Vibrant posters for the ‘Hooray for Holidays’ campaign featuring lilos, flip-flop tan lines and snorkels will be splashed across Gatwick and Heathrow airports from July 14.

The marketing campaign will highlight British Airways July sale which includes more than 80 destinations with departure dates ranging from 15 July to 31 March 2011.

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Mike Powell, Insight Analyst at Defaqto comments “people should urgently check with their insurer about the cover provided for delays and the possible cancellation of their trip. Travelers who have already checked in may be covered, but for those who have not yet checked in, your insurer may not actually provide cover. This is because the airports are not officially checking in passengers and many if not most policies will only provide cover on basis that the insured person officially checks in”.

Defaqto advises that air travellers should follow the checklist below:

• Urgently check with your insurer about the exact cover that is provided.
• If you have booked an ATOL protected packaged trip, check with tour operator or travel agent about the options available.
• If you have booked flights independently, contact your airline, as they may refund the cost of the flight in full or rearrange the flight.
• If you have booked hotel and car hire independently and have paid for these on your credit card, contact you card supplier as these costs may be refundable. Also remember to cancel these with the providers wherever possible.

This information has been supplied by Defaqto: www.defaqto.com

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66% voted that airport scanners were a good idea as they would speed up security checks and improve security, whilst 30% said that they disapproved, largely on health and privacy grounds. (4% gave other answers).

Over 400 people voted in the poll, and the results clearly showed that most travellers were in favour of the scanners.
Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder and business director commented:

“As long as the machines are safe and any potential privacy issues can be solved, travellers are in favour of anything which will make flying safer and security checks faster. If it saves me from having to take my shoes off, empty my pockets and remove my belt, I’m all for them.”

The Skyscanner poll did reveal that some travellers had concerns over the safety of the scanning machines, specifically the health issues of being x-rayed. However, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) say the technology is harmless, and that the amount of radiation produced is minimal, equating to what a person would naturally receive in just two minutes of flying on an airplane.

Other respondents believed that the scanners would not increase passenger safety; Skyscanner user Vasco Sotomaior left a message on Skyscanner’s Facebook page explaining his reasons for being against the scanners:

“There’s no use for them. The threat exists, but it is so little that it doesn’t justify them. The current measures are more than enough”.

Trials with the body scanners are already taking place in some airports and train stations across Europe and the US, including Manchester Airport in the UK. The technology blurs facial details ensuring that passengers cannot be recognised and images are viewed by staff in walled-off rooms where they cannot see travellers who are being checked.

Passengers who prefer not to be scanned will be able to opt for the traditional pat down check instead.

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On DVD for the first time are these in-depth voyages into the developmental years of quite possibly the greatest passenger aircraft of all time – Concorde. A celebration of the Anglo-French Concorde project showing the illuminating journey of discovery from the initial extensive aerodynamic experiments to the first flights and rigorous testing of the prototypes, through to the inaugural scheduled supersonic passenger flights. These official films are presented uncut, many are previously unseen and all provide an unrivalled insight into the aeronautical marvel of its time.

Concorde was an icon of luxury travel during for nearly thirty years of service so this is a great prize for anybody interested in history of travel.

To enter answer the following question:

In what year did Concorde end commercial operation?

E-mail you answer to plans2travel@xec.co.uk

To complete your entry, you must also sign up to our travel newsletter featuring lots of travel news and regular offers.  Sign up using box at side of this page or click here.
Competition ends Midnight 7 December 2009.

Prizes donated courtesy of Strikeforce Entertainment.

If you want to read more about the content of the DVDs then the full details are available at http://www.concorde.org.uk/concorde-products/concorde-the-early-years-dvds-volumes-1-and-2/

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It’s the time of year when many Brits are thinking about jetting off on their summer holidays to far-flung, sunnier climes. However, for an estimated 20% of the population, the thought of boarding a plane fills them with dread and as many as 5% will never fly as a direct result of their fear. Overcome Your Fear of Flying is a major new self-help book, written by two psychologists and a pilot, which provides effective skills and techniques for sufferers to use to help reduce the anxiety commonly associated with flying.

Fear of flying is a surprisingly common problem. For some, flying is unpleasant but manageable, while for others it is an incapacitating fear. There may be serious and potentially disastrous social, financial and professional consequences for anxious flyers – a fear of flying can spoil holidays, damage careers and put relationships under stress. However, it is one of the most treatable psychological problems which almost everyone should be able to overcome.

Co-author of Overcome Your Fear of Flying, Professor Robert Bor, explains, “Our collective experience with people who have a fear of flying shows that, although some books provide useful information about flight safety, they fail to explain the full range of psychological techniques which are known to help overcome fear and anxiety. Helping sufferers to master these techniques is the main focus of the book; it brings together the latest, proven methods for overcoming a fear of flying and helps the reader select and implement the techniques most likely to help them overcome their fear. We also outline the way in which a fear of flying can become a problem in the first place and how different people are affected.”

