GDTN WEATHER ALERT: Southeast Asia - Typhoon Bavi, which spans 1,000km (620 miles) at its widest point – roughly the width of France is now affecting Taiwan, China and Japan. It has already taken the lives of 15 in the Philippines.

Same news different days! Yesterday morning / GD TRAVEL NEWS Today lunchtime / The Sun Again GD TRAVEL NEWS brings the news to you before others!

GDTN BREAKING HEWS - EasyJet has been bought by an American company for £5.7bn. The EasyJet board accepted the bid from Apollo, a US private equity company who outbid rival Castlelake, who was expected to take over the airline.

GDTN - Wizz Air has launched Wizz Holidays, a new holiday booking service, allowing you to book your flights, accommodation and transfers all in one package. Their new travel platform uses AI to help customers find the ideal package. The platform, which is live will launch soon in the UK too...

GDTN - Tui is removing complimentary alcohol from its long-haul inflight drink service from 1 November. Customers travelling long-haul with the airline should have received an email today from the airline, informing them of the changes. Customers will have to purchase alcohol after this date.

GDTN - British low-cost airline easyJet has reached an 'agreement in principle on the key financial terms of a takeover proposal from U.S.-based investment firm Castlelake, in a deal that would value the airline at more than £5 billion (est. €5.8 billion).

GDTN - The Dean has opened a 281-room hotel in Munich’s Westend. The property is the brand’s largest to date and its second in Germany, following the opening of The Dean Berlin in February 2026. Guestrooms at The Dean Munich will range from Standard Rooms to The Dean Suite and The Penthouse Suite.

GDTN - Air Arabia has launched direct flights between Sharjah and London Gatwick while resuming daily services to Aleppo, Syria. The new London Gatwick route began today (5 July) with a daily Airbus A321LR service. From 10 July, the airline will increase the route to twice daily...

GDTN - UK regional airline Eastern Airways has entered liquidation after a last-minute collapse of a key commercial contract triggered the end of operations. The airline, founded in 1997 had been operating domestic services across northern England and Scotland, plus a route to London Gatwick.

GDTN - The United Arab Emirates has officially launched its long-awaited national passenger rail network. The new service, operated by Etihad Rail, will connect major cities and regions across the UAE, providing a fast, sustainable alternative to road travel. It will support tourism and business.

GDTN - Marriott International and The Coca‑Cola Company today announced a global agreement that will bring The Coca‑Cola Company’s brands to Marriott's brands of hotels around the world...

GDTN - Hyatt Hotels has officially opened the 241-room Hyatt Place Jiaxing Nanhu. The new hotel marks the debut of the Hyatt Place brand in Jiaxing, a city in China’s Yangtze River Delta region. The property is located along the shores of Jiaxing’s South Lake, near Nanhu Place.

GDTN BREAKING NEWS - 11 people have been killed in a skydiving aircraft crash in France in a town called Tomblaine, near the city of Nancy. Emergency services are on the scene. The crash happened around 11am local time and was carrying a group of skydivers.

GD TRAVEL - I always though Batman was fictional! When you look at the inflight map on the way to Doha and it tells you that you’re flying close to Batman! #batman #travel #flight

GDTN - Stay Cal Hospitality has opened the voco Ardez Hotel Sunnyvale by IHG, a 51-room property located at 1101 Elko Drive in Sunnyvale, California. It is the first voco property by IHG to open in Silicon Valley.

GDTN - Mandarin Oriental has opened its 131-rooms and suites Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra in Calvià, near Puerto Portals in Mallorca, on the island’s southwest coastline. The site was previously home to Hotel Punta Negra and this becomes Mandarin Oriental's third Spanish resort.

GDTN BREAKING NEWS - Multiple earthquakes have hit Venezuela's capital Caracas with multiple buildings collapsed with unconfirmed reports of many casualties. The first earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, with a larger 7.5 tremor just minutes later.

GDTN - IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement with HDP Algarve SA to open InterContinental Vilamoura – Algarve in Vilamoura, Portugal, with the hotel scheduled to open in April 2027 following a renovation of the existing Crowne Plaza property.

GDTN - Blacksand and Marriott International have signed an agreement to develop ten hotels, totaling more than 1,300 rooms, across Saudi Arabia over the next four years...

GDTN - A fire broke out beneath a jet bridge at London Heathrow airport Terminal 2 today. The jetbridge was connected to a Singapore Airlines plane at the stand at the time of the fire, which caused fears at the time that the fire may spread to the plane. Emergency services extinguished the fire.

GDTN - Plans to demolish the Ibis hotel in Malaga, Spain, follows after a fire engulfed the hotel in the early hours of 25 May. Air condioning equipment was removed this weekend from the hotel with local road closures and fire fighters on standby. Over 100 people were evacuated during the fire.

GDTN WEATHER ALERT: UK and Western Europe - a heatwave alert has been placed on southern parts of the UK and western parts of Europe for the next week with temperatures rising beyond 40c / 104f in some places - parts of the UK will reach around 38c / 100.4f in the shade.

GDTN - Investigations are underway after a large fire has destroyed a luxury beach resort in Dominican Republic, killing one 46 year old Italian woman and almost 1,700 tourists evacuated. The fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach in Bayahibe, spread quickly due to high winds.

GDTN - Hyatt Hotels plans three new hotel openings in Italy, introducing the Hyatt Regency and Thompson Hotels brands to the country, adding 428 rooms and suites in Rome and Taormina, as well as opening a new Park Hyatt hotel in Taormina.

GDTN - Australia Eases Middle East Travel Warnings: The Australian government has downgraded its travel advice for five major Middle East hubs, lowering the warning level for Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as the region edges toward a formal ceasefire...

