Flight prices from the UK to Europe have fallen and cheap summer deals are still on offer despite the jet fuel crisis – but bargain seats are most at risk of looming cancellations due to the Iran war.
Data from travel comparison site Kayak shows average return flight prices to Europe from the UK in the week ending 13 April were down from £141 to £132 compared to last year, a drop of more than six per cent.
Average flights to Alicante in Spain over the same week fell to £103 from last year’s average price of £125, while a typical flight to Malaga was £110, down from £130 in 2025, Kayak’s analysis shows.
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Cancer cases at record high in Britain
Rates of the disease are being driven up by obesity and an
ageing population, it has been reported.
Cancer rates in Britain
403,000
The number of people a year being diagnosed with cancer, according to analysis by Cancer Research UK.
This is an increase from 285,000 people 20 years ago and 345,000 people 10 years ago.
15%
There has been a 15 per cent increase in the chance of diagnosis since the 90s.
What’s causing the increase?
Obesity levels have doubled since the 90s. This is the second-biggest cause of cancer after smoking.
Improvements in detection, such as NHS screening programmes for breast and bowel cancer, have also caused a rise in diagnoses.
LIFESTYLE
7 min read
What about survival rates?
Golden age
Survival rates for cancer have doubled over the past 50 years due to a “golden age” of treatment.
Stalled progress
Cancer Research UK’s report said long NHS waiting times were holding back improvements in survival rates.
Waiting times
The report revealed that 107,000 patients had to wait too long to begin treatment last year.
More to be done
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said that the Government’s National Cancer Plan “could make a big difference, but only if it turns into improvements for cancer patients”.
LIFESTYLE
7 min read
NEWS
The global number of billionaires could hit 4,000 in five years’ time
This figure comes as the class of super-rich around the world is increasing at a rising pace.
Number of super-rich is rising
There are currently 3,110 billionaires globally, analysis by estate agent Knight Frank has revealed.
This is predicted to rise by 25 per cent in the next five years, reaching a total of 3,915.
The multimillionaire class is also growing significantly, as the number of individuals worth at least $30m (£22m) has increased by 300 per cent since 2021 to 713,626.
New technology is increasing opportunities to get rich
The ability to scale a business has never been higher. That ha fed into the ability to make big fortunes quickly, superchargec by tech and Al.
LIAM BAILEY, HEAD OF RESEARCH AT
KNIGHT FRANK
Inequality widens…
The gap between the world’s richest and poorest continues to widen.
The World Inequality report revealed that 0.001 per cent of the world’s population control three times as much wealth as the entirety of the poorest half.
Calls for global leaders to increase taxes on the super-rich have increased, as concern rises that the wealthy are buying political influence.
Exclusive
6 min read
NEWS
Six-year-old’s sight restored after breakthrough therapy
Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1930 WEDNESDAY APRIL 22
Undated handout photo issued by Great Ormond Street Hospital of Saffie Sandford, with her parents Lisa and Tam. The six-year-old has had her sight restored thanks to a life-changing eye gene therapy on the NHS. Saffie, from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, has the rare condition Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) which prevents cells in the eye from making a specific protein needed for normal vision. Moorfields Eye Hospital in London carried out tests on Saffie and then she was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) to have the eye gene therapy, Luxturna. This treatment is the first of its kind for one of the genetic causes of LCA. Issue date: Wednesday April 22, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Family handout/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Family handout
Provider: Family handout/PA Wire
Source: PA
Saffie Sandford, aged six, regained her sight after life-changing eye gene therapy on the NHS for a rare condition.
Saffie is at risk of complete eyesight loss
Saffie was diagnosed with a rare inherited condition called Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) when she was five.
This prevents cells in the eye producing a specific protein that is required for normal vision.
Babies and children with LCA have low vision in daylight and no vision in low light.
They can also lose their sight entirely in adulthood.
A landmark treatment
Saffie was transferred to the Great Ormand Street Hospital to have the eye gene therapy, Luxturna.
Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1930 WEDNESDAY APRIL 22
Undated handout photo issued by Great Ormond Street Hospital of six-year-old Saffie Sandford who has had her sight restored thanks to a life-changing eye gene therapy on the NHS. Saffie Sandford, from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, has the rare condition Leber???s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) which prevents cells in the eye from making a specific protein needed for normal vision.
