Simon Calder

Simon Calder

@simoncalder.bsky.social

Travel news and advice shared here, on TikTok @caldertravel and answering questions at weekends with my 5.30pm UK Instagram Live: http://instagram.com/simon_calder/ I read all relevant posts but cannot reply to everyone.

5.7K followers8 following116 posts

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Terminal tenner! Airport drop-off charges to hit £10 as Gatwick hikes its driver fee by 43%. Starts 6 January 2026 (on that day Wizz Air has a flight to Krakow for just £13.99). Standard fee elsewhere: £7. Gatwick blames rise on doubling of business rates. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukGatwick drop-off charges hit £10 as airport increases its driver feeExclusive: Sussex hub raises price for motorists by 43 per cent on 6 January 2026, making the charge almost as high as some air fares
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Travelling to the US, e.g. for the 2026 World Cup? Soon you will need to provide details of social media activity for the past five years. Aim is to comply with President Trump’s demand for all visitors to be “vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible”. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukTrump ramps up tourist checks with mandatory social media inspection plansExclusive: ‘These barriers will hit UK travel to the USA hard’ said Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

US Customs and Border Protection: “Nothing has changed for those coming to the US. "This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep Americans safe. "The Department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country."

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Grand Egyptian Museum – the GEM – finally opens in full to the public today. It has immediately become a contender for world's greatest museum. Do you have a different nomination? www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukEgypt reclaims its history as Africa’s cultural pride and joy finally opensThe Man Who Pays His Way: The builders have reached the finish line for Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum, and now the race to the past begins
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Eastern Airways has: Cancelled all flights. Stopped selling tickets. Returned aircraft to leasing companies. So sadly it appears the regional airline will close after 28 years, following BMI Regional and Flybe. I am now writing an explainer on passenger rights. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukEastern Airways stops flying and returns planes to leasing companiesAll flights cancelled as airline files ‘notice of intention to appoint an administrator’
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Rail: taxpayer subsidy of £400 per second to keep UK trains running looks unsustainably high. Some fresh ideas from @freewheeling.info to entice new passengers and boost revenue. Reserved seats on any train. More first class. Simpler railcards to drive loyalty. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukHow to fix Britain’s trains: Expert calls for more railcards and first-classTrain Talk: Thomas Ableman believes some passengers will gladly pay more for superior service
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

EU entry-exit system explainer. Key points: No need to prepare anything in advance. On first contact, facial biometric and fingerprints (not for under-12s) are collected. After that, just the face. Initially it's an extra layer on top of existing manual checks. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukI am travelling to the EU on or after 12 October. What is changing?All you need to know about handling the Schengen area entry-exit system
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

340 Tui passengers from Montego Bay to Manchester are stuck in Nassau, Bahamas, for 2+ days. Original cause: an air-rage diversion. Aircraft then developed a technical fault. As Tui has no operation in Nassau, organising care is tricky. Passengers cheesed off. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.uk‘Scared’ Tui passengers feared ‘riot’ after being stranded in BahamasExclusive: The plane diverted to Nassau to remove a disruptive customer on Sunday
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

EU entry-exit system: just 32 days until UK passport holders start giving fingerprints and facial biometrics when travelling to the Schengen area. Confusion and misinformation abounds. At 11am today I will host an Ask Me Anything on the new red tape we asked for www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukEU entry-exit system: Join Q&A with Simon Calder on latest post-Brexit travel changesSimon Calder, The Independent’s travel correspondent, is on hand to answer your questions and demystify the EU’s new entry-exit system and post-Brexit travel rules
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

