BRITISH Airways has cancelled ALL flights between New York and a major UK airport until 2025.

The airline has axed the transatlantic connections from London Gatwick due to delays in their Trent 100 engine deliveries from Rolls Royce.

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The route is due to be suspended from December 12 to March 25, 2025.

At least 103 flights are expected to be affected.

Not only will this affect hundreds of passengers who had already booked, but it is likely to result in more expensive flights due to a reduction in seat availability.

The flight route is especially popular for Brits during the winter season wanting to visit New York at Christmas and New Year.

The issue has also affected other flights, including the new route from London to Kuala Lumpur, which has been delayed from November 2024 to April 2025.

A BA spokesperson said: “We’re disappointed that we’ve had to make further changes to our schedule as we continue to experience delays to the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce – particularly in relation to the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines fitted to our 787 aircraft.

“We’ve taken this action because we do not believe the issue will be solved quickly, and we want to offer our customers the certainty they deserve.

“We’ve apologised to those affected and are able to offer the vast majority a flight the same day with British Airways or one of our partner airlines. 

“We continue to work closely with Rolls-Royce to ensure the company is aware of the impact its issues are having on our schedule and customers, and seek reassurance of a prompt and reliable solution.”

A Rolls-Royce spokesperson said it’s working to “minimise the impact” of “current supply chain constraints”.

They added that the issue is “affecting the whole aerospace industry”.

The Trent 1000 engines were designed to power the Boeing 737 Dreamliner aircraft.

It is 20% more efficient than the previous 787.

The flag carrier first launched the Gatwick-New York flight in 2015, making it the third London airport with the route (joining Heathrow and London City).

The Sun has contacted Rolls-Royce for further comment.

Flight compensation rules

A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs.

What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?

Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.

If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.

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You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.

So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.

But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.

When am I not entitled to compensation?

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The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.

Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.

Some airlines may stretch the definition of “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?

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If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.

Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.

Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.

If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

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A CITY in France has been named as an amazing holiday alternative to avoid the huge crowds.

Reims, in the northeastern part of France, is just two hours from Paris.

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Being so close to the capital, Expedia Group recently named the city as a “ trending Detour Destination” for 2025.

Along with Italy‘s Brescia and Girona in Spain, Reims was named as a great place to go as an “ideal day trip” where it is less crowded and less well-known.

It is known for its champagne, with many of the France‘s largest houses and vineyards.

Both Veuve Clicquot and Tattinger are made in Reims, both of which you can visit.

Another famous champagne house is The Domaine Vranken-Pommery which has welcomed visitors since 1878.

The famous Biscuits roses de Reims, a pink sweet covered in icing sugar meant to be had with champagne and said to have been served to Louis XVI.

But the city itself has enough for a weekend break, with a number of Gothic buildings.

Reims Cathedral, also called the Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Reims, is one of the most popular attractions.

Dating back for the 1200s, it was used to crowd more than 30 French kings, and even survived the bombings of WWI and WWII which destroyed most of the rest of the city.

It was even the inspiration for the Hunchback of Notre Dame, with Quasimodo’s character based on a bell ringer at the Abbey of Saint-Remi.

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You can see some Monet at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, or go to the Art Deco Bibliothèque Carnegie.

Or there is the Reddition Museum, the site where German soldiers surrendered, ending World War Two.

If you need to soak up the food from too much champagne, thankfully there are some amazing French restaurants to choose from including the highly rated L’Atelier.

Or go fancy with the three Michelin star L’Assiette Champenoise.

Want to stay? One of the highest rated hotels that’s good value is the Best Western Premier Hotel De La Paix although there are also Ibis, Novotel and Holiday Inns.

And one of the newest hotels to open was the Radisson Hotel Reims which welcomed guests this summer.

To get there, you can get the Eurotunnel from Folkestone, with it being about 2hr35 from Calais.

Or if you are already in Paris, you can get a direct train which takes around an hour.

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EASYJET holidays is launching breaks to a little-known island with whitewashed desert towns and Star Wars filming locations.

