European airlines have been cutting flights to China following the closure of Russian airspace.

Virgin Atlantic and SAS Scandinavian Airlines have pulled out of the country altogether this year. While a number of other companies – Finnair, British Airways, Lufthansa and LOT Polish Airlines – are “quietly quitting” Chinese destinations, according to aviation news site Skift.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU and UK swiftly imposed a blanket flight ban on Russian aircraft over their skies. Russia retaliated by closing its airspace, forcing European carriers to take longer routes to Asia.

Since fuel accounts for around 25 per cent of an airline’s operating costs, journeys to China have become significantly more costly as a result, making European companies review their numbers. Longer flights can also require more crew – further bumping up costs.

It’s not good news for Europeans as passport holders of 18 countries can now visit China visa-free.

Why are European airlines cutting flights to China?

In contrast to the fanfare that accompanies a new route opening, airlines have been keeping quiet about the significant drop in flights to China, Skift says.

Its analysis of Cirium Diio data reveals that Finnair has gone from operating 42 nonstop flights a week from Helskini to China in August 2019, to just three by August 2024 – as well as a daily service to Hong Kong.

Helsinki to Shanghai is now the only mainland route on offer from Finnair. The jump in flight times is a major reason why: rising from around 8 hours 30 minutes pre-war to 11 hours and 24 minutes now.

“Due to the closure of Russian airspace, flight times to our Asian destinations have increased by between 10 and 40 per cent, depending on the destination,” Christine Rovelli, Finnair’s Chief Revenue Officer, told Skift.

“We have successfully adapted to this situation and refocused our network, with more emphasis on westbound flying while maintaining a strong presence in our key Asian markets.”

Despite its particular proximity to Russia, the Finnish flag carrier is far from alone.

British Airways announced in August that it would suspend its London Heathrow to Beijing service, after regular flights there since 1980. Shanghai and Hong Kong are still on the timetable, but flights to the latter are dropping from twice daily to once a day from the end of October.

And Hong Kong flights will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 with 216 seats – a big downsize from the ‘super jumbo’ Airbus A380 with 469 seats that previously did the rounds.

German flag carrier Lufthansa has also said it is “reviewing the continuation” of its daily service from Frankfurt to Beijing. LOT Polish Airlines announced cuts earlier this month – including the cancellation of its Warsaw to Beijing service this winter.

Chinese airlines are increasing flights to Europe

Chinese airlines, on the other hand, are free to fly across Russia, so are not subject to the same costly detours as their European counterparts.

European executives, including Air France-KLM’s general manager for Greater China Wouter Vermeulen, have frequently bemoaned the “lack of a level playing field” for this reason.

This winter, China-based carriers will run 82 per cent of all flights between China and Europe, John Grant, chief analyst at the aviation intelligence company OAG told CNBC. That’s up from 56 per cent before the pandemic.

Around 18 new routes between China and Europe are coming online this season, Grant added, all from Chinese airlines. The expert’s verdict? “It’s madness – there is no real demand.”

Why else are European airlines dropping China?

It doesn’t simply boil down to the Russian airspace issue, however.

For one thing, some European carriers are adding capacity to other parts of Asia where they are also having to take more circuitous journeys. Finnair, for example, is increasing flights to Thailand.

Skift also points out that Australian national carrier Qantas cancelled its Sydney-Shanghai route during the summer, despite being unaffected by the Russian airspace ban. They revealed planes were often flying half-empty.

That suggests a more challenging market situation is at play. Strained economic relations between China and the West could be influencing European airline decisions, one expert told the news site.

More straightforwardly, demand is a major issue according to Grant. A slowdown in China’s economy appears to be limiting outbound travel, while international interest in visiting the Asian superpower has also taken a dip.

Only 17.25 million foreigners landed in China this year as of July, according to official figures. A steep drop from 49.1 million visitors in pre-pandemic 2019.

But most European airlines aren’t wanting to quit China completely; they’re clinging on to their ‘dot’ on the route map, ready for a rebound.

Venice will extend its day-tripper tax next year, increasing the number of days on which tourists have to pay to enter the city and doubling the fee to €10 for last-minute visitors, city officials said on Thursday.

Mayor Luigi Brugnaro stressed that the tax aims to help the city and its citizens battle overtourism and avoid huge influxes of visitors during crowded holidays and weekends.

The payment system was launched earlier this year for a time-limited pilot program.

Venice announced last year it would introduce the long-discussed day-tripper fee after the city narrowly escaped being placed on the UN’s list of endangered heritage sites, due largely to the impact of overtourism.

Visitors staying overnight in the historic centre are exempt from the charge as they already pay a tourist tax.

How does Venice’s entry fee work?

The new tax will be applied every Friday through Sunday and on holidays from 18 April to 27 July, for a total of 54 days.

