Latest news with #Faro
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Millions of UK tourists visiting Portugal can use e-gates this summer
Faro Airport in Portugal has started the rollout of e-gate access to British arrivals, the UK Government has announced. Downing Street expects British holidaymakers will be able to use the technology in their 'millions', after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer struck an agreement with EU leaders last month. Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, whose brief includes EU relations, said at the despatch box on Thursday that the deal 'makes life easier for holidaymakers'. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'Yesterday, Portugal opened e-gates at Faro Airport to British citizens, which will mean millions more Brits going to the Algarve will be able to use e-gates in time for the summer holidays.' 'We're obviously continuing to work with other countries and other airports to ensure Brits can use more e-gates as soon as possible and that work continues. 'It's obviously good news to see a very significant airport, I think for British holidaymakers, opening e-gates to British citizens yesterday.' When he unveiled the deal last month, Sir Keir said that 'for holidaymakers wanting to get out this summer, they will want to know that they can do so easily and without delay and chaos'. The Prime Minister called on 'all EU members states to help make this a reality without delay'. Since Brexit, UK nationals have been unable to use e-gates in most Schengen area countries. Passengers from the UK face warnings that passport controls on arrival at Portugal 'may take up more time, as the passport will have to be stamped and there are additional questions that may be asked by the border control officers', according to the Faro Airport website. The Government has said the deal will smooth over 'legal barriers to e-gates use for UK nationals', once a new stamp-free biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) launches, due in October this year. Taking a question about steps 'to improve relations with the EU', Mr Thomas–Symonds told the Commons: 'The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests – good for bills, borders and jobs. 'It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers. 'Indeed, I'm delighted to confirm this morning that Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week.'
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Top European holiday destination to let British travellers skip lengthy passport queues this summer
HOLIDAYMAKERS heading to Portugal will face shorter airport queues THIS WEEK with Brits able to use e-gates. The sunshine destination will become the first country to allow UK passport holders to use the system since Sir Keir Starmer struck a deal with Brussels. 1 Travellers have had to queue to have their passports stamped when arriving for their break since the UK left the European Union - often leading to long queues. Around 2.5 million people head to Portugal each year with more with 300,000 heading to the Algarve. Around 50,000 Brits live in the country. It has now been confirmed that holidaymakers heading to Faro airport will be able to use the hi-tech system. Europe relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests - good for bills, borders and jobs. "It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers. "Indeed, I'm delighted to confirm this morning that Faro Airport in Portugal will start the rollout of e-gate access to UK arrivals this week." Only last month, EU relations minister Thomas-Symonds strongly hinted that Brits will face less time waiting at border control. He said: 'I would love to see you being able to go through the border more quickly in that way. 'That's certainly something we've been pushing with the EU and I think that will be something that will be very helpful to British people.' The Prime Minister revealed details of Brits using e-gates during the first summit between Britain and the European Union. But the use of e-gates had to be given the green light by individual countries. The PM came under fire by explicitly saying that ''Brits travelling to Europe will now be able to use e-gates'.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Rowdy British stag party force easyJet flight to divert before being marched off the plane after vaping in their seats and abusing cabin crew
Members of a rowdy British stag party group have been marched off an easyJet plane after causing it to be diverted. Six men were escorted off the aircraft at Faro in Portugal after allegedly vaping in their seats and abusing cabin crew members, following take-off at London Gatwick. Witness Arron Davies, who was travelling with his friends named Mike and Scott, told of feeling disgusted by the events on the flight. He suggested two group members on the stag do ruined the experience for the rest. Mr Davies claimed the pair were vaping in their seats while drinking heavily and being abusive towards the plane's stewards. During the easyJet flight from London Gatwick to Marrakesh in Morocco, the men were allegedly warned six times before staff took action. Arron, Mike and Scott, from Newport in south Wales, watched on in horror as the pilot announced the flight would land at the airport in Faro, Portugal. The diverted aircraft was greeted by eight Portuguese police officers who dealt with the group. Two men were led off, while the other four frustrated stag do members made their way off the plane. Mr Davies said: 'The four friends were annoyed that their two mates had ruined their trip. 'The men were vaping in their seats and toilet, drinking heavily and to my opinion already drunk or close to when boarding. 'They were being abusive towards staff on the flight and I think they had an undertone of homophobia toward the head steward. 'They were being loud and using a lot of bad language despite children being on the flight.' Mr Davies alleged: 'They were warned about six times, but every time the one man muttered when the staff walked away, making the problem worse. 'One of the men gave up and walked towards the exit when he realised how serious his actions were being taken. 'The other man stayed in his seat and was escorted out by up to eight police officers, four getting in the plane from either side. 