British Airways’ cancellations increased by 20 to 74 today, while easyJet decreased by six to 52. Airlines have blamed staff shortages for Covid-related absences. The Spanish holidays are also in jeopardy, as the Spanish authorities appeared yesterday to reopen to unvaccinated travelers – with a test result – with immediate effect, only to make a reversal of the rule last night. On Wednesday, the tourism council said Spain had opened up to all UK travelers with immediate effect, saying visitors who had not stopped would be able to enter with a negative test before departure. In fact, the tourism council later confirmed, the rule remains that only vaccinated people aged 18 and over are allowed to enter the country. As before, 12-17 may show evidence of a negative PCR test for a visit. Pedro Medina, Deputy Managing Director of the Spanish Tourism Office in the United Kingdom, said: “We unreservedly apologize for the miscommunication earlier today, which was due to a misunderstanding of the new entry requirements.” Follow the latest updates below.
Basic points
British Airways and easyJet cancel 50+ flights to / from the United Kingdom The Spanish authorities are revoking the decision to allow the unvaccinated P&O sets a date for the resumption of services
Show last update 1649320813
Travel to Spain: Passenger tracking form for people under 12 and holders of Covid NHS card abolished
Despite the reversal of its promise by Spain to accept unvaccinated travelers last night, a small rule change has been implemented: NHS Covid Pass holders no longer need to fill out the country’s Health Check Form. This also applies to children under 12 years. Spanish Tourism Minister Fernando Valdés Verelst wrote on Twitter yesterday: “From today, if you are traveling to Spain and have an EU Covid digital certificate or equivalent, you will no longer need to fill out the Spain Travel Health form before your arrival.” The NHS Covid Pass is accepted as equivalent to the EU Covid Certificate. Lucy Thackray7 April 2022 09:40 1649320460
Between 15,000 and 20,000 passengers are affected by the cancellations
Between 15,000 and 20,000 passengers will suffer from current flight cancellations alone, as British Airways cancels about 74 flights to and from Heathrow and easyJet cancels 52 of various UK airports. Most easyJet cancellations are from Gatwick, with some from Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh. All are domestic or short-haul routes, with many from the UK to Italian, Spanish or French destinations. Lucy Thackray7 April 2022 09:34 1649319779
“Do not panic!”: Queues are moving at Manchester Airport
After days of long queues and abandoned luggage, passengers this morning reported a smoother check-in and security experience at Manchester Airport. “It took us about 1 hour, from the arrival at the airport at 5 in the morning, to go through security on T2. However, he became much busier as soon as we got in line. However, you are invited to skip the queues for an hour to get on your flight. Do not panic!” wrote Charl Adams at Terminal 2. “There is no queue at security at 9 this morning. “The luggage drop is also clean,” Verity Taylor told Terminal 1. “Terminal 1. Through security in 20 minutes. Hand luggage so that the bag does not fall. “Now having a drink,” wrote Hannah Stamp. Lucy Thackray7 April 2022 09:22 1649317848
Spain window for unvaccinated visitors: Proof of recovery
After Spanish tourism officials withdrew an announcement that opened to unvaccinated British visitors with a pre-departure test, there is a way for UK travelers to enter Spain: proof of the recent recovery from Covid-19. But the rules are complicated. The traveler must have a recovery certificate “issued by the official authorities”. The test must be “performed by qualified personnel” – therefore the self-test result will not be valid. Official certificates are considered valid for 11 to 180 days after the first positive result of the diagnostic test. Simon Calder 7 April 2022 08:50 1649315843
Spain revokes decision to allow unvaccinated visitors
In an emergency reversal of an earlier announcement, the Spanish Tourism Committee in London last night withdrew a statement that the country is open to unvaccinated British visitors. On Wednesday morning, the tourism council told the press that Spain had opened up to all UK travelers with immediate effect, saying that non-stop visitors would be able to enter with a negative test before departure. But eight hours later, travelers were told that this was a mistake and that the announcement stemmed from a misinterpretation of the official government bulletin. Simon Calder 7 April 2022 08:17 1649314491
All flights were canceled today
