Odds n Sods
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From: Darkest Lincs
KLM obviously manage the financial bottom line on linking UK regional airports....even with a long connection at AMS, which is not a bad airport to be in that long since there is plenty to see and do whilst there, including going into the city or going up onto the balcony to watch the comings and goings (plus go have a climb aboard the Fokker on the roof there). KLM put UK airlines to shame, frankly, they are making an effort to connect UK regional airports and it must be paying them to do so cos they keep adding new UK airports and multiplying their flights.
Loganair and easyJet are the only UK airlines putting in the effort but they are still a very long way off the committment being shown by KLM for the UK airports.
Loganair and easyJet are the only UK airlines putting in the effort but they are still a very long way off the committment being shown by KLM for the UK airports.
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From: Budapest
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From: Near SOU
TV series "Border Force New Zealand".....the mind boggles at the antics of some aircraft pax...
A woman flew to Auckland from an airport somewhere in the US for a holiday......with her cat
When challenged by airport authorities about her cat (called Petra) she stated that she assumed that flying internationally was the same as a domestic US flight and that her beloved Petra would be fine to travel with her in a pet carrier within the cabin of the aircraft. She admitted to making zero enquiries about the legality of taking Petra on holiday with her to another country, she just thought it would be fine. The woman was in her early 50's maybe, apparently well travelled and had always gone everywhere with Petra.
Needless to say the New Zealand authorities at Auckland airport were none too pleased......they were pretty baffled too as to why the woman assumed an international flight would be the same as a domestic one. New Zealand immigration refused her entry into the country and sent her home on the first available flight. Petra did not survive the trip, she was euthanised as the US authorities refused to allow her back into the country.
What baffles me more is how the heck did she manage to board the aircraft in the US carrying a cat.....checking in she would have had to deal with all of her baggae. How did she manage to do it?
A woman flew to Auckland from an airport somewhere in the US for a holiday......with her cat
When challenged by airport authorities about her cat (called Petra) she stated that she assumed that flying internationally was the same as a domestic US flight and that her beloved Petra would be fine to travel with her in a pet carrier within the cabin of the aircraft. She admitted to making zero enquiries about the legality of taking Petra on holiday with her to another country, she just thought it would be fine. The woman was in her early 50's maybe, apparently well travelled and had always gone everywhere with Petra.
Needless to say the New Zealand authorities at Auckland airport were none too pleased......they were pretty baffled too as to why the woman assumed an international flight would be the same as a domestic one. New Zealand immigration refused her entry into the country and sent her home on the first available flight. Petra did not survive the trip, she was euthanised as the US authorities refused to allow her back into the country.
What baffles me more is how the heck did she manage to board the aircraft in the US carrying a cat.....checking in she would have had to deal with all of her baggae. How did she manage to do it?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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From: Too close to Croydon for comfort
Joined: Feb 2026
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From: Australia
TV series "Border Force New Zealand".....the mind boggles at the antics of some aircraft pax...
A woman flew to Auckland from an airport somewhere in the US for a holiday......with her cat
When challenged by airport authorities about her cat (called Petra) she stated that she assumed that flying internationally was the same as a domestic US flight and that her beloved Petra would be fine to travel with her in a pet carrier within the cabin of the aircraft. She admitted to making zero enquiries about the legality of taking Petra on holiday with her to another country, she just thought it would be fine. The woman was in her early 50's maybe, apparently well travelled and had always gone everywhere with Petra.
Needless to say the New Zealand authorities at Auckland airport were none too pleased......they were pretty baffled too as to why the woman assumed an international flight would be the same as a domestic one. New Zealand immigration refused her entry into the country and sent her home on the first available flight. Petra did not survive the trip, she was euthanised as the US authorities refused to allow her back into the country.
What baffles me more is how the heck did she manage to board the aircraft in the US carrying a cat.....checking in she would have had to deal with all of her baggae. How did she manage to do it?
A woman flew to Auckland from an airport somewhere in the US for a holiday......with her cat
When challenged by airport authorities about her cat (called Petra) she stated that she assumed that flying internationally was the same as a domestic US flight and that her beloved Petra would be fine to travel with her in a pet carrier within the cabin of the aircraft. She admitted to making zero enquiries about the legality of taking Petra on holiday with her to another country, she just thought it would be fine. The woman was in her early 50's maybe, apparently well travelled and had always gone everywhere with Petra.
Needless to say the New Zealand authorities at Auckland airport were none too pleased......they were pretty baffled too as to why the woman assumed an international flight would be the same as a domestic one. New Zealand immigration refused her entry into the country and sent her home on the first available flight. Petra did not survive the trip, she was euthanised as the US authorities refused to allow her back into the country.
