Between 1 June and 31 August, the European aviation network handled an average of 35,959 flights per day, up 2.4% compared with summer 2025. Traffic reached an all-time peak on Friday, 10 July, when 37,640 flights crossed the network in a single day.

Overall, 66 all-time daily traffic records were set during the summer, including records registered by 11 airlines or airline groups, 16 airports, 24 area control centres and 14 countries.

The increase came despite the continuing Middle East conflict, which significantly altered traffic flows across Europe. Earlier in the year, Eurocontrol estimated that the conflict had reduced flights between Europe and the Middle East by 59%, while around 1,150 flights per day were affected by rerouting to avoid conflict zones and closed airspace.

During the summer, those changes continued to affect the distribution of traffic across the continent. Eurocontrol reported lower traffic in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Türkiye, while Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia recorded strong increases. Traffic also continued to grow in south-western Europe.

Despite the record number of flights, operational performance improved compared with last summer. Arrival punctuality reached 72.6%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points year-on-year, while air traffic flow management (ATFM) delays fell by 17% to an average of 3.27 minutes per flight.

However, around 681,000 flights were still delayed by ATFM restrictions over the summer, equivalent to approximately 7,400 flights per day, or 21% of all flights. Capacity and staffing issues accounted for 49% of en-route ATFM delays, while severe convective weather was responsible for 43%. Industrial action represented just 1%.

France accounted for 32% of delays linked to air traffic management problems, while Greece’s aviation system also came under significant pressure as record passenger numbers and increased traffic pushed air traffic control capacity to its limits.

Eurocontrol said 45 of Europe’s 68 area control centres are currently on track to meet the European capacity target by the end of 2026. Another 10 remain on track but continue to be affected by adverse weather and the Middle East crisis, while 13 are expected to miss the target.

Traffic growth was particularly strong across southeastern Europe, including Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia, alongside continued growth in southwest Europe. Overall, 14 countries recorded their highest-ever daily traffic levels for arrivals and departures during the summer, with Armenia, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Türkiye among those setting new records.

Several airlines and airline groups also set traffic records, among them Aegean, Air Serbia, easyJet, Jet2.com, Pegasus, Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, Sky Express, SunExpress, Turkish Airlines and Wizz Air.

The organisation is now reviewing the lessons from the record-breaking season as it prepares for summer 2027, with a focus on network planning, staffing, airspace modernisation and increasing air traffic management capacity.

L’article Europe records busiest-ever summer for air traffic despite Middle East war est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

That exemption for Algiers services through the end of 2026 cushions passengers for now, while the diplomatic estrangement highlights how bilateral agreements and airspace access can rapidly reshape airline networks.

Following years of friction over perceived UAE interference in North Africa and the Sahel, it remains unclear what specifically triggered the current airspace ban, but Algeria says it acted after repeated warnings over what it described as hostile conduct, without detailing a specific incident.

Meanwhile, the UAE has expressed regret and said it hoped the break would be temporary. For aviation businesses and passengers, the key point is that disruption remains contained for now, but the year-end deadline creates a clear decision point for future connectivity between the two countries.

Immediate impact on airlines is expected to be small

Experts expect the direct commercial effect to be limited because scheduled UAE-operated links had already largely disappeared. MiGFlug reports that Algeria moved in February to end the countries’ 2013 air-services agreement, while FlightAware data cited by the outlet indicates that the last Emirates Dubai–Algiers service operated in March 2026. No other UAE carrier currently serves Algeria. Air Algérie is not directly covered because the measure applies to UAE-registered aircraft.

That means, for the aviation sector, the decision is more significant as a policy signal than as a network shock. Airspace restrictions can force rerouting, increase fuel consumption and journey times, and alter the competitive balance between carriers. In this case, however, UAE-registered traffic over Algeria is limited, reducing the likelihood of widespread schedule changes.