British Airways and easyJet were forced to cancel many flights to and from the UK today. The BA cancellations are all internal and short-distance: the routes between Heathrow and Scotland are affected, as are the routes to Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden from Heathrow and some Italian cities. EasyJet, meanwhile, has canceled Gatwick flights to some cities in Italy and France, along with some short-haul services from Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh. Read the full list of cancellations here: Simon Calder 7 April 2022 07:54 1649314130
good morning
Good morning and welcome to The Independent liveblog, where we will publish all the latest news and updates. Lucy Thackray7 April 2022 07:48
title: “Easyjet And British Airways Flight Cancellations Latest Travel Updates " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-17” author: “Tony Meyer”
British Airways’ number of cancellations fell from 74 to 68 today, while easyJet’s fell from 52 to 42. Both airlines have blamed staff shortages for Covid-related absences. Meanwhile, UK airports also continue to suffer from the burden of increased passenger numbers, also reporting staffing problems as demand increases. Both Manchester and Leeds airports have told travelers to arrive three hours before their scheduled departure time to ensure they do not get stuck in long queues and do not miss their flight. Manchester Airports Group CEO Charlie Cornish has apologized to passengers for “queues and congestion in recent weeks”. “I apologize to anyone affected by the disturbance,” Cornish wrote in an online letter. “We are committed to keeping customers away from their travels, especially as we know that many have been waiting a long time to return to international travel.” Follow the latest updates below.
Basic points
Show last update 1649412866
Wizz Air opens new base at Cardiff airport with flight to Lanzarote
At 7 a.m. Friday, a promising new chapter opened for Cardiff Airport. Wizz Air, one of Europe’s “three major” low-cost airlines, has launched flights from the Welsh capital to various sunny destinations. The first departure was to Lanzarote and back, with an afternoon shift from Cardiff to Tenerife to follow. Only one aircraft is currently based at Cardiff Airport, but will also fly to Alicante, Faro, Heraklion, Palma and Larnaca in Cyprus. Marion Geoffroy, CEO of Wizz Air UK, said: “We are giving a significant boost to the Welsh economy and creating jobs. “The base, which is our fourth in the UK, will bring further connectivity to the area, with passengers in Wales and the South West of England now being able to take advantage of our extremely low fares.” “Our customers in Wales have been looking for a cheaper option for many years,” said Spencer Birns, CEO of Cardiff Airport. “What makes this launch so exciting is that Wizz Air is an extremely low cost airline that will help create competition and improve options for people living in Wales.” Cardiff Airport, over the decades, has lost ground to Bristol Airport – just 27 miles away. Wales airport was hit hard by the Flybe crash in March 2020. (Roger Donovan / Mediaphotos) Simon Calder8 April 2022 11:14 1649410779
Everything you need to know about your rights when your flight is canceled
A reminder of consumer rights for the more than 15,000 people whose flights with British Airways or easyJet were canceled today. The airline should take you to your destination as soon as possible, provide meals / accommodation as required and (usually) pay cash compensation. Read the full rights of passengers here: Simon Calder8 April 2022 10:39 1649408466
Airports tell passengers to arrive three hours earlier
Several UK airports have advised passengers to arrive three hours before their scheduled departure time amid long queues. “We do not currently have the staff we need to provide the level of service our passengers deserve,” said Charlie Cornish, Managing Director of Manchester Airports Group. “At the moment, we advise passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before the departure of their flight, to allow enough time to check in, go through security and reach the departure gate.” Leeds Bradford Airport is giving the same advice ahead of a weekend where it expects to receive 37,000 passengers. “This disruption is not as serious as that faced by other UK airports, but unfortunately it can be unpredictable,” said an airport spokesman. “Due to recent changes in the Ministry of Interior’s accreditation of airport staff, uncertainty as to when travel restrictions due to pandemics were due to convenience, and continued staff interruptions due to absences from Covid-19, there is longer staff recruitment time in the entire aviation industry “. Helen Coffey8 April 2022 10:01 1649406860
City officials called in to help staff shortages at Manchester Airport
