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Italy travel warning: All you need to know about the ‘apocalyptic floods’ that have hit Emilia Romagna

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Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia have also been affected by floods. Italy is also set to experience more travel disruption tomorrow with airport strikes.

After devastating floods that have killed nine people and forced thousands of people to flee, it is advised to limit travel in northern Italy.

In Emilia-Romagna 21 rivers have burst their banks due to heavy rainfall over the past few days, submerging whole towns in some areas.

“Apocalyptic” Floods Experts warn that climate-related disasters in southern Europe are on the increase.

The tourist board in Bologna has organized a number of events to promote tourism. Please be advised Citizens should limit their travel to only essential journeys.

The UK government issued a travel alert for severe flooding in Emilia-Romagna. It urges people to check their destination before traveling and follow local authorities’ instructions.

Formula One fans have cancelled their plans to visit the area. The Emilia-Romagna F1 Grand Prix, scheduled for this weekend, has been cancelled as emergency crews have already been overstretched due to the crisis.

What you need to know if you’re planning a trip to northern Italy.

Flights to Bologna, train cancellations and Emilia-Romagna

According to the latest flight schedule, flights to and from Bologna Airport continue to depart as scheduled. Information about the use of.

Guglielmo Marconi Bologna International Airport has issued a new guideline encouraging departing passengers to leave early and travel via public transport, such as the Marconi Express Monorail (from Bologna Central Railway Station) or bus.

Italia Rail warns of delays, route restrictions and cancellations on High Speed, InterCity, and Regional trains in the Emilia Romagna region. A Statement Yesterday (17 May), the government advised people to avoid travel for the next few days.

Holidaymakers have criticized airlines for continuing to operate flights to the area without the option of a refunded.

British Airways They refuse to refund PS1518 (EUR1,747) for flights to Bologna paid today. We’re still expected travel to Bologna for a vacation, despite the fact that there are at least 8 dead and 13,000 people evacuated due to flooding. One British man tweeted today: “Thoughts for everyone suffering in the area.”

“[I] Tickets to Bologna were purchased months ago. My country is very expensive since we don’t have a use for [the] euro. Now there are floods everywhere[and I’m not sure if it is safe to travel]another Twitter user wrote.[andIdon’tknow ifit’ssafetotravel”anotherTwitteruserwrote

Euronews Travel contacted British Airways to get a comment.

Closed tourist sites in Bologna, Ravenna

Floods will limit the options for those who choose to travel to the area.

Today (18 May), many of the major tourist attractions are closed. Bologna The Torre dell’Orologio, the Anatomical Theatre, and the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita as well as all civic museums and university museums are included.

According to the website, the National Gallery, Asinelli Tower, and Cityred bus tours are still available. Bologna tourist board.

Floods have also badly affected Ravenna, a popular tourist destination known for its Byzantine mosaics. Around 14,000 people had to leave their homes Wednesday night due to fears of more rivers bursting their banks.

Michele de Pascale, the mayor of Ravenna, told RAI radio that Ravenna was unrecognisable following the damage it had suffered.

Tuscany, Rome, Naples – Are other parts of Italy affected?

The Italian government has issued red alerts to show that Emilia-Romagna is the region that has been hit the hardest by the storm.

The neighbouring regions, Marche and Tuscany, which were also under amber alert, have also been affected by heavy rain.

In the south, the government issued yellow warnings for Rome and Naples.

Extreme weather has caused flooding in other countries as well.

The Una River, swollen in the Balkans has flooded northern Balkans. Croatia And north-western Bosnia where authorities declared a state of emergencies.

The mayor of Bosanska Krupa, a Bosnian town, said that hundreds of homes were flooded.

Amin Halitovic, a regional N1 broadcaster, said: “We are in the apocalypse.”

“We cannot count the buildings that are flooded.” It’s never happened before.

Italy faces airport strikes this Friday

Tomorrow (19 May), the airline and airport staff of Italy will be on strike, causing further travel disruptions.

The Local reports that ground handling staff will strike for up 24 hours. Cabin crews from several airlines flying Italian routes will also go on strike the same day.

The industrial action is being called to protest employment contracts. Unions claim that conditions and pay for handling staff has not improved in six-years.

Italian airline ITA cancelled 113 domestic flights ahead of tomorrow’s strikes.

The civil aviation authority of the country ENAC has published a List There are flights that will be guaranteed to take place on Friday.

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  • Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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Italy, France, Germany: 38 European countries can now visit China visa-free

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China’s rapidly expanding visa-free scheme aims to boost tourism.

China’s visa-free list continues to grow, with eight more European countries being added.

Citizens of Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Estonia and Latvia have now been granted visa waivers for the Asian nation.

Tourists from these countries, as well as Japan, will be able to enter China visa-free from 30 November 2024 until 31 December 2025.

Passport holders from Andorra, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovakia and Norway were recently added to the list, which grants them stays in China of up to 30 days without a visa.

Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia were granted the access in October.

It brings the total number of European countries granted visa-free access up to 38.

In July, tourists from Poland, Australia and New Zealand were also granted unrestricted entry to China until the end of 2025.

Since the start of 2024, the scheme has been announced in stages, with various European nations and Malaysia also gaining visa-free access. It aims to encourage more people to visit China for business and tourism, and promote exchanges between Chinese citizens and foreign nationals.

Which European countries can travel to China visa-free?

Citizens of 38 European countries can stay in China without a visa for up to 30 days.

The full list of European countries now includes Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Tourists from these countries will be allowed to enter China for short stays without a visa until the end of next year.

The aim is “to facilitate the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a briefing on the initial announcement made in November.

