Latest news with #BritishAirways
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I used to be a British Airways flight attendant – why you should never sit at the back of the plane
A FORMER British Airways stewardess has revealed why passengers should never sit at the back of a plane - and it is not what you would expect. After spending years criss-crossing the globe, former British Airways flight attendant Jane Hawkes says when it comes to choosing a plane seat, the back seat my not be the best option. 4 And it is isn't anything to do with safety. Jane said: "Choosing a seat away from the back of the plane is the best way to avoid jetlag. "If you struggle to sleep on a plane but have a late flight, I always advise travellers to avoid a seat at the back of the aircraft and around the galley areas as they are generally noisier." In addition, Jane - who now runs the Lady Janey consumer advice website - added that travellers should set their watch to the time of the destination and avoid night flights if they have difficulty sleeping on planes. "You can also make gradual changes to your bedtime and meal routines in the run up to your flight which can make adjusting to a different time zone much easier," she explained. And - even though potentially disappointing - alcohol and caffeine should be avoided before and during the flight too. Jane stated: "It might be tempting to get a drink before you fly, and to enjoy a drink on the aircraft, particularly if it is included. "But alcohol will dehydrate you and disrupt your sleep, making your jet lag feel worse." While caffeine can help you to doze of quicker, it can impact the quality of your sleep. The former flight attendant also share that travellers should avoid making adventurous plans on arrival as it can be stressful to navigate around a new place. This can then worse when the jet lag kicks in. The Sun's Travel Editor Lisa Minot shares her top tips when flying She said: "Take short naps if necessary but avoid napping for longer than 30 minutes as this can stop you from falling asleep properly later and will delay the adjustment process. However, a flight safety expert has previously revealed why you should always sit at the back of the plane. Acccording to Daniel Kwasi Adjekum, an aviation safety researcher at the University of North Dakota, sitting at the back of the plane is the safest. He told Wired: "The front section, obviously, is comfortable because it's away from the engine and the noise… that's normally the first point of impact. And so it's a high vulnerability area." But the back of the plane is likely to stay whole - despite having a decent chance of breaking from the rest of the fuselage. According to a 2015 study, the seats in the middle of the cabin have the highest fatality rate (39 per cent). This is then followed by the seats at the front (38 per cent). Seats at the back of aircrafts then had the lowest fatality rate (32 per cent). Holiday packing tips Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday. 1. Write a list Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase. Or for complete ease, try Google's AI app - Gemini - which will create a list for you and help you not over pack. 2. Involve your kids Jemma said: 'My girls are getting older, they're 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say 'this is what you need' and they follow the list. 'And then I give them a rucksack each - and say to them 'you can have whatever you want in there as long as it's not liquid', and they can take that on the plane. And that's their 'home away from home' items.' 3. Try a hack or two She said: "I think they all work, but for different reasons - and you've just got to pick the right one for your trip. "Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you're trying to get a lot of items into your case, it's a space saver. 'Packing cubes are great - for example, I'm going on holiday with my three kids and we're all using the same suitcase for our clothes. "These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked. "I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we've arrived." 4. Decant beauty products Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets - which are much lighter and smaller. Or, if you'll be popping to the shops when you're abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive. 5. Get organised before you come home Jemma said: 'When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes. 'Also pack it in some form of order - so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person. "Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don't leave it." A flight attendant has also revealed five outfits they'd never wear on a plane. Plus, another flight attendant has revealed the grim secret behind the free hot towels given out on the plane. 4
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
BA is scrapping seat-back screens. They might be onto something