British holidaymakers will now be able to book package holidays to Djerba, Tunisia, with easyJet holidays.

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Located in the Mediterranean Sea, Djerba is part of Tunisia, a country in North Africa.

The tour operator has confirmed it will be launching package holidays after its sister airline launched flights to the island earlier this year.

EasyJet already operates flights from London Luton Airport and Manchester Airport to Djerba-Zarzis International Airport on the northwestern side of the island.

Package holidays are available to book from early November, with beach holidays starting from £295 according to the tour operator.

Sun Online Travel have found cheaper deals, with three-night breaks from £189 per person in December.

All of the holiday packages come with not only return flights and hotel, but also 23kg of luggage and transfers.

While most Brit holidaymakers probably haven’t heard of Djerba, there are plenty of things to do on the island.

The island destination has pristine beaches that are perfect for sunbathing and swimming.

Star Wars fans will know Tunisia was used as a filming location, with a glimpse of Djerba also featuring in the franchise.

Along the western coastline lies is the home of Obi-Wan Kenobi from the sci-fi saga’s first movie, A New Hope.

It was built explicitly for that film, in 1977, and left behind afterwards, often used by passing cyclists to escape the heat.

Djerba was also the location for Star Wars’ Cantina spaceport.

One of those is Sidi Mahres Beach, which is famous for its stretches of white sand.

Visitors can explore El Ghriba Synagogue, one of the oldest synagogues in the world, and is free to enter.

Meanwhile, the Houmt Souk Market is home to traditional crafts and local produce.

There’s also Djerba Explore Park, which has a crocodile farm and a museum of local heritage.

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Guellala village is located on the island’s southern tip and is considered a must-visit thanks to its pottery and stunning sunsets.

Alcohol is plentiful — and local Tunisian beer Celtia is all but essential when the temperature tops 23C in November.

Tunisia fell off the radar as a popular holiday destination following the 2015 terror attack.

However, the travel ban was lifted in 2018, with the Foreign Office deeming the majority of beach resorts safe to visit.

It still advises against travelling to locations near the Chaambi Mountains National Park, Dhehiba, and the Libyan and Algerian border – but these are unlikely to be visited by tourists.

The local currency is the Tunisian dinar (TND), with £10 equaling about 38 TND, while certain holiday resorts also accept dollars and euros.

Make sure to swap every dinar back before you leave because taking them outside of the country is forbidden.

Although Arabic is Tunisia’s official language, the majority of the staff in the holiday resorts will also speak English.

The newest easyJet flights were launched earlier this year, from Glasgow to Enfidha in Tunisia.

If you want a package holiday, you can find cheap deals for that too with all-inclusives under £300.

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A BRIT who has travelled the world always takes this £5 item in her hand luggage as its useful for cold planes and hotel rooms.

Jewellery designer Kiki McDonough colourful gemstone earrings, rings and bracelets, are a big favourite with the Royal Family.

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Princess Kate, the Princess of Wales, wears her earrings, as did Princess Diana.

The first piece of jewellery Kiki made, a pair of earrings, is now on display at the Victoria and Albert museum in London.

When Kiki isn’t in her home in Battersea or in her Chelsea store, she travels the world either for work and sourcing gemstones or for pleasure.

So far this year she been to the US, Nepal and India and also went off to Barbados for a beach holiday with her girlfriends.

Kiki thinks all airports are “ghastly” but she finds comfort by relaxing in her seat, wearing comfortable trousers, a fleece and socks and reading “a really good” book.

She is loyal to British Airways so she can pile up the points and since the pandemic, travels with only a carry-on.

In that carry-on though is always a hot water bottle, she says is essential for tolerating the air-conditioning in her hotel room.

Kiki also revealed the very unusual item which has travelled all around the world with her – a pebble.

She told Bloomberg: “When I was 6 I found a beautiful, very individual-looking pebble on Southwold beach, Suffolk, where we used to go for our holidays.

“It is a pretty pale shade of pink, and it has streaks of a darker shade of scarlet running across it.

