It’s not all gloom and doom for folks planning a summer getaway.
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Let’s face it, we could all probably use an escape (or excuse) to reboot our wellbeing. While some airlines are expected to scale back flights in the coming months, new flight paths are also being added – just in time for European summer holiday planning.
Finnair
Finland’s flag carrier has started its rollout of 14 new destinations, from across Europe, to as far as Oceania.
In March, Finnair added Stavanger, Norway; Umeå, Sweden; Catania, Italy and Luxembourg to its European network.
All flights are available via its Helsinki hub until the end of the year, with the exception of Catania, with the first round-trip beginning in October. The Sicilian municipality is home to Mount Etna, Europe's highest active volcano.
From April to October, flights are also available to Florence, Italy; Alta, Norway; and Tirana, Albania, while Valencia flights will be available until the end of the year.
Meanwhile, from May, June and October, new destinations include Kos, Greece; Turin, Italy; Thessaloniki, Greece; Toronto, Canada; Kuressaare, Estonia; and Melbourne, Australia.
Kuressaare is the main city on the island of Saaremaa, one of Estonia’s best-kept travel secrets. This year, Finnair is offering travellers a total of 93 destinations across Europe.
British Airways
Fancy being among those to board a British Airways flight from London to Guernsey for the first time in 40 years? The British flag carrier’s 19 April flight to Guernsey etched the British flag carrier as the sole direct route from the UK capital to the channel island.
Tucked in the British Isles, and self-styled as its “hidden gem”, less than an hour from the UK, Guernsey's coast is a treat for seafood lovers, with local restaurants brimming with freshly caught lobster, crab, sea bass, and oysters.
Vraic, which is Guernésiais for seaweed, is also an integral part of the island's cuisine, as well as farming and fashion.
From 14 May, BA will also launch flights to Tivat, Montenegro, three times a week. Also a coastal location, Tivat’s shores host an array of public and private beaches. Some are within walking distance from the city centre, including Ponta Seljanova, while others like Verige, have boat piers. However, all are perfect for soaking in some sun, sand and grabbing some seafood grub.
On the other side of the Atlantic, BA has also added St. Louis, Missouri to its flight path – making it the 27th US destination in its network.
Eurowings
Through to May, Eurowings is ramping its Mallorca offerings with an 100 flights to Palma de Mallorca, with a capacity to fly 36,000 people.
As part of this, the German carrier will also offer 70 further connections to the Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Las Palmas, Tenerife) and to Faro, Málaga, Naples and Nice, with flights available to depart from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne/Bonn and Stuttgart.
Starting from June, Eurowings will also introduce a new direct route from Hanover to Glasgow. The Scottish capital’s June calendar includes the 11th edition of the Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Art – a gathering of tens of artists, both emerging and established, showcasing their artwork exploring various themes and encouraging shared exploration.
easyJet and Wizz Air
British carrier easyJet has introduced new flights to Lisbon and Rome Fiumicino from Newcastle, as well as Bari from Manchester. The starting price for airfares ranges from £33.99 (€39.23) to £43.99 (€50.77).
The summer holiday packages available for all three destinations start from £199 (€229.66) per passenger, which includes flights, board and 23kg luggage. Packages can be secured with a deposit as low as £60 per person.
Wizz Air launched new direct routes from Sofia, Bulgaria to Santander, Spain and Corfu Greece in March. In June, the carrier is set to start its Varna, Bulgaria to Katowice, Poland, with flights on offer for as low as €29.99.