Airlines in Europe are bracing for fuel supply shocks caused by the war in the Middle East. The severity of the impacts on passengers will be determined in the coming days and weeks depending on whether a recently announced ceasefire between the United States and Iran holds.
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is Germany's busiest air travel hub and one of Europe's most important gateways, handling the bulk of the country's intercontinental traffic and serving as a key transfer point for flights across Europe and beyond. Whether you're planning a winter escape to the Arctic, a Mediterranean city break or a longhaul journey outside Europe, Frankfurt's expanding route network offers a growing range of choices.
As part of a bill to strengthen rights for passengers, MEPs have swung behind proposals to allow passengers to take one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop, as well as a piece of hand luggage weighing up to 7kg (15lbs) and with combined dimensions of 100cm (39in). The case alone would be bigger than the current maximum permitted free cabin item on Ryanair and others.
OAG's Megahubs 2025 ranking reveals how well an international airport has connected you to the rest of the globe last year, based on a simple but telling comparison: These unique rankings are generated by comparing the number of scheduled connections to and from international flights with the number of destinations served from the airport.
Departures have been suspended at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on Thursday morning because freezing rain has made it impossible to de-ice aircraft, an airport spokeswoman has said. The disruption has affected air travel in the German capital as the national weather service warns of dangerous icy conditions, although landings initially appear unaffected. What Berlin airport advised passengers to do? Passengers were told to expect flight cancellations and significant delays.
Berlin's new airport? Planned for 5 years, finished in 14. Stuttgart's central station? Still under construction after 16 years. Hamburg's concert hall, the Elbphilharmonie? Nine years instead of three. And the costs? Sometimes 10 times higher than promised. Or take Cologne's opera house. Built in the 1950s as a symbol of modern democracy, it was a cultural jewel.
Lufthansa Sleeper's Row gives you a whole row of three or four seats in economy class on long-haul flights," the airline explains on its website. "After pre-boarding, once on board, you will be given your Sleeper's Row set, comprising a thin mattress plus a business class-quality blanket and pillow. You can lie down, stretch out, and enjoy the extra space for the entire duration of your flight.
The western German state North Rhine-Westphalia is proposing a new package of measures and is calling on the federal government to strengthen safety on trains ahead of a Deutsche Bahn security summit in Berlin. The state, Germany's most populous, wants to expand the use of two-person teams among train conductors. It is also urging the national government to provide legal clarity for the wearing of body cameras on public transport, which is currently voluntary.