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Day: 21 December 2022

CHRISTMAS TRAVEL – AN UPDATED LIST OF PLANNED AIR AND RAIL STRIKES

by: Jessica Tatam
21/12/2022

The continuing increases to inflation and cost of living have seen a growing number of transportation workers taking strike action to demand better pay and working conditions. On the back of months of strikes across the continent, travellers can continue to expect further disruptions to travel.

While passengers are being advised to change or move travel plans where possible to avoid being affected by the strikes, for those who cannot, here is an updated list of the strikes planned for the coming period.

United Kingdom

Eurostar staff have been in continued negotiations regarding pay, with strike action in December having been largely avoided up to now. However, in its latest update Eurostar has confirmed that 22nd and 23rd December will see trains running to a reduced timetable (available here), with all trains cancelled on Boxing Day, Monday December 26th.

Affecting the major airports, the UK Border Force strike will take place from December 23rd until December 31st, with the exception of the 27th. Travellers arriving at London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow airports are warned to “be prepared for much longer immigration queues on strike days, owing to reduced Border Force staffing levels,” said a spokesperson for Manchester Airport.

France

Following stalled negotiations between France’s SNCF rail network and workers unions, the train conductors aboard the TGV trains have given notice of strikes, with SNCF announcing that “train traffic will be disrupted from Friday 23rd December to Monday 26th December” but with “minimal impact on international travel”. Christophe Fanichet, CEO SNCF Voyageurs has apologised to travellers, and offered to reimburse double the ticket price for cancelled journeys. “Not being able to travel over the Christmas period, sincerely, it is unacceptable. I want to apologise on behalf of the company,” he said.

While many air carriers in France, such as EasyJet, Corsair, and Air Antilles, have managed to broker agreements and avoid further strike action, not so for Air France and French Bee airlines. The Air France cabin crew unions have filed notice to strike December 22nd to January 2nd, with flight schedules to be updated 24-hours in advance of each day. French Bee staff members have given notice of a strike from December 22nd until December 25th, with the airline announcing that all affected passengers “will be individually contacted… and will be proposed an alternative travel solution or a refund”.

Both airlines have committed to a full flight schedule for tomorrow, Thursday December 22nd.

Portugal

The national airline, TAP Portugal, has managed to avoid strikes over Christmas, with an agreement reached to hold off on all strike action until December 27th. Strikes are set to be planned for January, however formal strike notice has not yet been announced.

Spain

Travellers to and from Spain continue to experience the effects of strikes held by both air and ground crew.

The airports of Madrid, Bilbao, Ibiza, Seville, and the Canary Islands will be affected by airport staff who have given notice to strike on December 22nd, 23rd, 30th and 31st, followed by January 6th and 8th.

Ryanair and Vueling cabin crew are both continuing their long-standing strike action which has been taking place since November. Ryanair has strikes planned until January 7th, while the Vueling strikes are set to end on December 31st. Both airlines have stated that they expect minimum disruption for travellers.

 

Photo source: Vincent Genevay on Unsplash

Michel Boeri named Grand Officer in the Order of Grimaldi

by: Jessica Tatam
21/12/2022

One of Monaco’s most recognised names in motorsport, Michel Boeri, has been honoured as a Grand Officer in the Order of Grimaldi by Prince Albert, in recognition of his dedication and service to the Principality.

The Order of Grimaldi was established in 1954 to “distinguish and reward people who have contributed to the prestige of the Principality” and includes five classes: Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Knight.

On Thursday 15th December, Michel Boeri was presented the honour of Grand Officer by Prince Albert at the Palace, as a token of thanks and acknowledgment of “an exceptional career in the service of the general interest and international outreach of the Principality”, according to a press release.

Between the years of 1972 to 2003, Michel Boeri was a member of the National Council where, amongst other roles, he was Chair of the Foreign Relations Commission. This role was then followed by a move to the Crown Council in 2006, where he was then made President in 2018 – a position that he still holds today.

While Michel Boeri has dedicated over 50 years of his life to service and contributions to the Principality, he is perhaps just as well-known for his high-ranking roles in the world of motorsport. These include President of the Automobile Club of Monaco, President of the Senate for the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and Vice-President of the World Motor Sport Council.

The long-held positions resulted in a number of “very high responsibilities in the world of motorsport” such as the Monaco Grand Prix or the Monte-Carlo Rally. Through these and his service to Monegasque institutions, Michel Boeri has contributed to “shape a model of excellence in the image of the Principality”.

2022, the year that Europe burned

by: Elsa Carpenter
21/12/2022

Everyone in Europe felt the heat this summer, but its forests suffered too, with 2022 a record year for fierce forest fires and carbon emissions. 

Between January and November, more than 785,000 hectares of European land burned. This was more than double the average amount recorded between 2006 and 2021 – 317,00 hectares – according to a report co-published by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) and the Copernicus observation programme, previously known as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, in December. 

These fires across Europe caused record carbon emissions too: nine megatonnes compared to an average of 6.75 megatonnes between 2003 and 2021.  

The peak period of fires, between 1st June and 31st August, caused an estimated 6.4 megatonnes of carbon emissions. It was the most damaging summer since 2007. 

The most dangerous fires took place in southwestern France and Spain, and overall, France noted 61,000 hectares of damage within its borders. It was a figure not reached since official forest fire records began in 2006. 

In the south of France, more than 500 separate forest fires were recorded during the summer. While the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region wasn’t spared from heat, the area destroyed by fires was less than in 2021, at 6,831 hectares this year compared to 7,356 the previous summer.  

