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How far do we need to go to feel safe when we fly?
10/03/2010 (views 103) (0 comments)

“For better or worse, once the cabin doors close, the flight attendants are the last line of defence” states Carey Caldwell, spokeswoman for the flight attendants association.

Flight attendants have made the following four point plan demands on the US Government:

· Institute mandatory hand to hand combat training for all crew members.

· Equip flight attendants with portable communications devices so they can speak to the pilots during emergencies.

· Standardize the size of carry-on luggage so that flight attendants can concentrate on looking for suspicious passengers instead of struggling with oversized bags.

· Shut down onboard wireless Internet during high-threat periods to prevent tourists from communicating with collaborators on the ground.

At the moment, in the US, flight attendants can take part in voluntary combat training in their own time. So what do you think; should these precautions become mandatory to give us that extra sense of security when we fly?

Its time for your close-up!
24/02/2010 (views 63409) (32 comments)

In the week commencing the 12^th October, Manchester airport officials installed and defended their controversial new security scanner which produces naked images of its passengers.The scanner costs £80,000 and they hope that its use will speed up the check-in process as passengers will not have to waste time taking off their coats, shoes or belts.

The airport’s head of customer service Sarah Barrett believes customers will find the scanner preferable to the traditional body search as “most passengers do not like the pat down service and it completely takes away the need to undress”.

The scanner has caused some controversy as it will show up breast enlargements, body piercings and show outlines of passengers’ genitals. The airport is trying to reassure it’s passengers by clearly stating the images will only be viewed by one officer in a remote location and they can not be stored or captured. The Department of Transport will monitor the scheme for a year before deciding whether or not to install these scanners permanently.

So tell us how you feel about this new method of security; do you think it’ll speed up the trials of airport security or do you see it as an invasion of your privacy. Passengers do have the right to refuse to be scanned at Manchester airport. So leave us a comment and let us know what you think.

BA ballot in favour of strike action!
23/02/2010 (views 7688) (2 comments)

A new ballot has been carried out and the results are in, British Airways cabin crew have voted in favour of a strike. 4 out of every 5 union members involved in the ballot voted to go ahead with the strike over their pay and working conditions. Unite have revealed there was an 80% participation rate in the ballot.

Union leaders have however pledged not to strike over the Easter holiday period, but strikes could begin as early as March 1^st. The Union has stated it will not be announcing any dates yet as it hopes to continue negotiations with the airline.

Bob Atkinson, a travel expert from travelsupermarket.com, has disclosed that “customers are already deserting the airline – we have seen a significant 19% reduction in people clicking through to BA flights since the last ballot started”.

These statistics show that consumers are wondering how their travel plans may be affected, so let us know what you think, with all these negotiations and talks of strike action going on would you think twice about booking with British Airways?

The latest on “Fat Tax”
02/08/2010 11:15:00 (views 15183) (2 comments)

All this talk of the sensitive issue of “Fat Tax” has arisen after the on/off claims that Air France are planning to impose a mandatory two seat requirement. With the latest news from the airline being that they promise to reimburse obese passengers it asks to buy a second seat if the plane isn’t full and the cost of the 2nd seat will be at a 25% discount.

A poll carried out by Skyscanner has revealed that more than ¾’s of participants were in favour of an airline “Fat Tax”, it is not being considered to cause offense but to enhance comfort and safety.

For a long time Air France has offered obese passengers the option of buying an adjoining seat at a discount, come April it will be at the Captain’s discretion to stop obese passengers from boarding a flight if they do not have a 2nd seat reserved.

The two seat requirement has so far been met with great approval, with only 22% concerned with the extra cost. Barry Smith, co-founder of Skyscanner, stated; ‘on one hand it is not unreasonable for airlines to charge passengers extra if they occupy more than one seat, on the other, many would argue that it should be the responsibility of airlines to adjust their standard seat size, enabling them to comfortably accommodate all passengers’.

We’d love to know what you think; is it up to the Airline or the individual to ensure they can sit comfortably on their flight?

