Holidaymakers braced for second day of chaos due to strikes
Ryanair announced it had cancelled 400 flights, affecting 70,000 passengers, while easyJet also scrapped numerous services due to the industrial action.
The strike, led by the UNSA-ICNA union, is in protest over demands for improved working conditions, increased staffing levels, better pay, and against new monitoring reforms.
The French Civil Aviation Authority had pre-emptively requested airlines to cut a significant percentage of flights from major French airports, including Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has issued a warning to travellers, advising them to check operator advice due to the ongoing industrial action.
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Telegraph
44 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Five things to know before you board a Uniworld Boutique River Cruises ship
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises (to give the company its full title) is the stately doyenne of the river cruise world, known for its fleet of lavish ships brimming with extravagant touches and decorative themes inspired by the countries they sail through. The Los Angeles-based line revels in its reputation for flamboyant luxury: original artworks by Picasso, Chagall and Matisse adorn elaborately decorated walls, while immaculately uniformed staff and white-gloved butlers add to an ambience of exquisite exclusivity. To some, such ostentation may seem over the top, but impressive attention to detail and haute cuisine dining add flair to sailings, which are described as the most all-inclusive on the rivers. Having been founded in 1976, Uniworld is one of the longest-established river cruise operators and claims to have been the first American company to debut on Europe's waterways that same year. In 2004, Uniworld joined the Tollman-family owned The Travel Corporation (TTC) and launched new Super Ships, whose décor was inspired by its then sister company Red Carnation Hotel Collection. As the company grew, Uniworld expanded geographically and added the rivers of Egypt, Asia and South America to its portfolio in addition to adding zing to itineraries with mystery cruises, river and rail combinations, plus cruise-and-stay holidays. The line has even launched its own river equivalent of a world cruise. Uniworld was one of the first to offer family-friendly river voyages with its Generations family programme aimed at tempting younger guests onboard. The outfit also debuted a Make Travel Matter programme of sustainable shore experiences for guests as part of an overall eco-friendly strategy that also involved cutting food waste and eliminating single use plastics. In summer 2024, TTC and brands, including Uniworld and sister companies Trafalgar Tours and Insight Vacations, were sold to asset management firm Apollo. A few months later the line announced plans to expand its fleet further with three new Super Ships set to debut in 2027. 1. Where does Uniworld sail? It covers 17 rivers in 26 countries, though European heavyweights the Rhine and the Danube are the mainstay of Uniworld's programme, with classic sailings between Amsterdam and Basel that take in the castles of the spectacular Rhine Gorge along the former. On the Danube, Uniworld offers quintessential cruises between Budapest and Passau that feature the European capitals of Vienna and Bratislava, and sail beyond Budapest to follow the Danube's eastern stretch through Serbia and Bulgaria to Romanian capital Bucharest. Some sailings feature the Main and Moselle rivers, following routes between Belgrade and Nuremberg or Vienna. There are also voyages to the Dutch bulb fields and Christmas markets. In France, Uniworld cruises the Seine on round-trip voyages from Paris to Normandy, and the Rhone between Lyon and Arles and the wine-rich waterways around Bordeaux. Elsewhere in Portugal, voyages through port country are offered along the Douro. Uniworld is one of the few lines to offer sailings through the Venetian lagoon, visiting its lesser-known corners among the islands of Chioggia, Burano and Mazzorbo. In India, Ganges cruises are combined with the Golden Triangle tours or the Maharajas' Express train, while Nile cruises are twinned with stays in Cairo. Uniworld also cruises the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia – with sailings between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi – and in South America there are packages that combine the Peruvian Amazon with Machu Picchu. Themed cruises focus on golf, music, families and Jewish heritage, and there are women-only sailings too. There are also themed experiences on regular voyages with Village Days (whereby guests can meet locals); Let's Go, an active programme of pursuits including hiking, biking and kayaking; and Nights Out with evening entertainment ashore. Uniworld is increasingly adding tours and hotel stays to river cruises for its 'Spectacular Journeys' series and is twinning more cruises with trains for luxury rail-and-sail packages. Its Rivers of the World cruises generally last around 50 nights, and incorporate at least four rivers across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. 2. Who does Uniworld appeal to? Its upscale ambience appeals to a sophisticated and moneyed set of mainly Americans, followed by a growing number of British and Australian cruisers. Guests are generally retired (the average age of British guests is 65), well-travelled couples, but this mix changes on family-friendly Generations departures when the age range varies from four years upwards with a number of multi-generational family groups. The line is also increasingly popular with solo travellers. 