British Airways’ plans for a new short-haul subsidiary at Gatwick, meanwhile, have been shelved after it failed to come to an agreement with pilots union Balpa.

Elsewhere, hospitality staff are set to keep all their tips under new government proposals, while the cost-of-living crisis is also in the spotlight as the Bank of England expects inflation to rise above 4% in the next few months.

Here are the main headlines the travel industry woke up to on Friday (24 September)

Warning of petrol shortages amid supply crisis

A severe lack of lorry drivers has forced the closure of some petrol stations in the UK, with BP and Esso both having to temporarily shutter a number of outlets. The government is now under pressure to ease immigration rules to increase the number of drivers to solve the supply crisis. (The Guardian)

British Airways abandons plans for new budget airline at Gatwick

Pilots have voted against the airline’s proposal to set up a new subsidiary at the UK’s second-biggest airport, meaning the end of most short-haul British Airways flights from the Sussex airport. (The Telegraph)

England unlikely to go into another ‘full-blown’ lockdown this winter

A leading scientific adviser has said that a full lockdown is unlikely to be needed in England this winter based on the latest Covid trends. Professor Neil Ferguson, who sits on the Sage advisory committee, added that some additional measures may be needed during the next few months but an extensive lockdown was not likely. (Sky News)

Bank of England predicts inflation to peak at over 4% this winter

The UK’s inflation rate is expected go above 4% later this year and stay at this level into the second quarter of next year, according to the Bank of England. Despite rising costs, the bank voted to maintain the country’s key interest rates at 0.1%. (Financial Times)

Hospitality industry staff will pocket all tips under new laws

Hospitality staff could soon keep all their tips from customers under new plans to safeguard workers’ rights and change an industry-wide practice. Employers could face sanctions for breaking the law if they pocket employees’ tips under a new government proposal. (The Daily Mail)

Delta variant scuppers New Zealand’s hopes of eliminating virus

New Zealand’s “zero Covid” strategy to eliminate the coronavirus may have been defeated by the spread of the Delta strain, the country’s health chief has admitted. New Zealand has closed borders as part of this strategy, while its largest city Auckland has been in lockdown since mid-August. (The Times)