After a tumultuous week that saw long queues and the resignation of the CEO, Manchester Airport is receiving additional support to combat staff shortages. Council leaders offered staff to assist in the airport’s desperate recruitment effort, with City Hall confirming that staff are assisting with job applications and facilitating the interview process. Council leader Bev Craig said of the move: “Like everyone else, we are concerned about some of the scenes that have been reported in the press. Manchester Airport is the gateway to our city and is the key to our recovery from the pandemic. “Because of this, we want the people of Manchester to have a positive experience at the airport. Across the UK, airports and the aviation industry have faced significant challenges and we want to ensure that Manchester’s recovery is guaranteed. We are in close contact with the airport management and as a board we provide support where requested, in particular by helping to speed up recruitment to some key roles. “As a shareholder we are not involved in managing operational issues, but we have met with management and we are confident that the operational disruption is being addressed properly and that there is a short-term and long-term recruitment plan needed to support the recovery in the coming months. “We have provided support wherever we can throughout, as the airport is such a key part of Manchester’s economy and reputation. We will continue to work closely with the management team until the current issues are resolved. “ Helen Coffey8 April 2022 09:34 1649405228
EasyJet responds to cancellations
EasyJet has stated that it’s “sorry for any inconvenience” caused by the daily flight cancellations, but has argued that most of its flights are performed. An airline spokesman told The Independent: “EasyJet has completed the vast majority of its 1,599 flights today with a small percentage canceled in advance to allow customers to re-book alternative flights. We apologize for any inconvenience to the affected customers. “ Helen Coffey8 April 2022 09:07 1649404554
More than 100 flights were canceled
BA and easyJet continue to cancel scheduled flights due to staff shortages. 110 flights between them have been canceled today. 68 from BA and 42 from easyJet. See all Friday flight cancellations here: Helen Coffey8 April 2022 08:55 1649403182
Get on three hours before your flight, says Manchester airport manager
Manchester Airports Group CEO Charlie Cornish has apologized to passengers for “queues and congestion in recent weeks”. Manchester, the UK’s third busiest airport after Heathrow and Gatwick, has seen extremely high safety expectations in recent months, with some passengers missing flights and other departures being delayed waiting for people involved in the congestion. “I apologize to anyone affected by the disturbance,” Cornish wrote in an online letter. “At the moment, we advise passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before the departure of their flight, to allow enough time to check in, go through security and reach the departure gate.” Simon Calder8 April 2022 08:33 1649402728
Good morning and welcome to the Independent travel liveblog, where we will post all the latest news and updates throughout the day. Helen Coffey8 April 2022 08:25 1649343187
Going on Vacation Abroad 40 Percent Cheaper Than a Break in the UK, Says Exchange Company
Flying on a vacation plane is 40 percent cheaper on average than a “UK stay”, according to a currency exchange company. FairFX compared holiday costs with popular European destinations such as France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal with the cost of staying in the UK and found that all European holiday destinations examined were much cheaper than one trip. within the UK. European breaks offered significantly better value for money, with full holidays abroad for five days for less than £ 1,000. The average cost of a holiday abroad (14 814) was found to be 40 per cent less than a stay in the UK (14 1,143). France proved to be the most affordable, with accommodation, flights and the average cost of visiting a TripAdvisor attraction costing just 2 652 per person – 70 per cent less than the cheapest destination in the UK surveyed (Scotland). All destinations surveyed were based on holidays during the Easter holidays in the United Kingdom, between 14 and 18 April 2022. Lucy Thackray7 April 2022 15:53 1649342084
Air France plane “went crazy” before canceling the landing, the sound of the cockpit reveals
Air safety investigators launched an investigation into an Air France flight after its landing was canceled on Tuesday, with cockpit sound revealing that pilots had said the plane had gone “crazy”. The pilots seemed to have difficulty controlling the Boeing 777 as it landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, with a cockpit recording of a heated exchange of views between crew and air traffic control. Police officers are heard saying “Wait! stop stop! “and then” I will call you back! I will take you back! ” while emergency alarms sound in the background. One pilot adds: “The plane is more or less crazy.” Read the full story here: Lucy Thackray7 April 2022 15:34
