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JET2.COM and Jet2holidays have expanded their programmes to Tenerife and Majorca from Belfast for Summer 2023. The tour operator and leisure airline to the Canaries and Balearics have added extra services to Tenerife and Majorca between March and May. This comes in response to strong demand from customers looking to enjoy flights and ATOL


protected package holidays to the two hotspots in the early summer season and over the Easter holidays. With more flights and holidays on


sale between March and May from Belfast International,


and independent travel agents have unrivalled choice and flexibility when it comes to reaching both destinations in the early Summer season.


Covid-19 Concerns Remain Prevalent for Air Passengers


CONCERNS about Covid-19, budget constraints and fears about flight disruption are the most common barriers to travel, according to research by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The regulator’s annual UK


Aviation Consumer Survey, conducted in October 2022, found that Covid-19 concerns remains one of the most prevalent barriers to flying. Some 32 per cent of those who haven’t flown in at least the last 12 months (between October 2021 and October 2022). Despite


the proportion of


consumers citing concern about COVID-19 falling markedly some 32 per cent of those who hadn’t flown in at least the last 12 months cited this as a reason and it is still a concern among a significant proportion of those aged 55 and over (38 per cent). The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s survey found that nearly one-third (29 per cent) of consumers who have not flown recently, cited the cost of travel in light of budget constraints as a barrier to flying. Budget constraints were a bigger


barrier to flying among younger people (36 per cent) compared to those aged 55 and over (20 per cent). Those aged 18 to 34-years- old are also significantly more likely to use ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ schemes to spread the cost of their holidays. The survey also found that just 1


in 5 (20 per cent) of those who have been impacted by the rising cost of living say they will not make any changes to their flight behaviour, while around two in five UK adults are either planning to reduce the amount they fly (24 per cent) or not to fly at all over the next 12 months (19 per cent). Concern about flight disruption


and cancellations was the third biggest common barrier to flying (15 per cent), with the proportion of those who flew experiencing some form of disruption increasing to nearly two-thirds (61 per cent), the highest proportion since the regulator began tracking in 2016. Crowding at an airport (23 per


cent) and flight delays (22 per cent) are the most prevalent forms of disruption faced by consumers, while COVID-related issues declined. Those who experienced travel issues or disruption were also significantly less likely to be


satisfied with the overall travel experience than those who did not (73 per cent vs. 89 per cent). The UK Aviation Consumer Survey also found overall satisfaction slightly declined (from 82 per cent to 80 per cent), but the proportion of consumers saying they are ‘very satisfied’ with the overall travel experience fell considerably (from 39 per cent in October 2021 to 29 per cent in October 2022). Paul


Consumer Director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority,


“Concerns about Covid-19 remained


a big issue, with our research telling us that some consumers had a continued fear about the pandemic itself, although there was a strong recovery


in the number of passengers travelling in 2022.


“While it is welcome to see passenger numbers continue to steadily rise, we saw the challenges the aviation sector faced in the summer of 2022. The disruption experienced unsurprisingly put some people off flying due to fears of flights being disrupted or cancelled, with satisfaction levels also reducing.”


said:


Vietnam Welcomed Over 3.6 Million Inbound Tourists in 2022


2022 was the year that saw the much anticipated return of inbound travel to Vietnam, as the country welcomed over 3.6 million tourists. Building on the success of last year, 2023 is projected to be an exciting year, as Vietnam is expecting to see this number boost to approximately 8 million inbound tourists.


With an incredible year-round climate, Smith, an


abundance of vibrant cities, and stunning coastline, it’s no surprise that the number of tourists choosing to visit Vietnam is growing year upon year. In 2022, the United Kingdom was Vietnam’s top European market, with a total of 93,794 British visitors.


customers


www.nitravelnews.com Jet2 Expand Capacity on Two Belfast Routes as Part of Summer 2023 Programme


Which? Calls


February 2023


for Civil Aviation Authority to Be Given Stronger Powers


WHICH? has repeated its calls for the Civil Aviation Authority to be given stronger powers to deals with airlines. A recent survey found that four in


10 travellers lack confidence in airlines treating them fairly while almost two in five (39%) reported that they had little confidence that airlines would treat them fairly.


Which? says failure to make travellers aware of their consumer rights is a systemic problem and is calling for an aviation regulator that can properly hold airlines to account. Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “It is concerning to find that almost two-fifths of travellers express a lack of confidence. “The Transport Secretary must urgently


set out plans to equip the aviation regulator with greater enforcement powers.”


Emirates Iconic Double- Decker Set for Return at These UK Airports…


EMIRATES has announced it will scale up its A380 operations with the iconic double-decker returning to Glasgow (26 March 2023), Nice (1 June 2023) and Birmingham (1 July 2023).


The airline has also announced it will resume its second daily service to Stansted starting from 1 May 2023, utilising its wide-body Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft fitted with its renowned ‘Game Changer’ First Class product. With the return of the second daily


IN a recent change,


UK


Tr a v e l l e r s will be required to fill out a mandatory tourist form to gain entry to Cuba.


Beginning the 23rd of January, UK Tr a v e l l e r s must secure and fill in a tourist card from the Cuban Embassy in London. This form will need to be completed no more than 48 hours prior to their departure.


flight to Stansted, Emirates will ramp up its operations to London with 11 daily flights, including six times daily to London Heathrow and three times daily to Gatwick. The airline continues to expand its global network and increase capacity in line with growing travel demand.


Etihad Airways Named Top Airline in Middle East for On Time Flights


THE global aviation analytics group OAG has named Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, as the most punctual airline in the Middle East and among the most reliable in the world.


In its Punctuality League rating for


2022, OAG listed Etihad as the best in the GCC region. Etihad has achieved an on-time arrival performance within 15 minutes of 81%.


It also continued to maintain one of the lowest cancellation rates worldwide, ensuring an enhanced guest experience with trustworthy flight schedules. Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer of Etihad Airways, said delivering


a safe and reliable airline operation is always the first priority. “Our commitment to our guests, flying for business or leisure, is that Etihad delivers to its schedule; the airline continues to strive to increase its reliability through the efforts of its people and the deployment of technology and innovation.” On-time performance is defined by OAG


as a flight arriving within 15 minutes of its scheduled time, a standard measure within the airline industry, taking into account the range of variable factors which can affect operations. Etihad’s home base, Abu Dhabi International Airport, was also placed in the top five most punctual airports in the Middle East.


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