EU

Spain and Italy restore air and sea ID checks until early September

Anyone flying or sailing between Spain and Italy should expect to present a passport or national ID at least through early September.

Scammers demand $500 after a British Airways helpline mix-up

A British Airways passenger who mistyped a helpline number faced a $500 demand after scammers impersonated him and rebooked the ticket for free.

WestJet Reaches Tentative Deal With Flight Attendants, Operations Resume

WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have reached a tentative agreement, ending the flight attendant strike. Operations are gradually resuming, though full recovery is expected to take several days

Cathay Pacific Cancels Sunday Flights Due to Typhoon Noul, Waives Change Fees

Cathay Pacific is canceling all Sunday departures from Hong Kong (July 26) due to Typhoon Noul, waiving rebooking and refund fees, and advising passengers to check their status

Emirates Unveils U-Dream Headrest for Economy Class, Rollout Begins Now

Emirates has unveiled the U-Dream headrest, a multi-way adjustable leather headrest for Economy Class, currently available on three A350s and rolling out fleet-wide by end of 2026

EU Delays ETIAS Launch to 2027 Amid EES Technical Glitches

The EU has pushed the launch of its ETIAS travel authorization system from the fourth quarter of 2026 to 2027, citing technical issues with the parallel EES biometric entry system

EU Leaders Call Urgent Meeting With Airlines as EES Rollout Causes Airport Chaos

EU leaders are holding an urgent meeting with airlines after the rocky rollout of the Entry and Exit System (EES) caused massive airport backups and delays across Europe

Thailand Proposes Cutting Visa-Free Stay to 30 Days and Limiting Annual Entries to 2

The Thai cabinet has proposed reducing the visa-free entry period from 60 to 30 days for most nationalities and limiting visa-free entries to two per calendar year. Changes await Royal Gazette publication

Rome Airports May Suspend EU Entry/Exit System (EES) During Summer Peak

EU Plans to Strengthen Passenger Rights and Compensation Rules

EU leaders agreed to updates to EU261 requiring airlines to proactively notify passengers of compensation eligibility within four days and pay claims within 30 days

EU Agrees to Updates on Air Passenger Rights Legislation EC 261/2004, Set for Late 2027

EU ambassadors have agreed on final updates to EC 261/2004, requiring airlines to display cabin baggage in fares, prohibit family seating fees, and send clear compensation instructions. The changes go live in late 2027

Finnair's 2-Month EC 261 Claim Deadline Ruled Lawful in Finland

Finland's Market Court ruled that Finnair's requirement to file EC 261 compensation claims within two months is not unlawful, as EU regulation leaves deadlines to national law. This aggressive window applies only to Finnish passengers

EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) Fully Implemented; ETIAS Expected Late 2026

The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully active as of April 10, 2026, requiring biometric data collection and eliminating passport stamps for non-EU travelers. ETIAS authorization is expected to launch later in 2026

Finnair Changes Gift Voucher Compensation Policy Amid EC 261 Refund Delays

Finnair has agreed to stop using gift vouchers as primary compensation without passenger consent and faces court action for delaying refunds beyond the EU's 7-day requirement