2007 Articles

Manchester Airport to erect symbol of expansion

The deadline date has arrived for architects to submit designs for a new air traffic control tower at Manchester Airport which airport spokespeople have described as "symbolic" of the growth of the travel hub.

The competition to construct the new tower, which has a dedicated budget of £8 million, set a deadline of August 24th for submissions.

At a height of 164 metres, the "high-quality, high-profile" tower will be visible far from its base at the airport complex which includes Terminals One and Three.
Continue reading article »

Pope-mobile goes airborne with new pilgrimage flights

The pope is to launch a low-cost charter flight service designed to spirit pilgrims to holy sites around the world, according to press reports.

Italian airline Mistral will furnish the Vatican with planes devoted to carrying religious-minded passengers from Rome onwards to the revered locations, though passengers can connect up in Rome after arriving at the city's main commercial airport, served from UK hubs such as Stansted Airport and Aberdeen Airport.

The papal pilgrimage service's inaugural flight on August 27th will pilot travellers from Rome to Lourdes, where miracles of healing are said to be performed and apparitions of saints manifest themselves, with the vicar of Rome Cardinal Camillo Ruini reportedly to be among their number.
Continue reading article »

Festival-goers flood to Edinburgh Fringe's final weekend

Performers at the international festival and Fringe festival in Edinburgh are gearing up for the final weekend of shows after a month-long haul of treading the boards.

This month's Edinburgh Fringe has reprised all the well-known wonders of the world's biggest arts festival, from world-class writers speaking at the Charlotte Square Gardens Book Festival to inspiring dance acts breaking new ground at the Aurora Nova.

Top-ranked comedians battle to made it big by winning the 'if' awards, formerly the Perrier, while theatre companies vie for a Fringe First, prized emblem of critical acclaim.
Continue reading article »

Gatwick advices 'ample preparation' ahead of bank holiday

Gatwick Airport has advised customers travelling though its gates over the coming bank holiday weekend to minimise any inconvenience by preparing thoroughly in advance of their journey.

An estimated 510,000 people are expected to pass through Gatwick over the long weekend, headed to hotter climes or returning from summer breaks, with passenger traffic of 134,000 people expected on Friday August 24th alone.

Travellers are being advised to check in luggage in advance online and familiarise themselves with regulations on transporting liquids and the size and number of pieces of hand luggage permitted under tightened security restrictions.
Continue reading article »

Cretian drama unfolds against charming island backdrop

A scene worthy of a trashy crime thriller this week unfolded on the idyllic Greek island of Crete as a duel broke out between rival travel agents.

Island dwellers and blissed-out guests are currently enjoying a week of solid sunshine and temperatures in the mid-30s, but the heat must have got to one unidentified female travel agent, who attempted to shoot her 53-year-old male nemesis at the gorgeous old port town of Hania, reportedly over a professional disagreement.

If this looks like irresponsible behaviour from the Greek island's tourist industry, however, that impression should be offset by work currently underway to create south-eastern Europe's leading green tourist destination on the island.
Continue reading article »

Community-minded travel firms lauded

Conde Nast traveller has unveiled the winners of its 'World Savers Awards', which recognise travel companies delivering the most outstanding overseas experiences to customers concerned about their carbon footprint and impact on communities.

Although passengers flock to airports such as Bristol Airport, Edinburgh Airport and Heathrow each year, many are still concerned about green issues and reducing their carbon footprint.

Of 71 hotels, resorts, airlines and travel operators considered, among the stand-out best were Marriott Hotels, applauded for achieving a 70,000-tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the last year and conducting waiter-training programmes for underprivileged children in countries including Romania, where orphanages represent a grave social problem.
Continue reading article »

Demand for air travel to Asia up but economy class prices fall

Average fares for flights to Asia rose two per cent between March and June as demand for travel to the region increased, American Express Business Travel has reported.

In spite of an often bitter public climate change debate, it seems that travellers' appetite to hit the Asia-Pacific has not abated, with thousand flying out of Gatwick Airport and Heathrow Airport each year looking for adventure.

Japan and Australia are the largest powers in the region, but a host of hot spots favoured by travellers on a shoestring, such as Thailand and Laos, are nearby.
Continue reading article »

Parisian told to get on their bikes

Residents of the French capital are taking full advantage of a free bike-loan scheme launched in mid-July, borrowing one of 10,000 public-use bicycles stationed at 750 racks across the city to commute into work.

Cyclists are invited to borrow one of the bikes, using a card they receive after subscribing to the service, then return it to the nearest convenient spot once they've finished their travels.

With the miseries of life stuck in the grey English capital this summer only compounded by the rising price of Tube tickets, a green, healthy and refreshing alternative form of transportation would surely be welcomed by London locals.
Continue reading article »

WAG gives Foreign Office travel tips

In what may seem an unlikely pairing, WAG Charlotte Meares, fiance of Jermain Defoe, has been selected by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to promote sensible behaviour while on holiday to Brits abroad.

In an online travel guide, 22-year-old Charlotte gives British travellers common-sense tips, including taking the contact details of embassies and consulates overseas with you in case anything goes awry.

"It is amazing how many things can go wrong when you are travelling," mused Charlotte, whose advice on shopping, transporting cosmetics and drink spiking is presumably directed primarily at British women.
Continue reading article »

Revamp for moribund rail links in eastern Europe

Eastern Europe's railways are to get an overhaul as the region, boosted by new entrants to the European Union, moves towards greater economic convergence and cultural cooperation, the BBC's From Our Own Correspondent has reported.

Aging railway infrastructure in much of eastern and south-eastern Europe leaves ancient carriages, still emblazoned with the insignia of train companies used in the now-defunct Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, running along the tracks.

Many are forced to operate excruciatingly slowly in order to spare the decrepit tracks.
Continue reading article »

Brits may demand cycling trips on every continent

British holidaymakers are keener than ever to get on their bikes, a survey from Mintel has found, with British travellers taking 450,000 cycling holidays last year.

In 2006, Britons booked 30 per cent more holidays devoted exclusively to cycling than in 2005, while another 2.25 million holidays last year featured some element of cycling, such as hiring or touring using a bike for a day or two.

And with evidence showing one in five 15 to 24-year-olds is eager to take a cycling-based break, Mintel is calling on tour operators to offer more cycling-centric holidays.
Continue reading article »