Trouble sleeping in hotels? Then maybe you’ll be keen to take up the offer of a human hot water bottle.
02/08/2010 11:14:00 (views 15154) (0 comments)

The London hotel chain, Holiday Inn will have employees dressed in special all-in-one sleeper suits available to guests for 5 minute free bed warming sessions before they get into bed, the trials are taking pace in London and Manchester in January.

Spokeswoman for the Holiday Inn states it’ll be “like having a giant hot water bottle in your bed”. The director of Edinburgh Sleep Centre, Dr Chris Idzikowski, has said that the idea could help people get off to sleep as there is scientific evidence to show a cold bed inhibits sleep.

Does this sound like a good idea to you or would you rather stick to the more traditional approach and boil the kettle for your hot water bottle?

Looking for a cheap holiday? Spain may be the answer this year!
02/08/2010 11:11:00 (views 15132) (0 comments)

Turkey used to be seen as a value destination but the Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer shows a rise of almost 44% on meals, drinks and other holiday items. This means that Turkey has now dropped 14 places in a table of 30 worldwide destinations to position 22, whereas Spain moved to the 4th cheapest destination with a price drop of 30% on the same items surveyed a year ago, clearly showing Turkey has become much more expensive.

Hungary has come out on top as the cheapest destination for the second year running, with Thailand being the cheapest long haul destination. Overall, things are looking up for holiday makers with tourist costs being down in 17 of the 25 destinations previously surveyed, with the biggest drops being in Bulgaria, Mexico, Mauritius and Barbados.

So with Turkey now being 68% more expensive than Spain and the improved exchange rate it seems the Eurozone could be making its come back this year.

Unicef Haiti Appeal
15/01/2010 (views 24667) (3 comments)

The largest earthquake ever recorded in the desperately poor country of Haiti has caused great devastation and help is needed immediately. 85% of people in Haiti already live in poverty so this disaster is going to have an extreme impact.

Unicef is appealing for urgent financial help to provide support for victims of the earthquake. Oxfam have been doing long-term work with Haiti so they already have teams out there responding to the situation where the need is most urgent.

Unicef’s aim is to provide clean water, shelter, sanitation and to help people recover, so if you can, your donation will go immediately to those that need it most.

Click to donate

British Airways have offered aid agencies an aircraft to fly emergency relief to Haiti. They have a Boeing 747 standing by to fly out tomorrow (Saturday 16^th January) It will carry up to 50 tonnes of cargo and will be manned by volunteer pilots and cabin crew. The airline has pledged £300,000 from its UNICEF Change For Good passenger donations scheme in addition to the £250,000 cost of the aircraft.

BA Chief Willie Walsh has stated “Time is of the essence and we must move swiftly to help those devastated by this disaster”.

Here at the Travellers Club, we’ll do our best to keep you up-dated on the situation and what you can do to help.

BA Strike Update.
15/01/2010 (views 24681) (2 comments)

Despite the talks that have been going ahead between Unite Union and British Airways to negotiate a settlement over cabin crew’s terms and conditions, a re-ballot to determine strike action is going ahead.

January the 22^nd has been pencilled in as a proposed day for the strike as the union must give the airline a week’s notice. However, Unite’s joint general secretaries have stated, “we will be approaching those talks in a constructive spirit, seeking to find a settlement that meets the real concerns of BA’s skilled, loyal and professional cabin crew, while keeping the airline flying”.

We’ll make sure we keep you up-dated on this situation for those of you with travel booked with British Airways.

Expect Tighter Airport Security
01/05/2010 (views 31132) (4 comments)

On Christmas Day, the suspect, 23 year old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, tried to set off a device onboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. Thanks to the passengers and crew of the aircraft it was a failed attempt. After passengers began to notice them smell of smoke in the air, at least one fellow passenger was said to have climbed over others and jumped on the man, who officials say was trying to ignite an explosive device.

This has forced heightened security checks to be put in place, including increased gate screening before boarding, see our full article on Airport Security in our In The News section to find out what other precautions are being put in place and how this will affect you as a traveller, including arrival time to the airport before flying.