UAE-operated Etihad Airways flight not allowed to fly over Algeria this morning. https://t.co/HSidkwwd1p pic.twitter.com/jlLZ7NlL6H

— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) September 11, 2026

The exemption also suggests that existing commercial obligations can constrain even a festering diplomatic row; Algerian authorities have referred to an expiring contract governing commercial aviation but have not publicly identified it.

What passengers should expect

Travellers booked on permitted commercial services to or from Algiers should not face an automatic cancellation solely because of the ban before 31 December 2026. Nevertheless, prospective flyers should monitor airline updates because schedules may still change as carriers respond to regulatory, diplomatic, or operational developments.

Anyone planning travel from 2027 faces greater uncertainty: the exemption has a stated end date, and no replacement bilateral framework or continuation has been announced in the cited reports.

L’article Algeria bans UAE aircraft from its airspace but commercial flights continue until end of 2026 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

As a result, Auckland increasingly looks like Qantas’ eastern counterweight to Perth. Cam Wallace, CEO of Qantas International, told Executive Traveller he sees Auckland as “a growing eastern hub for us”, supported by Qantas services from Australian cities and partner flights, including those operated by American Airlines. The airline’s new Auckland lounge, part of a wider hospitality investment programme, reinforces that ambition. Wallace said partner connectivity gives Qantas “a strong kind of underlying network proposition”, while describing lounges as “a really core part” of the customer offer.

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The Apia route shows why this matters for airline planning. Simple Flying notes that a Sydney-Apia nonstop service is technically possible with a Boeing 737-800, but by routing it via Auckland and selling Auckland-Apia as a fifth-freedom leg, Qantas can tap into stronger New Zealand-Samoa traffic while maintaining an Australia-origin option. For the industry, it is a pragmatic example of post-pandemic network design: shortening the more challenging sector, improving load potential and spreading revenue across more than one market.

The Gold Coast-Auckland service widens the competitive front. Qantas is linking two non-hub airports three times weekly with a 737-800, giving Gold Coast travellers an international option without first travelling through Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne. It also puts fresh pressure on Air New Zealand and strengthens the wider Qantas Group position in New Zealand, where Jetstar is also expanding.

The New York service remains central to the Auckland story. It began partly because current Boeing 787 operations could not support the same Sydney-New York nonstop mission, but now the stop is becoming a network asset, rather than just an operational fix. Wallace said Sydney-Auckland-New York would be “complementary to the direct services” once nonstop Sydney-New York and Melbourne-New York flights launch, giving travellers from Auckland and several Australian cities more than one way to reach the US East Coast.

For travellers, the benefits include more choice, stronger competition and potentially lower fares, particularly on Gold Coast-Auckland and New Zealand-Samoa routes. A stronger lounge and alliance proposition could also improve the premium experience. The trade-off is complexity: some Australia-origin passengers bound for Apia may face longer journeys via Auckland, making schedules and connection reliability increasingly important.

For competitors, the strategy raises the stakes beyond fares. Air New Zealand is preparing refreshed Boeing 787 cabins, including enhanced premium seating and economy rest options, while Qantas is emphasising lounges, partnership feed and greater trans-Tasman connectivity. The rivalry is therefore likely to play out across schedules, cabin products, loyalty benefits and the airport experience.

Qantas’ Auckland build-up is not a wholesale shift away from Sydney for the Australian flag carrier, but it shows how airlines can use nearby international markets, fifth-freedom rights and partner networks to make thinner routes more viable. If the model succeeds, Auckland could become an increasingly important Pacific connection point for premium and leisure traffic, with consequences for airports, competitors and passengers on both sides of the Tasman.

L’article Qantas turns Auckland into growing Pacific hub with new international routes est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

As Business Traveller warns, several foreign carriers have pushed planned returns into late October, while some suspensions now extend into 2027. The result is a two-speed recovery: Gulf-based airlines are rebuilding schedules through their home hubs, while many Asian, European, and North American operators remain more cautious about reopening exposed routes.