Interspersed with case studies demonstrating how a fear of flying can manifest itself in various different ways, Overcome Your Fear of Flying approaches treatment of the problem differently from many others. It will not baffle readers with statistics about flight safety, nor will it ‘argue’ with the sufferer’s fears. The book facilitates a tailored approach to self-help, built on a solid foundation of clinical practice and research. The aim is to motivate and empower readers to confront and overcome the different elements that characterise their fear of flying.

Topics in the book include:

• what exactly is fear of flying
• phobia triggered by flying itself, or traumatic experiences in the air
• what reinforces anxiety
• understanding flying, including the effects of flight on the body
• challenging and managing anxious thoughts
• addressing your ‘worst fears’
• tackling unhelpful behaviour such as safety rituals or excessive use of alcohol
• techniques to help you relax
• FAQs – e.g. how safe is flight? What is turbulence?

Overcome Your Fear of Flying is also a helpful companion for people who have previously undergone Fear of Flying courses, such as those offered by some airlines, as they need to keep up-to-date with the latest skills and techniques. Friends, colleagues and relatives who accompany fearful flyers will find the book useful too, as it’ll provide them a useful perspective on the issue.

The book has been written by a highly experienced and uniquely qualified team of experts who are committed to helping people overcome their fear of flying. Collectively, they have over 50 years of experience and have published their research findings on treating fear of flying in many specialist medical and psychological journals and books and are often invited to talk about their work at conferences around the world.

Overcome Your Fear of Flying is published by Sheldon Press on 23 July 2009.  It is availble from Amazon.co.uk – click here or on the image below for more details.

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Spain
France
Italy
USA
Turkey
Germany
Greece
Portugal
Ireland
Cyprus

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They will be including a new service from Manchester to Faro, with travel dates currently available from 28 March 2010 – 18 April 2010. The new service will operate three times a week, with flights departing from Manchester Airport on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Other Easter 2010 destinations include Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast International, Bordeaux, Cork, Edinburgh, Faro, Geneva, Glasgow, Grenoble, Ireland West Knock, Jersey, Lisbon, Malaga, Murcia, Newquay, Nice, Palma, Paris (CDG), Prague, Toulouse.

More information at www.bmibaby.com

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The offer is time limited, ending midnight Thursday 21st May – So Book now!

Here are some of destinations that bmibaby fly to.

Alicante
Almeria
Amsterdam
Barcelona
Belfast
Bordeaux
Cork
Edinburgh
Faro
Glasgow
Jersey
Lisbon
Mahon
Malaga
Murcia
Nice
Ireland West Knock
Newquay
Palma
Paris (CDG)
Perpignan
Prague
Toulouse

More information about this offer is available here.

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Peter Spencer, managing director bmi commented: “We are delighted to announce the launch date for our newest service, offering customers a market leading Business Class product on the route between London and Kiev. Customers travelling with bmi will have the opportunity to discover the business opportunities and cultural attractions the city has to offer, whilst taking advantage of competitive prices.”

Services from London Heathrow to Kiev will operate five times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, operated by an A321 with a two cabin configuration of 31 Business Class seats and 118 Economy seats.

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Frequent Virgin Club members are also entitled to complementary V ROOM passes for maximum luxury and chill out before travel. Virgin Holidays V ROOM at Gatwick Airport includes complementary breakfast a couples chill out area and tonnes of activities for kids to keep them entertained right at the start of the holiday when the excitement is at its peak!

To check out the latest Virgin Holiday deals visit www.virginholidays.co.uk, click on the banner below or Call 0844 5573 875

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Currently  bmi operates 1,800 flights a week to: Aberdeen; Addis Ababa; Aleppo; Almaty; Amsterdam; Antigua; Baku; Barbados Beirut; Belfast City; Bishkek; Brussels; Cairo; Chicago, Cologne; Copenhagen; Damascus; Dammam; Dublin; Durham Tees Valley; East Midlands; Edinburgh; Esbjerg; Freetown; Glasgow; Groningen; Hanover; Jeddah; Jersey; Khartoum; Las Vegas; Leeds Bradford; London Heathrow; Lyon; Manchester; Moscow Domodedovo; Naples; Norwich; Palma Mallorca; Riyadh; Tbilisi; Tehran; Tel Aviv; Venice; Yerevan; Zurich.

Visit www.flybmi.com for more information.

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They offer a secure online booking system so you can book your airport car parking with confidence and ease. You will receive confirmation of your booking and simple easy to follow directions so you know where you’re going.

Park and Go only offers safe and secure car parking facilities, you can view what security measures are in use at each car park on our website, but common measures include CCTV, Perimeter Fencing and 24 hr Security Guards. So you can be sure your vehicle is safe whilst you are away.

