Latest news with #travelchaos
The Independent
16 hours ago
- The Independent
Travel chaos at London Euston continues into second day after train derailment
Travel chaos has continued into its second day at London's Euston station, as passengers wake up to further cancellations and delays. National Rail has told customers there will be major disruption to routes, including to Birmingham and Manchester, on Friday after a train derailed in the Milton Keynes Central area on Thursday. At least 19 trains have been cancelled from Euston to Birmingham New Street until 3.30pm on Friday, with several more experiencing delays. Nine trains bound for Manchester Piccadilly have also already been cancelled throughout the day. National Rail said: 'A train derailed in the Milton Keynes Central area yesterday, closing some lines and continuing to disrupt services today. Trains between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised. 'Major disruption is expected to continue throughout the day.' London Northwestern Rail said the "low speed" derailment happened in Bletchley near Milton Keynes on Thursday. The railway operator said there were no passengers on the train and no injuries had been reported. Milton Keynes is on the West Coast mainline, connecting London to the Midlands and North of England and Scotland. London Northwestern Railway and Avanti West Coast operate the trains on this line. Routes affected include Avanti West Coast services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Manchester Piccadilly, Chester, Wrexham General, Crewe, Holyhead, Liverpool Lime Street, Preston, Blackpool North, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh. London Northwestern Railway services between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Birmingham New Street and Crewe are also affected. Avanti West Coast said people may instead use their ticket on the following services: London Northwestern Railway services between Rugby and Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street (via Nuneaton) in both directions. Rugby and Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street (via Birmingham New Street) in both directions Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent in both directions. If your train is cancelled, your ticket is valid on one of the two Avanti West Coast services immediately before your booked train, or one of the two immediately after. London Northwestern Railway said its customers can instead use their tickets on the following routes:
Independent Singapore
18 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Singapore-bound travellers stranded as Middle East airspace closures ripple through Doha and Dubai
SINGAPORE: Thousands of travellers, including many headed to or returning from Singapore remain stranded at major Middle Eastern transit hubs — flight delays and cancellations continue to plague Doha's Hamad International Airport and Dubai International Airport, two of the busiest in the world. The disruption follows a sudden closure of airspace by Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, in response to rising regional tensions after Iran's missile strike on a US military base in Doha earlier this week. Long waits, little clarity At Hamad International , Singapore-bound travellers described long queues and scant updates on alternative arrangements. Some reported not being provided any accommodation , adding to frustrations amid the chaos. Meanwhile, Dubai International Airport — which handled over 92 million passengers in 2024 — saw a backlog of delays even after briefly resuming operations. According to FlightRadar24, more than 145 flights were cancelled and over 450 were delayed on Tuesday alone, Reuters reported. Ripple effects of a tense region The closures of airspace by Gulf countries, announced late Monday, have thrown air traffic into disarray. These air corridors are vital for routes between Europe and Asia, making hubs like Dubai and Doha especially vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions. See also YouTuber helps stop attack on Singaporean student in London Qatar Airways has said it is working to restore its flight schedules but cautioned that 'delays and diversions may continue through Thursday'. Dubai authorities similarly warned of ongoing disruptions despite the resumption of most services. Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue a specific advisory on transits through Doha or Dubai, but officials are closely monitoring the situation. MFA urges caution amid conflict In a statement at Changi Airport, Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim urged Singaporeans to postpone non-essential travel to Middle Eastern areas affected by the escalating conflict. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised citizens to stay updated on official travel advisories and register with the MFA's eRegister system when travelling to high-risk regions. As of Wednesday night, Singapore-bound flights from both Doha and Dubai remained subject to change. Travellers are advised to check with their airlines before heading to the airport and to factor in additional travel time if planning layovers in affected cities. See also Xenophobic anger rears its ugly head at ATM machine in Singapore While regional governments and airport operators scramble to decongest terminals and resume schedules, the incident has once again highlighted the vulnerabilities of global aviation to geopolitical flashpoints.
