News

A FREQUENT flyer has slammed a window seat passenger for getting up way too much during a long overnight flight.

The flyer, who was on a nine-hour flight to Istanbul from New York City, revealed her annoying experience.

Getty

A flyer has slammed a window seat passenger for getting up way too much[/caption]

She revealed she had booked an aisle seat and during the overnight flight, the window seat passenger woke her up six times – all within short durations.

The annoyed flyer said she was trying to sleep on the flight but failed to even shut her eyes for a few minutes as her fellow passenger would wake her up – without an emergency.

She said: ” [The passenger] would go to the lavatories, then 30 minutes later he’d go grab something from his stored bag, then less than an hour later he’d get up to stretch his legs, then he’d get up again to go chit-chat with his buddy. 

“Throughout this whole ordeal, I was trying to sleep. 

“Why do you have to make my red-eye flight an exponentially more dreadful experience than it already is?”

The flyer said she is happy to make way for another passenger if it is a washroom emergency, but asked others “not to be an a******* about it”.

“Of course, there are some very sensible exceptions, as I’m not a tyrant,” she said.

“If you have to use the plane’s bathroom, you’re more than welcome to wake your aisle neighbour up and ask them to let you pass through. Just don’t be an a******* about it.”

She also gave some advice to other passengers, saying it is best to use the washroom after meals as everyone gets up around that time.

The flyer added: “The lights will be going off soon after that and people will likely try and go to sleep, so it’s best if you get up before then.

“Just let your sleepy neighbour know and be polite about it.”

It comes after a passenger suggested those sitting in the aisle seat should remain alert and awake for the entire flight.

The only exception, according to the passenger, is if the flight is a long-haul journey of seven hours or more.

The reasoning is to ensure that middle and window seat passengers can access the loo, get served by the flight attendants, and evacuate quickly in an emergency.

The Reddit user wrote: “A person sitting in an aisle seat on a plane should not be allowed to sleep.”

“There are some exceptions and those would probably be on any flight longer than seven hours.

“But anything shorter than that, you should not be sleeping. What if the middle or window passenger needs the bathroom, or if the flight attendant needs to hand them something – You’ll be in the way.”

The most sought-after seats on a plane have been revealed in a survey of 3,100 US travellers by Upgraded Points.

It revealed the top choices for those looking to make the most of their flight experience.

Out of the 737-800 airplane seats, five emerged as clear favourites, with seat 1A topping the list.

This prime spot, located right at the front of the plane, was preferred by 5.96 per cent of travellers due to its extra legroom and easy access to the exit.

This makes it the ultimate choice for those who like to stretch out and be the first off the plane.

Other favourites included seats 7F, 7A, 1F and 7C, with similar perks like extra space and fewer disturbances.

Whether you’re a window-gazer, an aisle-snoozer, or a middle-seat armrest warrior, one thing’s for sure—everyone’s got their own rules when it comes to flying.

So next time you’re on a plane, be sure to choose your seat wisely, and maybe think twice before dozing off in that aisle seat.

PROTECT yourself from being bombarded with nuisance calls and texts.

Almost half of UK landline customers received a suspicious call in the first half of this year, according to Ofcom.

Getty

We have five ways to block and stop nuisance calls and texts after a huge surge in scams[/caption]

Apple

There’s an IPhone setting to block phone numbers that are not in your contacts[/caption]

Mobile users are more likely to receive dodgy texts but 39 per cent of them also reported concerning calls.

LAURA MILLER explains how you can stop them.

NUISANCE calls and texts — often marketing or spam — are any unwanted communications promoting a product or service to you where you have not given permission to be contacted.

But scammers also use nuisance calls and messages to trick people into sharing personal information, handing over access to devices such as laptops and mobile phones, and sending money to fraudsters.

Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at comparison website Uswitch.com, says: “For many people, nuisance calls are a major concern.

“In most cases, they are an annoying interruption — however, for some, they can induce anxiety and distress.

“These unwanted calls are often phishing or scamming attempts, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to spot.”

A common tactic used by criminals to defraud victims is to imitate — or “spoof” — phone numbers from a trusted person or organisation, so their calls are more likely to be answered.

