Latest news with #holidaymakers
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Brits forced into HUGE queues at Spain airport fearing kids would ‘suffocate' in lines so big planes couldn't disembark
HUNDREDS of Brit tourists have been trapped like cattle in "inhuman" conditions at a Spanish airport - forcing politicians into a crisis meeting. Parents had to lift their children in the air to "stop them suffocating" in the crush at Tenerife airport this week. 5 5 5 Around 500 holidaymakers faced a hellish start to their trips on Monday. Several UK flights arrived in quick succession, and there were just two passport booths staff by four officers on hand to process the hoards. Progress was agonisingly slow - with passengers crammed in line for over two hours before finally getting through. Some were even held on the stuffy plane on the runway for almost an hour while the backlog cleared. Conditions were sweltering inside the airport, with some even branding the nightmare "inhuman". Lourdes Torrecillas, a Tenerife resident returning from Bristol, told local media the situation "claustrophobic" and "third world". She was made to sit on the plane for 45 minutes and said: "Once inside, we couldn't move our arms, we could barely breathe, and people were sweating. "Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating. There were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed.' The local fumed: 'This was an inhumane wait. These are people who've paid to enjoy a few days of sunshine, they shouldn't be treated like cattle.' Major Brit holiday airport fumigated after infestation of BEDBUGS with passengers & airline staff reporting itchy bites Lourdes slammed the lack of medical care and revealed that the airline did not even provide children with water. She also claimed staff said the airport descends into similar chaos "almost every night". But the exhausted passenger ultimately laid the blame at the feet of the airport operator, AENA, and called on the government to boost the workforce. One of the reasons behind Monday's bedlam was that the airport's automatic check in system could not process children's passports. This led to families with restless kids and piles of luggage stranded in crowds for hours. 5 5 The President of Tenerife's ruling council, Rosa Dávila, called an emergency meeting following the mayhem. She admitted the situation was "unacceptable", but blamed a lack of border staff which she said has been a problem ever since Brexit. Similar chaos has played out at the airport in the past during peak tourism season. Dávila said she had written to mainland politicians but feels abandoned by them. She vented: "There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. "We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail." What are the passport rules? The Sun's Head of Travel Lisa Minot has explained exactly what Brits need to know. "Travellers used to be able to roll over up to nine unused months from their old passport onto a new one. "But post-Brexit, anyone wanting to travel to the EU can no longer rely on those extra months. "In order to travel to the EU, all passports must be no more than 10 years old on the day you arrive in your European destination. "And you'll need at least three months on your passport on the day you head back to the UK. "Figures have shown up to 100,000 holidaymakers a year face being turned away at airports if their passport is more than 10 years old. "The 10-year rule only applies to countries in the European Union but every country may have different rules on what is accepted - some countries like South Africa, for example, insist you have at least six months left on your passport when you travel and a full clear page." The Tenerife hotel association, Ashotel, has repeatedly warned that these intolerable delays will spoil the island's reputation and deter Brits from coming. Tenerife's Tourism Minister, Lope Afonso, warned: "This is the first impression our visitors get. "After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. "It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination." "We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Airport chaos forces British families to 'lift children on to shoulders to stop them suffocating' amid 'inhuman' conditions as hundreds are trapped in overcrowded passport control in Tenerife
Airport chaos forced British families to 'lift children onto their shoulders to stop them suffocating' after hundreds of holidaymakers were trapped in an overcrowded passport control in Tenerife. Officials called an emergency meeting after passengers raged at the 'inhumane' conditions that saw them packed together 'like cattle' as they waited in line on Monday. The nightmare unfolded after several UK flights arrived in quick succession and caused severe delays. More than 500 people were left waiting for over two hours in sweltering conditions, as just two passport control booths staffed by four officers attempted to process the entire crowd, according to Canarian Weekly. Lourdes Torrecillas, a Tenerife resident returning from Bristol, described the situation as 'claustrophobic' and 'third world'. She told local media that passengers were made to wait 45 minutes on the plane before being allowed to disembark to passport control, only to find the airport's escalators out of service. 'Families with babies and elderly passengers had to carry their children and luggage through a packed terminal. 'Once inside, we couldn't move our arms, we could barely breathe, and people were sweating. Some parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to stop them from suffocating,' she said. 