3. The fleet This currently stands at 17 with the lion's share accounted for by Uniworld's Super Ships. These are described as floating boutique hotels but are arguably more reminiscent of pocket-size palaces owing to their grand chandeliers, elegant antiques, voluminous drapes and marble-swathed staircases. Super Ships Sails to: Europe and Egypt (SS Sphinx) SS Antoinette (152 passengers) SS Beatrice (148 passengers) SS Bon Voyage (124 passengers) SS Catherine (158 passengers) SS Elisabeth (110 passengers) SS Joie de Vivre (128 passengers) SS La Venezia (126 passengers) SS Maria Theresa (150 passengers) SS Sao Gabriel (98 passengers) SS Victoria (110 passengers) SS Sphinx (84 passengers) There are currently 11 Super Ships (with a 12 th, SS Emilie, due in 2026), representing what Uniworld terms as 'unsurpassed luxury.' Hallmark features include larger public areas, multiple dining venues and lavish décor that is inspired by the style of the destinations they sail through. Some Super Ships have ornate swimming pools; others have pocket-size spas or small cinemas. When it comes to show-stopping features, SS Antionette's reception is dominated by a stunning chandelier that used to hang in New York's famous Tavern on the Green restaurant, while the SS Maria Theresa is said to be the only ship on the rivers with hand-painted ceiling frescos. Rest of the fleet Sails to: Europe (River Duchess and River Princess); Egypt (River Tosca); Vietnam and Cambodia (Mekong Jewel); India (Ganges Voyager II); South America (Aria Amazon) River Duchess (130 passengers) River Princess (128 passengers) River Tosca (82 passengers) Mekong Jewel (68 passengers) Ganges Voyager II (56 passengers) Aria Amazon (32 passengers) These smaller ships in Uniworld's fleet are similarly luxurious and imaginatively decorated with the River Duchess and River Princess in particular having striking colour palettes. River Tosca and Mekong Jewel both have more of an exotic flavour, each with a sun-deck and swimming pool, while Ganges Voyager II and Aria Amazon are equally luxurious, reflecting the countries they sail through. All four are chartered by Uniworld. 4. Loyalty scheme Guests are automatically enrolled into the River Heritage Club after their first sailing where, following a welcome gift, they are eligible for special savings on all sailings and other perks that include an invitation to the captain's cocktail party, complimentary laundry and savings with TTC sister brands. 5. Access for guests with disabilities Some Uniworld ships have elevators and the line does its best to accommodate guests with varying medical and mobility needs. Passengers are asked to contact Uniworld on 0808 168 9231 to discuss their needs prior to booking. About our expert After finding her sea legs 20 years ago, Sarah has gone with the flow on around 200 voyages across the world's oceans and rivers, with Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands scoring as her all-time favourites.
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Football fans 'bitterly disappointed' to miss Wales' historic moment as Switzerland flight cancelled
Fans heading to Switzerland to cheer on Wales were left bitterly disappointed when their flight was cancelled moments before take-off. Jack Cresci is missing the historic chance to see Wales in Euro 2025 due to the travel disruption and has hit out after being 'completely abandoned' by British Airways. He and his friends instead faced a 'bleak and disappointing' walk through Cardiff at 4am after the 270-round trip to and from Heathrow Airport. He told ITV Wales: 'Unfortunately our flight got cancelled on the tarmac at Heathrow due to a technical issue with the plane. 'We were told initially they had to wait for a headset to be on board which took about half an hour and then after that we were told there was a technical issue - which even when the engineers got on board, they were unfortunately not able to fix - so we weren't able to fly that night.' The Wales fans were told there would be a British Airways team waiting for them to chat through alternative options to travel to Switzerland but they say no-one could be seen. 'We were pretty much completely abandoned,' Jack said. 'Every time we checked the website, there was just absolutely nothing on Switzerland. 'So unfortunately, we've missed a historic moment really for Welsh football and seeing us play at the Euros, which is just really, really, disappointing.' British Airways offered Jack a hotel to stay overnight but he says the only options presented were 2-3 hours away from the airport, calling it 'just ridiculous'. 'It hit home at that point, we were going to be missing everything. By the time we got back to Cardiff, it was 4am. We had to walk home then through the dark streets of Cardiff - it was just quite bleak and disappointing, to be honest.' Jack is hoping for a refund from British Airways but hasn't heard back, he says. 'It was really, really frustrating especially because we're now missing such a historic moment because of it.' British Airways have been approached for a response. It isn't the only airline leaving passengers grounded as both Ryanair and easyJet cancelled hundreds of flights due to French air traffic control strikes. Thousands had their travel plans disrupted as Ryanair said it was forced to make 170 cancellations on Thursday and Friday. Strike action affected flights to and from France – and also flights over the country to destinations such as the UK, Greece, Spain and Ireland – impacting more than 30,000 passengers. EasyJet said it had cancelled 124 flights today and was scrapping 150 tomorrow due to the industrial action.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Tom Brady takes steamy shower and shows off ripped physique on yacht in Ibiza amid Sydney Sweeney links