The Middle East is once again at the top of Flightradar24's most-tracked list as aviation activity draws attention following new attacks in and around Iran. pic.twitter.com/pITzxaisif

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) September 1, 2026

The operational picture is still changing. OPSGROUP’s 2 September briefing said most Gulf flight information regions were open with tactical routings, but warned that Kuwait’s continued closure to overflights leaves no simple central corridor through the region. Europe-Asia traffic is therefore still being channelled mainly along southern routes via Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE, or northern routings through the Caucasus and Afghanistan.

Airspace open does not mean flights are back

EASA’s latest guidance has, however, eased some restrictions for Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, particularly for flights operating to and from airports in those countries, but that still does not amount to an all-clear. OPSGROUP notes that risk remains elevated over Gulf waters, with operators expected to limit exposure where possible and continue route-by-route assessments.

That distinction matters for travellers. A destination airport may be open, but the airline operating a passenger’s ticket may still decide that the route fails its internal safety, insurance, crew-planning, or diversion criteria. Business Traveller reports that carriers including Lufthansa Group, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, and Air Canada have each set different suspension windows, leaving passengers to check the exact operating carrier rather than relying on airport status alone.

Passengers face a fragmented timetable

Several restart dates are slated for the final weekend of October, but they should be treated as planning markers rather than guarantees. Cathay Pacific has kept Dubai and Riyadh off its passenger schedule through the end of November, while Air Canada’s suspension for Dubai and Tel Aviv stretches into mid-January 2027. Finnair has gone further for Helsinki-Dubai, removing the route altogether for the winter season.

Qatar Airways will expand its global network to more than 170 destinations during the 2026-2027 winter season, reflecting the airline’s network growth and reinforcing its position as a leader in global connectivity.

The winter schedule will see Qatar Airways operate more than… pic.twitter.com/sPmXN80FEZ

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) September 10, 2026

For tourists and business travellers, the practical risk is not only cancellation. Reroutings can add flying time, reduce connection options, and place extra pressure on hubs handling diverted traffic. OPSGROUP also highlights widespread GPS jamming and spoofing in the region, alongside congestion on some southern bypass sectors, factors that can affect operations even when airspace remains technically open.

Aviation security context as 9/11 reaches 25-year anniversary

The Middle East disruption is unfolding as the aviation industry marks 25 years since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, a moment that fundamentally changed how governments, airports and airlines think about risk. The post-9/11 era brought reinforced cockpit doors, tighter screening, federalised security in the United States, and a much more cautious approach to threats involving aircraft. That legacy helps explain why carriers may delay a route restart even after regulators permit limited operations: modern aviation security is built around layered risk management, not simply whether a runway is open.

What travellers should do now

Passengers should confirm the operating airline, not just the booking airline, and review the latest travel notices before departure. Refund, rerouting, and rebooking rules vary by carrier and by travel date, so a policy that covers one itinerary may not apply to another. Until airlines can maintain Middle East schedules without repeated extensions, sudden detours or emergency cancellations, experts note the region’s recovery should be viewed as partial and fragile.

The airspace remains high risk. Israeli airstrikes in Syria continue periodically; several countries still prohibit or strongly discourage their operators from entering the region’s skies, and air traffic control capability remains limited. Prospective flyers can check safeairspace.net for more info.

L’article Middle East flight disruption persists despite reopened airspace est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

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The list was created with travel forecasting company Globetrender and draws on information from local guides, tourism boards and Intrepid teams in 35 countries. Destinations had to receive fewer visitors than comparable places and possess enough infrastructure to accommodate growth. New flights, railway links, tourism projects and cultural events were also considered. The report is not a scientific ranking, but combines available data with local knowledge and editorial judgement. “If we want tourism to continue to be a force for good, we need to constantly rethink how and where we travel,” Intrepid’s general manager of experiences Erica Kritikides said.