Pre-booking your car parking online with Park and Go saves you money compared to the cost you would pay on the day. In some cases you can save up to 40% on your UK airport parking by pre-booking and it guarantees you a space so you don’t have to worry about finding one when you arrive at the Airport.

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It’s also worth have a good look around the BootsnAll Travel Network which labels itself as it the ultimat resource for the independent traveller.  There are a huge number of resources there including a busy forum and a busy blog.

Well worth a try.

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* Caribbean – Antigua + Barbados
* Israel
* Turkey
* Jordan
* Majorca
* Egypt

To rebook you are advised to contact the BMI call centre on the numbers provied below. Proof of purchase with XL will be required.

Contact numbers:

* UK reservations for customers with bookings made directly with XL: 0870 60 70 555

* UK travel trade line for bookings made with XL via a travel agent: 0870 606 1000

* US reservations for customers with bookings made directly with XL or via a travel agent (001) 0800 7880 555

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XL customers currently overseas will be able to continue with their holidays as planned. We are currently organising the repatriation of customers who booked ATOL bonded packages and are stranded in Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Sardinia and Egypt and these flights will take place as close to the passengers original departure dates as possible. Our overseas teams will be working closely with the existing XL representatives in resort to facilitate the repatriation of customers back to the UK.

Passengers currently stranded overseas are advised in the first instance to visit the CAA website (www.atol.org.uk) or call +44 (0)2891856547. There will also be links from the XL website.

Further assistance available for those due to travel

XL customers who have booked an ATOL protected package or flight and are yet to travel, can arrange an alternative holiday. We are advising customers who booked direct, or through a Thomson or First Choice shop to take confirmation of their booking to any of our branches nationwide. Our retail team will be able to arrange an alternative holiday for them and assist with claiming the refund for their XL holiday or flight.

Customers who have booked with another travel agent are advised to visit the travel agent that sold them the holiday who can look at other options with First Choice and Thomson Holidays. Again both businesses will assist with the refund and arrange the paperwork on behalf of the customers.

The company has arranged a helpline for those not near a First Choice or Thomson shop, which is as follows: Tel: 0871 231 5704

All package holiday companies offering air inclusive arrangements must have an Air Travel Organisers Licence or ATOL, which ensures that consumers are repatriated or given a full refund if an airline collapses. This cover is usually not available when customers book separate flights and accommodation. A customer who books a scheduled flight direct with an airline is not given the same financial protection as those booked as part of a package.

Many consumers have a false sense of security, believing that their travel insurance will cover them if an airline fails, but usually, this is not the case. Credit card companies do offer some protection, but they will not repatriate passengers if they are abroad.

A recent survey of Thomson Holidays’ customers found that over 90% of holidaymakers said that having their holiday financially protected was important to them but also found that consumers were confused with over 50% of holidaymakers still wrongly believing that booking a scheduled flight directly with an airline meant they were financially protected in the event of bankruptcy.

Despite a Government commitment to encourage scheduled airlines to communicate the fact that flight only bookings are not protected by the ATOL scheme, over 50% of passengers wrongly believed that having paid upfront for their flights in good faith, their money would be protected if the airline went bankrupt.

More detailed advice for customers:

XL Customers who booked direct

If you have booked a holiday or flight with one of these holiday companies direct (ie: not through a travel agent), please go to your local Thomson or First Choice travel shop. In most cases they will be able to transfer the value of your booking to a new holiday with the minimum of fuss. Our retail staff will be able to then reclaim the value of your lost holiday..

XL Customers booked through a Thomson or First Choice Shop

If you have booked a holiday with one of these companies through a Thomson or First Choice Travel Shop, please go back to the shop where they will be able to help. In most cases we will be able to simply transfer the value of your holiday with the failed company onto another holiday. The travel agent will be able to then reclaim the value of your lost holiday .

XL Customers who booked with a travel agent

If you booked a holiday with one of these companies through any other high street travel agent brand please go back to see them. We are working closely with all UK travel agents on this issue and will in most cases be able to transfer your lost holiday value onto a First Choice or Thomson holiday with the minimum of fuss and no penalty.

In all cases customers should bring all the original documents and proof of payments made to the travel agent. This will help speed things up.

For more information on XL help, customers are being directed to www.thomson.co.uk/xlassistance

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Two 24-hour strikes have been scheduled to take place on the 25th and 29th August. The strike is likely to halt all baggage handling and check-in operations across airlines including; Virgin Atlantic, Monarch, Thomson Fly, First Choice, North West, Air Malta, Air Transat, Oman Air, as well as some
smaller airlines.

Unite workers have also voted to strike at Stansted, with other strikes being voted on for Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle Airports.

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Airport Parking and Hotels have created a comprehensive list below outlining the costs of travelling with infants and young children. Importantly, the list shows how to avoid unnecessary costs and aggravation that might be associated with air travel with the kids.

The full analysis is available here 
 

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