Twenty per cent of the UK’s 17.77 million nuisance call reports come from London area codes — beginning 020 — with 3.6million reports on call-tracking site who-called.co.uk, research by tech firm Back Market found.

Manchester ranks second, with more than 600,000 nuisance caller reports against 0161 area codes.

Blandford Forum, Dorset, is third, with its 01258 area code triggering more than 500,000 reports — despite the town having a population of less than 12,000.

Often, these familiar area codes are just another tactic used by scammers to get you to trust them.

Fraudsters based abroad spoof UK area codes knowing people are more likely to pick up these calls than if an unknown international number is displayed.

Ofcom has this year launched a crackdown on spoofing.

Phone companies will now have to identify and block calls coming from abroad that falsely display a UK telephone number, except in a limited number of legitimate cases.

But taking action yourself is usually the best way to guard against nuisance callers — and the scams they push.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS

HOW TO BLOCK SPAM CALLS ON MOBILES

ON iPhone, you can enable Silence Unknown Callers by going to Settings > Phone, scrolling down to Silence Unknown Callers, tapping the option, and turning on the feature.

This will block phone numbers that are not in your contacts or that you have not contacted previously.

It is disabled for 24 hours after an emergency call.

On Android, open the Phone app, tap the three dots for more options, tap Settings then turn on Caller ID and spam protection.

This uses a database of phone numbers to determine a caller’s ID and filter out spam calls.

Apps such as Truecaller and Hiya allow users to block nuisance numbers from their smartphones.

You can find these in the Apple App Store for iPhone or the Play Store for Android users.

HOW TO BLOCK SPAM CALLS ON LANDLINES

CONTACT the Telephone Preference Service to add your landline or mobile number to the UK’s official Do Not Call register and opt out of unsolicited communications.

You can register your phone number on the TPS website or by phoning 0345 070 0707.

It is free to register and takes up to 28 days to come into effect.

Mobile phone users can add their number to the TPS register by texting “TPS” and their email address to 85095.

They will receive a text from the TPS confirming their mobile number has been successfully added to its database.

CHECK IF PHONE FIRM HAS BLOCKING SERVICE

USWITCH’S Ernest Doku says certain phone providers offer their own blocking services, some free and some paid for.

Contact your provider to find out more.

Doku adds: “For example, you can protect yourself from nuisance calls by using BT’s Call Protect service, which offers free call-screening.

“EE has a Scam Guard service that flags spam calls. Their security costs from just £1 a month.”

BE CAREFUL ABOUT SHARING DETAILS

YOU may be asked for your phone number when you buy something or use a price comparison website.

Look carefully at the marketing “opt-in” or “opt-out” boxes in the small print — this can be the difference between giving your details to potential nuisance callers or not.

RETIREES’ INCOME TAX HIT

MANY thousands of retirees are set to pay tax on their state pension next year for the first time.

The tax is due to a combination of hefty state pension rises and frozen tax thresholds.

More than 300,000 pensioners will be told they need to pay tax when the state pension rises by £475 in 2025.

Figures released last week confirmed that the state pension is now expected to rise by 4.1 per cent, from £11,502.40 to £11,975 per year, under the triple lock next April.

With tax thresholds frozen until 2028, this increase will push more pensioners into the basic rate income tax bracket.

This is because when combined with private pension income, their annual earnings will exceed the personal annual allowance, which is set at £12,570.

For earnings between £12,570 to £50,270, the basic income tax rate of 20 per cent applies.

Alice Haine of Bestinvest said: “With frozen tax thresholds and the state pension gaining ground on the personal allowance, pensioners are edging closer to their state pension income becoming liable for tax.

“Retirees receiving a higher state pension may already be paying tax on the benefit, while those receiving a private pension income will see more of that swallowed up by tax.”

Next week, Rachel Reeves is expected to announce that the income tax threshold freeze will be extended beyond 2028.

Ellie Smitherman

BILLIONS IN LOST PENSIONS

MORE than three million savers have lost track of pension pots with £31 BILLION now left unclaimed.

The average unclaimed pension amounts to £13,620 for those aged between 55 and 75, according to data from the Pensions Policy Institute.