Samburu National Reserve leads the list as a quieter alternative to Kenya’s Maasai Mara. It receives around 30,000 to 40,000 visitors annually, roughly one-tenth of the Maasai Mara’s total. Travellers can search for the “Samburu Special Five”, which include Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, beisa oryx and gerenuk. Community-led tourism also helps fund conservation and local services. Second-placed Mestia is a Georgian mountain town surrounded by the traditional villages and medieval defensive towers of UNESCO-listed Upper Svaneti. Improved access and tourism investment are positioning the area as a year-round base for hiking and skiing.

@mandy.hrr Underrated & Unforgettable: Why Samburu National Park Is Kenya’s Best-Kept Secret Far from the crowds, Samburu offers an exclusive safari with rare wildlife like the elegant gerenuk, Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich, and Beisa oryx – the “Samburu Special Five.” Add elephants, leopards, and striking desert scenery, and you’ve got a truly wild adventure. #SamburuNationalPark #HiddenGemKenya #SafariSecrets #SpecialFive #UntamedAfrica #WildlifeWonder #BucketListTravel #SaveThisPost #AfricanAdventure #TravelInspo #Safari #Kenya #Kenyasafari #kenia ♬ sonido original – KiaraMarBalto

Jordan’s Northern Highlands occupy third place and show a greener side of a country usually associated with Petra and Wadi Rum. The region combines Roman remains, forest reserves and mountain paths. Whitehorse in Canada’s Yukon follows in fourth place, with northern lights, hiking and winter activities among its attractions. A new Arctic tourism initiative is developing community-led cultural, wildlife and adventure experiences. Guided activities can also introduce visitors to the history and traditions of Yukon First Nations.

Alonnisos in Greece takes fifth place after welcoming about 70,000 visitors in 2024, compared with approximately 500,000 on nearby Skiathos. The island lies within Europe’s largest marine protected area, which provides an important habitat for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal. Visitors can also explore the Peristera shipwreck, presented as Greece’s first underwater museum. Investments in recycling, desalination, renewable energy and biowaste management are intended to support more sustainable development.

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Dili in Timor-Leste occupies sixth place as new air connections make one of Southeast Asia’s least-visited countries easier to reach. The capital provides access to reefs, beaches and mountains, while its Tais Market showcases the country’s traditional woven cloth. Sri Lanka’s Pekoe Trail follows in seventh place. The 300-kilometre route has 22 stages crossing tea estates, forests and rural communities. Tourism spending can reach local guides, farmers, cafés, craftspeople and guesthouses along the way.

Liepāja, Latvia, is eighth and will host more than 500 events as a European Capital of Culture in 2027. Its Baltic beach, musical heritage and former military district offer reasons to travel beyond Riga. Chile’s Carretera Austral takes ninth place and runs for 1,240 kilometres through the fjords, glaciers and forests of northern Patagonia. Dalsland completes the list with lakes, forests, kayaking, cycling and wild camping. A direct Malmö–Oslo railway service introduced in 2026 has made the Swedish region easier to access. It received around 320,000 visitors in 2025, compared with almost 16 million for Stockholm.

@katiesaway Just came back from the most amazing weekend in Dalsland! We were gifted two nights stay at Nordic Refuge and spent the weekend hiking, swimming, cycling and just enjoying the Swedish summer! Here are all the places we visited: • Håverud and the aquaduct • Fröskogs Kyrka • Vandra i Ronjaland – hiking the trail to see where the film Ronja Röversdotter was shot • Not Quite • Sörknatten Naturreservat • Ärrsjön If you want our full itinerary you can find it on my blog (links in bio) #dalsland #sverige #visitsweden #sverigetiktok #resaisverige #dalsland #svensksommar ♬ Makeba – Jain

Promoting overlooked places can, however, raise fears that tourism pressure will simply be moved to a new destination. “The real test is whether tourism can grow without overwhelming local communities, ecosystems and infrastructure,” Globetrender founder Jenny Southan said. Previous editions have already brought greater attention to featured regions. Intrepid said its Pakistan bookings rose by 67% after Gilgit-Baltistan appeared on an earlier list, while bookings to Kyrgyzstan increased by 62%. The company has introduced five new itineraries connected to the 2027 selection, covering Kenya, Canada, Sri Lanka, Jordan and Georgia.

