The last time air traffic control failed in the UK, on August bank holiday 2023, I happened to be in the Estonian capital, Tallinn. As this week's airspace closure unfolded on Wednesday, my location was the Sicilian capital, Palermo. On both occasions a combination of good coffee and connectivity helped me report on the depressing unravelling of tens of thousands of travel hopes and dreams.
Controllers based at Nats HQ in Swanwick, Hampshire manage the most complex airspace in the world. But their ceaseless game of three-dimensional chess relies on technology that occasionally fails. With almost no slack in the system at the peak of summer, even an hour's closure means flight plans tumble like dominoes. Diversions began at once. Heathrow-bound passengers from Dubai and Lagos landed at Paris CDG while easyJet passengers from Gran Canaria to Southend experienced some unexpected island-hopping: they touched down in Jersey. Then the cancellations started, with more than 150 on the day. Upwards of 25,000 passengers woke up on Thursday where they didn't expect to be. With precious few empty seats on subsequent flights, some have lost their holidays. The airlines are furious at the bill for another Nats software failure: millions in lost revenue and care costs. Yet as a nation we tolerate occasional mass disruption. It is the inevitable consequence of the conflicting desires to fly in ever greater numbers while relying on overstretched infrastructure. This morning Heathrow airport has revealed its plans for expansion. A third runway could simply be used to boost resilience, to de-stress the system. Yet instead the plan is to fill all those new slots with yet more flights – with easyJet moving in at scale to the UK's biggest airport. What could possibly go wrong? We shall see.
Your rights during flight disruption | |
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Before the storm: the roof of Palermo cathedral on Wednesday morning |
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| From France and Tokyo to Transylvania, one of the best ways to see a new place is on two wheels. Read more. |
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| Brno offers plenty of cultural delights and medieval sites – without the crowds you'll find in Prague. Read more. |
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Last week UK tourism minister Sir Chris Bryant was doing his valiant best to promote holidays at home – and jobs in the tourism industry. I talked to him while he was in Cornwall on a brief stint of work experience that included pulling pints and changing beds at a hotel in Falmouth. The problem he faces, as did his many predecessors: British travellers have more choices when heading abroad than ever before. Half a million people will fly away on holiday from UK airports today, air traffic control software permitting – joining millions more of us who have already escaped, mostly to the ever-seductive Mediterranean. My flight happened to be on British Airways from Heathrow to Istanbul. Unusually, I arrived at the airport in time for the earlier departure to Turkey's largest city. Relishing the prospect of an extra few hours beside the Bosphorus rather than at Terminal 5, and with only cabin baggage, I asked if I might switch. Yes, there was a seat – but only in business class, for an extra £900. I politely declined and the plane took off with a space on board. When I wrote about the experience, the responses ranged from "outrageous" to "serves you right for buying the cheapest ticket". Some believe, as I do, that shipping people out early is potentially a benefit for the airline. It means there is less exposure to disruption (as happened a few days later with the Nats meltdown). Offering flexibility can boost passenger loyalty: BA could have upgraded an elite member of the British Airways Club to business class in order to make room for me, and perhaps taken £50 from me for the privilege of arriving early in Istanbul. Yet allowing those with the cheapest economy tickets to switch to earlier flights would encourage them to game the system: booking a later flight in the hope of changing to an earlier one.
As it was, my arrival in Istanbul in the early hours revealed what a vibrant city it is: in the heart of Beyoglu, the party was in full swing at 2am. You don't see that in Falmouth, even when Sir Chris Bryant is pulling the pints.
48 Hours in Istanbul |
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Each week, we'll invite you to vote in our exclusive Travel Week poll, where we pit two travel experiences against each other. In today's newsletter, we're asking where you like to stay when not in a traditional hotel. Would you rather go under canvas and enjoy the delights of a camping holiday? Or cosy up in a cottage? Let us know by selecting the photo or buttons above. Last week, we asked: would you rather wander Venice's dreamy canals or sip espresso in a Roman piazza before zipping off on a Vespa adventure? Unsurprisingly, it was a close call – who wouldn't want either escape? But in the end, Venice edged it with 52 per cent of the vote. |
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Southampton to south Paris for £30 |
On Mondays and Fridays, easyJet flies between Southampton and Paris Orly – the second airport in the French capital. Evidently the link is not proving as popular as easyJet would like: all flights in September and October are £30 one way or less. Thanks to the new Metro link that opened at Orly last summer, access to central Paris is much faster and more frequent than the RER connection from Charles de Gaulle airport. The other UK links to Paris Orly are from Bristol and Manchester on easyJet, and from London Heathrow and Gatwick on Vueling. |
State of emergency declared in New York |
"Torrential rain is forecast to impact downstate New York," the state governor Kathy Hochul has warned overnight. Hundreds of flights have been delayed or cancelled. Flood watches are in place for New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley until Friday afternoon. Parts of New Jersey are also affected. The alert warns: "Some roads may become impassable from flooding, most likely around underpasses. The heaviest rainfall rates may be capable of producing subway flooding and overwhelming NYC sewers." |
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| Enjoy a peaceful retreat for less with these Thomas Cook holiday deals, featuring top-notch resorts in Greece, Spain, the Caribbean and beyond. Whether you're after a quiet beach escape or a cultural city break, these holidays are designed for relaxation, comfort and grown-up time. Learn more. |
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| Best carry-on luggage, tested by a travel writer |
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Beyond Montreal, what are the highlights for a road trip through Quebec? |
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Quebec City, northeast of Montreal along the ever-present St Lawrence River, is probably my favourite city in Canada because of its sheer good looks – with a compact, three-dimensional centre and an impressive cliff walk above the St Lawrence. The skyline is dominated by the extravagant 1893 hotel, the Chateau Frontenac – good fun to explore, either informally or on a proper tour. A new attraction: plunging into the waters of the St Lawrence River at L'Oasis, an Olympic-sized swimming pool created in a dock in the Port of Quebec. It opens from June until 31 August, admission free.
Next, aim for the engrossing town of Saguenay. The drive along the inland route from Quebec City goes through muscular countryside. Saguenay was once known as the Chicago of the North for the might of its aluminium and paper manufacturing – now laid bare with some haunting industrial archaeology. Drive parallel to the spectacular fjord that carriers the Saguenay River to the confluence with the St Lawrence at Tadoussac – a charming riverside resort, with whale-watching on offer. At this point the St Lawrence is 10 miles wide.
You could cross by ferry from Les Escoumins, slightly northeast, to Trois-Pistoles on the opposite shore. But the left bank of the St Lawrence, the same as Tadoussac, has lots of appeal on the journey back to Quebec City and Montreal. Just before you reach Quebec City, the Montmorency Falls are impressive with some fun walkways and bridges. |
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.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp "carry on luggage")
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