Elsewhere, there are more glum warnings about the cost-of-living crisis, as well as news of the death of a British woman from Covid onboard a cruise ships.

Meanwhile, airlines are reportedly unhappy about having to play a role in assisting the government’s proposal to process asylum seekers in Rwanda.

Here are the main travel headlines making national bulletins on Thursday 28 April. 

Surge in passport demand revealed

The Passport Office is expecting to deal with 9.5 million passport applications this year compared to just four million in 2020 and five million in 2021, with waiting times of up to 10 weeks. March saw the highest total applications on record – more than one million applications. (Sky News)

Woman dies of Covid following cruise

A 60-year-old British woman has died after being infected with coronavirus on a Mediterranean cruise. The woman was a passenger on Fred Olsen’s Bolette and died in hospital in Salerno on Friday from respiratory complications brought on by coronavirus. Her husband also caught the virus and remains in hospital. (The Daily Mail)

Chancellor warns of interest rates rise

Rishi Sunak has warned homeowners will see mortgage repayments rise by more than £1,000 a year with interest rates set to increase by 2.5% over the next 12 months. He warned a one percentage point increase on a typical mortgage would cost an extra £700 for those not on fixed-rate deals. (The Daily Mail)

Money owed to energy firms soars

The amount of money households collectively owe to energy suppliers has doubled in the past year to reach £1 billion, new research has revealed. Some 23% of consumers are now in energy debt, as prices continue to soar, according to Uswitch. Six million homes now owe an average £188 to their energy provider. (The i)

Airlines to refuse Rwanda deportation flights

Charter flights and even private jets will be needed to fly migrants to Rwanda because airline bosses fear a backlash. The home secretary was reportedly told plans to send migrants to the East African nation for processing could result in protesters targeting airlines involved in the flights. (The Daily Mail)