L’article Kenya’s Samburu leads Intrepid’s 10 ‘Not Hot’ destinations for 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The global average surface air temperature reached 16.96°C last month, which is 0.85°C above the 1991–2020 average. It made August the warmest August in the ERA5 dataset and the joint-warmest month across all calendar months along with July 2023.

Temperatures were 1.65°C above the estimated 1850–1900 pre-industrial average, marking the first month since November 2025 in which the global temperature anomaly exceeded 1.5°C.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries committed to pursuing efforts to limit long-term global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. A single month exceeding that threshold does not mean the long-term Paris Agreement target has been breached, which is measured over a longer period. The global average temperature for the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026 was 1.48°C above pre-industrial levels.

“August 2026 was a remarkable month in the global climate record,” said Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). “Combined with record global sea surface temperatures and the warmest summer on record for Western Europe, these observations show how climate change is driving extremes across both the atmosphere and the oceans.”

Ocean temperatures also reached record levels. The average sea surface temperature across extra-polar oceans, between 60°S and 60°N, stood at 21.07°C, the highest recorded for August and equal to the all-month record set in March 2024. Copernicus said the exceptional temperatures reflected global heating alongside rapidly developing El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific.

Europe also experienced unusually high temperatures. The average temperature over European land in August reached 20.26°C, 1.10°C above the 1991–2020 average, making it the continent’s fourth-warmest August on record.

Summer 2026 was the third warmest recorded across Europe as a whole, behind 2024 and 2022. Western Europe, however, experienced its hottest summer on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2003 after a succession of early, persistent and intense heatwaves.

Dry conditions also affected large parts of Europe during the summer, with exceptionally low soil moisture and widespread low river flows. By August, several major European rivers were experiencing unusually low water levels, with the Danube stranding cruise ships and disrupting tourism in Hungary. Rhine, Southern Bug and Dnieper also saw exceptionally low flows, while the Vistula, Glomma, Rhône, Seine and Po also reached exceptionally low levels before recovering slightly following late-August rainfall.

Meanwhile, extreme heat and wildfires have affected large parts of Europe. In France, the largest wildfire began on 22 July in Saumos, in the Gironde department, burning or damaging around 42,000 hectares. 220,000 people across 23 towns were evacuated, including tourists, while 240 residential homes were destroyed. Around 2,500 firefighters were deployed, with 84 injured. Overall, wildfires across the Gironde and Landes regions near Bordeaux forced around 260,000 people to flee their homes.

Spain also faced widespread wildfires throughout the summer, with more than 170,000 hectares of forest land affected since the beginning of 2026, compared with just 29,000 hectares in 2025. Around 76,000 people were evacuated nationwide, and a further 30,000 were confined to their homes as firefighters battled major blazes near Madrid, Ávila and Valencia. The Ávila fire alone burned around 25,000 hectares, making it one of the largest in Spain’s recent history, while a blaze near Madrid forced 116,000 people to evacuate.

In Greece, dozens of fires have burned around 6,000 hectares on Crete and Paros, while fires around the Gulf of Corinth forced evacuations from Porto Germeno and nearby villages, destroying some 10,000 hectares as well as homes and vehicles. Athens also faced evacuations of more than 1,000 people, including over 250 rescued by boat from beaches. At least 12,000 hectares of forest and agricultural land were burned, while two helicopter pilots were killed during a firefighting operation.

Globally, the June-to-August period was the joint warmest on record, matching 2024. From January to August, 2026 ranked as the second-warmest year on record so far, behind 2024 and ahead of 2023. Copernicus said El Niño conditions are expected to strengthen further in the coming months, potentially developing into one of the strongest events on record and increasing the likelihood of continued high global temperatures during the remainder of the year.

