Travel disruption dominates Wednesday’s headlines with those heading to the US for the festive period facing the impact of heavy snow, ice and possibly tornadoes as part of a “bomb cyclone” storm.
British Airways’ long-haul flights, meanwhile, continue to be disrupted by the fallout from the IT problems suffered earlier in the week – with actress Liz Hurley among the passengers to be affected.
Passengers at Heathrow have also taken to social media to complain about long delays getting their bags, which comes just days before the Border Force strikes take effect later this week.
Here are the headlines the travel industry woke up on Wednesday (21 December).
‘Bomb cyclone’ storm set to disrupt US travel
Travellers heading to the US could be affected by heavy snow, ice, flooding and even tornadoes later this week ahead of the Christmas holiday. The extreme weather is forecast to hit a large part of the country including the Midwest and East Coast. Christmas week could become one of the coldest in decades in the US. (Various)
Festive cheer in short supply as IT problems hit BA flights
British Airways’ passengers face continued cancellations and delays on Wednesday (21 December) because of the IT “meltdown” that grounded some long-haul flights from the US earlier in the week. Actress Liz Hurley was among the affected passengers after being left “stranded” in Antigua. (The Times)
Ryanair restores pandemic pay cuts for Ireland pilots in time for Christmas
Budget airline Ryanair has reached a deal with pilots in Ireland that will restore the 20% pay cuts made during the Covid-19 pandemic. The four-year pay deal will also see low single-digit percentage increases for Ireland-based pilots in the following three years until March 2027. (The Guardian)
Heathrow ‘chaos’ as passengers wait hours to retrieve bags
Travellers have taken to social media to complain about long waits to reclaim their luggage at Heathrow airport, with unhappy passengers describing the situation as “shambolic” and “chaotic”. The issue comes ahead of strikes by Border Force staff, which are due to begin on Friday (23 December). (Evening Standard)
Gary Neville branded ‘hypocrite’ as hotel staff paid minimum wage
Football pundit Gary Neville has been branded a “hypocrite’” as it emerged his luxury hotel in Manchester is advertising for staff on the minimum wage. Neville criticised the government for only paying nurses a “pittance” during ITV’s World Cup Final broadcast. (The Daily Mail)
Rail delays spell trouble for travellers between London and Gatwick
Holidaymakers travelling by train between London and Gatwick faced delays on Wednesday (21 December) morning as a broken rail affected key Thameslink services to the airport. (Daily Express)