 

 

Photo source: Malachi Brooks for Unsplash

Nice Airport rolls out Restos du Cœur donation scheme

by: Elsa Carpenter
21/12/2022

How often have you reached airport security only to have to throw away perfectly good items? A scheme at Nice Airport removes this unnecessary waste and instead donates the goods to Restos du Cœur.  

The initiative allows travellers to donate goods and products prohibited in aircraft cabins to the charity rather than simply chucking them in the trash.  

It was launched back in March 2022 as a trial at some Terminal 2 lines, and in the eight months following the initial introduction of the scheme, more than 20,000 items were collected up and shared with Restos du Cœur. Given the clear success of the project and its willing uptake among passengers, the partnership between Nice Airport and the Restos du Cœur charity has now been rolled out across all terminals and screening areas.  

“This partnership is a great opportunity,” says François Chantrait, the head of communications at Restos du Cœur 06. “The recovered products are a welcome addition to the weekly box we offer to people in need: delicatessen, hygiene and cosmetic products, various desserts… It’s a little “bonus” that is appreciated when day-to-day life is difficult for those most vulnerable. It is also a virtuous partnership in terms of sustainable waste management. In other words, this good deed is also a positive action for the planet.” 

There have also been a few unforeseen benefits, namely that “cabin baggage inspections take place in a calm atmosphere as travellers are much more willing to see their confiscated products donated than destroyed”, according to a spokesperson for airport.  

“Although we had to overcome certain obstacles, particularly logistical ones, we can only be proud of this partnership with Restos du Cœur,” says Franck Goldnadel, the chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. “Every year, we have to collect of hundreds of thousands of objects and consumer products and dispose of them so they can be destroyed. At a time when waste is unacceptable and when, unfortunately, a growing number of people must choose between housing and food, we owe it to our region and to the people of the Côte d’Azur to expand our system of recovery and donation.” 

 

 

Photo source: Nice Côte d’Azur Aéroport/Facebook

What’s coming up on Monaco’s sporting calendar in 2023?

by: Luke Entwistle
21/12/2022

Whilst Monaco’s 2022 sporting calendar is reaching its end, there are plenty of events to look forward to early in 2023, from the Monaco Run to the Monaco ePrix.

The only sporting event left in the Principality in 2022 is AS Monaco Basketball’s Euroleague fixture against Zalgiris. But whilst things are winding down over the festive period, things won’t be staying quiet for long.

Monte-Carlo Rally: 19th January-22nd January

The World Rally Car (WRC) season once again kicks off in the Principality in January. The grid will tackle the mountain paths of the Alpes-Maritimes region in order to claim the ultimate prize. In 2022, rallying great Sebastien Loeb secured the victory in a one-off appearance. Who will succeed him in 2023, and hold the trophy aloft in Casino Square during the Sunday evening ceremony?

Monaco Run: 11th-12th February

The Monaco Run will also return early in 2022 with two days worth of events around the streets of Monaco. A hybrid event, which brings together amateurs and professionals, everyone can get involved in the event and raise money for a good cause. As well as the 5km and 10km races, disputed by professionals, anyone can race in the City Trail, the 1000m and the Pink Ribbon Monaco Walk, which raises money for charity. Applications are now open.

Critical month for AS Monaco: 12th February- 26th February

There will be some high-profile visitors to the Stade Louis II in the month of February. Within the space of just a fortnight, Philippe Clement’s men will face Ligue 1 table-toppers Paris Saint-Germain, German side Bayern Leverkusen, and local rivals OGC Nice. The Principality side’s Europa League and Ligue 1 aspirations will be on the line.

Monte-Carlo Masters: 8th April – 16th April

The iconic clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club will once again host the Monte-Carlo Masters in April. It is an event that heralds the clay court season and gathers the greats of the game for a week of thrilling tennis. Stefanos Tsitsipas will be hoping to defend his title, whilst Novak Djokovic, who was defeated in the first round in the 2022 edition will be hoping to put up a bigger challenge.

Monaco E-Prix: 6th May

Before the main event later in the month, the streets of the Principality will belong to a different type of racer. The electric Formula E series will return to Monaco for a third consecutive year. Stoffel Vandoorne won the 2022 edition but Maserati Monaco Sports Group Racing will be gunning for a victory on home turf this time around. Tickets are already on sale and can be bought on the Automobile Club of Monaco website.

Monaco Grand Prix: 26th May-28th May

Will it be Charles Leclerc’s year? The Monégasuqe driver will be looking to dispel the curse, which has thus far prevented him from winning his home race. Despite doubts about the iconic race’s future, Formula One will return to Monaco in 2023 (and beyond). The crowning jewel of the Monaco sporting calendar, fans will be hoping to finally see Leclerc on the top step of the podium.

 

Photo by Monaco Life

Peace and Sport receives presitigous Peace Summit Award

by: Luke Entwistle
21/12/2022

Peace and Sport, and its founder Joël Bouzou, have received the Peace Summit Award during the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. 

The committee, who last Wednesday met for the 18th time for their most recent summit in Pyeongchang, South Korea, discussed peace and conflict resolution and honoured those who made an outstanding contribution to international social justice.

The receipt of the award is a recognition of Peace and Sport’s work over the past 15 years in using sport as a vessel for peaceful solutions in areas of conflict and as a means of facilitating peaceful coexistence.

Bouzou, president and founder of Monaco-based organisation Peace and Sport reacted to the receipt of the award: “It is an immense honour to receive the 2022 Peace Summit Award. I would like to thank the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates Committee for the great recognition it has given to the approach we have chosen 15 years ago: contributing to a more inclusive and peaceful world through sport,” he said.

He continued, “Faced with the resurgence of geopolitical tensions, the need for peace has never been greater, a “culture of peace” has never been so vital, and sport has never had such an important place in it.”

 

Photo by Peace and Sport