L’article August 2026 was world’s joint hottest month ever recorded, Copernicus finds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Germany’s Lufthansa Group is preparing to bring Dubai back into its winter schedule from late October, marking another step in the gradual restoration of air links between Europe and the Middle East after months of disruption due to the US-Israel war on Iran.

The German-headquartered group said services will return in phases and could reach up to 36 flights a week to and from Dubai once the programme is fully operating. The restart will involve several of the group’s airlines, including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings.

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According to the group’s published schedule, Lufthansa is due to resume Munich-Dubai flights on 25 October, followed by Frankfurt-Dubai services on 26 October. SWISS is scheduled to restart Zurich-Dubai flights on 27 October, while Eurowings plans to return from Berlin and Stuttgart on 1 November and from Cologne-Bonn on 3 November. Austrian Airlines is expected to resume Vienna-Dubai flights on 12 December.

The move strengthens Lufthansa Group’s Middle East network as more carriers reassess suspended routes across the region. The company has already resumed or scheduled services to destinations including Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Amman, while also indicating that its Abu Dhabi network is expected to return towards the end of October.

Dubai is one of the world’s busiest airports, sitting between Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a geographical location within an 8-hour flight of two-thirds of the world’s population, making it a vital connecting hub between continents.

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The emirate city has remained one of the most closely watched markets during the regional troubles, with several airlines extending route suspensions into the autumn or beyond. United Airlines has confirmed that its non-stop Newark-Dubai service will remain suspended until March 2027, while other international carriers have continued to adjust schedules in response to regional conditions. Air Canada, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Wizz Air all have suspensions ongoing to between late October 2026 and January 2027.

Coming back to Middle East market before those players could give Lufthansa an advantage over such rivals, but the Group said it continues to monitor security developments in the region in coordination with relevant authorities. It added that passenger and crew safety remains its priority. The planned return of Dubai flights is likely to broaden options for corporate and leisure travellers as demand for Gulf connectivity rebuilds ahead of the winter travel period.

L’article Lufthansa Group to resume Dubai flights from late October as Middle East network rebuilds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Presented on Wednesday, 9 September, by Apple’s new chief executive John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook earlier this month, the iPhone Duo opens like a book to reveal a 7.6-inch display, while retaining a 5.4-inch external screen when folded. Starting at $1,999 (around €1,720), it will also be the most expensive iPhone Apple has released. For European consumers, however, the direct conversion does not reflect the final retail price, which is higher due to VAT and regional pricing. For example, in Belgium, prices start at €2,339 for the 256 GB model, rising to €2,589 for 512 GB, €3,089 for 1 TB and €3,839 for 2 TB.

Apple has confirmed that the iPhone Duo will arrive in several European markets on 23 October 2026, with pre-orders opening on 16 October. France, Germany and the UK are among more than 70 countries and regions included in the first wave, while the device will reach a further 28 markets from 30 October.

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The launch takes Apple into a foldable smartphone market where rivals including Samsung, Google and Motorola have already been active for several years. Foldables, however, remain a relatively small segment, accounting for less than 5% of the overall smartphone market, according to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood.

For travellers, the significance of the format could go beyond simply having a bigger screen. A device that combines smartphone portability with some of the working space associated with a small tablet could make tasks such as navigating maps, checking itineraries, editing photographs, reading documents or working between apps easier without carrying an additional device.

That could be particularly relevant for travel journalists, bloggers, vloggers and other creators who increasingly produce and publish material directly from destinations. Apple’s Split View allows two applications to run side by side, meaning, for example, a reporter could consult notes while writing, a traveller could compare a booking with a map, or a creator could work across editing and publishing applications on the same screen. Apple has also demonstrated the device running productivity applications such as Zoom and Slack.

