The Week In Travel

Domestic and international travel has been seriously affected in France amid widespread industrial and civil action against proposed pension reforms. UK airlines easyJet and Ryanair began the week with a warning to passengers that flights to and from French airports were likely to be affected by the strikes due to action by air traffic controllers. Eight Eurostar services were also cancelled, including six between London and Paris.

Finnish airport operator Finavia has registered a 105.3% surge in total revenues in 2022 as passenger volume increased. The company tempered claims that it was back to full strength with an assertion that revenues will continue to rise with the return of services to China in 2023.

In US news, online travel agency, Hopper, has revealed data from March showing that demand for flights from the US to Europe has soared recently, with 37% of searches being for transatlantic flights – a 9% increase on 2019.

Over in Asia, it has been revealed that ahead of the expected surge in demand for international travel from China, investors are taking a cautious approach and have been putting their money into airport operators, hotels, and duty-free operators, instead of airlines. It has been speculated that this is due to volatile fuel prices and a saturated Chinese airline market.

And finally, analysis of the world’s most visited monuments found that ten of the 20 most complained about are in the UK. Particular ire was directed to Blackpool Tower in Lancashire, which is ‘often closed due to high winds’ and judged a joyless experience by one visitor.