'The flight steward was very good at his job dealing with this issue on the flight, he gave them many chances. 'I would call the guy a true asset to easyJet - his level of professionalism was on point, even though a lot of abuse was aimed at him. 'He kept his composure and made me feel I was still safe even with the drama happening in front of me.' An easyJet spokesperson said: 'This flight from London Gatwick to Marrakech on 19 May diverted to Faro and was met by police upon arrival due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively onboard. 'Once the passengers had left the aircraft. The flight then continued to Marrakech. 'Our cabin crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and acted quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers was not compromised at any time. 'The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is always easyJet's priority and we do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour onboard.' The complaints about this incident come as footage emerged of the moment a passenger was punched in the face by an airport worker after screaming homophobic abuse at EasyJet staff. The man, who has not yet been identified, was heard shouting abuse at the airline's staff after apparently being refused entry to the plane. He then turned his ire at his fellow passengers and started threatening them for 'staring' at him during his tirade. The incident took place at Manchester Airport as passengers boarded a flight to Crete, although a spokesperson for Manchester Airports Group declined to comment on the matter. Footage shared online showed the man telling a flight attendant trying to calm him down: 'You're a ripoff artist, you're a f***** - I'll knock your f***ing hat off. 'Come on then, are we gonna have a little f***ing scrap or what you f***ing f*****, you little k***head?' ''I paid three, four hundred quid for the flight and you're telling me I'm not allowed on the flight.' After being asked by the attendant, 'Can you stay here for a few minutes, sir?', the customer replies: 'You f***ing little k***head, I've paid for the flight.' The incident took place last summer, though video of it has only recently come to light. A spokesperson from EasyJet told MailOnline: 'This flight from Manchester to Chania was attended by police before departure due to a passenger behaving disruptively during boarding. Police attended the aircraft and the customer was not allowed to travel. 'EasyJet's cabin crew are trained to assess all situations and act quickly to ensure that the safety of the flight is not compromised at any time. 'We will not tolerate disruptive or aggressive behaviour towards our crew or other passengers. 'The safety and wellbeing of our passengers, crew and ground agents is always easyJet's priority.' Meanwhile, a Ryanair flight recently saw staff forced to strap an 'unruly' passenger to his seat, using spare belts after he refused to sit down during landing. The passenger aboard the flight from Manchester to Rhodes in Greece on April 3 was shouting at cabin crew who onlookers said had confiscated two bottles from him and refused to serve him alcohol. He was called out for failing to follow orders to sit down during landing, before the plane's pilot aborted the descent and then circled round before finally landing. Video shared showed employees and other passengers huddled around the man and a member of staff shouting: 'Sit down, now.' Passenger Emily, 26, who filmed the incident, said: 'The flight was going completely fine until the cabin crew came up to me and my partner at the front of the plane and asked us if we were travelling together and if we could be separated because a little girl needed to come down to the front of plane with her dad because a man was being disruptive. 'We were together so they asked someone else instead who moved and that's when I got made aware of this guy being really disruptive at the back of the plane.' She described how cabin crew had to get two spare seatbelts and tried pinning the man down on his seat. She added: 'He got out of the seat again. Staff were shouting at him, telling him to sit down and he was squaring up to staff. 'He had already had two bottles of alcohol confiscated off him.' She said that airline employees had warned over the intercom anyone caught drinking alcohol purchased at Duty Free before the flight would be apprehended by police upon landing unless they put it away, in which case no further action would be taken. Emily said: 'As we were supposed to come down to land, I could hear cabin crew shout at him to sit down. 'We had to go back up to circle the island until he would sit down again which was quite scary. 'Once [we] had landed we all had to stay put while police came up to take him off. He got taken off on his own.' A spokeswoman for Ryanair said at the time: 'The crew of this flight from Manchester to Rhodes on April 3 called ahead for police assistance after a passenger became disruptive onboard. 'The aircraft was met by local police upon arrival at Rhodes Airport and this passenger was removed. 'Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a safe and respectful environment, without unnecessary disruption.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Unruly passenger kicked off flight, tackled by police for vaping, proceeds to headbutt doors and windows
She really went up in smoke. A Ryanair flight had to be diverted following an epic meltdown from an inebriated female passenger, who ultimately headbutted doors and windows after getting confronted over vaping during her flight. 'I didn't know what to do; I felt intimidated and threatened by her, and so did all the other passengers,' eyewitness Blair Morgan, 18, told Jam Press of the incident, which occurred May 18 during a flight from Tenerife, Spain to Glasgow, Scotland. Morgan, who was returning home from vacation on the Canary Island, captured her antics in a video with more than 1.9 million views on TikTok. It shows the whole saga from the woman being confronted by security personnel to her getting escorted onto the tarmac, and finally attacking the windows on an airport bus despite being handcuffed. The kerfuffle kicked off at around 10 p.m. when the hellion was confronted over using an electronic smoking device during the flight on the low-cost European carrier, which reportedly prompted her to throw a tantrum. 