- StyleThe Independent
London-Sydney nonstop flight moves one step closer as pilots approve deal
Pilots working for Qantas have approved the airline’s proposals for operating nonstop flights between London and Sydney.The Australian carrier plans to use Airbus A350 jets to launch the world’s longest air link in the first half of 2023.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: Canadian airlines sued after refusing to refund cancelled flights
Five Canadian airlines are being sued for breach of contract after refusing to issue full refunds to travellers for cancelled flights amid the coronavirus pandemic.The class-action lawsuit has been taken out against Air Canada, WestJet, Swoop, Air Transat and Sunwing.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: Qantas flight diverted to Sydney after baggage handlers test positive for Covid-19
A Qantas flight was forced to make a mid-air U-turn on 31 March after baggage handlers working for the airline tested positive for coronavirus.Flight QF741 left Sydney at 3.34pm local time, and was due to reach Adelaide at 5.15pm.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: All the cruises cancelled amid global pandemic
As the global Covid-19 pandemic ramps up, countries are increasingly issuing travel bans and closing their borders.Cruise holidays have been badly affected, with many countries no longer allowing ships to dock or passengers to disembark for fear they might further enable the spread of coronavirus.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: Full list of repatriation flights available to stranded Britons
The coronavirus pandemic has triggered large-scale lockdowns around the world as infection rates have soared.With borders closing at short notice, tens of thousands of Britons have been left stranded abroad with few options when it comes to getting home as flights dwindle.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: Airline is giving customers free air miles for staying at home
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of thousands of flights have been grounded around the world while millions of would-be travellers have been forced to stay at home.Holiday spots have already been telling tourists to stay away – and now an airline is encouraging its customers to do the same.
- StyleThe Independent
Ben Fogle recreates travel adventures from home under coronavirus lockdown
Ben Fogle hasn’t let lockdown dampen his love of travel – far from it.The adventurer and TV personality went exploring from the confines of his living room this weekend, sharing his exploits on social media.
- StyleThe Telegraph
Coronavirus travel advice Q From refunds and flights home to the best time to rebook your holiday
With the Foreign Office advising against all but essential overseas travel, and airlines including easyJet and Ryanair grounded all their flights, countless British holidaymakers have had their upcoming trips ruined. Thousands are now battling to get refunds and those who want to rebook for a later date are unsure when foreign travel will once again be possible. Many British travellers have also been caught out by the sudden closure of borders around the world, leaving them stranded and unsure how they will get home. The Foreign Office has announced a £75m fund to help repatriate UK citizens, but there are still doubts about exactly how the rescue flights will work. To answer these questions, and many more on the thorny issue of holidays in the time of coronavirus, travel expert Nick Trend has been offering his advice. See his responses below.
- StyleThe Independent
Hundreds of tourists returning to Ukraine break out of airport to escape coronavirus quarantine
Hundreds of Ukrainian citizens returning home from Vietnam broke out of Kyiv airport to avoid mandatory quarantine.The tourists, who had been flown home on a rescue flight organised by Ukraine’s government, were captured on video bursting through the airport doors with their suitcases, while personnel dressed in hazmat suits attempted without success to stem the flow.
- StyleThe Independent
Ryanair operates ‘ghost flights’ with no passengers to keep planes serviceable
Despite running just a tiny number of rescue flights during the coronavirus lockdown, Ryanair still appears to be flying most of its fleet on a regular basis.Europe’s biggest budget airline is operating frequent “ghost flights” – empty planes with no passengers – where aircraft take off, circle the airport, and land again.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: UK government’s £75m repatriation plan will be bigger than Thomas Cook airlift
The government has warned British travellers stranded abroad that the £75m airlift to repatriate UK citizens “will not be quick or easy”.As coronavirus lockdowns extend around the world, large groups of British travellers are located in South Africa, Australasia, India and other Asian countries.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: British Airways closes Gatwick Airport base indefinitely
British Airways is to close its Gatwick airport base indefinitely due to the coronavirus crisis.The airline told staff based at the Sussex airport in a late-night email.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus travel: How will government plan to bring stranded Britons home work?
These are the key questions, answers and Independent predictions about the government’s plans for a £75m airlift of British nationals stranded abroad due to the global coronavirus shutdown.What has the foreign secretary said? Speaking at the daily 10 Downing Street briefing, Dominic Raab said: “An unprecedented number of British travellers are trying to get home. Critical transit hubs are shutting down or limiting their flights.”
- StyleThe Independent
American Airlines launches £13 flights in the US during coronavirus pandemic
An airline in the US is offering cut-price fares despite the rapid spread of coronavirus across the country.American Airlines has launched $16 (£13) flights between Miami and Los Angeles to entice travellers, meaning a round-trip of 2,340 miles, taking more than 11 hours, costs just $32 (£26).
