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Three men have been convicted for shooting down a Malaysia Airlines flight over eastern Ukraine in 2014 at a court hearing in the Netherlands.
Disruption is expected to some flights at Heathrow over the next few days as ground staff hold a 72-hour strike in a dispute over pay.
Headlines focus mainly on the impact of chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement on Thursday (17 November), although there was some good news for travel firms with the extension of business rates relief for those with high street shops.
Here are the headlines that the travel industry woke up to on Friday (18 November).
Three guilty over downing of flight MH17
A Dutch court has found three men guilty of murder for shooting down a Malaysia Airlines jet over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people. The court found that a missile supplied from Russia and fired by an armed group under Russian control brought down flight MH17. The three men were convicted in absentia. (BBC News)
Heathrow ground staff go on strike over pay
Ground staff at Heathrow have begun a 72-hour strike in a dispute over pay. Around 350 workers walked out from 4am on Friday (18 November), according to the Unite union. The strike by workers at aviation services firm Menzies will affect several airlines and disrupt some flights leaving Terminals 2, 3 and 4. (Sky News)
Hunt raises taxes to highest level since Second World War
The UK is facing the highest level of taxation since the Second World War and a record fall in living standards over the next few years. During his autumn statement, chancellor Jeremy Hunt chose to target middle and higher-income households in an attempt to balance the government’s books. (Various)
Business rates relief will give £14bn back to shops
High street travel firms and hospitality venues will benefit from £14 billion in business rates relief from the government, which will help to offset next year’s planned rise in the tax, but chancellor Jeremy Hunt did not announce a more fundamental reform of business rates. (The Times)
Older travellers face soaring insurance and car hire prices
Older holidaymakers are being adversely impacted by rising costs and age restrictions for travel insurance and car hire. A Which? study found that travellers aged over 85 were being hit “disproportionately hard” by price increases when buying these products. (Daily Telegraph)
