What, you haven’t cancelled your holiday yet? But haven’t you heard? The pools in Spain are empty, Greece is on fire and – yes, look at that right there – your passport has expired before you know it.
Airport mess, air traffic control nightmares, angry anti-tourist protests. As the school holidays approach, the travel chaos-o-meter is flickering in the red as it does every year, making it hard to distinguish real pressure points from stories designed to get you sweating before the holidays, if you believe everything you read.
We look at 10 commonly reported causes of travel disruptions and offer some perspective on whether they could impact your summer vacation.
You will be fined 750 euros for peeing in the sea in Spain
In late June, it was reported that tourists could be fined up to €750 (£635) for urinating in the waters of the Costa del Sol. The rule will reportedly be applied to 25 beaches in the principality of Malaga, with fines including smoking on the beach (€2,000), using shampoo in the outdoor shower (€660) or stepping on the beach after midnight (€1,200).
Actually: The story is based on fact, but there are subtleties. Marbella City Council said the rules would not apply to people urinating in open water. “The bylaws do not sanction urinating in the sea,” a spokesman told The Guardian. “It will not be enforced. The bylaws regulate possible antisocial offences on the beach, just as they regulate such acts in any public space, such as city streets.” What is apparently forbidden is the impudent urination into the sea from the shore or the breakwaters.
Your passport may have expired without you knowing it
Some British passengers were left baffled at the gate after they were refused boarding despite their passports having expired for months.
Actually: This is something all UK holidaymakers should be aware of. Until September 2018, the Passport Office would simply add the validity period to your expiring passport. This means that your passport issued on 1 July 2014 could expire on 1 December 2024. However, since Brexit, your British passport must have been issued no more than 10 years before you entered the EU/Schengen area and must be valid for three months from the day you plan to return home. If you need a new passport, there is a one-week fast-track service available for £166.50, or you can get a new passport in two days using the Premium service for £207.50.
You must show proof of £97 to enter Spain (or risk being turned away)
Numerous news reports have emerged claiming that holidaymakers may be required to show proof of funds of £97 per day for the duration of their visit to Spain or risk being refused entry by Spanish border officials. The rule has been described as “controversial” by some news outlets, with British tourists allegedly “criticising” the rule and threatening to “boycott” Spain as a result.
Actually: This is true on paper, but not in practice. A spokesperson for the Spanish Interior Ministry told The Telegraph that the £97 rule was misreported in the UK. “These are not systematic checks on tourists and therefore no entry has been refused,” they said. “This is a hoax, which has been spread from time to time by the British media, which lacks rigour and has no basis in fact.” So while the rule is written in the fine print of the Schengen Borders Code, it is important to be aware of the wider context. So: this is not a new rule, it does not only affect UK visitors and there is no current precedent for it causing any problems for British tourists.
Another air traffic control meltdown could occur
Last August, over the summer bank holiday weekend, National Air Traffic Services (NATS) suffered a massive IT failure that grounded more than 700,000 passengers at UK airports. Some people fear the same incident could happen again this summer.
Actually: It’s a legitimate concern. NATS says it is well-resourced for next summer and that the same problem won’t happen again after a software fix. However, staff shortages are still a major concern. Air traffic control at Gatwick Airport has been experiencing persistent shortages, leading to a number of flights being cancelled a few weeks ago. There are also staff shortages in Europe; in early July, more than 125 flights from the UK were cancelled as a result. French air traffic controllers (ATC) also regularly go on strike, and last month Ryanair cancelled around 100 flights due to a strike at Paris Beauvais Airport. Broader French ATC strikes could have a domino effect on all flights through the air traffic area (for example, from the UK to Spain).
Angry anti-tourist protesters could ruin your holiday
In recent months, there have been a number of anti-tourism protests in the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Barcelona and Venice. From a distance, this can make a destination seem quite hostile.
