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Budget airline Ryanair has cut its German capacity for next summer by 12% It said it is cancelling 22 routes for summer 2025, "due to the German government's continued failure" to reduce aviation tax, security and air traffic control fees. Ryanair will close Dortmund, Dresden and Leipzig operations and cut Hamburg by 60% #travelupdate #ryanair #germany #cuts #bbtm

The European Union has delayed the introduction of biometric border checks for non-EU citizens The Entry/Exit System (EES) had been due to begin on 10th November but the start has been put on hold because Germany, France and the Netherlands said their systems were not ready. When implemented, the EES will require non-EU citizens arriving in the Schengen free-travel area to register their fingerprints, provide a facial scan and answer questions about their stay - instead of having a manual stamp in their passport. #travelupdate #entryexitsystem #delayed #travel #bbtm

😲 Virgin Atlantic signs codeshare agreement with SAS. Virgin Atlantic has signed a new codeshare deal with recently-inaugurated Sky Team member SAS. The agreement launches this week, and will allow Virgin customers on flights from the US and Canada to connect through Heathrow and Manchester onto SAS services to Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stavanger and Bergen. Meanwhile SAS customers will be able to connect via Heathrow onto Virgin Atlantic’s Caribbean, African, Middle East and South Asian destinations. The deal will also see reciprocal earning and redemption opportunities for Flying Club and Euro Bonus members on codeshare flights. SAS officially defected from Star Alliance to Sky Team at the start of September – ahead of this it had already established codeshare agreements with Air France-KLM, and has since signed a codeshare deal with Delta. 😳 #Virginairlinestravelupdate #Travelnews #SAStravelupdate #BBTM

JAL A350 flies to London The Japan Airlines A350 flies to London this month Back in autumn 2023, Japan Airlines unveiled the interiors of its new intercontinental flagship aircraft. Thirteen A350-1000s will gradually replace JAL’s existing Boeing 777 fleet and will arrive with new seats in all four cabins, from First Class to Economy. The aircraft will have six First Class suites, 54 Business Class suites, 24 Premium Economy seats and 155 seats in Economy. More fascinating, however, is the “introduction of the world’s first headphone-free stereo with built-in headrest speakers Japan Airlines is part of the One world alliance which means you’ll be able to redeem Avios for these cabins as well as earn Avios and British Airways Executive Club tier points when you pay cash. #Japantravelupdate #Japanairlines #BBTM Image of Business class

UK Government to expand electronic travel Authorisation system Please read if you are planning to visit the UK #BBTM #ETAscheme #Travelnews #Businesstravel #BookwithBBTM #Travelupdate

TRAVEL NEWS UPDATE FOR 2025- British travellers to Europe ‘face €7 EU visa waiver’ by next summer confirmed by Brussels Officials. 😲. Passengers visiting the bloc will be required to apply for a waiver – similar to the US Esta – before travel. It will be valid for three years or until the expiry of an existing passport, whichever is first. The new scheme is designed to make the bloc’s border more secure in the face of terrorist threats, but create more bureaucracy. “With the Entry/Exit System we will know exactly who enters the Schengen Area, with a foreign passport. We will know if people stay too long. Countering irregular migration. The Entry/Exit System will make it harder for criminals, terrorists or Russian spies to use fake passports. Thanks to biometric identification: photos and fingerprints. It will be goodbye to passport stamping, hello to digital checks for all passengers from outside the EU, making travel easier, and border checks gradually faster.” Passengers will apply online or via a mobile app and be checked against EU information systems for borders and security.  Most applications will be approved within minutes, although it could take up to 72 hours. The most complex applicants should leave 30 days. It will cost €7 for travellers aged 18 to 70, The Times reported. It will be free for people younger or older than those ages. #BBTM #Travelnewsupdates #EUtravel

😪 Strike forces cancellation of 232 easyJet Portugal flights More than 200 easyJet flights have been cancelled to Portugal due to a three-day strike by cabin crew at the height of the summer peak. The airline has cancelled a total of 27 return flights between the UK and Portugal in advance for the strike period, according to easyJet.  Flights to Portugal operate from several UK airports, including Bristol, Gatwick, Glasgow, Luton and Manchester. No flights from Belfast International are affected. Cabin staff in Portugal warned last month a strike from August 15-17th August. Reasons for the action include a lack of roster stability, insufficient staffing and pressure to work overtime for commercial purposes, according to the civil aviation flight personnel union SNPVAC. “Customers whose flight has been affected have already been contacted a number of days ago with their options to rebook or receive a refund. #BBTM #Travelnewsupdate #Cancellations #Easyjet

British Airways to suspend Heathrow-Beijing service Like other UK carriers, BA is not able to use Russian airspace and it is thought this is the main reason for the suspension, as flights times are longer – making the route more expensive to operate. Last month, Virgin Atlantic said it will suspend its Heathrow-Shanghai route in October because of the extra costs of avoiding Russian airspace. British Airways will suspend its Heathrow service to Beijing later this year, just 14 months after the link resumed following the pandemic. Not being able to fly over Russia has meant flights to Shanghai are an hour longer, while the return flights are two hours longer, requiring additional aircraft and crew time. The BA service from London to Beijing Daxing airport resumed in June 2023 after it was suspended in January 2020 amid the pandemic. BA is the only British carrier operating a direct service between Beijing and the UK. It is thought the suspension will initially run until November 2025. BA news #BBTM #Travelupdates #