Tom Brady left little to the imagination as he enjoyed a steamy outdoor shower and was spotted unwinding on a luxurious yacht off the coast of Ibiza on Friday. The NFL icon, who was heavily linked with actress Sydney Sweeney during Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez 's wedding festivities in Venice last week, wore a pair of tiny swim shorts as he tried to relax. As a result, the 47-year-old's incredibly muscular frame was on full show and he seemed only too happy to bare all as he topped up his tan. Brady's six pack and muscular legs were on full display as he showed no sign of letting his physique decline during retirement. The former New England Patriots star did leave his sun lounger at one point, hopping into the ocean with a similarly ripped, but unknown, guest and two girls to go snorkeling as the yacht's staff watched on. Once Brady had returned to the comfort of the vast seating area, the seven-time Super Bowl cleaned himself up with an outdoor shower on the yacht's edge. Tom Brady left little to the imagination as he relaxed on a yacht off the coast of Ibiza on Friday Brady looked ripped as he cleaned himself up with an outdoor shower on the yacht's edge Brady looked shredded in his shorts and made a beeline for the water to try and cool down The 6ft 4ins former New England Patriots quarterback showed off his muscular physique He did seem to be in deep thought at one stage, hanging his legs off the edge of the boat and staring out onto the horizon. Brady eventually returned to the comfortable seating in the boat's outdoor lounge area and seemed to put his headphones in as he tried to switch off. It comes a week after Brady sparked rumors of a possible romance with Hollywood star Sweeney, with reports claiming the pair danced together during the party, which is said to have lasted until 2am. TMZ also claimed that he was 'chatting up' Sweeney at the hotel bar. Brady also enjoyed a day out with actors Orlando Bloom and Leonard Di Caprio in Venice, with the three seen sipping on cocktails poolside. Brady and Bloom were also pictured wandering the streets of Venice alongside Sweeney, with the White Lotus star described as the 'most sought after person' at the party. 'Everyone wants to talk to her and every guy that has been in her presence has talked about how stunning she is in real life,' a source said. She and Brady sent social media into meltdown after reports suggested they struck up a possible romance. Brady's friend, who was in similar pristine physical condition, joined him for some sunbathing But a source claimed the former quarterback 'danced with everyone' at the wedding - not just Sweeney but also model Brooks Nader, to whom he was briefly linked last year. Brady got an invite to the wedding because the former quarterback and Amazon billionaire Bezos are believed to have grown close over the past few years, having become neighbors at Indian Creek in Miami. Indian Creek Island is called 'Billionaire's Bunker' because of the high number of celebrities who reside there, including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Brady resides in his newly-completed mansion on the island, which is believed to be worth a staggering $150million following its lengthy construction. He bought the plot for $17m five years ago with ex-wife Gisele Bundchen with the intention of making it their forever home. However, the couple divorced in October 2022 before the property's completion. Meanwhile, Bezos set property values rocketing on the VIP enclave when he forked out $90m on his third home there last year. Brady did take time out of his vacation in Ibiza to post a touching birthday message to his mom, Galynn, who turned 79 on Friday. He wrote: 'This is one of the most important birthdays today! Happy Birthday, Mom. 'Thank you for being someone our family could always count on. Your strength and determination and love and selflessness knows no bounds. We are so lucky to have a mom that leads by example. 'Today we celebrate not just everything you've done, but for the incredible person you are. We love you so much, and we're beyond grateful for every moment we get to share with you. Happy Birthday! And happy birthday to America! Everyone have a great 4th of July'. Soon Brady will return to his day job as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports. The former Patriots and Buccaneers star is preparing for the second season of a 10-year, $375million deal. Brady is also a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and he recently explained his role with the team. I'm just a limited partner, so [owner] Mark [Davis] is the boss,' Brady said in an interview with Paul Gutierrez of the team's website. 'And then [head coach] Pete [Carroll] does his job and Spy [GM John Spytek] does his job and, I think, we trust them to make the right decisions. I'm there as a great sounding board for anything they want to do.'