. Issue date: Wednesday April 22, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: /PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Provider: /PA Wire
Source: PA
Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1930 WEDNESDAY APRIL 22
Undated handout photo issued by Great Ormond Street Hospital of six-year-old Saffie Sandford who has had her sight restored thanks to a life-changing eye gene therapy on the NHS. Saffie, from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, has the rare condition Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) which prevents cells in the eye from making a specific protein needed for normal vision. Moorfields Eye Hospital in London carried out tests on Saffie and then she was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) to have the eye gene therapy, Luxturna. This treatment is the first of its kind for one of the genetic causes of LCA. Issue date: Wednesday April 22, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Family handout/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Family handout
Provider: Family handout/PA Wire
Source: PA
The one-off therapy contains a healthy copy of the gene which is directly injected into the patient’s eye.
Saffie underwent the therapy in her first eye in April 2025 and her second in September.
‘Life-changing’ treatment
‘It’s like someone waved a magic wand’
Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1930 WEDNESDAY APRIL 22
Undated handout photo issued by Great Ormond Street Hospital of six-year-old Saffie Sandford who has had her sight restored thanks to a life-changing eye gene therapy on the NHS. Saffie, from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, has the rare condition Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA) which prevents cells in the eye from making a specific protein needed for normal vision. Moorfields Eye Hospital in London carried out tests on Saffie and then she was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) to have the eye gene therapy, Luxturna. This treatment is the first of its kind for one of the genetic causes of LCA. Issue date: Wednesday April 22, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Family handout/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Family handout
Provider: Family handout/PA Wire
Source: PA
Saffie’s mother, Lisa, said she is “eternally grateful” for the treatment which means she can see in the dark and helped improve her performance at school
NEWS
9 min read
Harry makes surprise return to Ukraine
Prince Harry made a return to Ukraine urging the world not to lose sight of what the country is
up against.
Caption:
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Founder of the
@WeAreInvictus
, has arrived in Ukraine at the invitation of the #KyivSecurityForum. He will attend the 18th annual #KSF, address the forum?s participants, and take part in a panel discussion featuring Ukrainian veterans.
Kyiv Security Forum
@ksfopenukraine
‘Good to be back’
The Prince arrived at Kyiv rail station on Thursday following an overnight train from Poland.
He told ITV News he wanted “to remind people back home and around the world what Ukraine is up against and to support the people” in their fight.
Caption:
Grabs from ITV NEws
Exclusive: Watch as Prince Harry arrives for a surprise visit in Ukraine.
ITV News’ Royal Editor
@chrisshipitv
joined the Duke of Sussex as he arrived in Kyiv this morning.
Image: ITV News
@itvnews
OPINION
3 min read
NEWS
Ukraine war about ‘values’ not just land
Harry praised Ukraine as “a country bravely and successfully defending Europe’s eastern flank” and said “it matters that we don’t lose sight of the significance of that”.
He also warned the world not to become “numb” to the Ukraine war. “This is a war about values, not just territory”, the Prince added.
UK and France agree new £662m small
boats deal
Riot-trained police will be sent to French beaches to stop illegal migrants crossing the Channel.
What does the deal involve?
The three-year deal includes a condition that £100m could be redirected or withdrawn if no progress is made after a year.
The agreement includes at least 50 police officers trained in “riot and crowd control tactics” bought in to tackle violence and “hostile crowds”.
France will deploy millions of pounds worth of drones, two new helicopters and a new camera system.
Reactions to the deal
This landmark deal will stop illegal migrants making the perilous journey and put people smugglers behind bars.
The Conservatives accused the government of giving away “half a billion pounds of our money with no conditions at all”, while Reform UK said it was “a system that has already failed”.
Current figures
41,472
The number of people who arrived in a small boat in 2025
6,000
On Saturday, 602 migrants arrived in Dover on nine boats,
The total number of arrivals in 2026 is over 6,000.
go deeper on this topic
Riot police armed with tear gas will be deployed
Riot police armed with tear gas and rubber bullets will be deployed to stop small boats reaching Britain across the Channel.