'There were no toilets, and people were visibly distressed.' Ms Torrecillas, who frequently travels to the UK, said the conditions were unacceptable, adding: 'This was an inhumane wait. 'These are people who've paid to enjoy a few days of sunshine, they shouldn't be treated like cattle.' She also raised concerns about the lack of medical support, claiming that airport staff told her similar scenes occur nearly every night - with passengers regularly fainting or experiencing serious health problems while waiting. The President of Tenerife's ruling council, Rosa Dávila, has called an emergency meeting following the incident, with chaos often ensuing during peak tourism periods. Dávila called the situation 'unacceptable' but blamed it on the continued failure to provide sufficient staff for border checks ever since the UK left the European Union. She added: 'This is a structural issue. We can't continue to operate with the same staffing levels we had pre-Brexit.' A major issue facing travellers on Monday was the inability of the airport's automated checking systems to check children's passports. This lead to families having to queue with children and baggage for hours before they could being their holidays. Dávila said she had written to mainland politicians, but received no satisfactory response. 'There's a serious lack of respect towards Tenerife. We're managing essential services locally, but without state support, we're being left to fail,' she said. Lope Afonso, Tenerife's Tourism Minister, warned: 'This is the first impression our visitors get. After hours on a plane, they're met with long waits and no explanation. It's not acceptable, and it's hurting our brand as a quality tourist destination,' he said. 'Tenerife competes globally. Other countries have adapted their systems since Brexit. Why haven't we?' He also had a warning for summer travellers, if mainland politicians don't take action, saying: 'We need immediate solutions to avoid this happening again, especially with the busy summer season ahead.'
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
New sleeper train is launching this summer which stops in six European countries – and tickets are under £50
A NEW sleeper train set to launch this summer will connect five European countries in one journey. The route, which spans 745 miles, will depart from Warsaw and terminate in the picturesque Croatian city of Rijeka. 1 Other stunning central and eastern European cities en route to Rijeka include Opoczno, Katowice, Rybnik, Chałupki, Vienna, Ljubljana, Postojna, and Opatija. The fresh PKP Intercity service is also a god send for tight fisted holidaymakers, with priices starting at just shy of £40. But travellers are advised to plan ahead of time as the journey won't run every day. Services will only operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays during the balmy summer months. The first is scheduled in just under a month's time, departing Warsaw on Friday, June 27, while the final routes will take place at the end of August, leaving Warsaw on August 29 and Rijeka on August 31. Ticket holders will be treated to mountains, rolling hills and lush stretches of countryside as the train chugs through Poland, Czechia, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia. It will stop briefly in Vienna at around 10pm, where a few carriages will diverge and head off directly to Croatia on a different route before. The final pitstop takes place in Slovenia in the early hours where the train joins forces with the Istria service – which starts in Budapest – before making its way to Croatia as dawn breaks through. Passengers will be able to travel in style too, as the carriages are fully air-conditioned, with couchette cars available with beds. Sheets will be fully provided, so you needn't pack your sleeping bag. The short Irish train journey perfect for summer day out with 'stunning views' MORE SLEEPER TRAIN NEWS For passengers angling towards an adventure in Southeast Asia in the next couple of years, Vietnam's National Assembly approved plans to build a high-speed railway network at the end of last year. The new route will run between Hanoi (the Vietnamese capital) and Ho Chi Minh City, covering more than 957 miles of the country. Slated to cost $67billion (£53billion), the high-speed train will be able to reach speeds of up to 217mph, reducing journey times by 25 hours. Construction work will start in 2027, with trains operating from as early as 2035. Once up and running, the train will pass through 20 provinces and cities in Vietnam - although a full itinerary, including stopping stations, has yet to be confirmed. And last summer, a new train route let you pay just £7 to travel to three European countries - Italy, Croatia and Slovenia. Meanwhile, a new train route dubbed "easyJet on rails" will link France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
CAA warns UK travellers of cabin luggage rule that could be ‘catastrophic' if ignored
