
European holiday planned for 2025? 10 Schengen countries have brought back internal border checks
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Several Schengen member states have reintroduced internal border checks in 2025, marking a significant shift in the region's approach to freedom of movement. Germany, France, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Bulgaria have implemented border measures citing reasons such as irregular migration, terror threats, and regional instability. These actions, though permitted under Articles 25 and 29 of the Schengen Borders Code , represent an unprecedented level of internal control within the zone.Germany, for instance, initiated controls in September 2024 across all its land borders. As of February 12, 2025, these controls remain in effect until at least mid-September. The country attributes the decision to irregular migration and the presence of smuggling networks. France, on the other hand, cites heightened terror threat levels and major event security. It began enforcing border controls from November 1, 2024, and will likely extend them beyond the current April 30, 2025 end date.The Netherlands introduced a six-month control period from December 9, 2024, to manage increased migration, while Austria and Italy continue to monitor their borders due to ongoing migration flows. Slovenia has responded to regional instability by keeping controls active since December 2024.In Northern Europe, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are maintaining checks through late 2025, each citing heightened security threats. Bulgaria, having partially joined the Schengen area in January 2025, is applying selective internal controls.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)For travelers, this shift means a return to identity verification at previously open borders. Visitors are now advised to carry passports or national ID cards, maintain proper documentation such as visas and accommodation proofs, and allow extra time for road and rail crossings. Even intra-Schengen flights may include document checks.Tourists are encouraged to buffer travel times, particularly when crossing multiple borders. Students and cross-border workers are advised to stay updated on re-entry procedures and local ID policies. Transport and logistics firms are experiencing delays due to increased inspections.Despite the return of internal checks, officials stress that Schengen's principles remain intact.Travelers should consult the European Commission's Temporary Border Controls Tracker or respective immigration authorities before departure. The Schengen zone remains operational but is adapting to current geopolitical realities.
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The Hindu
2 days ago
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Advt Advt Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. All about ETTravelWorld industry right on your smartphone! Download the ETTravelWorld App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles. Southeast Asia's biggest budget airlines are pursuing a bruising capacity expansion race despite rising cost pressures that are squeezing profitability and led Qantas Airways to shut down Singapore-based offshoot Jetstar carriers have proliferated in Asia in the past two decades as disposable incomes rise, supported by robust travel demand from Chinese for air travel in Asia is expected to grow faster than other regions in the next few decades and carriers like Vietnam's VietJet Aviation and Malaysia-headquartered AirAsia are to buy more planes to add to their already large orderbooks as they seek to gain market margins are thinner than in other regions. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), an airline industry body, this year expects Asia-Pacific airlines to make a net profit margin of 1.9 per cent, compared with a global average of 3.7 per across Asia have largely restored capacity since the pandemic, which has intensified competition, especially for price-sensitive budget travellers, and pulled airfares down from recent high airfares in Asia dropped 12 per cent in 2024 from 2023, ForwardKeys data shows. AirAsia, the region's largest budget carrier, reported a 9 per cent decline in average airfares in the first quarter as it added capacity and passed savings from lower fuel prices onto its to challenges for airlines, costs such as labour and airport charges are also rising, while a shortage of new planes is driving up leasing and maintenance shifting landscape prompted Australia's Qantas to announce last week that its loss-making low-cost intra-Asia subsidiary Jetstar Asia would shut down by the end of July after two decades of Asia said it had seen "really high cost increases" at its Singapore base, including double-digit rises in fuel, airport fees, ground handling and security charges."It is a very thin buffer, and with margins this low, any cost increase can impact an airline's viability," said IATA Asia-Pacific Vice President Sheldon Hee, adding that operating costs were escalating in the data firm OAG in a February white paper said Asia-Pacific was the world's most competitive aviation market, with airfares driven down by rapid capacity expansion "perhaps to a point where profits are compromised"."Balancing supply to demand and costs to revenue have never been more critical," the report said of the region's Asia has an unusually high concentration of international budget flights. Around two-thirds of international seats within Southeast Asia so far this year were on budget carriers, compared to about one-third of international seats globally, CAPA Centre for Aviation data took the option to move Jetstar Asia's aircraft to more cost-efficient operations in Australia and New Zealand rather than continue to lose money, analysts operators in Southeast Asia were struggling for profits amid fierce competition even before the pandemic and now there is the added factor of higher costs, said Asia-based independent aviation analyst Brendan carriers offer bargain fares by driving operating costs as low as possible. Large fleets of one aircraft type drive efficiencies of Asia was much smaller than local rivals, with only 13 aircraft. As of March 31, Singapore Airlines' budget offshoot Scoot had 53 planes, AirAsia had 225 and VietJet had 117, including its Thai arm. Low-cost Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific had four are adding more planes to their fleets this year and further into the on Tuesday signed a provisional deal to buy up to another 150 single-aisle Airbus planes at the Paris Airshow, in a move it said was just the beginning as the airline pursues ambitious deal comes weeks after it ordered 20 A330neo wide-body planes, alongside an outstanding order for 200 Boeing 737 MAX which has an existing orderbook of at least 350 planes, is also in talks to buy 50 to 70 long-range single-aisle jetliners, and 100 regional jets that could allow it to expand to more destinations, its CEO Tony Fernandes said on Wednesday."At the end of the day, it is go big or go home," said Subhas Menon, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.


Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Southeast Asia Budget Airlines: Southeast Asia's Budget Airlines Push for Growth Amidst Rising Costs and Competition, ET Infra
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