London Underground strike. Northern Line is now running end to end. Edgware and High Barnet <> Morden and Battersea Power Station via both Charing Cross and City branches. Gaps between trains of 10 minutes or so, and some stations in central area may be skipped. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukTube strikes today: When are they and which lines are affected?Everything you need to know about the upcoming walkouts, from the lines affected to the best ways to get to the airport
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Book an Interrail pass by next Tuesday, 9 September, and save 20%. Prices start at €226 (£197) for 4 days of travel within a month, 2nd class. 3-month continuous pass in 1st class costs €971 (£845). Under-28s: further discount of 25% 60-plus travellers save 10% www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukInterrail sale: All the best European train route itineraries according to an expertExclusive: Author of Europe by Rail, Nicky Gardner, believes that train travel offers “a chance to think”
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Just 40 days to the start of the EU's much-delayed entry-exit system. Roll-out across the Schengen area begins 12 October. Passports will be checked and stamped as normal, but you must also be prepared to provide fingerprints and a facial biometric if requested. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukWhat will the EU’s new entry-exit system mean for British travellers?Under the entry-exit system, British travellers to the Schengen Area can expect to be fingerprinted and provide a facial biometric
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Ryanair cabin baggage rules. CEO Michael O'Leary tells me 99.9% of passengers comply. To persuade the 1 in 1,000 who exceed the newly expanded 40x30x20cm limit for a free bag, he is raising the cash incentive paid to ground staff to identify offenders by €1. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukRyanair to increase staff rewards for catching passengers with oversized cabin bagsExclusive: Michael O'Leary will raise incentive for boarding gate ‘offenders’ – claiming the policy will lead to lower fares
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

7 weeks today, the EU entry-exit system begins. From 12 October 2025, some British travellers to/from the Schengen area will need to provide fingerprints and facial biometrics; by the end of the roll-out (9 April 2026) that will apply to all UK passport holders. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukWhat will the EU’s new entry-exit system mean for British travellers?Under the entry-exit system, British travellers to the Schengen Area can expect to be fingerprinted and provide a facial biometric
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

HS2: tens of billions shamefully squandered on a hopelessly botched rail project. Politicians top the list for culpability. But a fresh take from @freewheeling.info proposes better rail planning: starting by looking at the best future timetable you can afford. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukHow the HS2 shambles could have been avoided – if we’d copied the SwissTrain Talk: After all the squandered billions, some lessons for the future of railway expansion
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis tells me European Parliament proposals to allow all airline passengers to take 2 pieces of hand luggage are “unworkable and mad ... a bizarre initiative from someone who clearly doesn't fly very much. There isn't room in the aircraft.” www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukEasyjet boss slams ‘unworkable and mad’ EU proposals to change cabin baggage rulesExclusive: CEO Kenton Jarvis says ‘it's a bizarre initiative from someone who clearly doesn't fly very much’
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

The Schengen "border free" area is now tangled with internal frontiers. The expanding controls deployed by each country means anyone travelling widely within the zone this summer will face multiple checks crossing frontiers on trains, boats, planes and highways. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukSchengen area: what can I expect when crossing internal borders?Don’t be a checkpoint Charlie: pack your passport when travelling within the ‘passport-free zone’
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

40 years old on Tuesday and more successful than ever. No, not me: Ryanair, which started flying from Waterford in southeast Ireland to Gatwick on 8 July 1985. What did CEO Michael O'Leary ever do for us? And if Ryanair did not exist, would we have to invent it? www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukIf Ryanair didn’t exist, would you have to invent it?The Man Who Pays His Way: What did Europe’s biggest budget airline ever do for us?
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

HS2: I read the official reports so you didn't have to. A vision of connectivity & levelling up is now a national embarrassment, wrecked by incompetence while squandering tens of billions of public cash. Like the project, the trains will be slower than promised. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukSimon Calder on how HS2 squandered billions to become a national embarrassmentTrains may run between Birmingham and somewhere near London by 2036 – a decade late, and slower than planned as Simon Calder explains
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

In August 2024, HS2 said: “initial services between Birmingham and Old Oak Common” would start between 2029 and 2033. 10 months on the government says: "There is no route by which trains can be running by 2033." Times to Manchester and Leeds. the original HS2 destinations, will be largely unchanged.

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

In July 2023 Mark Thurston resigned after 6 years as HS2's chief executive, during which he earned £4.5m. The-then transport secretary, Mark Harper, warmly thanked him for "his work over the last six years on progressing Britain’s most transformative rail project.” Mr Thurston now runs Anglia Water.

