When it comes to getting around Ryanair's excess baggage fees – I know every trick in the book. This is how I do it ...
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
9 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Feline fine: President Michael D Higgins hosts Britain's Princess Anne — and a cat — at Áras
It was a simple question, but President Michael D Higgins had to take a moment to think of an answer for Britain's Princess Anne. 'You've been doing this for quite a long time,' the Princess Royal said. Sabina Higgins responded they would be in Áras an Uachtaráin 14 years on November 11. 'Does it feel like much longer?' Princess Anne asked. 'Well…' Mr Higgins said, before taking a moment to think. He responded to Princess Anne in soft tones, as the media strained to hear the response from the other side of the State Reception Room. Princess Anne is far from the first member of the British Royal family Mr Higgins has hosted since moving into the Phoenix Park in 2011. But barring a last-minute visit, she will likely be the final royal to visit Ireland before he departs the Áras in November and his successor moves in. The relationship between the Irish and British has been strained at various points in our shared history, to put it mildly. In May 1995, Prince Charles, as he was known at the time, became the first British royal to visit Ireland since it gained its long-sought independence. Documents released by the UK National Archives in 2020 showed the then British ambassador to Ireland, Veronica Sutherland, described the trip as a 'turning point in history'. Charles visited Ireland several more times before eventually becoming king in 2022. It is widely expected he will return. His mother, Queen Elizabeth, became the first reigning monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland when she came to our shores in 2011 on a trip that involved stops in Dublin and Cork. She was followed by Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, in July 2018, with Prince William and Kate Middleton following in March 2020. While still significant moments, the royal visits have become far more normalised and low-key in recent years. Princess Anne signs the visitors' book at Áras an Uachtaráin. There was a relaxed atmosphere as Princess Anne entered the State Reception Room to meet Mr Higgins. The Princess Royal, who took her own pen out of the black handbag tucked under her elbow, flicked through the pages in the visitors' book, worried about taking up too much space. 'Am I wasting an entire page?' she asked, as she examined how the last visitor had handled this situation. Mrs Higgins told her she 'deserved an entire page'. She settled on the middle of the page, singing, 'Anne, 6th August 2025'. 'Do you spend all your time here?' Princess Anne asked as she gazed into the magnificent garden in Áras an Uachtaráin while posing for photos. Almost all of it, Mr and Mrs Higgins remarked, as Princess Anne described it as a 'nice spot'. The media were ferried outside as the group met with the British ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnson, for just under an hour. Here, reporters learned someone else is already making themselves at home. A black and white cat has been wandering around the grounds of the Áras in recent weeks. 'How did you let the intruder in?' a security official called from the front door. A group of gardaí standing outside started laughing as the cat was carried out of the Áras and moved away. How will the new feline visitor cope when the new human inhabitants move into the house in November and President Higgins and his wife move out? Already, some of their belongings are being relocated to Galway Princess Anne was right; he has been doing this for quite a long time. But the end of the Michael D Higgins era is growing ever closer.
Extra.ie
10 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Ryanair cuts flights to major holiday hotspots amid tax hike
Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced a major shake-up to its French routes, axing all direct flights to three regional airports and slashing services to several tourist hotspots. The airline will cease operations entirely to Brive, Bergerac, and Strasbourg, while flights to destinations including Marseille, Paris-Beauvais, and Toulouse will also be scaled back in the months ahead. The cuts mean fewer options for Irish travellers heading to some of France's most popular holiday regions. Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced a major shake-up to its French routes, axing all direct flights to three regional airports and slashing services to several tourist hotspots. Pic: Toni. M/Shutterstock Services to the sun-soaked French Riviera city of Marseille will fall by 9%, Paris-Beauvais, a key gateway to the capital, will see an 8% reduction, and Toulouse, famed for its 20 museums and vibrant cultural scene, will experience a 4% drop. In total, the shake-up amounts to the loss of 25 flight routes and around 750,000 seats on Ryanair services to and from France. The airline has blamed the reductions on rising aviation taxes, claiming that the increased costs have left certain routes unsustainable. The cuts mean fewer options for Irish travellers heading to some of France's most popular holiday regions. Pic: Philippe Clement/Shutterstock Ryanair says it had no choice but to scale back its French operations in order to protect its wider European network. In March, the French government moved to increase the 'Airline Ticket Solidarity tax.' This will be applied to all airline tickets on flights departing from French territory, and is aimed at supporting climate initiatives. Sharing a statement on the increase and subsequent change of service, Ryanair said: 'This completely avoidable loss will have a severe impact on regional connectivity, tourism and local employment. 'Unless the government changes course and abolishes this unfair air tax, Ryanair's capacity and investment in France will inevitably be redirected to more competitive European markets such as Sweden, Hungary, or parts of Italy.'
Irish Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Birmingham Airport closed as 'incident' declared with 'light aircraft'
All flights at Birmingham Airport are currently grounded due to an 'incident with a light aircraft' on the runway, according to reports. Several planes have been rerouted away from the West Midlands hub, while others have been delayed. Aer Lingus and Ryanair flights to and from Birmingham Airport to Dublin Airport have been delayed as a result. At 2.48pm, the official Twitter feed for Birmingham Airport announced that its runway was shut down. An unverified image circulating online depicts a white light-aircraft on the tarmac, encircled by emergency services. Travellers are advised to confirm their flight details with their carrier before setting off. Birmingham Airport released a statement saying: "Following an aircraft incident, the runway is temporarily closed. We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause. We will keep passengers already at the airport informed, and those due to travel later today are advised to check the status of their flight before coming to the airport. We will continue to issue updates when we can." The runway's closure is causing significant disruption to flights scheduled for late Wednesday evening, with no clear indication from airport authorities as to when operations might resume. One of the twice-daily Emirates flights to Birmingham is reportedly facing a delay of about four hours. Two Jet2 flights scheduled to arrive this afternoon, one from Faro and another from Lanzarote, have been rerouted to Manchester. Flightradar24 indicates several Ryanair, easyJet, and TUI flights are experiencing delays. The Twitter handle Aerospace Updates - which monitors UK flights - suggests that the incident may involve a 44 year old Beech B200 Super King Air with the registration G-NIAA. "It was meant to be flying to Belfast before declaring emergency via Squawk 7700," the account alleged. Birmingham Airport has been approached for further comment. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
