Informe semanal de noticias elaborado por la oficina de Turismo de Tenerife en Londres
Tourism industry
Travel Weekly 4th May 2020: Social distancing at airports will not work, Heathrow boss warns
Efforts to employ social distancing at airports will not work because each large aircraft would require a kilometre long queue just to board, the boss of Heathrow has warned. Link
Travel Weekly 4th May 2020: Travel expected to return to new version of ‘normal’ next year
More than half of older holidaymakers expect travel will return to a new version of ‘normal’ in 2021. Link
Travel Weekly 4th May 2020: GMB union calls for government action over airport safety
The GMB union has called on the government and public health bodies to provide detailed guidance on the safe operation of airports as part of the strategy for emerging from lockdown. Link
Travel Weekly 4th May 2020: Abta and Heathrow bosses to appear before Transport Select Committee
The government’s Transport Select Committee has summoned the chief executives of Abta and Heathrow airport to answer questions on how the coronavirus has impacted the aviation sector. Link
TTG 4th May 2020: Heathrow chief warnsof ‘Kilometre-long queues’ at airports
Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye has warned social distancing will create «kilometre-long queues» to board at airports. Link
TTG 4th May 2020: Sophie Griffiths: ‘Travel needs more than govt sentiment’
“We’ve got to get tourism going again,” Boris Johnson declared last week. Link
Travel Weekly 4th May 2020: Concerns raised over lack of insurance policies
More than 30 companies have taken travel insurance off sale, and a dozen more have changed their terms to say coronavirus isn’t covered, according to Silver Travel Advisor. Link
iNews 4th May 2020: Tenerife travel advice: Latest FCO coronavirus guidelines as UK lockdown continues
Despite there being no real idea of when lockdown measures might end in the UK, people are already thinking about the potential of summer travel. Link
Ittn 5th May 2020: Turning Around the Travel and Tourism Industry
The travel and tourism industry may be in the gutter right now, as I write this on Monday 4th May 2020, but I have no doubt that there are those who work in this wonderful industry who are looking at the stars. It is of great importance that a co-ordinated approach is implemented in order to, in the lyrics of Bob Marley’s song Exodus, to “get movement of jah people”. Link
Ittn 5th May 2020: ITAA Calls on Government to Implement Credit Notes
The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) is deeply concerned by the current Covid-19 crisis and the impact it is having on member travel agents and their customers, and is strongly urging the Government to implement credit notes for holidaymakers whose holidays have been cancelled due to the worldwide pandemic. Link
The Irish Times 5th May 2020: Holidays, flights, vouchers and refunds: Your questions answered
Will you get money back for holidays cancelled because of coronavirus? Should you accept a voucher? What if companies go bust? Link
NI Travel News 5th May 2020: Social Distancing Won’t Work at Airports
Heathrow Airport CEO John Holland-Kaye has said that a common international standard of airport safety measures is required within a month, however warns that social distancing at airport won’t work. Link
Travel Weekly 5th May 2020: Sandals enhances hygiene measures at resort
Sandals has introduced enhanced hygiene measures as it expects changing expectations from customers after the coronavirus pandemic. Link
iNews 5th May 2020: Coronavirus and travel: As Aer Lingus shows, social distancing is a thorny issue for the travel industry — but some sectors are rising to the challenge
A packed flight from Belfast to Heathrow has caused dismay, and UK hospitality warns of its future, but there are innovations too. Link
Travel Weekly 5th May 2020: Iata backs face masks on flights
Airline association Iata has called for all air passengers and crew to wear face masks but has condemned calls for social distancing on flights, warning it would result in 50% higher prices. Link
iNews 5th May 2020: Coronavirus and travel: As Aer Lingus shows, social distancing is a thorny issue for the travel industry — but some sectors are rising to the challenge
A packed flight from Belfast to Heathrow has caused dismay, and UK hospitality warns of its future, but there are innovations too. Link
Travel Weekly 6th May 2020: Package travel refunds: Regulators take relaxed approach
Consumer protection authorities won’t strictly enforce refund rules on the travel sector despite the government’s failure to clarify the status of Refund Credit Notes for cancelled holidays. Link
TTG 6th May 2020: Abta chief gives evidence to govt transport committee
Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer will appear before the government’s transport committee on Wednesday (6 May). Link
Travel Weekly 6th May 2020: Air travel ‘won’t resume’ if arrivals quarantined
Air travel will not resume if governments impose social distancing restrictions and quarantine arrivals, aviation industry leaders have warned. Link