These savers are typically on the brink or in early stages of retirement.

Reuniting with cash could have a big impact on living standards in their later years.

Pensioners aged over 75 have a typical £6,540 in pots they don’t know about, the data showed.

So-called lost pensions have grown as workers today tend to change jobs more often than in the past.

Helen Morrissey, head of retirement analysis, at savings platform Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “It’s easy to lose track of a pension.

“We move jobs and homes and contact details get lost along the way.

“It’s not a small problem either.

“That pension from the job you had ten years ago will have grown and you risk losing out on thousands of pounds that could be used for your retirement income.”

The Government’s Pension Tracing Service can be used to track down lost savings.

The service will not tell you how much is in the pension but can find contact details for a workplace or personal pension and you can find out from the scheme provider.

It is a good idea to first make a list of everywhere you have worked.

You can then enter details online at gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details or call 0800 731 0193 Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm.

BOOTS shoppers are scrambling to get their hands on a product to help them achieve full and luscious locks.

Although there are many tips and tricks hair fans swear by to help them achieve long tresses, this serum has been hailed by shoppers as both “amazing” and “affordable”.

Getty

Applying serums to your hair daily can help promote growth[/caption]

The Ordinary

The hair serum is designed to help encourage hair growth[/caption]

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density costs just £18.72 for a 60ml bottle and claims to leave your hair looking fuller and feeling healthier.

“Applying a few drops daily, ideally at bedtime, to the clean, dry scalp and massaging thoroughly promotes improved hair density.

“This leave-on treatment can enhance your hair care routine, promoting visibly healthier and more vibrant hair,” the product description reads on Boots.com.

Not only that, but the product has hundreds of rave reviews from shoppers who love the serum, with many awarding it a perfect five star rating.

One said: “My hair is thin and oily so it takes a lot of work to give it volume and after several uses I can definitely see that it helps give my hair life and look fuller every time.”

A second had a similar reaction and wrote: “I have been using this for a few years now and just love how it has helped with my thinning hair.

“It has seen some regrowth but the volume it leaves my hair is phenomenal.”

“After I wash my hair I’ve been applying this before bed for over a week.

“I make sure I really work it into my scalp because some products make your hair greasy the next morning but I didn’t have that problem with this product,” another said.

“I’ve definitely noticed a more volume look and even less frizzy hair in the mornings since I started using! Wonderful quality for the money,” they added.

The serum also comes in a slightly smaller 30ml bottle for £12.15, but you can also get your hands on 100% Organic Cold Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil from the brand to help revive your hair.

“Argan oil‘s main fatty acid content is made up of oleic acid and linoleic acid,” the product description reads.

“The oil supports healthy skin and reduces the appearance of flaking. It also adds soft sheen and strength to hair.”

How do hair growth serums work?

Although each product is formulated to work differently, in general hair growth serums work by nourishing the scalp and hair follicles to help promote thicker and healthier hair growth serums work

• Improve blood flow Some serums work by increasing the blood flow to the scalp which can in turn help extend your hairs growth phase.
• Strengthen hair Ingredients including biotin and certain peptides reportedly help strengthen hair by rebuilding damaged keratin, meaning hair will snap and break off less.
• Protect hair Serums can create a protective shield to protect your strands from heat and other environmental stressors you my encounter day-to-day.
• Improve hair appearance Some serums can plump hair fibres creating the illusion of thicker hair.

EVER considered detouring en route to your holiday?

Lesser-known regions close to popular destinations are well worth a visit.

Getty

Lesser-known regions close to popular destinations are well worth a visit[/caption]

And they are the next hottest trend, according to travel firm Expedia’s Unpack 2025 report on where holidaymakers want to go next year.

We’re all about getting more bang for our buck when it comes to getaways.

So if you’re travelling to one of these cities in 2025, why not add on a detour?

Sophie Swietochowski shares her top picks.

Destination: Cancun, Mexico
Detour: Cozumel

IF you are visiting Cancun, it would feel almost criminal not to hop over to Cozumel.

This tiny island just off Playa del Carmen has a rich biodiversity, home to tropical plants and white sands, while its surrounding waters are teeming with coral reefs and colourful fish.