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Gibraltar: a superb Mediterranean destination with an intensity of history, scenery and cuisine that transcends its modest scale. At present all you need is a valid UK passport to stay as long as you wish. But Spain will soon take back control at the airport. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukSpain to gain sovereignty over British travellers to GibraltarExclusive: UK visitors face extra Brexit red tape, including fingerprinting, as Rock aligns with Schengen area formalities
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Arrivals by air to Gibraltar will soon face two checks: 1 Existing Gib border. 2 New Spanish/Schengen area frontier. UK travellers whose passport doesn't meet Brexit rules for the EU will be deported. Brits who are let in are subject to the 90/180 day rule, limiting their stay in Gibraltar & the EU.

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Which are the world’s greatest intermodal transportation hubs? The rules: At least three different forms of transport must converge at the same location. Two of those transportation methods must be through, not simply terminating, services. And at least one of them must be international. I'll start.

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Amsterdam Centraal (ferry, tram, Metro, international rail) Copenhagen airport (Metro, international rail, international air) Venezia Santa Lucia (ferry, bus, international rail) Gatwick airport (rail, highway A23, international air) Lyon St-Exupery airport (high-speed rail, tram, international air)

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Air India 171. Heartbreak in Ahmedabad. All thoughts with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones. Air safety professionals are working to understand the causes of the tragedy, and identify lessons for the future to make the skies safer. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukDevastating Air India tragedy is an exception in the trends of air safety‘Commercial aviation remains one of the safest forms of public transport,’ says the chief inspector of aviation accidents in the UK
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Medical diversions to flights: they seem to be happening more often, due to: An older, less healthy demographic. A gradual increase in the size of aircraft (therefore more chance a passenger will fall ill). Longer flight times (more time for someone to fall ill) www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukIs there a doctor on the plane? Medical diversions of flights are on the increasePlane Talk: How long before older passengers face medical questions before boarding?
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

The health of the passenger comes first. Crew will do whatever necessary to get urgent care. But diverting a plane is expensive and disruptive. So should passengers be obliged to complete a health declaration before flying? If so, should that be age-dependent: 70 or 80 years? Or everyone? Or no one?

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Summer flight disruption. The boss of Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, reveals pre-emptive action: Sharper turns between arrival & departure. Spare parts and planes judiciously deployed. More slack in crew rosters in case of air-traffic control delays. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukEasyJet promises ‘better resilience’ ahead of tough summerExclusive: CEO of Britain's biggest budget airline says French, German and Greek air-traffic control are biggest causes of delay
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Edinburgh-London, Friday 20 June. Air fares range: Ryanair £17-£121. easyJet £19-£160. British Airways £91-£1,183. Yes, a ticket on the 10.25am BA flight is 70 times more than the lowest Ryanair fare. But BA doesn't actually expect anyone to pay that price. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukWhy is BA charging 70 times more than Ryanair to fly from Edinburgh to London?Plane Talk: Why would any airline try to dissuade passengers from booking?
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Bring back free roaming across Europe? That was never going to happen. Before Brexit, UK travellers were the main beneficiaries of Roam Like at Home. But a document published by the Boris Johnson government made clear that roaming charges would rise after Brexit www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukWhy post-Brexit roaming charges in Europe are here to stayExclusive: A 2019 ‘explanatory memorandum’ made it clear roaming charges were set to rise after leaving the EU
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

The jewel in the crown of international rail travel? The CEO of start-up Gemini Trains claims it is Stratford International station in east London. Forget St Pancras; Gemini expresses for Paris and Brussels will start at Stratford and also stop at Ebbsfleet Intl www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukCould Stratford replace St Pancras as the gateway to Europe?Exclusive: ’We think it's a bit of a jewel in the crown’ says Gemini Trains CEO Adrian Quine
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