Apple has confirmed that the Duo will support the USB-C Apple Pencil later this year, extending a capability previously associated with the iPad to an iPhone. That could make the larger display useful for annotating documents, taking handwritten notes or sketching while travelling.

A different approach to travel photography

The folding format also introduces several possibilities for photography and video. The Duo has two 48-megapixel rear cameras, while its outer screen can act as a preview when somebody else is taking the photograph. Users can also take selfies using the higher-resolution rear cameras while seeing themselves on the external display.

For solo travellers and content creators, the phone can be partially folded and placed on a surface, effectively creating its own stand for photographs, video calls, time-lapses or video recording without necessarily requiring a tripod.

Apple has added features specifically designed around the two-screen configuration, including Duo Preview, which lets the person being photographed see the framing, and Smart Take, which uses on-device artificial intelligence to identify when subjects are posing and automatically capture images.

The main camera can record 4K video at up to 120 frames per second in Dolby Vision, while Apple’s updated software allows Cinematic effects to be applied after recording. Those specifications could make the device particularly interesting to vloggers and mobile journalists, although whether a foldable phone can replace dedicated cameras, laptops, or other professional equipment will depend heavily on individual workflows.

A pocket-sized workspace?

The Duo is powered by Apple’s A20 Pro processor and runs iOS 27.1, which has been adapted to accommodate both screens and different folding positions. Apple says third-party applications, including Netflix, Zoom and Slack, are already taking advantage of the format.

The company is also putting artificial intelligence at the centre of the device through Apple Intelligence and its new Siri AI. Features include the ability to draw on information from messages, emails and photographs, understand what is displayed on screen and perform actions across applications.

Such capabilities could eventually have obvious applications while travelling, from finding reservation information buried in emails to organising schedules or working with content on the road. As with other AI assistants, however, their practical value will depend on accuracy, language and regional availability, as well as users’ willingness to give software greater access to personal information.

Apple says Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing where possible, alongside its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure. Siri AI is initially being rolled out in beta in English, with French, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and Korean support expected in October.

Connectivity is another potentially important consideration for international travellers. The Duo is eSIM-only worldwide and includes Apple’s C2 cellular modem, as well as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The device also supports Apple’s satellite connectivity features when users are outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

Battery life, meanwhile, is rated at up to 24 hours of mixed use across both displays. Apple says the phone can reach 50% charge in approximately 20 minutes using compatible wired charging, an increasingly relevant consideration for travellers relying on a single device throughout a day on the road.

Foldable, but not for everyone

Despite the possibilities, the Duo is positioned firmly at the premium end of the smartphone market. Foldable devices also continue to face questions around long-term durability and whether their additional screen space provides enough everyday benefit to justify their cost and complexity.

Apple says it has addressed durability through a grade 5 titanium construction, an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, Ceramic Shield protection and a hinge containing more than 100 components. The internal folding display uses several protective layers designed to reduce stress as the phone repeatedly opens and closes.

Apple’s arrival could nevertheless give the foldable category considerably more visibility. Analysts see the launch as characteristic of the company’s tendency to enter emerging product categories after competitors have spent years developing them rather than attempting to be first. Reuters reports that analysts at IDC expect Apple to capture around 40% of the foldable market by the end of 2027, although the category remains a niche compared with conventional smartphones.

Whether the Duo can push foldable smartphones beyond their current niche remains uncertain. For travellers and travel professionals, however, combining a larger screen with photography, video, editing, navigation and multitasking in a pocket-sized device could make it a useful tool on the road. Whether those advantages justify its premium price will become clearer once the Duo reaches consumers in October.

L’article Apple enters foldable market with iPhone Duo, but what could it mean for travel? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Aimed at enhancing border security and tracking, EES requires travellers from outside the EU to register biometric and passport details at the border on their first crossing. The data are stored digitally for three years or until the relevant passport expires.

Despite a prolonged period of preparation and a phased introduction, the full implementation of EES in April 2026 saw chaos at many airports around the region, with travellers queuing for so long in some instances that they missed flights, and extra law enforcement having to be brought into hubs like Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado.