Shutterstock

If you are visiting Cancun, it would feel almost criminal not to hop over to Cozumel[/caption]

Getty

This tiny island just off Playa del Carmen has a rich biodiversity, home to tropical plants and white sands[/caption]

The best place to see starfish is Playa El Cielo, where the crystal clear waters mean the sea creatures are easy to spot.

Regular ferries operate from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel, with fares from around $17 for the fast, 20-minute ferry.

STAY: The bright and airy Westin Cozumel, with its own beach, is ideal for those wanting to get stuck into the wildlife scene.

It has snorkel gear available to catch some great aquatic sights.

Rooms from £158 per night. See hotels.com.

Destination: Los Angeles, USA
Detour: Santa Barbara

THOSE in the know often say they prefer the laid-back, seaside city of Santa Barbara to the buzz of Los Angeles, on the California coast – that’s partly why the A-listers love it.

Perhaps it’s the more mellow, Hamptons-like atmosphere or the tropical beach sunsets.

Getty

Santa Barbara is mellow and has a Hamptons-like atmosphere[/caption]

Look out for dolphins on the horizon (you can book a sunset catamaran tour, $65pp, at sbsail.com).

It’s one hour 30 minutes by car from LA, or you can catch a train, which takes more than two hours.

You’ll be sipping local wines from the nearby hills in no time.

STAY: In a quiet patch on West Beach, Brisas Del Mar Inn At The Beach has a Mediterranean vibe, with terracotta terraces surrounded by climbing vines – there are bikes to rent, too.

Rooms cost from £194 per night. See expedia.co.uk.

Destination: Paris, France
Detour: Reims

A 46-MINUTE train ride from Paris’ Gare de L’Est, Reims is often called the city of ­Champagne.

Yet despite the famous fizz’s pricey reputation, you won’t need to splash the cash when you get here.

Shutterstock

Reims is often called the city of ­Champagne and has an iconic ­towering cathedral[/caption]

Drink in the sights of the ­towering cathedral before ­drinking in the bubbles – the Pommery champagne house has self-guided tours of its ­cellars, along with tastings, for around £22.50 (see ­champagne-booking.com/en).

STAY: The Hotel Continental, a former 19th century mansion, is centrally located and home to a spa with infra-red sauna, bucket showers and massage booths.

Rooms cost from £122 per night. See hotels.com.

Destination: Barcelona, Spain
Detour: Girona

FROM Barcelona, you can jump on the train and venture 40 minutes north to Girona.

The city has become known for the remarkable rise of its football club – but there’s so much more to it than that.

Getty

Its old town is a maze of narrow streets, framed by Roman and Gothic architecture that ooze history[/caption]

Its old town is a maze of narrow streets, framed by Roman and Gothic architecture that ooze history.

The same could be said for its 12th century Arabic baths, built in a temple-like structure, that can still be visited today.

This region is famous for its Catalonian cuisine, so sample as much as you can – Txalaka does great tapas, with bites from €5.50.

STAY: The central and chic Bypillow Erba has comfy Scandi-style rooms from £59 per night. See bypillow.com.

Destination: Milan, Italy
Detour: Brescia

WITH its four prominent squares – one Roman, one Medieval, one Renaissance and one Modern – the cultural city of Brescia pairs perfectly with a trip to fashionable Milan.

Sitting at the foot of mountains in northern Italy, just over 30 minutes from Milan by train, Brescia is crammed with fascinating architecture and petite art galleries.

Getty

The cultural city of Brescia pairs perfectly with a trip to fashionable Milan[/caption]

Getty

Brescia is just over 30 minutes from Milan by train, pictured Milan’s Duomo[/caption]

Swing by one of the quaint bars and order a pirlo, a traditional aperitivo, made of still wine, Campari, sparkling water and a wedge of orange.

STAY: The boutique Locanda Delle Mercanzie was once a medieval palazzo and has buckets of character.

It’s a short walk from landmarks like Piazza della Loggia and Brescia Castle.

Rooms cost from £81 per night. See expedia.co.uk.