- StyleThe Independent
Free transport offered to NHS workers in parts of the UK
Various regions of the UK are making public transport available to NHS staff for free amid the coronavirus pandemic.Notably, healthcare workers can get free bus travel throughout Wales as part of a new package of funding for transport operators, worth up to £69m, green-lit by the Welsh Government during the nationwide lockdown.
- StyleThe Telegraph
P Cruises and Cunard extend their suspension period, delaying Iona's maiden voyage
P and Cunard have pushed back the resumption of sailings, from April 11 to May 16. The continued travel restrictions are also set to impact the launch of P’s new flagship Iona, the largest ship built to serve the UK market.
- StyleThe Independent
Relax cancelled holiday refund regulations or holidaymakers will be hit harder, says Abta
“Catastrophic damage to the UK travel industry, and widespread consumer detriment” – that is the warning from Abta about the effect of the coronavirus crisis on holiday firms.The travel trade association’s chief executive, Mark Tanzer, is demanding government action to ease consumer regulations in favour of the industry.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: Hull Trains becomes the first UK rail operator to suspend all services
Hull Trains has become the first UK rail operator to suspend all services amid the coronavirus pandemic.The company, which is part of First Group, said that from Monday 30 March, it will be temporarily stopping its trains for an indefinite period of time due to ”the current travel restrictions and low passenger numbers”.
- StyleThe Independent
Flybe administrators deny talks with government about nationalising airline
The administrators for Flybe have denied opening talks with the government about nationalising the failed airline.Accountancy firm EY told The Independent there are “no discussions” happening on this front after it was widely reported that they had asked the government to contemplate buying the carrier out of insolvency to serve regional routes.
- StyleThe Independent
EasyJet shutdown: what does it mean for passengers?
Because of “unprecedented travel restrictions imposed by governments in response to the coronavirus pandemic,” easyJet has stopped all commercial flights and grounded all its 344 Airbus aircraft across Europe. It may continue to operate some repatriation flights at government request.Here’s everything you need to know.
- StyleThe Independent
Airline staff to sign up as NHS volunteers during coronavirus pandemic
Airlines are encouraging staff who have been grounded during the coronavirus pandemic to become NHS volunteers.Virgin Atlantic and easyJet have both contacted workers asking them to consider signing up to help at the new Nightingale hospitals being built in anticipation of soaring numbers of patients struck down by Covid-19.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: Cunard selling cruise holidays to Australia departing in 12 days
“Congratulations! Thank you for choosing Cunard,” reads the message from one of the UK’s leading cruise lines to passengers buying a dream trip to Australia.The bargain £2,464 package includes return flights from London to Sydney and a 27-night circumnavigation of Australia aboard Queen Elizabeth.
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: easyJet grounds its entire fleet due to ‘unprecedented travel restrictions imposed by governments’
Britain’s biggest airline by passenger numbers, easyJet, has grounded its entire fleet of 344 aircraft.The Luton-based airline says its last flight operated on Sunday 29 March and there will be no further departures anywhere in Europe until further notice.
- StyleThe Telegraph
A revitalized Mexican town with golden sands and a time-warp historic centre – an expert guide to Mazatlán
Why go? Mazatlán has the sweeping golden beaches of competitors Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. But it’s the city’s Centro Historico, with its handsome Art Nouveau plazas and time-warp cantinas, that make it worthy of dropping anchor. Happily, the Mazatlán government has improved security since a spate of attacks targeting tourists in the early 2010s. Cruise port location The cruise ship dock is located in the commercial port area. A two-minute open-sided bus ride ferries passengers from the dock to the cruise terminal (tips welcome, you can’t walk for safety reasons), which is a mile southeast of the Centro Historico. Taxis are abundant and take about five minutes to the centre of the city from around US$10 (£8) per cab. If you're planning to go to beaches at the Zona Dorada, it's a 20-minute ride. Can I walk to any places of interest? The cruise terminal has several overpriced bars (with an onus on the local tipple, tequila) and a market selling textiles, leatherware and ceramics. Old Town Mazatlán (the Centro Historico) is an easy 20 to 25-minute walk from the cruise port, although pavement kerbs are high. Getting around Sábalo Centro Tourist buses run from the ferry terminal a few minutes’ walk west of the cruise terminal along the length of the Zona Dorada (Golden, or beach zone to the north of the Centro Historico), so are a good option if you want to go to the beach. Tickets cost around MS8 (34p, every 15 min from 5.30am to 10.30pm). Four-wheeled options abound, including open-sided pulmonias (around £3 to hire, shared between passengers), regular taxis and aurigas (pick-up trucks, which cost around £9 to hire and seat eight to 10 people).
- StyleThe Independent
Coronavirus: Peru rescue missions could still leave some UK travellers stranded
Even though the government is spending more than £1m returning British travellers from Peru, some UK citizens say they are being left behind.The Foreign Office has laid on a total of four flights from Lima to London, with additional connecting domestic flights from the tourist hubs of Arequipa and Cusco to the Peruvian capital.