'Being on the plane before she was removed [was] scary,' said Morgan, a Glasgow-based sales assistant. 'She was harassing everyone and using horrible speech toward them and the staff on board.' The situation got so ugly that pilots diverted the flight to Faro, Portugal and called ahead for police assistance so they could offload the mile-high miscreant upon arrival. Unfortunately, her meltdown was far from over. 'Upon being approached by PSP (Public Security Police) officers, the passenger became aggressive and uncooperative,' said a rep for the force. 'Showing visible signs of intoxication, she had to be escorted off the aircraft.' They added, 'while inside the airport bus, the individual began kicking and headbutting the doors and windows.' For her own safety, authorities restrained the woman and applied handcuffs, but she continued to 'behave aggressively' and headbutt the vehicle windows, per the police spokesperson. As a result, the first aid team was called to the scene, after which the woman was transported to Faro Hospital and placed under observation. Morgan said that 'everyone was thankful she was off the flight, as she was [causing] distress with her actions.' Ryanair has since addressed the incident in a statement. 'Ryanair has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behavior, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a safe and respectful environment, without unnecessary disruption,' said a spokesperson.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
9 coastal homes a stone's throw from the beach
When the sun comes out there's no better place to be than beside the seaside – ideally unwinding on a beautiful beach. Whether you're relocating within the UK or hunting for a holiday home abroad, check out these coastal properties, each with a beach in easy reach. A new community of spacious two- and three-bedroom villas in a pretty fishing village just over an hour from Faro airport. They are suitable for use as permanent residences or second homes and hug a hillside that gently slopes down to a sandy beach. All have balconies and terraces, and amenities include a swimming pool with children's section, a playground, padel courts and an outdoor gym. By Kronos Homes. B-listed Holborn Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1862 and originally comprised two keepers' flats with a tower and its warning light above. It ceased operating in 2003 and three years later was bought by the current owners who converted it into a unique home looking out over Scrabster beach and harbour and towards Orkney. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms are on the ground floor, a living, living and dining room occupy the first floor, and the three-storey tower contains an office, observatory and external viewing platform. Through Galbraith. Read more: 9 apartments with impressive outside space Spinnakers is a modern art deco-inspired house a short walk from the village's sandy beaches. The main living areas are on the first floor to maximise the panoramic views of St Michael's Mount and out to sea, and it has three ground floor bedrooms, a self-contained annex in the basement, and a fabulous roof terrace with tons of room for socialising and a contemporary pod for shelter. Get in touch with Rohrs & Rowe. Set against a backdrop of mountains and overlooking Cardigan Bay, Plas Tanwg has direct access to Llandanwg beach where there's a family-run café. The contemporary crescent-shaped house incorporates four bedrooms suites, a one-bedroom annex and a vast open plan kitchen, living and dining area with wall-to-wall bifold doors. Find out more from Jackson-Stops. This three-bedroom apartment is on the top floor of a purpose-built block with direct access to three and a half miles of golden beach at Saunton Sands. It includes three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sleek kitchen and an open plan living area with three sets of double doors opening on to a full-width balcony. The shower and dog-washing area in the garden are bound to be very useful. Via Knight Frank. Read more: 8 luxury homes for big-budget buyers You're unlikely to find a home closer to the shoreline than this roomy villa, part of a terrace with its own stretch of private beach which only residents can use. Completely refurbished using natural materials throughout, the house features a grand entrance hall, four bedrooms and a 40-foot long all-in-one kitchen, living and entertaining area. Full height sliding doors lead out to a wide beach-level deck and you can watch the sun setting over the sea from the rooftop terrace. Through Fine & Country. Once the home of entertainer Max Bygraves, Panaroma House sits on a clifftop on the edge of Sandbanks, Britain's priciest coastal location. The 7,300 of living space includes seven bedrooms, six bathrooms, three reception rooms, cinema and games room, and the garden contains several areas for sitting and enjoying the views. A footpath moments from the front door winds down to the promenade and its Blue Flag sandy beaches, though it's a steep climb up. From Savills. Read more: 9 celebrity homes with star quality The largest villa in an exclusive gated resort on the island where the third series of The White Lotus was filmed. Overlooking a coral cove, it has eight bedrooms, huge open plan living spaces and an infinity pool and comes fully furnished. Residents have use of a private beach and services such as chefs, personal trainers and yoga instructors if required. For more information Visit Samujana. Privacy and proximity to the sea are among the many attractions of Villa Monte Carlo, built in a prime location in a village known for its crystal clear waters, beach and snorkelling. This traditional Mediterranean-style house is fully geared up for indoor/outdoor living and a steady stream of visitors, incorporating expansive entertaining areas, south-facing terraces, a swimming pool and a bathing platform. With a main bedroom suite, three guest suites and a second floor tower room that could be used as a study or extra bedroom, it sleeps at least 10 people in the lap of luxury. Via Engel & Volkers. Read more: The world's 10 best cities to live in revealed How to choose where to live as you get older The pros and cons of getting a mortgage into your 70s
