queues and was working with Border Force to help resolve the problem.

☆ Strikes, Delays and Lost Luggage: How to Survive Air Travel This Summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Elaine Glusac | The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +27 min

Illustration by Yukai Du Strikes, Delays and Lost Luggage: How to Survive Air Travel This Summer With the travel season in full swing, we compiled a guide to help you navigate the year’s most hectic time in the skies. If you don’t care which beach, shop around.” If you haven’t booked summer flights, do it now. For one, avoiding the airports with the highest levels of delays and cancellations last summer may be a good idea. They’re also getting longer inside airport lounges, longtime havens from the masses clogging the terminals at peak times. Standard membership in Priority Pass, a network of 1,300 airport lounges, starts at $99 a year, with each visit costing $35 at that level.

Persons: Yukai Du, we’ve, haven’t, Hopper, What’s, ”, Laura Lindsay, Ted Rossman, Priceline, Mr, Rossman, Charlotte Douglas, Toronto Pearson, it’s, “, Carter Langston, Rhonda Lawson, C.B.P, you’ve, you’re, You’ll, Lawson, Emmanuel Macron, Tomasz Pawliszyn, Jamie Larounis, Larounis, they’re, SITA —, They’re, Eric Goldmann of Atlanta Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Google, Miami, JetBlue, Heathrow Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol, Gatwick, Air Canada, Labor, Newark Liberty International, La Guardia Airport, Kennedy Airport, Reagan, Miami International, Orlando International, Boston Logan International, Charlotte Douglas International, Toronto Pearson, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington , D.C, Customs, Western, Gulf, Phoenix, Transportation Security Administration, Global, Border Protection, Clear, PreCheck, Heathrow, Air, SNCF, U.S . State Department, Smart, Union, Travelers, New Tech, Airlines, Lufthansa, Siemens, Alaska Airlines, KLM, U.S . Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Apple, The Department of Transportation, American, Venture, Dallas Fort Worth International, JPMorgan Chase, Club, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Americas Locations: Europe, United States, Asia, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Fla, Miami, London, Amsterdam, U.S, La, New York, Washington, Charlotte, N.C, Newark, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, Jakarta, Frankfurt, Munich, Heathrow, Washington ,, States, Denver, Seattle, Reno, Nev, Gulf Coast, Atlantic, Houston , New Orleans, Atlanta, Luton, T.S.A, ’, noncitizens, France, Britain, Italy, Germany, Berlin, Dutch, Swiss, Delta, United, Hong Kong, Dallas, Boston, North, Central, South America, Dallas , Newark

☆ I tested a private jet simulator. It was like playing a video game — but way more stressful.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I tried out a private jet simulator at a BAE Systems location in England. I tested its latest head-up display (HUD) technology, which is designed to make flying easier. I visited a BAE Systems base to try out its latest private jet simulator and experience what it's like to fly celebrities or the superrich around the world. My visit also gave me the opportunity to use one of BAE's most powerful tools — its head-up display (HUD). According to Charles, BAE is working on proposals for airlines, private jet operators, and prospective military clients to use the equipment.

☆ I'm a frequent traveler and these 5 credit cards never leave my wallet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Andrew Kunesh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

So without further ado, these are my top five credit cards as a frequent traveler. My top 5 credit cards as a frequent travelerI use credit card rewards to fund my flights and hotel stays around the world. HyattThe Chase Sapphire Reserve is another iconic travel credit card that took the credit card world by storm when it launched in 2016. Other travel credit cards I keep openI keep a handful of hotel cards open for the annual free night certificate. Read my article to why you should have more than one credit card for more information on creating a credit card stack that works for your needs.

☆ Air India's plans to modernise under new owner Tata
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

2022June 15 - Campbell Wilson, the New Zealand-born former CEO of Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI) budget offshoot Scoot takes over as Air India CEO. July 4 - Air India signs a deal to adopt Amadeus IT Group's (AMA.MC) Altea software, including for revenue management. Nov. 2 - Air India completes a deal to acquire 100% of AirAsia India and begins to integrate it with Air India Express as part of a broader restructuring of Tata's airline business. Nov. 29 - Tata says it will merge Air India with Vistara, its joint venture with Singapore Airlines. Feb. 13 - Air India resumes non-stop service between Mumbai and New York, weeks after the launch of non-stop Mumbai-San Francisco.

Online searches by Americans for flights to Europe trips are surging despite soaring air fares, a worsening economic outlook and risks of gridlock at some of the airports in Europe. The travel boom is promising record profit margins at some U.S. carriers, which are ramping up transatlantic capacity to cash in on Americans' thirst for travel to Europe. Travel website Kayak said searches for travel to Europe this summer are up 77% from last year. There is still untapped travel demand for Europe even after a busy summer last year, said Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper. Average fare for a round-trip flight to Europe, meanwhile, has risen 31% from last year, Hopper data shows.