NEWS
Older siblings more successful due to childhood illness
Eldest children typically tend to perform better than their younger siblings in intelligence tests, exams and salaries later in life.
A new economics paper from researchers at the University of Copenhagen found this may be to do with childhood germs.
Illness at an early age
A study from the University of Copenhagen found younger siblings were two to three times more likely to be hospitalised with respiratory illnesses in their first year.
This is likely because firstborn toddlers pick up viruses at nurseries and playgrounds, then bring them home to infant siblings.
Children who faced more illness at this early age later earned less and achieved less educationally.
MONEY
4 min read
How big is the difference?
Using decades of Danish data, researchers found that second children earned an average of 1.9 per cent less than firstborn siblings by age 30.
They calculated early-life illness could account for half of this wage gap between siblings.
Other explanations?
Firstborns often receive more one-to-one attention in their formative years, but may consolidate their learning by teaching their siblings.
A University of Essex study found that firstborns were 7 per cent more likely to aim for university.
BOOKS
4 min read
NEWS
Trump declares ‘no time frame’ for ending Iran war
The US President’s announcement comes after he extended the ceasefire with Iran that was set to finish on Wednesday.
What’s the latest?
Preparations for peace talks between Iran and the US are continuing in Pakistan, but there is currently no confirmation that delegations from either country will attend.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran is open to talks, but the US “breach of commitments, blockade and threats are main obstacles to genuine negotiations”.
Vice-President JD Vance, expected to lead the US delegation, remains in the US.
Tensions continue…
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the extension of the ceasefire was open-ended and there was no new deadline.
Iran’s chief negotiator said it is “not possible” for the Strait of Hormuz t opened due to “blatant violations of ceasefire” by the US and Israel.
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Oil prices continue to rise
Oil prices increased on Thursday following reports that three vessels were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.
Brent, the global benchmark for crude rose to above $100 on Thursday, while crude oil rose above $94.
WORLD
7 min read
Analysis
5 min read
And holidaymakers heading to Faro, Portugal, were spending on average £123 compared to £135 in 2025, whereas flights to the Italian capital, Rome, have fallen from £134 to £114.
Examples of bargain summer flights for holidaymakers include a £40.99 one-way ticket from Gatwick to Menorca with easyJet on 22 August and a £72.62 fare to Pula in Croatia with the same carrier on 20 August.
Bargain flights can also be booked to Greece,which last week announced it was suspending biometric checks for British nationals under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES).
Skyscanner shows £67 flights to Kos from London Heathrow on 26 April and for £46 from Stansted to the same Greek island on 17 May.
But experts have warned the same flights – with unsold seats and alternative services on similar dates – could be the first to be cancelled in the coming weeks and months as the fuel crisis grips and supply chaos from the Strait of Hormuz closure continues.
John Grant, chief analyst at the aviation consultancy OAG, said: “For some airlines beginning to look forward at the possibility of fuel shortages, those destinations with the highest frequency are likely to see some reductions in frequency service.
“While at the other end of the spectrum some carriers will elect to cease operating to some of those destinations where forward bookings are relatively light.”
According to ABTA, which represents travel agents and tour operators, if your flight is cancelled and you’re departing from the UK, the airline must offer either a replacement flight or a refund (Photo: Craig Hastings/Getty)
Airline bosses have warned cancellations and significant price increases could come as soon as next month if the Iran war continues.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has said his airline was “reasonably well hedged” on 80 per cent of its fuel, which was bought before the Gulf crisis.
But he added that the carrier is paying almost double the cost – about $150 (£111) a barrel – on the other 20 per cent, and warned of a risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June, which would push up prices.
Kenton Jarvis, easyJet CEO, said customers should expect higher ticket prices towards the end of summer, when existing fuel hedges expire.
Rhys Jones, an aviation editor at the frequent flyer website Head for Points, said UK airlines are more hedged than US airlines, so it protects them from some of the short-term pain for now.
“A lot depends on how long the crisis goes on. When existing hedges run out, if supply is still disrupted, then the higher the costs go,” he told The i Paper.
