Tough start to the week at Stansted and Birmingham airports due to technical issues (power and security kit respectively).
Birmingham tells me that 15% of all bags are non-compliant with the current rules and get pulled.
Liquids rules have not yet changed.
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

GPS jamming/spoofing in areas near the Russian frontier now looking more serious.
Finnair has grounded flights from Helsinki to Tartu in Estonia due to “GPS interference in the area”.
Last week, two flights on the route turned around and returned to base.
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Heathrow: aircraft refuellers' strike due to start on Saturday 4 May has been called off.
UK Border Force walk-out continues to Thursday 2 May.
Members of Unite union working as firefighters and other airport staff plan one-week stoppage from Tuesday 7 May
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Heathrow airport passport control: UK Border Force strike under way.
But while talking to plenty of passengers arriving at London Paddington station on the Heathrow Express, I found no-one who had encountered a long queue.
But let me know if you're in line
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Frequent-flyer schemes can be so addictive that they've been compared to crack cocaine.
The prospect of points persuades some to make irrational choices – e.g. Orlando-Heathrow-Manchester on BA, rather than nonstop on Virgin.
With thanks to Head for Points.
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Air-traffic control delay from Italy to Gatwick means today’s Instagram Live, in which I tackle travel questions, will start after the usual 5.30pm.
Simon Calder on Instagram if you want to join. Captain predicts landing 5.35pm BST. Will begin as soon as possible after touchdown

Difficult to tell from this 17th century oil painting in Trento Castle whether the chap in the middle has an iPhone 13 or a Samsung Galaxy.

Cheap and cheerful. No, not me: the excellent Hotel Venezia in Trento, far northern Italy. Do you have a recommendation of a two-star (approx) family-run hotel in Europe or beyond?

“If you want something loyal, buy a dog,” advised Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary when I enquired if Europe’s biggest budget airline plans a frequent-flyer scheme.
That'll be a 'no'.
But would low-cost carriers (or passengers) benefit from loyalty programmes?
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Venice: “Today we are starting entry fees to find the new balance between the community and the daytrippers,” Simone Venturini, deputy mayor for tourism, told me.
“Our goal is to collect very, very low taxes because it means that we have less daytrippers.”
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Venice is now a city for which daytrippers must pay €5 (£4.30) on high-pressure days for tourism. All you need to know here.🔽
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Just arrived in Venice ahead of tomorrow’s daytripper tax, visitor entry fee or tourist congestion charge - whatever you call it, unless you are staying overnight you will have to pay €5 to enter the city.
Any other cities you think should adopt the idea?
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Heathrow: for each day in January, February and March, the airport handled 200,000 passengers – and made an average £5 profit from each of them.
But the CFO says a cap on charges imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority is causing a £400m gap in accounts.
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Heathrow faces “major disruption” as 800 members of the Unite union - firefighters and staff in other roles –plan to strike Tuesday 7 May-Monday 13 May in a row over outsourcing.
Airport says with robust contingency plans it expects no impact on passengers
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Just 52 days to the Euro2024 football fest in Germany.
Scotland opens vs the hosts in Munich on 14 June.
Travel advice (eg for England's 1st match against Serbia on 16 June fly on Ryanair from Stansted to Eindhoven in NL for £30 return) + tips on venues.🔽
independent.co.uk/travel/news-an…

Before tonight, my most vile alcoholic drink was a tie between:
kumis (fermented mare's milk), Kyrgyzstan
pre-masticated kava, Fiji
a tinned beer-and-tomato juice Mexican combo named Chelada
But the bar has now been set even lower with a 1st sip of Captain Morgan Tiki.
And yours?