FURIOUS Strictly fans have hit out at the judges for “overmarking” Wynne Evans and Katya Jones on tonight’s show.

The Welsh opera star, 52, and pro dancer Katya, 35, returned to the dancefloor following the “grope” row to perform a Salsa.

PA

Strictly viewers have slammed the judges for ‘overmarking’ Wynne Evans again[/caption]

PA

The pair, who were dressed in matching devil costumes for the Halloween special, were awarded an impressive 31 points.

Craig Revel Horwood awarded them 7 points, while Motsi Mabuse, head judge Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke scored them an eight.

Craig was quick to praise them, saying: “I loved loved loved those lifts you’re a born entertainer.”

But those at home were baffled by the high scores and said he only “deserved a six” for the routine.

One wrote: “‘Wynne is getting so blatantly overmarked each week and it’s doing my absolute head in.

“That dance was easily his worst dance yet in my opinion and yet he got three 8’s????? i’m genuinely baffled.”

A second said: “Wynne well overmarked IMHO It was more 25 or 26 and definitely not a 31…. Judges have the people they like and they generally pick up an extra point per judge. Seems unfair to me but its not a dance show anymore.”

A third raged: “Sorry but a 31 is a joke! Surely BBC favouritism at play at this point? What am I missing that is so good with Wynne?”

This angry viewers posted: “Absolutely f**k off. both JB and Wynne were massively massively overmarked. way way too much messing around and loosing all technical aspects. an absolute joke.”

Another added: “I’m sorry, but i’m really not seeing what the judges are seeing with Wynne… he just had Katya doing gymnastics on his shoulders for half the dance and even that didn’t look flawless.”

“Wynne’s dance was a six in my eyes, confused that they’ve scored him an eight,” someone else shared.

It comes after Wynne came under fire again for allegedly telling a “crude” joke to one of the show’s make-up artists.

Insiders claim the opera star made a joke that the folds of his double chin “looked like a vagina”.

According to the Mirror, he made the remark ahead of the Strictly Come Dancing launch show last month.

A source told the outlet: “It was a bit of a vulgar dad joke.”

No official complaint has been made, and the insider added: “Wynne clearly didn’t mean any offence, but you have to be a little bit careful these days.”

A source close to Wynne said the joke was “self-deprecating and made in a private conversation” with a make-up artist, who was also said to not have been “offended”.

Last month, Wynne was left “heartbroken” following a backlash after his Strictly pro partner Katya was filmed removing his hand from her waist.

They then sparked further fury, when she was seen refusing to high-five the Opera singer.

The duo were quick to issue a video apology and insisted it was all an innocent “inside joke”.

Days later, Wynne took to his BBC Radio Wales show for a further raw reveal.

He told his listeners: “I’m absolutely heartbroken by the things that have been written about me in the last day.

“It’s not nice to live in that time, but basically Katya and I are really, really close and we’re really good friends, and on Saturday night we made a stupid joke.

“It was a stupid joke that went wrong, OK?

“We thought it was funny. It wasn’t funny.

“It was been totally misinterpreted.”

The Go Compare advert star then gushed over his “brilliant friendship” with the Russian and added: “Everything’s on Katya’s socials. She’s talked about it.”

Despite fans demanding the pair clarify exactly what “the joke” was, Wynne didn’t explain any further.

He said: “She’s explained that it was a joke. She wasn’t offended in the least. She doesn’t feel uncomfortable.

“We’ve got a brilliant friendship, an absolutely tight friendship, and I’m sorry if anybody was offended by it, but it was a joke.

“And that’s all there is. There is no real story, really.”

PURE BANTS

Wynne was referring to the video Katya had uploaded to her social media pages this weekend.

The clip – posted shortly after the online chaos ensued – saw Katya tell fans: “Hi everyone, it’s Wynne and Katya here, we just wanted to say we were messing around in the clauditorium on Saturday night and we just want to say sorry.”

She added: “It was a silly joke.”

While Wynne echoed: “Yeah, sorry.”

Katya then hit back a second time in a another video upload.

On Sunday afternoon, Katya returned to Instagram with another message for her fans.

She said: “Happy Sunday everyone. Now, I need to make something crystal clear.