BA Strike Update
22/12/2009 (views 34013) (0 comments)

All those with travel booked with BA over the festive season can breathe a sigh of relief as a British judge declares the strike illegal. Hundreds of thousands Christmas holiday makers had feared the worst, but the decision has been made and no strike action can be carried out for several weeks and a fresh ballot will have to be taken to allow any plans to proceed in the future.

The strike was declared illegal as votes were counted from those that had already left British Airways and the judge insisted “holding a 12 day strike over the Christmas period was fundamentally more damaging to BA and the wider public than any other time of year”.

However, Union bosses are said to be very angry with the decision saying that it is “a disgraceful day for democracy” and have vowed to hold a brand new ballot if the dispute is not resolved. But for now we’ve got Christmas back!

Airline Group in Administration
17/12/2009 (views 35680) (1 comments)

Globespan in Administration

Edinburgh based operator and airline, Globespan, has gone into administration. Flights ceased on the 16^th of December. It is estimated that Globespan currently have around 3,400 holidaymakers already abroad on holiday, some of which will luckily be ATOL protected. Some 27,000 people have had their holidays cancelled and are advised not to go to the airport and instead, claim a refund. It is estimated there are up to 90,000 concerned customers with advance bookings.

Does this affect you, if so we’ve put some tips together on what to do next:

Those already abroad on an ATOL protected package holiday will be booked on to new flights by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) so they can get home. Arrangements are being made for overseas representatives to provide the necessary information to Globespan customers.
If you paid by debit or credit card you are advised to contact your card company direct.
If you have travel insurance, double check your policy to see if covers airline insolvency.

Helpful contacts:

· See the CAA website www.atol.org.uk for more information about alternative air services.

· Globespan customers currently abroad can contact the CAA for more info on 0044 203 441 0846

· Globespan customers with advance bookings can contact the CAA for more info on 0844 856 2585

· UK based Flyglobespan customers can also call 0871 271 9000, European based can call +44141 332 3233

First intergalactic band announced
22/12/2009 (views 36872) (0 comments)

Spandau Ballet to be the first band to perform in space!

Sir Richard Branson’s Spacecraft Enterprise will begin its commercial flights in 18 months time and the reformed band, Spandau Ballet, will be the first to group in the world to perform outside the earth’s atmosphere.

As only 6 passengers and 2 pilots are permitted on board all the necessary equipment, including cameras and microphones will be operated from Earth.

The band will have 5 minutes of weightlessness to perform one of their hits, the three possibilities are ‘I’ll fly for you’, ‘Gold’ and ‘True’. Which would you like to hear and more importantly, what’s your opinion on space travel? Leave us a comment, we’d love to hear from you.

British Airways strike confirmed
15/12/2009 14:42:00 (views 36936) (0 comments)

Have you got flights booked with British Airways over the festive season?

Cabin crew have voted 9 to 1 in favour of a 12 day strike, running from the 22^nd of December to the 2^nd of January. BA are warning customers to be prepared for a massive disruption that is even thought to affect travel in the days leading up to and after, the strike.

British Airways has responded to the result announced by the Unite Union by saying, “a 12 day strike would be completely unjustified and a huge over-reaction to the modest changes which are intended to help us recover from record financial losses.” They also feel that Unite’s decision shows a lack of concern for customers, business and other employees.

The decision for the strike comes in retaliation to the changes BA will be making, including cutting an extra 1200 jobs, reducing the number of cabin crew by 1 on their flights, freezing the pay of existing staff and the hiring of new staff on a lower rate. 12,500 members of staff are expected to walk out and disrupt the travel plans of up to 1 million passengers over this period.