THE CAA has warned travellers of a cabin luggage rule that could be catastrophic if ignored. The UK Civil Aviation Authority, which maintains aviation safety in the UK, warned that holidaymakers who flout the rule could be at risk of causing "serious injury" to other travellers. Lithium batteries are found in any device with a rechargeable battery, such as power banks, headphones, phones and e-cigarettes. According to the CAA website: "Poorly manufactured, faulty and misused lithium batteries and those which have not been protected against short circuit can experience something called 'thermal runaway'. "This results in them getting so hot that they can catch fire, explode and ignite other nearby batteries. "If that were to happen on the flight deck it could significantly disrupt the operation of the aircraft and cause serious injury to flight crew. "Similarly, if such an event occurred in the passenger cabin it could cause serious injury to a passenger or crew member. "Accordingly, Controlled portable electronic devices (C-PEDs) are subject to safety design and operational standards." Back in January, a n Air Busan plane caught on fire due to a malfunctioning power bank, which led to the plane being decommissioned due to the extent of the damage. This led to a full ban of power banks being taken in hand luggage, the first of its kind in the world. Other airlines have followed suit with slightly less restrictive guidelines, but still banning the use of power banks in the cabin, as well as banning them in overhead lockers. This includes Eva Air, Thai Airways and Air Asia as well as Tigerair and Starlux. Watch horror moment boxes of batteries suddenly explode sparking horrific factory inferno that killed 23 workers Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines - who operate flights from the UK - have also introduced the strict power bank ban. Last year, a fire broke out on an Asiana Airlines flight because of an overheating power bank. Aerospace design lecturer Sonya Brown told Australian media: "When lithium-ion batteries start to deteriorate, they often expand, which is a key indicator that the battery should not be used anymore. "Having them with people waiting to be detected sooner is safer." It comes days after the US Transportation Security Administration updated its guidelines on checked luggage restrictions in regard to power banks. They must only be in hand luggage, not checked luggage. But some rules have been eased - 11 new items are allowed in hand luggage in the US including certain medications and food. What do the new power bank rules mean for travellers? The Sun's Head of Travel Lisa Minot weighs in. AS staying connected becomes ever-more important, a ban on the handy gadget that can keep our devices topped up could be seen as a pain. But the catastrophic consequences of a fire on a plane are an obvious reason to make rules stricter. After countless incidents - and with so many counterfeit and faulty goods out there - it makes sense they are cracking down. But airlines do need to understand the need for us to be able to top up our devices in the air. With plans afoot to get rid of physical boarding passes in the coming years, making sure we're able to use our devices will become ever more essential. Adapting plane interiors to include USB ports will alleviate the need to top up on the go. And more needs to be done to highlight the new rules - and the dangers these devices can pose.
The Sun
6 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Tiny UK island ‘feels like a sci-fi novel' with dolphins & 12m-long sharks – and it's only open for the next five months
THE Calf of Man is now open to visitors for the summer season - but for a limited time. The remote island sits south of the Isle of Man with just two people living there from March to November. 5 5 Uninhabited outside of the season, it is owned by Manx National Heritage who manage the island that is primarily used as a nature reserve and bird observatory. And the Calf of Man has opened up to holidaymakers who can visit the island from May to September, with small ferries leaving from the ports of St Mary or Port Erin from the Isle of Man. Boat trips are available daily during the summer months with weather and tides permitting. All trips depend on the weather, and the island can be cut off for weeks when it's bad because the journey can be dangerous - which is why there are shipwrecks surrounding it. Because of this, reaching the shores of the Calf of Man can take between 15 and 40 minutes. On the island, you'll find two ruined lighthouses, but barely any people. The 600 acres island is home to hundreds of birds, seals, dolphins, moths, butterflies and insects that you can spot on your visit. Another popular animal you can find there during the summer is the basking shark. Basking sharks can grow up to 12 metres long and swim close to the shore of the island. In the summer, they can be seen feeding on plankton near the surface. While most visitors opt for a day trip, it is possible to stay overnight on the island - in the one accommodation available. Exploring UK Islands: A Journey Through Beautiful Isles (1) 5 The Bird Observatory is a self-catered hostel, and on the Island Escapes website, it said that visitors need to 'bring their own food supplies and a sleeping bag'. It also adds that 'a stay on the Calf is only suitable for those who are fit enough to cope with the terrain and conditions'. Bookings run from June 2, 2025 until the end of August and the hostel can sleep up to eight people. One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: "Calf of Man is one of those fantasy locations you see in films, or read about in sci-fi novels. 5 "Upon seeing it in the distance, every one of those stories will spring forth, and you will find your mouth forming an automatic 'wow.'" One woman, Chloe, recently gave up her regular 9-5 for a chance to work as a volunteer on the Calf of Man. She snapped up one of the most remote jobs in the British Isles and became an assistant estate warden. Chloe enjoyed the experience so much she even returned to work as a paid estate warden for a nine months and likened it to being on the TV series I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Here are the UK's 'happiest islands' with white sand beaches and attractions older than the Egyptian pyramids. And five islands off the coast of the UK you can visit without needing your passport. 5