Kicking back, guilt-free, in front of a silly film or television programme is one of the last remaining joys of long-haul flights – eclipsed only, perhaps, by the free bar. But the days of seat-back screens and all-you-can-binge films could be numbered, as airlines tighten their purse strings and pursue other options to keep their passengers entertained. This month, British Airways is trialling a new system on selected long-haul aircraft that allows travellers to stream the airline's entertainment selection to their own devices. Dubbed a 'BYOD' – or 'bring your own device' – model, it is being offered in addition to the airline's existing seat-back screens, but other airlines are already taking a harder line. In June, Qantas revealed new screenless seats on its short-range routes, joining the likes of American Airlines, BA Euroflyer and selected Etihad services. Travellers' tastes are changing, too. More than 80 per cent of us consider inflight entertainment (IFE) important or very important when choosing long-haul flights, according to research by management consultancy Kearney. And yet, the same study showed that most 18- to 35-year-old long-haulers prefer to watch their own content and devices than the airline's. According to a report by Sita and Air Transport World, 97 per cent of us were flying with a smartphone, tablet or laptop as far back as 2014, so it's hardly a behaviour change to use them. Are you team IFE, or prefer to BYOD? Here, we examine the perks and pitfalls of each approach, and quiz industry experts and frequent fliers: should seat-back screens stay or go? Why the screen should go By the time you plonk yourself down in front of the seat-back screen, your patience is probably already wearing thin. Frazzled from the airport, all you want to do is be lulled by a nice Jane Austen adaptation, a Jennifer Lopez romcom or a gently violent Mission: Impossible film – but no, the bloody screen isn't working. You have to beg one of the cabin crew to reset it, at which point it blinks reluctantly to life, greeting you either in Spanish or Mandarin. Cue the litany of annoyances that a clunky, outdated IFE system inevitably entails: the labyrinth of menus, the dodgy headphone jacks, the 'touch-sensitive' screen that's anything but. Before you know it, you're prodding impotently at the non-responsive panel, twizzling your headphone cable in the socket (why no Bluetooth connection?!) and raising the hackles of your fellow passengers – especially the bloke in front whose headrest you're now punching. It would be simpler, would it not, just to whip out your iPad and watch that instead.
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Summer holiday warning for anyone with a BA, Virgin or Tui flight booked who want to sit together for free
Little-known trick could save you more than £250 on your family holiday FLY AWAY Summer holiday warning for anyone with a BA, Virgin or Tui flight booked who want to sit together for free Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FAMILIES flying with British Airways, Virgin and Tui this summer have been warned about a hidden trick that allows them to sit together for free. Holidaymakers can end up forking out hundreds to sit together on flights, with airlines encouraging families or groups to block book rows of seats for an extra fee. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Some families fork out hundreds of pounds extra to sit together on flights Credit: Alamy However, has warned families that they may be unnecessarily paying these fees when certain airlines will let you sit together for free. "A family of four could have to stump up £250+ to book seats to sit together on return flights," the website's experts said. But they added that "you may be able to do it for free" with several big airlines, including British Airways, Virgin and Tui. However, they warned that the trick may not apply to Ryanair customers, saying "even we struggle to find a way to overcome Ryanair's charges". How to sit together for free The key thing to remember if you want to sit together for free is to check in early. "With most airlines, if you DON'T pay and just check in online as early as you can, you WILL get to sit with the rest of your group – as long as seats are still available," according to The consumer champions says that all major airlines bar Ryanair will always try to seat groups on the same booking together. However, they also warn that there is no guarantee you'll all be sat together, and you'll need to pay if you want that peace of mind. "But if you're willing to take a small risk to save some cash, this is a no-brainer," they add. If you're travelling with kids and are worried you might be split up, most airlines guarantee that children will get to sit next to at least one adult, even if you don't pay extra. Popular Italian holiday hotspot bans walking barefoot, booze & picnics with rules-breaking tourists facing hefty fines British Airways, Tui and Virgin Atlantic all guarantee that children under 12 will be sat with at least one adult in their group. Meanwhile, British Airways also lets you choose a seat free of charge if you're travelling with a child under 2. Wizz Air and American Airlines guarantee that children under 15 will be sat with at least one adult in their group. Jet2 says it always tries to sit children under 12 next to adults in their booking, but they can't always guarantee it. If you can't sit right beside them, you'll be sat no more than one row away. EasyJet says its booking system tries to sit families together, but if it can't then it will make sure that children under 12 are sat close to an adult from their booking. If you're travelling with Ryanair in a group with children under 12, the airline makes it compulsory for at least one adult in the group to make a seat reservation, which start from £4.50. You can then reserve seats for free for up to four children. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@ Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Summer holiday warning for anyone with a BA, Virgin or Tui flight booked who want to sit together for free