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In many places, special kiosks installed to help travellers register themselves appeared to malfunction, leaving people confused about whether or not they were registered at all. Short staffing meant the registration could not be done manually. Some jurisdictions, like Greece, that benefit from mass tourism from beyond EU borders went as far as unilaterally rejecting EES to protect their own economic interests.

To relieve the problems, the Commission then announced it would allow individual hubs flexibility over EES enforcement, letting them waive the registration process at times of high traffic. That period of discretionary powers ended on 6 September 2026, and hubs are once again supposed to be fully applying the rules.

But travel industry trade bodies such as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airports Council International (ACI), and firms such as Holiday Extras and Ryanair are urging the Commission to continue to permit border staff to go easy on the EES rules when necessary, in order to avert travel disruption and reputational harm to Europe as a destination.

Luke Petherbridge, Abta director, noted that EES is still not being properly implemented everywhere anyway, saying: “there is still some way to go until EES is fully and consistently operational across all participating countries.”

Thomas Reynaert, IATA’s head of external affairs, said: “These are real impacts being felt by passengers. It gives Europe a bad reputation. When systems fail, passengers lose the trust in the system and when people are late, airlines pay a high cost.”

Ryanair’s chief operating officer, Neal McMahon, said “the EU’s handling of EES has been a shambles from start to finish” and that the bloc had not heeded warnings about the system, resulting in passengers paying the price. He is asking the Commission to delay full implementation until April 2027.

And Matthew Pack, CEO of Holiday Extras, went as far as saying: “These border systems have failed … EES hasn’t worked.” He is pushing for the Commission to acknowledge the issues and think again. “The honest response is to … roll it back, and rebuild it properly,” he said.

Ironically, the malfunctioning kiosks in places such as the Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras and the Port of Dover’s Eurotunnel are reported to still not work properly, meaning some travellers coming to EU destinations will not be EES registered, whatever the Commission does next.

L’article Travel stakeholders urge EU to prolong easing of EES border controls est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The two countries share just a 17-km land border and one rail bridge known as the Russia-Korea Friendship Bridge. Like that train crossing, the new one-kilometre road bridge – named for Yakov Novichenko, a Soviet officer who saved North Korea’s founding leader, Kim Il-sung, from a hand grenade using his own body as a shield – also traverses the Tumen River.

The bridge connects Tumangang in the Rason Special Economic Zone, North Korea, with Khasan in eastern Russia, a remote Russian area with only a few hundred inhabitants. It is also close to China’s Fangchuan National Scenic Area, where busloads of tourists are delivered to observe the surrounding countryside from a panoramic tower.

At an opening ceremony on 7 September 2026, a convoy of vehicles crossed the bridge, and Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin said the new cross-border transport infrastructure “will provide a powerful impetus for the further development of trade, economic, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation.”

By video link, North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song said the opening of the bridge was “a significant event adding a new dynamic movement to the overall bilateral cooperation,” North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency reported.

Around 300 vehicles a day are expected to use the road link, including a new breed of Russian tourist that has begun holidaying at North Korean beach and ski resorts, following efforts to promote the Democratic People’s Republic as a Russia-friendly destination, in a world where Russia is increasingly isolated from the wider international community due to fallout from the Ukraine war.

Ukrainian human rights groups and South Korean intelligence, however, say tourism, cultural exchanges, and trade will not be the only things crossing the new border bridge after its rapid construction in just one year. North Korea has supported Russia’s campaign with thousands of troops, and Russia is reported to have reciprocated by supplying North Korea with military equipment and technology, according to intelligence sources.

Other experts note that the vast majority (about 98%) of North Korea’s foreign trade remains with China, which enjoys at least 17 road and rail connections across their roughly 1,400-km-long border, according to the South Korean government.

L’article Russia and North Korea open first road bridge to boost cross-border travel est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.