The Week In Travel

It has been a troubling week for British Airways, as the airline revealed that it is among the companies affected by a major cybersecurity breach at a UK-based payroll management company. Zellis, the firm to which British Airways subcontracts the management of its payroll, has been targeted by a cyberattack exploiting a previously unknown vulnerability in a third-party file transfer system. As a result of the attack, it is believed that personal data belonging to all the airline’s staff that are paid in the UK has been compromised, including bank account details, national security numbers, home addresses and dates of birth. Irish airline, Aer Lingus, was also a victim of the breach.

Staying in the UK, Virgin Atlantic is set to launch its first-ever route to South America, after announcing plans to introduce flights connecting London Heathrow to São Paulo, Brazil. The new service, scheduled to commence in 2024, has been created to tap into growing demand for travel to the region.

In sustainability news, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCO) have joined forces to provide airlines with comprehensive emissions data. The data covers fuel-burn data from 74 aircraft types representing around 98% of the active global passenger fleet, and will be made available to airlines later in the year.

Linking Europe to Asia, Turkish Airlines has formed a codeshare agreement with Vietnam Airlines and Icelandair which will expand the carriers’ connectivity and network options. The agreement, which will give Icelandair’s North American and Icelandic passengers access to Southeast Asia, and Vietnam Airlines’ passengers access to Iceland and Canada, was signed at the IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit in Istanbul.

And finally, a rather ambitious night on the town saw three sisters board a return flight from Leeds to Dublin to go clubbing before heading home without any sleep. Taking advantage of the £25 return flight bargain, the trio left Leeds Bradford Airport at 1.25pm dressed for the evening and flew back home at 6am the next morning. With nothing spent on accommodation, the women claimed they were able to spend £150 each on drinks, so it must have been a relief when they were deemed sober enough to board the plane.