Actually: Generally, the messages from these protests are directed at local politicians rather than the tourists themselves. So yes, there’s a chance your holiday will coincide with a city or beach invasion, but it’s unlikely to dampen your overall enjoyment of your holiday. You’re also unlikely to face any harassment, although protesters in Barcelona recently targeted tourists eating on La Rambla with water guns. There are rumours of a demonstration at Palma de Mallorca airport this summer – if it happens, it could have a major domino effect for UK holidaymakers.
Swimming pools empty in Spain
Earlier this year, Spain experienced a terrible drought. In one of the hardest-hit regions, Catalonia, measures were introduced, with residents banned from washing their cars and swimming pools could only be filled with recycled or seawater. There were concerns at the time that the drought measures could affect summer holidays.
Actually: The north-eastern regions of Spain, particularly Catalonia, continue to suffer from drought conditions, but steady rainfall following the drought emergency in February has boosted reservoir reserves. Catalonia’s environmental authority has reassured the public that it is better prepared for extreme drought events this summer, but measures could be implemented at short notice. At the time of writing, there have been no reports of swimming pools in Spain running dry. Bring your swimsuit unless otherwise instructed.
Just Stop Oil could cause chaos at airports
In late June, Just Stop Oil protesters cut through the perimeter fence at Stansted Airport and sprayed private jets with the group’s signature orange cornflour mixture. This comes after the environmental group met in Birmingham this summer to discuss actions at national airports.
Actually: Two Just Stop Oil protesters set foot on the airfield at Stansted Airport this summer, but their focus was on private aviation and there is no recent precedent for a campaign group targeting an airport in an organised manner. When The Telegraph asked Just Stop Oil whether holidaymakers should be wary of activists wearing orange T-shirts at airports, a spokesman said: “I wouldn’t say that. This is not about individuals flying. We’re not going to talk about the ethics of people flying. People fly for all sorts of reasons. What we do as individuals means very little unless we can create political pressure on governments to act at a systemic level.”
I can bring as much liquid as I want on my flight this summer
All UK airports have been given a deadline of June 1, 2024 to overhaul their security lanes to allow for new, state-of-the-art scanners that can detect liquids without them having to be removed from bags. This will mean the end of the dreaded 100ml rule that has been in place since 2006 and will mean you can leave your electronic devices in your bags.
Actually: While some airports have met the June deadline (City and Teesside have, in fact, met theirs in early 2023), the new liquid rules have caused confusion at Birmingham Airport, leading to long queues and ultimately a government shake-up. So for now, and probably through the summer, tourists have been instructed to continue to follow the liquid rules that have been in place since 2006.
Greek islands are burning and I may have to evacuate
In June, Greece faced an unseasonably early heatwave, with temperatures reaching 43C, forcing schools to close and the Acropolis in Athens to close its doors. More recently, wildfires have broken out across the Greek islands, raising fears that this summer could bring a repeat of last summer’s dramatic evacuations.
Actually: Summer forest fires are common in Greece and are usually brought under control by helicopters and planes that drop seawater over the affected area. Last year, after a long dry and hot spell, there were particularly bad forest fires across Greece, especially on Rhodes, where some tourists had to be evacuated from their hotels. Recent forest fires in Zakynthos, Chios, Crete and Kos are reminiscent of events in 2023, but authorities say they have improved early warning systems and are better prepared to fight fires this summer.
e-Gates continue to malfunction and cause long queues
Repeated closures of passport control e-gates at UK airports have led to long waits.
Actually: Of all the points of chaos discussed, this is perhaps the one that needs the most attention. Yet, brutally, it is also impossible to take any kind of precaution or prepare in advance (beyond perhaps packing emergency snacks). After the most recent e-Gate crash in May 2024, the second in as many weeks, Caroline Carruthers, chief executive of global data consultancy Carruthers and Jackson, told The Independent: “A similar crash could happen again at some point in the future for one of a million reasons.”