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
Australians return home after flights cancelled, delayed amid Israel-Iran war
The first thing Polly Robertson did after an arduous two-day journey home to Australia from the Middle East was to hug her two kelpies. The South Australian, who had been in Finland for a conference, waited 26 hours at Doha's Hamad International Airport when her flight was cancelled on Tuesday, Australian time. The Qatari airspace was closed temporarily after Iran fired missiles at a US military facility about 50 kilometres from the airport. Ms Robertson was among thousands of Australians returning home amid tensions in the Middle East. A group of 118 Australians and their immediate family members flew out of Tel Aviv on an Australian Defence Force-supported flight before a group of them touched down in Sydney overnight. A second repatriation flight with about 29 Australians and their family members onboard was due to leave Tel Aviv on Thursday. About 4,000 Australians have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for help to leave Israel and Iran. Ms Robertson said thousands of passengers were in long queues to reschedule their cancelled flights and some were issued boarding passes multiple times after flight changes. "It was just absolutely shambles," she said. "There were people on our plane who only got issued their boarding pass an hour before boarding and there were other people who had been in line for 13 hours." Ms Robertson said frustrations grew with confusing communications at the airport: at different times, she received text messages asking her to collect a boarding pass or to rebook her flight on the airline's website. She said she was "lucky" to be able to buy a lounge pass but others did not get water and blankets until 18 hours after flights were grounded. "Very good to be home, very surreal, but I know that there's a lot of people who aren't home yet," she said. "I'd hate to think how many people are still stuck over there, how many people didn't get through the line in time to get a boarding pass." In a statement, Qatar Airways Group chief executive officer Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said airport staff were "caught in the middle of one of the most severe and complex operational challenges in modern aviation history". He said more than 150 flights were disrupted, including 20,000 passengers on 90 Qatar Airways flights that were forced to divert to other countries. As of 6pm Wednesday, local time, he confirmed no passengers were left stranded. Thousands of people, including Australians, have been trying to leave Israel since the Israel Defense Forces began its campaign against Iran more than two weeks ago. Australian lawyer Leon Zwier, who was in Israel for a conference, told AAP the dashes to bomb shelters became a nightly reality in Israel. "Last night, for the first time, we had a night without missiles being fired across our city or into the civilian population," Mr Zwier said from a departure gate at Ben Gurion Airport south of Tel Aviv. "It was restful, we all relaxed and that was a common theme with everyone we spoke to." Reporting with AAP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Glasgow tourists stranded as two major airports face 'near-total shutdown'
Glasgow holidaymakers have been left stranded after a nationwide strike in Belgium triggered a near-total shutdown at two major airports. Both Brussels and Charleroi airports were forced to suspend all outbound flights today, June 25, due to industrial action led by airport security staff protesting against government budget cuts and staff shortages. Estimates suggest the strike has grounded between 50 and 70 UK-bound flights, leaving between 9000 and 12,600 Brits stranded. READ MORE: Check out these 13 iconic Scottish words just added to the dictionary Glasgow Airport typically operates five to seven daily services—via codeshares or direct flights—to Brussels and Charleroi, all of which have been affected by the walkout. Experts at AirAdvisor have warned that the scale of disruption is significantly larger than usual, coinciding with peak summer travel planning and causing widespread difficulties for passengers. There are growing concerns about further disruption, with the possibility of more strikes throughout the peak summer months of July and August. Trade unions have indicated they may call further action every four to six weeks if their demands remain unmet, which could see an impact on 10% to 15% of summer bookings to Belgium. READ MORE: Oasis announce release of more tickets for reunion tour - Here's how to get yours The ripple effect of grounded flights may extend across the region, with potential knock-on delays at major neighbouring airports including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Frankfurt. Experts have warned that delays are expected and advised that if passengers face delays of more than five hours, travellers are entitled to either a replacement flight or a full refund at no extra cost. Airlines have already cancelled numerous services and are struggling to secure alternative flights for affected passengers. Cancelled flight passengers should be offered the choice of rebooking or a refund if they opt not to travel. The strike has also led to baggage handling delays due to a shortage of staff. The extensive disruption means missed connections are likely throughout the region. READ MORE: Oasis gives fans sneak peak at merch pop-up shops ahead of huge tour AirAdvisor has issued advice for Glasgow passengers impacted by the strike: Check flight status regularly via your airline's website or app. Utilise flexible booking options under airline change policies or travel insurance, which may cover losses between £150 and £1,200. Consider rerouting via alternative hubs such as Amsterdam (KLM) or Paris (Air France), though this may extend travel time by two to four hours. Keep all receipts for expenses and avoid booking tight layovers in affected regions. Check FCDO travel advice for updates on Belgium and monitor airline apps for real-time notifications. Contact customer service directly for rebooking, as other communication channels may face 24-hour response delays. Finally, AirAdvisor recommends that those planning trips to Belgium consider postponing travel until mid-July, when strike activity may subside.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Thousands of Eurostar passengers facing cancellations and severe delays following cable theft