That’s almost double the number of days it was applied this year. Tourists who don’t make reservations up to four days in advance will pay €10 instead of the usual €5.

The tax will be in force during peak hours, from 8.30 am to 4 pm

Exemptions are granted to residents, Venetian-born visitors, students and workers, as well as tourists who have hotel or other lodging reservations.

Anyone found beyond designated control points without the required documentation will be subject to fines.

These will range from €50 to €300, plus the maximum entrance fee allowed by law, set at €10.

Officials have emphasised that the programme aims to reduce crowds on peak days, encourage longer visits and improve the quality of life for residents.

The fee is not required for anyone staying in Venice, including the mainland districts of Marghera and Mestre. Venice’s islands, including glass-making Murano, are also outside the pilot program.

Exemptions are also issued for a variety of reasons, including to access the city for work, school or medical care, as well as to people born in Venice, and residents of the Veneto region.

Why has Venice introduced an entry fee?

Venice has long suffered under the pressure of overtourism, but officials say pre-pandemic estimates ranging from 25 to 30 million visitors a year – including day-trippers – are not reliable and that the pilot project also aimed to come up with more exact figures to help better manage the phenomenon.

By contrast, registered visitors spending the night last year numbered 4.6 million, according to city figures, down 16 per cent from pre-pandemic highs.

The pandemic delayed Venice’s plans to launch the day-tripper tax, which has become a keystone of the city’s attempts to deal with overtourism.

UNESCO cited the plan when it decided not to include the city on the list of endangered world heritage sites last September, a tarnish that it similarly avoided two years earlier with the cruise ship ban through St. Mark’s Basin and the Giudecca Canal.

Cruise ships brought 1.6 million people to Venice in 2019.

Activists sounded a warning last summer when the number of tourist beds officially overtook the number of residents, which has dwindled to under 50,000 in a trend dating back decades.

They said the imbalance drains the city of services, clogging its tight alleyways and water buses with suitcase-toting tourists and pushing residents to the mainland with its conveniences.

Was the trial of the entry fee a success?

At the end of the first test phase in July, officials said the tax had netted €2.4 million, accounting for about 1,000 entrances on each of the test days.

Brugnaro on Thursday again responded to critics who have called it a failure and said it did not deter as many arrivals as expected.

“Venice is the first city in the world that tries to manage the problem of overtourism. We obtained important results,” the mayor said.

But some citizens’ groups and opposition councillors claim the access fee completely failed to control overtourism.

“Data offered by the control room show that on average during the period of implementation of the fee, we had about 7,000 more tourist entries than in previous years,” said Giovanni Andrea Martini, an opposition councillor.

“This shows that the access fee is not at all a system able to manage the flows.”

France has announced it will extend internal border controls until April next year.

The current increased checks, introduced due to heightened terrorist threats, were due to end on 31 October.

The controls will be in place along France’s Schengen borders with Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

Travellers have been warned to expect queues and delays.

In September, Germany introduced similar ramped-up checks which have led to traffic jams at the border.

France steps up border controls amid terrorist concerns

France’s current border controls will end on 31 October, but a new set of checks will come into effect from 1 November.

The heightened security measures will be in place until 20 April 2025.

The extension comes after growing concerns over public safety amid threats of terrorist activity and criminal organisations connected to illegal migration.

Where are France’s increased border checks in place?

The new border controls only affect Schengen zone countries – Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

If you are entering France from a non-Schengen country, such as the UK, there will be no change to checks as passport and customs controls are already in place.

It will also not affect the requirement for passport stamps for non-EU nationals or the maximum permitted stay of 90 days in Schengen zone countries.

If you fly into France from any Schengen country other than the six that border it, there will be no change in border controls.

How will France’s new Schengen border controls affect travellers?

Normally, travellers passing between Schengen zone countries can move freely without passport checks.

However, countries are permitted to impose temporary increased controls for a set time period if deemed necessary – as occurred during the COVID pandemic for example.

Citing security concerns, France has chosen to ramp up checks along Schengen borders for land, sea and air travel.

This means travellers from Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Italy will have to show a form of ID such as a passport or national ID card.

Non-EU nationals who are resident in France may need to show their carte de séjour too.

Travellers warned of queues at French land border

Travellers most affected will be those crossing into France via land borders. Those arriving by car or bus are advised to allow for extra time.

Germany’s increased security checks have resulted in traffic jams and queues at borders.

Those travelling between France and Germany should be aware they might face checks at both borders.

What other countries have increased checks at Schengen borders?

Austria has increased checks in place with Slovenia and Hungary until 11 November.

Denmark, Norway and Sweden have stepped up border security on all internal borders until 11 November.

In Slovenia, checks are in place at the border with Croatia and Hungary until 21 December.