“At the time it reminded me so vividly of those deliciously sickly raspberry ripple ice creams.

“I started to carry it with me all the time.

“It has travelled all around the world with me, and I really do think it brings me good luck.

“Little did I know at age 6, I would go on to become an expert in gemstones.”

Kiki also advised on what to do once you have arrived at your destination.

She said: “First of all, [I find out] where the spa is. Secondly, where I can eat, and thirdly, how far the beach is located.”

Kiki also recommends travelling solo as it can be highly rewarding.

She said: “When I first got divorced, I thought, oh my goodness, I might easily be traveling on my own for the rest of my life, and I might not meet somebody else, so let’s see how that works.

“So I took myself off on a tiger safari to India. I met wildlife photographers Jonathan and Angie Scott.

“They have won endless awards. They taught me so much about what it really is like to live and work, out in the wilderness – they live in the Maasai Mara, and they know everything there is to know about the wildlife and the culture there.

“Fifteen years later, we are still in regular contact, and I avidly follow what they are up to, supporting their conservation initiatives as often as I can.”

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A FREQUENT flyer has slammed a window seat passenger for getting up way too much during a long overnight flight.

The flyer, who was on a nine-hour flight to Istanbul from New York City, revealed her annoying experience.

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She revealed she had booked an aisle seat and during the overnight flight, the window seat passenger woke her up six times – all within short durations.

The annoyed flyer said she was trying to sleep on the flight but failed to even shut her eyes for a few minutes as her fellow passenger would wake her up – without an emergency.

She said: ” [The passenger] would go to the lavatories, then 30 minutes later he’d go grab something from his stored bag, then less than an hour later he’d get up to stretch his legs, then he’d get up again to go chit-chat with his buddy. 

“Throughout this whole ordeal, I was trying to sleep. 

“Why do you have to make my red-eye flight an exponentially more dreadful experience than it already is?”

The flyer said she is happy to make way for another passenger if it is a washroom emergency, but asked others “not to be an a******* about it”.

“Of course, there are some very sensible exceptions, as I’m not a tyrant,” she said.

“If you have to use the plane’s bathroom, you’re more than welcome to wake your aisle neighbour up and ask them to let you pass through. Just don’t be an a******* about it.”

She also gave some advice to other passengers, saying it is best to use the washroom after meals as everyone gets up around that time.

The flyer added: “The lights will be going off soon after that and people will likely try and go to sleep, so it’s best if you get up before then.

“Just let your sleepy neighbour know and be polite about it.”

It comes after a passenger suggested those sitting in the aisle seat should remain alert and awake for the entire flight.

The only exception, according to the passenger, is if the flight is a long-haul journey of seven hours or more.

The reasoning is to ensure that middle and window seat passengers can access the loo, get served by the flight attendants, and evacuate quickly in an emergency.

The Reddit user wrote: “A person sitting in an aisle seat on a plane should not be allowed to sleep.”

“There are some exceptions and those would probably be on any flight longer than seven hours.

“But anything shorter than that, you should not be sleeping. What if the middle or window passenger needs the bathroom, or if the flight attendant needs to hand them something – You’ll be in the way.”

The most sought-after seats on a plane have been revealed in a survey of 3,100 US travellers by Upgraded Points.

It revealed the top choices for those looking to make the most of their flight experience.

Out of the 737-800 airplane seats, five emerged as clear favourites, with seat 1A topping the list.

This prime spot, located right at the front of the plane, was preferred by 5.96 per cent of travellers due to its extra legroom and easy access to the exit.

This makes it the ultimate choice for those who like to stretch out and be the first off the plane.

Other favourites included seats 7F, 7A, 1F and 7C, with similar perks like extra space and fewer disturbances.

Whether you’re a window-gazer, an aisle-snoozer, or a middle-seat armrest warrior, one thing’s for sure—everyone’s got their own rules when it comes to flying.

So next time you’re on a plane, be sure to choose your seat wisely, and maybe think twice before dozing off in that aisle seat.