This will be the first strike action carried out by cabin crew since 1997 and the airline has claimed to be “very disappointed” at Unite’s plans to disrupt the travel of hundreds of thousands of passengers over Christmas and New Year. As a result thousands of passengers are likely to be forced to struggle to find flights with other carriers. BA has confirmed that customers booked to travel between these dates and 48 hours either side can change to another BA flight departing in the next 12 months at no charge. If a passenger chooses to stay hopeful and keep their flight and then their flight turns out to be cancelled they will be offered the chance to refund their ticket, rebook onto a different flight or reroute on another BA flight.

Leave a comment; we’d love to know your thoughts on the situation, do you think BA’s cabin crew need to make a stand or do you think it’s gonna cause unnecessary upset to all those planning a hard earned Christmas break?

2 for 1 meals!
13/11/2009 15:47:00 (views 48322) (2 comments)

Planning a day out? Why not check out this offer from our sister site Vino Club.

2 for 1 meals at pubs and restaurants including Chef and Brewer

Deciding on where to eat this evening? Well look no further! On behalf of Punch Taverns, Vino Club are giving away these 4 fantastic money saving pub and restaurant vouchers FREE to all. For great food and atmosphere at affordable prices they're hard to beat.

All you need to do is click here and sign up to receive one of their fanatstic vouchers. That's it, nice and easy!

Enjoy these great deals on behalf of the Vino Club Team!

Budget Flights
10/12/2009 14:42:00 (views 63769) (6 comments)

Budget flights online check-in, a convenience or just a con?

Our major budget airlines repeatedly tell us that they are continually reducing their cost base in order to bring us low fares, which is fair enough - no frills carriers for bargain prices. Now, when making a booking with an airline, you can usually check-in online or at the airport. What we don't quite understand is why you have to pay irrespective of which option you choose You can't board without checking in, so why charge for both options? For example, Ryanair charge a whopping £80 return for airport check-in - airport check-in is an expense, so they want to reduce this cost by incentivising us to check-in online. Or, rather not penalising us as much for checking in online. That costs £10 for return check-in online with Ryanair. So, you still have to pay to check-in, just not as much. Why don't they simply add £10 to the price of every ticket sold and charge an additional £70 for check-in at the airport? Tell us what you think.

Oasis of the Seas - Latest
09/03/2009 15:28:00 (views 77321) (1 comments)

It has just been revealed that on board the world's largest cruise ship, the 'Oasis of the Seas' not only will you be able to see broadway blockbusters including 'Hairspray' and the aerobatic show 'Come Fly With Me' but you can pre-book your shows and entertainment up to 3 months in advance. Other venues offering pre-bookable seats include the ice-skating rink, the adult comedy club and the ampitheatre-style AquaTheater featuring dive shows.

What doesn't this ship have? If we've got you intrigued and maybe you'd like to try out a cruise holiday then check out our full article The Oasis of the Seas, but don't forget to book your seats in advance to avoid disappointment.

Would you rent your holiday wardrobe?
18/08/2009 11:29:00 (views 83874) (1 comments)

Does the prospect of no longer putting up with lost baggage, long queues, invasive security checks and heavy luggage appeal to you? The idea of ‘Zero Baggage’ has been raised at the Tourism Futures conference on the Gold Coast, Australia. Travellers will have the opportunity to rent their holiday wardrobes freeing up the need for packing.

Before leaving on holiday travellers would log onto the Zero Baggage website and pack online by picking and choosing clothes to fill their virtual suitcase. When arriving at their destination accommodation their items would be waiting for them. The rental prices are to be just a fraction of what they’d cost new. At the end of the holiday the clothes would be cleaned and re-used for the next customer.

They’re hoping it will mostly appeal to business travellers who could keep a Zero Baggage locker at the hotels they regularly frequent for work. But the scheme has also attracted support from the young and retired who will be taking part in a pilot project in Toronto, Canada from November 2010.

Does this sound like something you and your heavy bag would be interested in? Let us know what you think; we’d love to hear from you.

The Great Barrier Reef Caretaker needs some mates!
18/08/2009 10:19:00 (views 83916) (0 comments)

The Great Barrier Reef Caretaker needs some mates!

Do you think you’ve got what it takes to help Hamilton Island caretaker Ben Southall reach his target of exploring 600 islands and 300 coral cays of the Great Barrier Reef.