International travel to China is still bouncing back

China’s strict pandemic measures, which included required quarantines for all arrivals, discouraged many people from visiting for nearly three years. The restrictions were lifted early last year, but international travel has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.

China previously allowed citizens of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter without a visa but suspended that after the COVID-19 outbreak. It resumed visa-free entry for Brunei and Singapore in July but has not done so for Japan.

In 2023, China recorded 35.5 million entries and exits by foreigners, according to immigration statistics. That compares to 97.7 million for all of 2019, the last year before the pandemic.

From July to September this year, China recorded 8.2 million entries by foreigners, of which 4.9 million were visa-free, the official Xinhua News Agency said, quoting a Foreign Ministry consular official.

The Chinese government has been seeking foreign investment to help boost a sluggish economy, and some businesspeople have been coming for trade fairs and meetings, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook. Foreign tourists are still a rare sight compared to before the pandemic.

How else is China simplifying travel for Europeans?

Last year saw a surge in interest in China as a tourist destination among Europeans.

Data from online travel agency Trip.com showed a 663 per cent increase in overall bookings from Europe to China compared to 2022, and an almost 29 per cent increase on 2019.

The United Kingdom and Germany were among the top 10 sources of inbound travellers to China globally, the data shows.

Shanghai remains the most popular destination among Europeans with its alluring blend of modernity and tradition, followed by Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Sanya, a beachside city on the southern end of China’s Hainan Island, and Chengdu – the capital of southwestern China’s Sichuan province – are emerging destinations.

Beyond it’s new visa-free schemes, the country is further encouraging inbound tourism by promoting cultural and historical attractions in partnership with Trip.com. China is also enhancing tourism infrastructure by investing in technology, travel guides and e-payment systems.

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  • Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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Major London airport evacuated due to ‘suspicious item’ in luggage: Most flights delayed

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Trains to and from the airport are cancelled.

Part of the UK’s second-busiest airpoort has been evacuated after police found a suspicious item in a piece of luggage.

It has created travel chaos on one of the busiest days of the week for travellers.

Most flights are delayed by anywhere between one and five hours.

Some passengers have taken to social media to say they have boarded flights that have then sat on the tarmac for upwards of an hour.

Gatwick airport has advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport. This can be done via airline websites, apps and social media channels.

Rail and road transport around the airport is severely disrupted due to the incident.

Authorities were called to the terminal at 8.20am local time after the discovery of a “suspected prohibited item,” Sussex Police said in a statement.

“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with,” police said in a statement. “As a precaution, an EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team is being deployed to the airport.”

Are Gatwick flights cancelled and what is the advice to passengers?

Almost all departing flights from Gatwick South Terminal are delayed by at least an hour for the rest of the afternoon and into this evening.

Arrivals are also impacted, with some expected to land four hours late.

Spanish airline Vueling ordered two flights from Barcelona to Gatwick, as well as a single flight from Seville, to turn around and return to their starting points. The corresponding outbound flights to Spain will also be grounded.

It is not yet clear whether passengers will be issued with refunds if they choose not to fly. It is worth checking your travel insurance policy to see whether it covers expenses during delays.

The airport has confirmed that flights to and from the North Terminal are unaffected.

The train station serving Gatwick has also been closed, Britain’s rail network operator said. Social media posts also show the roads around the airport severely congested.

“We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” the airport said.

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  • Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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Gatwick Airport terminal reopens after security alert ‘cleared by police’

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The South Terminal was closed at 11:55CET on Friday morning after police were called to investigate a ‘suspected prohibited item’ found in luggage earlier that morning.

Authorities at London’s Gatwick Airport have said a security alert that forced the evacuation of one of the terminals and delayed dozens of flights has been “resolved and cleared by police”.

The South Terminal was closed at 11:55CET on Friday morning after police were called to investigate a ‘suspected prohibited item’ found in luggage earlier that morning.

Sussex Police said a bomb disposal team made the package safe and two people briefly detained during the investigation were allowed to continue their journeys.

The terminal reopened to passengers and staff at about 16:00CET, the airport said in a statement, but advised passengers to still expect some delays.

Passengers have been advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport.

The airport’s north terminal remained open throughout the security alert.

About 100,000 passengers were scheduled to fly into and out of Gatwick, Britain’s second-busiest airport, on Friday but many had to deal with long delays.

Nejadeen Braham was supposed to fly to Jamaica to pick up her children but said she couldn’t get into the south terminal.

“I saw everybody coming (out) from one direction,” she said.

“I was supposed to go inside, drop my bags and go through security. When I got here, I saw everybody coming down.”

Travellers faced long lists of delayed and cancelled flights on airport information boards.

Outside, long lines of arriving passengers waited for taxis, while others resorted to walking or hitchhiking when they discovered the heavily used airport train station was also closed by the security alert.

Several carriers, including BA and Norwegian reported delays.

Spanish airline Vueling ordered inbound flights from Barcelona and Seville to turn around and return to their point of departure.

Second security alert

The security alert at Gatwick was one of two that rattled London on Friday.

A road near the US Embassy was also shut down on Friday morning as police investigated a suspicious package found in the area.

London’s Metropolitan Police Service said it carried out a controlled explosion of what was later determined to be a “hoax device.”

The embassy said it resumed “normal business operations” at about 14:00CET, although all public appointments were cancelled for the day.

Author

  • Daniela Daecher is a twenty-something bookworm and coffee addict with a passion for geeking out over sci fi, tv, movies, and books. In 2013 she completed her BA in English with a specialization in Linguistics. In 2014 she completed her MA in Linguistics, focusing on the relationship between language and communication in written form. She currently lives in Munich, Germany.

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