What baffles me more is how the heck did she manage to board the aircraft in the US carrying a cat.....checking in she would have had to deal with all of her baggae. How did she manage to do it?
I'm curious why the US refused to allow Petra back into the country. Did they deem her to be a biosecurity risk after going on a plane?
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From: Northampton, England
I agree with you completely
However, KLM Cityhopper are actually linking UK airports with each other via AMS....so if, for example you wanted to go from Humberside to Southampton or Cardiff to Humberside you can do so with Cityhopper via Amsterdam, no UK airline links those airports together on regular services. Is it not odd that a European flag carrier can do flights that no UK carrier (flag or standard) can't do?
However, KLM Cityhopper are actually linking UK airports with each other via AMS....so if, for example you wanted to go from Humberside to Southampton or Cardiff to Humberside you can do so with Cityhopper via Amsterdam, no UK airline links those airports together on regular services. Is it not odd that a European flag carrier can do flights that no UK carrier (flag or standard) can't do?
Air Anglia merged with other carriers to become Air UK which was eventually bought out by KLM to become KLM UK
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From: Ferrara
"What baffles me more is how the heck did she manage to board the aircraft in the US carrying a cat..."
You assume that the checkin agent knew ANYTHING about the world outside the USA - that's sometimes not the way to bet IMHO
You assume that the checkin agent knew ANYTHING about the world outside the USA - that's sometimes not the way to bet IMHO
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From: Near SOU
Poor cat paid the ultimate price, she got euthanised.....dozy owner had owned Petra for 7 years and she had gone everywhere with the owner so goodness knows how many other flights it went on in that time.
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From: Ferrara
probably thought she had permission - there have been some serious issues with US pax and their pets, guide dogs, emotional support rhinos and the like.
goes all over social media and the staff are often abused and hung out to dry
Easier to turn a blind eye knowing that Oz/NZ/Chile will be all over them on arrival
goes all over social media and the staff are often abused and hung out to dry
Easier to turn a blind eye knowing that Oz/NZ/Chile will be all over them on arrival
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From: UK and Italy
Being used to the everything-goes pre-Brexit phytosecurity regime, I found the tv series about entering Australia as I intend to do in the spring quite instructive, i.e., if you don't finish your lunch on the plane you can't take it with you to finish later and you can't save the chocolates to give to your kids (they like chocolate, I don't). Nothing made of wood, either. I guess in Europe because we are so interconnected that we just accept that diseases like Xylella fastidiosa are going to spread across the continent and destroy olive crops, in Aus they are determined not to let it in.
PPRuNe Handmaiden
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From: Duit On Mon Dei
Having just returned to Australia after an extended stay in the Uk (25 years), there are a lot of hoops to jump through re biosecurity.
If you're going in as a tourist, it's easy. To play it safe, don't take any food across the border. There are a lot of bins around so it's easy to dispose that apple etc. Commercially sealed products "may" be ok, to be safe, just declare it and let them decide. It's really easy and quick.
Dirt from farms/fields on your shoes will attract attention as well, I just declared it. Easy. They treat the shoes on the spot.
You can bring in chocolate, it just must be a commercial product, for personal use and still sealed and less than 10kg.
However, if it's from the flight, you can't bring it in.
This ABF is a good reference for any traveller.
If you're going in as a tourist, it's easy. To play it safe, don't take any food across the border. There are a lot of bins around so it's easy to dispose that apple etc. Commercially sealed products "may" be ok, to be safe, just declare it and let them decide. It's really easy and quick.
Dirt from farms/fields on your shoes will attract attention as well, I just declared it. Easy. They treat the shoes on the spot.
You can bring in chocolate, it just must be a commercial product, for personal use and still sealed and less than 10kg.
However, if it's from the flight, you can't bring it in. This ABF is a good reference for any traveller.
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From: Ferrara
" you can't save the chocolates to give to your kids (they like chocolate, I don't)"
We've never had any issue with chocolate going into Australai or New Zealand but we ALWAYS declare it - as long as it's wrapped they don't seem to have many worries but they like to be asked. And the sniffer dogs will find it every time
Last time we went through NZ we'd been walking in the bush in the Paciifc. We'd scrubbed the shoes but kept them in a seperate plastic bag which we showed to bio-security at Aukland - they did a careful check and waved us through with some nice words. They're realy looking for the idiots who never think about it.
As Redsnail says it can add quite a bit to your time in the airport - at ADL the e-immigration desks take about 10 minutes - the line for bio security is often 45+ minutes
We've never had any issue with chocolate going into Australai or New Zealand but we ALWAYS declare it - as long as it's wrapped they don't seem to have many worries but they like to be asked. And the sniffer dogs will find it every time
Last time we went through NZ we'd been walking in the bush in the Paciifc. We'd scrubbed the shoes but kept them in a seperate plastic bag which we showed to bio-security at Aukland - they did a careful check and waved us through with some nice words. They're realy looking for the idiots who never think about it.
