Latest news with #AmsterdamSchiphol
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Wizz Air flight from Poland to London forced to make emergency landing after 'cockpit fills with smoke'
A Wizz Air flight from Poland to London Luton Airport was forced to make an emergency landing after the cockpit filled with smoke. Crew members issued a Mayday call for help as the flight diverted to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. A fleet of ambulances, fire trucks and a medical helicopter descended onto the runway. More than 200 passengers were evacuated from the c A321 as airport staff investigated the source of the smoke. There were no reports of casualties and the landing reportedly ran smoothly. The pilots were checked over by medics but did not require medical attention. However, it was not immediately clear what caused the outpouring of smoke. An emergency incident was declared on Sunday at around 11.30am after the jet departed from Poznań–Ławica Henryk Wieniawski Airport. The plane then touched down in Holland roughly 20 minutes later, The Sun reported. A Wizz Air spokesman told BNO News: 'As a recovery plan, Wizz Air has immediately sent an aircraft from London Luton Airport to bring the affected passengers to London Luton as soon as possible." 'The safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost priority. We are keeping all affected passengers promptly informed on developments and will be providing WIZZ vouchers to all of them.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brits could soon enjoy shorter passport control queues at EU airports. Here's why
British holidaymakers will soon be able to use e-gates at more EU airports, the UK government has announced. It comes as part of negotiations between the UK government and the European Union to finalise a 'post-Brexit reset deal'. It means British passport holders will no longer have to wait at manned desks and will instead be allowed to use fast-track e-gates usually reserved for EU or European Economic Area citizens. EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said this would give British travellers "more time to spend on holiday or work trips [...] doing what you want, not being stuck in queues." The UK government said the move would end 'the dreaded queues at border control." Following Brexit, UK citizens forfeited their privileged status when travelling to EU countries. They now fall into the 'visa-exempt third-country nationals' category - the same classification as travellers from dozens of countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore. This has meant British travellers must join the 'other nations' queue at border control rather than using the expedited EU lanes. The requirement to check that British travellers meet entry conditions is a significant obstacle to allowing them to use the fast-track lanes. Related Deep snow, thick ice and zero delays: Inside the Arctic Circle airports that never cancel a flight Airport theory, seat squatters and check-in chickens: Why these viral travel trends are a disaster EU border control has to verify that UK travellers are not in breach of the 90-day stay limit in 180 days and that they have the means to return to their country of origin, i.e. a flight ticket out of the EU. Frontier officials must also stamp the passenger's passport. This change often translates to extended waiting times, especially at busy European airports like Amsterdam Schiphol, Milan Malpensa, and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Waits exceeding an hour have become commonplace, especially when arriving shortly after large international flights. These delays affect not only entry into EU countries but also departure, as British travellers must undergo exit checks that sometimes result in missed flights due to lengthy queues. Under the new deal, British travellers will be able to take advantage of the faster e-gate passport checks at many EU airports. No details have yet been released on when this will be introduced and where, although the BBC reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer "has called on all EU members to co-operate without delay." Some EU airports will likely allow UK travellers to use existing e-gates reserved for EU citizens, while others may install dedicated 'third-country national' e-gates. The latter are already in place across Italy, including Venice Marco Polo and Rome Fiumicino, as well as at Amsterdam Schiphol and Lisbon. With this system, once the traveller passes through the gate, there is a brief check by border officials who will also stamp passports. In addition, the UK government underlined that there will be "no legal barriers to e-gate use for British Nationals travelling to and from European Union Member States after the introduction of the European Union Entry/Exit System [EES].' The EES is scheduled to come into force in October this year. The system will register non-EU visitors who don't need a visa digitally, removing the need for physical stamps. The UK government also announced that new pet passports will be introduced as part of the deal. This means UK cats and dogs will be able to travel "more easily" from the UK into the EU by "eliminating the need for animal health certificates for every trip."