“You could increase the cost of air fares, and you could increase things like baggage charges. Baggage charges are visible for passengers and seem disconnected from the jet fuel conversation, so passengers may think it’s unfair.”
Meanwhile, Airlines UK has urged the Government to relax rules on the number of landing slots each airline must use in the event that a growing number of flights have to be cancelled.
Airlines must use 80 per cent of their allocated slots in the preceding winter or summer season to retain the same slots in the following season, with British Airways reportedly pressing the Government to suspend the regulations.
“Until there is anything agreed, British Airways will do their utmost to keep those slots as active as possible,” said Jones.
Bernard Lavelle, an aviation expert who runs BL Aviation Consulting, said UK airlines were more likely to add a fuel surcharge rather than hike baggage or seat prices.
“It’s simpler. The increased baggage fee is a mechanism used more in the US, when base air fares tend to be quite low,” he said.
Virgin Atlantic has already added a fuel surcharge of £50 to economy-class tickets, with £180 to premium economy and £360 to business class.
Package holiday providers are legally allowed to charge up to 8 per cent of the overall cost of a trip in the event of fuel or tax rises, even after purchase and without offering a free cancellation.
Lavelle said UK airlines may have to join international airlines and start cancelling flights if the Iran conflict continues.
“If this continues, then absolutely we will [see more cancellations]. Airlines’ network departments will be working out what they should cut in May, in June, in July.”
“Hopefully, they could offer a flight later on the same day. But it’s possible a flight you booked on Monday isn’t available until Wednesday.”
Lavelle noted that UK airlines are urging the Government to change compensation rules.
Airlines UK wants any flights cancelled at short notice due to jet fuel shortages to be classed as “extraordinary circumstances”, which would let them avoid paying compensation.
At the moment, passengers can claim compensation if their flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure.
Aviation economist Oliver Ranson warned some UK passengers may get stranded abroad in the months ahead if cancellations hit return flights at short notice after they go on holiday.
“I would not want to be a long way from home when the music stops,” he said.
“Ryanair may be reasonably well hedged. But hedging does not magically conjure up fuel that does not exist. If there is no or limited fuel, planes will not fly.”
Outside Europe, large price rises have already kicked in on long-haul flights, with Kayak showing average flights to North America at up to £631, compared to £535 in 2025.
Joe Beevis, general manager at Flight Centre said airfares to destinations like Asia and Australia, increased by 29 per cent in March.
“A significant driver was reduced capacity from Middle East carriers, meaning a large number of travellers were competing for fewer seats,” he said.
Bookings for Australia in December and January were up over 10 per cent, he added.
He urged travellers aiming to go on holiday this summer to book their tickets now to lock in the price before any further increases.
Insurance fears for travellers as holiday chaos looms
According to ABTA, which represents travel agents and tour operators, if your flight is cancelled and you’re departing from the UK, the airline must offer either a replacement flight or a refund.
If your return flight to or within the UK on a UK or European Union (EU) airline is cancelled, then you’re also entitled to a replacement flight or a refund.
If you’re flying from outside the UK with a non-UK/EU airline, passengers are advised to check the terms and conditions of the booking.
But making an insurance claim if a passenger on a cancelled flight can’t reach their hotel, for example, could be more problematic.
Matt Gatenby, a senior partner at law firm Travlaw, told The i Paper: “The insurer might say, that’s exactly what this policy is there for, send us the details, cancel the hotel, and we’ll pay out.
“Or, the insurer might say, well, contractually, the hotel’s still able to do its bit. The hotel you booked on the T’s and C’s, which allows them to still charge you, so there isn’t anything to really engage the insurance for.
“And that’s kind of what, anecdotally, we’re seeing a little bit of.”
Holidaymakers who booked insurance after the current crisis started may also have a policy that offers less protection than one bought before it, he added.
“Anecdotally, insurers tend to change some wording in policies when they see things coming up,” he said.
“So if they kind of have put in an exclusion, which is anything to do with the current Middle East problem, [it] would not be covered.”
Package holidaymakers have more protection, with the travel operator offering an alternative holiday of the same value or a refund for the whole trip (flights and accommodation).
The providers are also responsible for finding an alternative flight home if a plane is cancelled.