As Redsnail says it can add quite a bit to your time in the airport - at ADL the e-immigration desks take about 10 minutes - the line for bio security is often 45+ minutes
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From: Near SOU
Are the various rumours correct that WestJet and Air Transat have dropped almost every route to/from the US indefinitely due to the trade impasse and Canadian boycott of all things US?
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From: Near SOU
P&O Cruises have announced their airline partners for their Caribbean cruises from October 2026 thru March 2027
https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruis...ibbean-season/
Between October 2026 and March 2027, Norse Atlantic will operate Saturday flights from Manchester and London Gatwick to Antigua on selected departure dates, according to the company.
Norse Atlantic will also offer flights to Barbados from London Gatwick, Manchester and regional flights from Cardiff, Glasgow and Newcastle on selected departure dates.
TUI Airways will operate Friday and Saturday flights to Barbados from London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester.
TUI Airways will also offer regional flights from Belfast, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow and Newcastle on selected departure dates.
Both TUI Airways and Norse Atlantic operate Boeing 787 Dreamliners with economy and premium economy cabins.
Virgin Atlantic will operate an Airbus A330 whole plane charter in a three-class configuration from Manchester every 14 days for Arvia’s guests joining in Barbados on a Friday.
All guests flying on the three airlines will receive a choice of economy or premium economy, plus upper class with Virgin Atlantic.
Norse Atlantic will also offer flights to Barbados from London Gatwick, Manchester and regional flights from Cardiff, Glasgow and Newcastle on selected departure dates.
TUI Airways will operate Friday and Saturday flights to Barbados from London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester.
TUI Airways will also offer regional flights from Belfast, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow and Newcastle on selected departure dates.
Both TUI Airways and Norse Atlantic operate Boeing 787 Dreamliners with economy and premium economy cabins.
Virgin Atlantic will operate an Airbus A330 whole plane charter in a three-class configuration from Manchester every 14 days for Arvia’s guests joining in Barbados on a Friday.
All guests flying on the three airlines will receive a choice of economy or premium economy, plus upper class with Virgin Atlantic.
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Son of Slot
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From: London
BonnieLass
I am pretty sure that I have seen that reported elsewhere. USA companies that rely on international tourists are not enthusiastic about their lot.
Are the various rumours correct that WestJet and Air Transat have dropped almost every route to/from the US indefinitely due to the trade impasse and Canadian boycott of all things US?
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From: Near SOU
Canadian airlines are dropping US routes left, right and center, so if the US airlines are experiencing issues it is hardly surprising, Florida is being hit hard by the lack of Canadian snowbirds which makes up the numbers and income in the leaner months of the year. The football later this year is going to be impacted heavily with the various travel bans and high cost of tickets for the US based games, however, those games taking place in Mexico and Canada seem to be very popular. The US adminitration seems to have shot itself in both feet over what should be one of the greatest sporting festival events in the calendar.
Paxing All Over The World
Joined: May 2001
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From: Hertfordshire, UK.
Guardian today
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is suspending the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs as a partial government shutdown continues.The programs are designed to help speed registered travelers through security lines. Suspending them could cause headaches for passengers.
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From: Near SOU
I know it is the wrong place, I cannot access the right one....
Having seen the images from the tragedy at LGA, I wanted to pass on my very sincere condolences to the families of both flightcrew and hopes that all those who were hurt by what happened recover fully from their injuries and that all involved receive the care and support that they need.
I hope that the controller involved is getting enough help and support too as he will be devastated by what happened on his watch.
I also hope that this tragedy will not be made political and that would be wrong. Incursions happen every day, mostly and thankfully without harm being done. The main thing to be doing is to not allow it to happen again, that is not a political situation or decision, it is a basic safety matter.
RIP to the two pilots, strength to their families at this tragic and difficult time in their lives.
Having seen the images from the tragedy at LGA, I wanted to pass on my very sincere condolences to the families of both flightcrew and hopes that all those who were hurt by what happened recover fully from their injuries and that all involved receive the care and support that they need.
I hope that the controller involved is getting enough help and support too as he will be devastated by what happened on his watch.
I also hope that this tragedy will not be made political and that would be wrong. Incursions happen every day, mostly and thankfully without harm being done. The main thing to be doing is to not allow it to happen again, that is not a political situation or decision, it is a basic safety matter.
RIP to the two pilots, strength to their families at this tragic and difficult time in their lives.