☆ JetBlue is going after traditional airlines serving the transatlantic market with a new route to Paris starting at $479, undercutting both Delta and American
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

JetBlue is launching a new New York to Paris route in June, with tickets starting at $479. Two years after launching its service to London, the airline has announced tickets starting at $479 from New York to Paris, round-trip. Fares at the of June 2023, when JetBlue will start flying to Paris, currently start at $1082 across all other airlines. When JetBlue debuted its new New York-London Heathrow flights in August 2021, fares started at $202, while they currently cost around $559 roundtrip, according to Expedia. The lower Paris fares will likely follow a similar path.

☆ Fighter jets escorted a plane into a London airport after it lost communications and may have caused a 'sonic boom'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Fighter jets escorted an aircraft to an airport in London after it lost communications, per BBC News. This came shortly after people heard a "loud bang," which some thought was a sonic boom. Some plane spotters believe it might have been a sonic boom caused by the fast movement of the RAF jets. Essex Police tweeted that a plane heading from Iceland to Nairobi, Kenya was escorted into Stansted at about 12.50pm UK time. Departures from another London airport were reportedly suspended for around 15 minutes, per BBC News.

☆ Norse Atlantic adds new US destinations from UK's Gatwick as demand surges
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Norway-based airline Norse Atlantic (NORSE.OL) said it will add Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Boston to its summer schedule from London Gatwick airport this year, as it seeks to benefit from the post-pandemic boom in travel. Passenger demand for travel has surged over the last 12 months and is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels on most routes in 2023. Norse said it would fly daily to Los Angeles from Gatwick from June 30 with economy return fares from 430 pounds including taxes. When it adds the new destinations later in the summer, it will serve more U.S. cities than any other airline flying from Gatwick, Britain's second-biggest airport. Gatwick's transatlantic connections suffered during the pandemic following the failure of Norwegian and after Virgin Atlantic stopped flying from Gatwick and focused on its operations at Britain's biggest airport, Heathrow.

☆ Europe Inc earnings offer market optimists more hope
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Shares in ASML were lower after the results, having rallied recently to hit their highest since last April. Helped by strong orders in Europe, French train maker Alstom (ALSO.PA) posted an 8% rise in third-quarter sales. While it is still early in the corporate earnings season, the results offer some hope that recent economic data which has buoyed equities this month is grounded in reality. Swiss asset manager GAM (GAMH.S) meanwhile warned on profits after experiencing negative asset flows, knocking its shares 2.5% lower in early morning trading. ($1 = 0.8115 pounds)Reporting by Reuters newsroom; Writing by Josephine Mason; Editing by Catherine EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Passengers stuck at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago greeted the latest air travel disruption with a collective shrug. And our nation’s economy depends on a best-in-class air travel system. "We call on federal policymakers to modernize our vital air travel infrastructure to ensure our systems are able to meet demand safely and efficiently," he said. "An FAA system outage is causing ground stops at AUS and other airports across the country," the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said in a tweet. Air France said all of its U.S.-bound flights were operating as planned and were not affected by the FAA computer outage.

☆ I've missed my kids' birthdays and Christmas as a lifeboat volunteer. I can't bear thinking about someone going into the water without anyone to help.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Marc Shoffman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

He has missed work, birthdays, and Christmas Day to save lives at sea. Being an RNLI volunteer can create issues at work and requires a sympathetic bossI was once loading a truck while working for the window-plastics supplier when the pager went off. My RNLI work is all voluntary, but we get an allowance for travel and food. I've missed some of my three daughters' birthdays and couldn't drink at my sister's wedding because I was on call. This is the first Christmas I won't be volunteering, as I am doing the night shift at Gatwick.

☆ UK wages next year will be at their lowest level since 2006, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The report confirms that wages have stagnated in Britain even as inflation hits double digits, sparking the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. That’s led to widespread strikes across the UK economy, encompassing railways, schools, nurses, hospitals and the postal service. “Despite a contracting economy, the UK remains an attractive destination for workers,” PwC economist Jake Finney said in a statement. “The rise in inactivity poses serious challenges to the UK economy. PwC’s Kupelian added that UK inflation likely peaked in October and “will gradually begin to return to target over the next two years.”

☆ Air travellers warned of delays as UK passport control staff strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union take part in a border force workers strike action near Heathrow Airport, in London, Britain December 23, 2022. The Public and Commercial Services Union said more than 1,000 Border Force staff, who are employed by the government, were expecting to strike. The union said its Border Force members had been offered a 2% pay rise, far below inflation that stood at 10.7% in November. "Immigration halls are free flowing ...with Border Force and the military contingency providing a good service," a spokesperson said. Gatwick, Britain's second busiest, said passengers should expect longer wait times at passport control between Friday and the end of the year.

☆ Holiday travelers are trapped in an Iceland airport because snow-covered roads prevented them from getting to their hotels — or out of the country
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Travelers are stuck in an Icelandic airport after a blizzard dumped snow on the country. Keflavík Airport, easyJet, and Icelandair did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. Despite multiple warnings from The Icelandic Meteorological Office, Iceland's government, and The Foreign Office, passengers told NBC that the airlines seemed under-prepared and barely communicated through the chaotic weekend of cancelations. Ryan Stevens, a traveler from London who is still stuck in Iceland, told Insider that Icelandair poorly handled the situation. Stevens is out 1,500 euros due to three nights in a hotel and two additional booked flights and said he hasn't heard anything about reimbursements or assistance.

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