TTG 6th May 2020: Tanzer: ‘There are three main ways to help agents through this crisis’
Abta chief Mark Tanzer has set out his vision for how the government can help travel agents weather the coronavirus crisis. Link
TTG 6th May 2020: ‘Govt must come out publicly and address the refunds crisis in travel’
After appearing before the government’s transport committee on Wednesday (6 May), Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer has called on ministers to publicly address the refunds crisis in travel. Link
Irish News 6th May 2020: Heathrow to begin temperature screening passengers
Heathrow has announced it will begin temperature screening of passengers. Link
Travel Weekly 7th May 2020: Comment: The path to recovery
This week marks our seventh in lockdown. Since the lockdown started, companies across the business travel sector and more widely have been focused on the actions necessary to deal with the immediate consequences of the pandemic. Link
TTG 7th May 2020: BTA: ‘Business travel has critical role in economic recovery’
The Business Travel Association (BTA) has unveiled a five-point plan to «reignite» the business travel sector, which it says has a «critical role to play» in the post-coronavirus economic recovery. Link
Travel Mole 7th May 2020: Kane Pirie disputes ABTA’s claims over credit refund notes
The Right To Refund has written to the chairman of the Transport Select Committee disputing claims made by ABTA’s chief executive to the committee yesterday. Link
Travel Mole 7th May 2020: BTA sets out five-step plan to restart business travel
The Business Travel Association has developed a five-step plan to get UK businesses travelling again and is calling for Government backing. Link
Travel Mole 7th May 2020: 10 destinations where Brits want to go post lockdown
Coronavirus may have halted the nation’s short-term travel plans, but it hasn’t stopped British holidaymakers dreaming of the destinations they’ll visit as soon as the lockdown is lifted. Link
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Airlines
Travel Weekly 4th May 2020: Aer Lingus to act on full flight concerns
A review is to be conducted by Aer Lingus after pictures emerged of an almost full flight with no apparent evidence of social distancing measures.
Travel Weekly 5th May 2020: Ryanair confirms April collapse in carryings
Ryanair ran just a fraction of flights last month as coronavirus forced the grounding of most services. Link
TTG 5th May 2020: Balpa: UK aviation sector risks falling into ‘death spiral’
Pilots union Balpa has said the UK’s aviation sector faces falling into a «death spiral» of retrenchment and job cuts. Link
TTG 5th May 2020: Ryanair’s april traffic shrinks to almost zero
Ryanair’s April passenger travel shrunk to just 40,000 carryings, offering the starkest illustration yet of the impact of the ongoing coronavirus crisis on aviation. Link
Travel Daily 6th May 2020: IATA dismisses “empty middle seat” as ‘ineffective’
IATA (International Air Transport Association) supports the wearing of face coverings for passengers and masks for crew while onboard aircraft as a critical part of a layered approach to biosecurity to be implemented temporarily when people return to travelling by air. Link
Express 6th May 2020: easyJet latest travel advice for holiday plans in July, August & September
EASYJET customers with holiday plans in the late summer months may be growing concerned as lockdown measures continue. What is the latest travel advice from easyJet? Link
Travel Weekly 6th May 2020: ‘Impossible to comply with law on refunds’ say airlines
Airlines are finding it “impossible to comply with the law” on refunds for cancelled flights, MPs were told today. Link
Travel Weekly 6th May 2020: ‘Airlines have to restructure or go bust’
Further redundancies in aviation are inevitable given the scale of the coronavirus crisis and uncertainty about when it will end. Link
Express 7th May 2020: British Airways: BA flights will make ‘meaningful return’ in July say airline bosses
BRITISH AIRWAYS’ owners IAG have announced plans that it is hoping to re-start flights in July if coronavirus lockdown measures are eased. Link
Travellers and travel agents
Travel Weekly 4th May 2020: Webcast: ‘Mature customers are eager to travel again’
Discussion between Silver Travel Advisor’s Debbie Marshall, Kirker Holidays’ Ted Wake and Saga’s Iain Powell join Lucy Huxley. Link
TTG 4th May 2020: Non-profit targets 10K holidays for key workers
A new non-profit is aiming to offer 10,000 holidays and attraction experiences to key workers and create a public donations fund to purchase breaks for those on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic. Link
Travel Weekly 5th May 2020: Deben Travel uses emergency funding to pay client refunds
A travel agent is using emergency government funding for his business to pay back refunds in order to pacify and retain clients in the long term. Link
Travel Weekly 6th May 2020: Poll finds 86% of Brits are willing to travel abroad despite presence of Covid-19
More than three quarters of Britons’ holiday budgets for the next 12 months will either remain unchanged or increase as 86 per cent are willing to travel abroad despite the presence of Covid-19, a poll of consumer has found. Link