“The hand incident that happened on Sunday night was indeed a very silly inside joke.

“So even the idea that he made me feel uncomfortable or offended me in anyway is complete nonsense.

“It’s quite absurd actually.

“Now can we just focus on how brilliant he is doing and what an amazing dancer that he’s becoming.”

BAD TASTE?

The pair’s banter came after the BBC series was engulfed in a string of scandals – though there is no suggestion Katya and Wynne’s joke was inappropriate.

The findings of a probe into former Strictly professional Giovanni Pernice’s behaviour were published earlier this month.

The report upheld six out of 17 allegations against pro dancer Gio.

The BBC has now apologised to his former show partner, actress Amanda Abbington, over the programme’s bullying scandal.

It was claimed the corporation spent an eye-watering six-figure sum on the investigation.

Meanwhile, the same investigation also saw Giovanni’s fellow Italian pro Graziano Di Prima axed after allegations of “physical incidents” towards show partner Zara McDermott, 27.

AN MLS footballer has died shockingly aged just 25.

Philadelphia Union announced the tragic passing of goalkeeper Holden Trent on Saturday afternoon.

Instagram @holdentrent93

Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Holden Trent died aged 25[/caption]

X @PhilaUnion

The club released a statement on Saturday afternoon[/caption]

No cause of death has been released at this stage although Trent was admitted to intensive care on Thursday, according to reports from Yahoo.

But the club are in mourning following the awfully sad news.

They said: “The Philadelphia Union is devastated by the heartbreaking passing of Holden Trent.

“While he was a wonderful player and fierce competitor, he was more importantly a devoted son, brother, fiance, and team-mate who made those around him better.

“He embodied the true meaning of determination, dedication and perseverance, and he will be deeply missed.

“We extend our greatest sympathies to his family, his fiance and his friends.”

Union’s fellow MLS clubs including Portland Timbers, FC Cincinnati, San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City, New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls all replied with their condolences.

Trent was selected by Philadelphia in the 2023 MLS Draft from High Point University – playing for the club for two seasons and making six appearances for the second team.

He was also an unused sub eight times for the club in the 2024 season.

Trent’s grieving family also posted a statement of their own on the goalkeeper’s Instagram page.

They wrote: “We want to thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

“Holden passed away this afternoon surrounded by his family and friends.

“Details on services and celebration of life are forthcoming.

“Our family is deeply touched to see and experience the love you all have for Holden.

“Love, Holden’s Family.”

Devastated fans and followers flooded the comments with emotional messages of support and love.

‘WILL CHERISH ALL OUR MEMORIES’

One said: “I love you brother, one of the most genuine people I know. I’ll never forget what you have done for me since day one brother, I love you and I’m always going to keep your name alive bro please watch over us bro.”

Another wrote: “So sorry Holden – you will be missed.”

A third added: “Love you forever Holden.”

A fourth replied: “We love you Holden and will keep your love alive.”

And a final team-mate typed: “I love you brother. Will cherish all of our memories on and off the field.”

Trent and fiancee Brie Losito got engaged at the end of 2023, with the football proposing in Florence on a romantic pre-Christmas trip to Italy.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber said: “Major League Soccer joins the Philadelphia Union and our entire soccer community in mourning the tragic passing of Union goalkeeper Holden Trent.


“A young goalkeeper with a bright future, Trent showcased determination and professionalism every day as he contributed to the close-knit goalkeeping unit at Philadelphia.

“We extend our deepest condolences to his fiancee, his family and friends, his team-mates and the entire Philadelphia Union community.

“MLS is coordinating with the club to provide players and family members with the resources and support they need during this tragic time.”

Alamy

Friends, family and the football community paid tribute to the shot-stopper[/caption]

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will lead the Dodgers past Carlos Rodon and the Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night in Los Angeles.

Hey, another time jump!

Rick Pitino got exactly what he wanted out of his team in the final tune-up game before St. John’s opens its season against Fordham in just over a week.  After getting caught in an offensive slugfest against Rutgers in the Johnnies’ first exhibition game of the year, Pitino’s squad held the Towson Tigers to 46...

It was the best thing they never had.