“Over half of Brits back banning shorthaul flights where high-speed rail links exist,” says trainmaker Hitachi. But if rail services are good enough, people will stop flying anyway. Focus on improvement, not prohibition (such as the ineffective "ban" in France). www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukIs this the age of the train or the plane?Train Talk/Plane Talk: Should we ban shorthaul flights? No – we should devote our efforts to improving rail services instead
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Stansted airport chaos due to IT failure. Hours of queuing for first-wave flights. Jet2 and Tui delayed departures to wait for passengers to reach the gate. But Ryanair, the biggest airline, has been dispatching near-empty planes on time to avoid delays later. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukStansted Airport IT failure sparks travel chaos – with 10,000 people missing flightsAn estimated 10,000 passengers have missed flights so far on Sunday morning
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Rights for those caught up in Stansted airport IT fail. Ryanair dispatched flights on time before many passengers reached the gate; it is allowing free rebooks. Jet2 waited for passengers to board. Delayed by 3 hours+? Free refreshments. But no cash compensation www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukStansted airport IT failure: your rights if you were caught up in the chaosRyanair flights were dispatched on time, Jet2 waited for all passengers – with delays of up to six hours
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Stansted airport chaos due to IT failure. Hours of queuing for first-wave flights. Jet2 and Tui delayed departures to wait for passengers to reach the gate. But Ryanair, the biggest airline, has been dispatching near-empty planes on time to avoid delays later. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukStansted Airport IT failure sparks travel chaos – with 10,000 people missing flightsAn estimated 10,000 passengers have missed flights so far on Sunday morning
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Update: systems now restored. But thousands of Ryanair passengers have missed their flights and are seeking to rebook, while Jet2 and Tui passengers later in the day will be heavily delayed – their first-wave flights were delayed for hours and there will be knock-on effects throughout Sunday.

Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Heathrow 21 March closure due to power failure. Review of the shutdown reveals electricity was restored to all airport terminals by 11am, 12 hours after the fire began. But arrivals did not resume for the following 7 hours. Departures started 3 hours after that. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukHeathrow power outage: How airport chaos unfolded as cause remains ‘unknown’Exclusive: The definitive sequence of events behind a shutdown that had devastating emotional and economic consequences
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

The tragic India-Pakistan conflict is causing delays, diversions and cancellations for hundreds of flights. Many Europe-Asia links normally traverse both India and Pakistan. Now taking longer, southerly routes, impacting: Fuel. Crew hours. Passenger connections. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukIndia-Pakistan conflict disrupts UK air passengers with delays and diversionsExclusive: Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow diverted to Doha to refuel
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

India-Pakistan conflict affecting intercontinental aviation, with many delays, diversions and cancellations. Malaysia Airlines' overnight arrival at Heathrow from Kuala Lumpur stopped en route at Doha to refuel because it could not fly direct over Pakistan. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukIndia-Pakistan conflict disrupts UK air passengers with delays and diversionsExclusive: Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow diverted to Doha to refuel
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

25 years ago I offered British Airways advice on the future. Some of it happened. Ditch Concorde. Start a dedicated "BA Gatwick". But I missed loads, such as: Turning into "London Airways". Moving at scale into London City. Retreat from Australia and New Zealand www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.uk25 years on, how did my recommendations to British Airways shape up?Plane Talk: I got some things right about BA’s path into the 21st century, but also missed loads
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Can you travel in May? Some implausible bargains. Corfu with Tui for £156 on Friday 16 May. Includes flights from Gatwick with baggage, transfers and a room with breakfast. One week later the price increases almost five-fold to £747 due to the late May half-term www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukExclusive: The ridiculously cheap early summer holiday offers as prices slashedExclusive: Travel firms are cutting prices drastically to fill seats and beds over the next two weeks
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Travel dangers. Humans are brilliant at travelling but rubbish at assessing risks. Biggest dangers by far: Road accidents – choose a safer form of transport when you can. Accidents in water – understand rip currents. Plus, in tropical zones, beware the mosquito. www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-...

independent.co.ukAvoid, avoid, avoid: the three major threats you should be aware of this summerThe Man Who Pays His Way: Take advice from the experts on holiday safety this summer
Simon Calder
@simoncalder.bsky.social

Just before your Sunday lunch: what's your weirdest, most stomach-boggling meal or drink abroad? Insects in Mexico or China? Fermented mare’s milk in Kyrgystan? Deep-fried Mars bar in Glasgow? And do you have a top tip on how to explain to hospitable hosts you can’t consume their local speciality?