GDTN - Marriott International is bringing its first Autograph Collection Residences in Asia Pacific to Phuket, as the market shifts from holiday homes to year-round residential living. The hospitality group has partnered with Thai developer Capstone Asset to launch Peylaa Phuket...

GDTN - The Mondrian hotel brand is set to expand with the opening of its first all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico, which marks a shift in its business strategy. Several hotel chains are now starting to venture in to the all-inclusive arena and Mondrian is up there with them...

GDTN BREAKING NEWS - Two East Midland trains have collided in Bedford, England - more details to follow.

GDTN - Qatar Airways has expanded its Summer 2026 schedule, restoring service to 26 destinations and rebuilding its network to more than 160 destinations worldwide. The move marks a significant step in the airline’s post-disruption recovery from its hub at Hamad International Airport.

GDTN - The new Montreal Metropolitan Airport (MET) officially opened to commercial passengers on 15 June 2026, the secondary airport for the Greater Montreal region. The opening was celebrated with a traditional water-cannon salute for the inaugural flight.

GDTN - Four Seasons Resort and Residences AMAALA at Triple Bay, Saudi Arabia has opened. The hotel is set along the pristine shoreline of a sheltered bay with the mountains of the Tabuk region in the distance on the northwestern Red Sea coast.

GDTN - Courtyard by Marriott has opened its first hotel in Okinawa, Japan, a 170-room beachfront property located on Kise Beach in Nago Bay. The hotel is approximately one hour from Naha International Airport, and offers guestrooms and suites with ocean and mountain views.

GDTN TRAVEL ALERT - Severe delays between Paddington and Reading/Heathrow Airport due to a fault with the overhead power lines at Hanwell. London Underground are accepting valid tickets via any reasonable route. This is affecting services on the Elizabeth line, Heathrow Express and GWR services.

GDTN - The Body Shop is looking to boost sales by providing mini toiletries to hotels. The retailer is trying to look at diversifying their sales after increasing costs at physical stores continue to affect profits. Their products may also be sold in other shops too.

GDTN - Sonesta International Hotels Corporation has announced the opening of the 131-room Sonesta Essential Houston Hobby Airport at 7902 Mosley Road in Houston, Texas. This is the third Sonesta opening in the Greater Houston market with the same owner in 2026.

GDTN - Hilton has signed an agreement with ORIX Real Estate Corporation to introduce the Conrad Hotels & Resorts brand to Kobe, Hyogo prefecture in Japan. The Conrad Kobe, scheduled to open in 2030, will be managed by Hilton. Conrad Kobe will feature 136 guest rooms and suites.

GDTN - Marriott International celebrates 10,000 Properties globally with the opening of the 127-accommodations JW Marriott Ranthambore Resort & Spa, which is situated a short drive from Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, India.

GDTN - Following the opening of its new Terminal 3, Frankfurt Airport has officially closed Terminal 2 to passenger traffic, marking the start of a long-term refurbishment and modernisation programme valued at approximately €1.5 billion. Terminal 2 is scheduled to reopen in the mid-2030s.

GDTN - ibis Styles Munich Airport has officially opened. The new 358-room hotel, operated under the Accor Group’s ibis Styles brand, is designed as a modern, lifestyle-oriented property catering to business travellers, leisure guests, and airline crews.

GDTN - Philippine Airlines (PAL) has accepted an invitation to join oneworld, becoming the alliance’s 16th member airline and significantly expanding its reach across the Philippines and Southeast Asia...

GDTN - Grantley Hall Hotel in Yorkshire, England has acquired a neighbouring estate with plans for expansion. The hotel has taken over the 44-acre mixed-use land and property portfolio to create new opportunities for growth, innovation and guest experience...

GDTN - Otherwander Soho has opened a 566-Pod Hotel on Dean Street, London with prices starting at £70/US$93/€80 per night. The hotel features 566 pods, called "nests," which are available as single or double units and features superfast Wi-Fi connectivity for guests to use.

GDTN - Taiwan-based China Airlines has unveiled the premium economy cabin for its upcoming Boeing 787 fleet. The cabin was showcased at COMPUTEX in Taipei this week ahead of the aircraft’s commercial debut. Launch routes and service dates have yet to be announced.

GDTN13 - Hilton has signed an agreement with Islander Hotel Trading Pty Ltd to bring the LXR Hotels & Resorts brand to Australia. The property, located on the Gold Coast’s Southport Spit, is scheduled to open in early 2027 after a renovation.

GDTN13 - Indian budget airline IndiGo is scrapping its Manchester, England service from Delhi and Mumbai less than a year in service. The flights, which started in July 2025 will ceasse on 31 August...

GDTN13 - Turtle Beach, Barbados, A Tribute Portfolio All‑Inclusive Resort, has officially opened along the island’s south coast. The resort is part of Marriott International’s growing all‑inclusive portfolio and becomes one of only a small number of all-inclusive resorts in Barbados.

GDTN13 - LATAM Airlines has inaugurated a new nonstop route between Brussels and São Paulo, becoming the only airline to offer direct flights between Belgium and Brazil. The service will operate three times a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) using Boeing 787-9 aircraft with 300 seats.

GDTN13 - The Untitled Nashville Hotel at Bankers Alley, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, has opened in Nashville following a multi-million-dollar renovation and rebranding. Housed in the historic early 1900s Gray & Dudley Hardware Co. building, the hotel features 124 guest rooms, including 14 suites.

GDTN13 BREAKING NEWS - One person has been killed and more than 60 injured in Iranian drone strikes on Kuwait's international airport.

GDTN13 - Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) today opened its 126-room Taj Hessischer Hof Frankfurt hotel, marking the brand's entry into Continental Europe. The hotel includes Bombay Brasserie, famed for its authentic Bombay and Indian cuisine; Jimmy's Bar and the Lobby Bar.