Thousands of Eurostar passengers are facing travel chaos over train cancellations and delays for the second day in a row. Cancellations began last night with no services running between London St Pancras and Gare du Nord in Paris, after two people were struck by trains near Lille. And now, a cable theft on the high-speed line (LGV Nord) near Lille this morning, has meant that all Eurostar services between London and Brussels/Paris are experiencing disruption, leading to extended journey times. Eurostar has said: 'SNCF Réseau teams are working hard to restore the damaged infrastructure, with one track already reopened. This allows trains to run in both directions until full repairs are completed, expected by around 3pm/4pm CET. 'Customers have been contacted directly with updates and available options, and Eurostar is advising those due to travel today to postpone their journey with free exchanges and refunds available. 'We're very sorry for the continued disruption and the impact this is having on our customers. Our teams are working hard to support customers in the stations.' Cancellations began last night with no services running between London St Pancras and Gare du Nord in Paris Scores of passengers were stranded for more than seven hours with one furious customer accusing the service of 'abandoning passengers at midnight', while another said nearly a thousand people were stuck in Gare du Nord last night with no offers to stay in a hotel. Rebooked trains were again cancelled this morning with several other services delayed today due to 600metres of copper cables being stolen overnight near Lille. Around 15 workers, including cable layers, were dispatched to solve the issue, but repairs were expected to take a good part of the day, French railway operator SNCF said. Eurostar have said this made available services on the London–Brussels–Amsterdam route much longer thanks to having to take alternative routes. The Eurostar website showed that six trips between London and Paris - three in each direction - were cancelled on Wednesday, while other trains were still expected to run. Local police did not immediately provide more details on the cable theft. Some weary holidaymakers have spent hundreds trying to re-book trains while others had to sleep in the station, accusing the train line of 'horrific' customer service. Dominic Read said he had been delayed for seven hours with his new reservation for this morning cancelled, while Joe Mac wrote on X: '€300 isn't remotely close to what hotels were costing last night in the area once the trains were cancelled. 'If you were quick they started at €800 and very quickly went well over €1,000 once all the trains were cancelled and the other trains were heading back to Gare du Nord.' Lana Zovko wrote that she was told she could sleep in an 'empty train because the train station is closing'. Tonia Kats said: 'I've been trying to get to Paris since yesterday, have now brought three £375 tickets in an attempt to get there - two of the three trains were cancelled! 'The customer service and care is horrific! I am expecting refund and compensation plus my lost accommodation in Paris last night.' However, another passenger shared what appeared to be an image of a message from Eurostar that said they were not eligible for a refund even though their train was cancelled twice. 'What am I supposed to do now?' they asked. Eurostar have confirmed that all customers with cancelled services are entitled to a full refund. Rebecca del Tufo said: 'Utterly appalling service from Eurostar abandoning passengers at midnight in Paris with nowhere to stay. Shocking.' Naomi Sanger told KentOnline that she boarded the 4.31pm at Gare Du Nord yesterday but was left stranded at the station after the train did not depart. She claimed that the air con was not working and they were running out of food and drinks. SNCF said around 10 high-speed train trips between Lille and the French capital had also been cancelled. At the train station in Lille, 51-year-old Belgian holidaymaker Marie-Line Ponville was deeply disappointed. She and her daughter had been planning to board a ship in Marseille for a week-long cruise around the Mediterranean but look likely to miss the boat's departure. 'We can't even stay here as we packed our bags for somewhere sunny. I think we will just cancel and go home,' she said. Eurostar said yesterday: 'We are deeply sorry to confirm that there were two separate fatalities on the LGV Nord high-speed line between Lille and Paris yesterday. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives. 'The line was closed for much of the afternoon and evening, resulting in significant disruption to Eurostar services, including cancellations on routes to and from Paris. 'Trains on the London–Brussels–Amsterdam route continued to run with delays. Disruption is continuing today due to the knock-on impact of displaced trains and crew. 'This morning, services have been further affected by an incident of cable theft on the same line near Lille. Trains are being re-routed via diversionary routes, which is leading to extended journey times. 'We're very sorry for the continued disruption and the impact this is having on our customers. Our teams are working closely with the French authorities and infrastructure teams to manage the situation and restore services safely. 'Customers have been contacted directly with updates and available options. 'Water is being distributed onboard delayed trains, and station teams remain on hand to offer assistance. Affected customers can change their travel plans free of charge or request a full refund.'