Travel Weekly 6th May 2020: Comment: What will travel’s ‘new normal’ look like
The future of travel is always a hot topic of animated discussion. Link
Brexit
Express 4th May 2020: Macron humiliated as Brexit campaigner dismantles fisheries row: ‘Your bullying will fail’
EMMANUEL MACRON has threatened Britain that unless fishing access is agreed, there can be no further negotiations with the EU. Link
Express 4th May 2020: EU on brink: How bloc’s sales to UK have plummeted after Brexit
THE EUROPEAN UNION has been left red faced after Britons turned their back on the bloc with the latest trade figures revealing that the UK purchased around 11.4 percent less of Brussels’ products than last year. Link
BBC 5th May 2020: Brexit: Simon Coveney says trade talks progress not good
Progress «has not been good» in negotiations to reach a post-Brexit trade deal, the Tánaiste (Irish deputy PM) has said. Link
RTE 7th May 2020: Economies adapt as Covid-19 restrictions ease
Mr Hogan says the UK government has decided that Covid-19 is to be blamed for any fallout from Brexit. He also said he hopes we can see a step change in Brexit negotiations next week and can make quick progress. Link
Express 7th May 2020: EU infighting on Brexit: European Parliament hand VDL letter demanding seat at trade talks
EUROPEAN Parliament chief David Sassoli has demanded a seat at the negotiating table for the trade talks with Britain. Link
Express 7th May 2020: Barnier’s plot to squeeze billions out of UK exposed as EU demands Boris delay Brexit
A BREXITEER has condemned the EU’s attempts to delay the transition period, warning that the UK is at huge risk of being dragged into the European Union’s eurozone collapse if Downing Streets agrees to a Brexit extension. Link
Competitors
TTG 4th May 2020: Sri Lanka: ‘Despite the double blow, we’ll keep smiling
A year on from the fatal Easter Sunday attacks, Sri Lanka is now grappling with the impact of coronavirus, yet it still remains hopeful. Link
Travel Daily 5th May 2020: Cape Town Tourism sends tourists a love letter
Cape Town Tourism has launched a new campaign with the theme “We Are Worth Waiting For!” in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign emulates lovers in a long-distance relationship longing to be reunited. Link
Travel Weekly 5th May 2020: Palma hopes for return of business from August
Tourism chiefs in Palma are hopeful that some travel will resume by August this year – and hope that efforts to promote the Majorcan region as a year-round destination will result in more visitors in the autumn and winter seasons. Link
Travel Weekly 5th May 2020: Portugal to host new summit for global tourism leaders
Amid the worldwide crisis for the travel sector caused by the coronavirus pandemic, plans have been announced for a new industry leaders’ global summit. Link
TTG 6th May 2020: Sicily could partially subsidise holidays post-coronavirus
Sicily has set up a fund to subsidise holidays and encourage visitors to return following the coronavirus crisis. Link
Economy
CityAM 5th May 2020: More than 100,000 UK firms apply for ‘bounce back loans’ on first day
UK banks have reported huge demand for “bounce back loans” on the first day of the new coronavirus lending scheme yesterday, with more than 100,000 of Britain’s smallest businesses applying by this afternoon. Link
CityAM 7th May 2020: FTSE 100 rises despite Bank of England’s dire economic warning
The FTSE 100 rose today on hopes the UK lockdown will shortly ease despite a dire warning from the Bank of England on the impact of coronavirus on the UK economy. Link
BBC 7th May 2020: Bank of England warns of deepest recession on record
The Bank of England has warned that the coronavirus pandemic will push the UK economy towards its deepest recession on record. Link
Unemployment
The Irish Times 5th May 2020: Coronavirus payments unsustainable in long term, warns Doherty
Almost 600,000 people are now receiving the special Covid-19 unemployment payment. Link
BBC 6th May 2020: Coronavirus: One million under-25s face unemployment, study warns
Youth unemployment in the UK could rise by 640,000 this year – taking the total above one million, a report from the Resolution Foundation think tank found. Link
Your Money 6th May 2020: Coronavirus crisis could drive youth unemployment to one million this year
An extra 600,000 young adults could be pushed into unemployment this year as a result of the coronavirus crisis, a think tank has warned. Link
The Guardian 7th May 2020: UK unemployment to double and economy to shrink by 14%, warns Bank of England
The Bank of England has warned the British economy could shrink by 14% this year and unemployment more than double by spring as the coronavirus causes the deepest recession in modern history. Link
The Telegraph 7th May 2020: Bank of England predicts record crash and soaring unemployment
The economy will sink by as much 25pc in the three months to June, the Bank of England has warned, before recovering «relatively rapidly» in summer and into the autumn as social distancing measures are eased. Link