FAMILIES flying with British Airways, Virgin and Tui this summer have been warned about a hidden trick that allows them to sit together for free. Holidaymakers can end up forking out hundreds to sit together on flights, with airlines encouraging families or groups to block book rows of seats for an extra fee. However, has warned families that they may be unnecessarily paying these fees when certain airlines will let you sit together for free. " A family of four could have to stump up £250+ to book seats to sit together on return flights," the website's experts said. But they added that "you may be able to do it for free" with several big airlines, including British Airways, Virgin and Tui. However, they warned that the trick may not apply to Ryanair customers, saying "even we struggle to find a way to overcome Ryanair's charges". How to sit together for free The key thing to remember if you want to sit together for free is to check in early. "With most airlines, if you DON'T pay and just check in online as early as you can, you WILL get to sit with the rest of your group – as long as seats are still available," according to The consumer champions says that all major airlines bar Ryanair will always try to seat groups on the same booking together. However, they also warn that there is no guarantee you'll all be sat together, and you'll need to pay if you want that peace of mind. "But if you're willing to take a small risk to save some cash, this is a no-brainer," they add. If you're travelling with kids and are worried you might be split up, most airlines guarantee that children will get to sit next to at least one adult, even if you don't pay extra. Popular Italian holiday hotspot bans walking barefoot, booze & picnics with rules-breaking tourists facing hefty fines British Airways, Tui and Virgin Atlantic all guarantee that children under 12 will be sat with at least one adult in their group. Meanwhile, British Airways also lets you choose a seat free of charge if you're travelling with a child under 2. Wizz Air and American Airlines guarantee that children under 15 will be sat with at least one adult in their group. Jet2 says it always tries to sit children under 12 next to adults in their booking, but they can't always guarantee it. If you can't sit right beside them, you'll be sat no more than one row away. EasyJet says its booking system tries to sit families together, but if it can't then it will make sure that children under 12 are sat close to an adult from their booking. If you're travelling with Ryanair in a group with children under 12, the airline makes it compulsory for at least one adult in the group to make a seat reservation, which start from £4.50. You can then reserve seats for free for up to four children.
Metro
8 hours ago
- Metro
Airport chaos after two flights have midair emergencies within a minute
Two flights have been disrupted within seconds of each other in separate incidents at the UK's second biggest airport. The British Airways and easyJet flights encountered problems on their way to or from Gatwick Airport on Tuesday afternoon. In the first incident, BA flight BA2203 to Cancun declared a 'full emergency' due to fumes in the cabin. The flight was forced to land at 3.29pm yesterday after the pilots were forced to open windows in the cockpit to let in fresh air, The Sun reports. It circled London for about 45 minutes and dumped fuel before it was able to return to Gatwick, meanwhile oxygen masks were deployed as the 340 passengers and crew reported a 'smell of used socks' which left them 'dizzy'. The BA plane landed back at Gatwick almost an hour after its initial takeoff at 2.11pm, and both the plane and runway needed thorough inspection after the unscheduled return. Passengers were delayed by 24 hours until their replacement flight, with BA sending them to local airport hotels overnight. A BA spokesperson said: 'The aircraft landed safely at Gatwick after our pilots identified a technical issue. 'Customers disembarked normally and we've apologised for the disruption to their travel plans.' The second incident saw easyJet flight EZY8520 from Madeira declare a 'pan pan' incident after a suspected bird strike. Pilots requested a 'continuous descent into Gatwick Airport' and 'sterile runway' to deliver its 190 passengers and crew safely at 3.30pm. More Trending Officials had to then inspect the runway before it could be used again by other planes. A spokesperson for easyJet said: 'Flight EZY8520 from Funchal to London Gatwick on July 155 requested a priority landing into London Gatwick. 'The aircraft landed normally was met by emergency services in line with procedures, purely as a precaution. 'The safety of our customers and crew is easyJet's highest priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers' guidelines.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Heart-stealer' city is Europe's quirky foodie capital — and it just got direct UK flights MORE: Passengers stranded in airport for 17 hours after couple smoke on London-bound flight MORE: Ryanair calls for 'urgent' reform as French air strikes stretch to four days