Tourism Queensland has launched a global search for 4 mates to join Ben as they don’t think 6 months will be long enough for him to do it alone. The friend’s will be required to share their experiences with Ben via photos, videos and the guest blog.

So if you want a chance to take part in an experience that money can’t buy, you will be able to apply online at www.islandreefjob.com. It’s open to anyone around the world, so why not give it a shot, good luck!

Oasis of the Seas
09/03/2009 15:29:00 (views 98700) (0 comments)

You may have read our article in our ‘In the News’ section about the concept and expected launch of the world’s largest cruise ship at the end of this year. Well we’ve got an exciting update; The Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas has undergone its first week of sea trials. They took place near the Finnish shipyard where the vessel is being constructed.

This $1.4 billion, 1187ft long cruise ship will overshadow all other cruise ships in the Caribbean with its 16 passenger decks and 2706 cabins.

It has already been afloat for 6 months but this is the first chance they’ve had to test all its systems in a fully operational environment.

Passengers will even have the option to have hot air balloon – style rides in a gondola beneath an aerostat tethered to the back of the ship.

For more information see our full article The Oasis of the Seas.

The Official 'Caretaker' of the Great Barrier Reef
13/05/2009 11:14:00 (views 118137) (0 comments)

34 year-old, Ben Southall, from Hampshire in South West London has been announced as the official ‘caretaker’ of the Great Barrier Reef. The once Project Manager, Charity Fundraiser and one-time African Tour Guide managed to convince Tourism Queensland he was the one for the job.

Ben stated, ‘To go away as the island caretaker of the Great Barrier Reef is an extreme honour. I hope I can sell the reef as well as everyone is expecting. My swimming is hopefully up to the standard’.

We bet he can’t wait to start the ‘perfect job’ on the 1st of July this year.

Swine flu update
30/04/2009 12:32:00 (views 122709) (0 comments)

We’re one step away from a full global epidemic being announced as the UN’s World Health Organisation has raised the swine flu alert to level 5, this means that swine flu has been passed on from human to human in at least 2 countries. The first death from the flu virus outside of Mexico, a 23 month old Mexican child in Texas and the first case of swine flu in someone who has not travelled to Mexico has been reported. New cases have been revealed in Switzerland, Costa Rica and Peru, whilst tests are being carried out on 23 people in Scotland.

What steps are being taken?

Director General of WHO has asked for countries to activate pandemic plans with increased urgency, including heightened surveillance and infection control measures.

Thermal scanners are being introduced; 8 of Australia’s international airports are using them. If a passenger has a raised temperature a clinical assessment will be carried out.

Flights are being cancelled:

Thomson and First Choice – cancelled until the 8th May.

Thomas Cook – cancelled for 7 days.

Monarch – up to and including the 8th May

Kuoni – suspended holidays to Mexico but normal booking conditions apply to all departures from May the 4th onwards.

BA – continuing to fly to Mexico and are letting the customer decide whether or not their trip is essential.

We are being reassured however, that we are currently ‘better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history’. We will do our best to keep you up to date with all the latest updates and travel news

Are We At Risk From Swine Flu?
30/04/2009 15:49:00 (views 123215) (1 comments)

The outbreak of swine flu in Mexico has claimed 149 lives (at time of blog entry) and now cases have been confirmed in the US, Canada, Spain and Scotland. However, so far the cases outside Mexico have not been fatal.

You may be wondering how this will affect you and your travel. The Foreign Office is urging travellers to postpone non-essential trips to Mexico. If you are returning from the infected area, monitor your health closely for 7 days on your return home, if you do develop any flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue, within the week contact your GP of NHS Direct on 0845 4647 and explain your symptoms and details of travel.

For more information see out full article on our Travellers Club site.

Prize for the Best Money Saving Scheme - Update
22/04/2009 16:41:00 (views 125459) (0 comments)

Over 100,000 passengers voted in Ryanair’s online poll and we can reveal that 30,000 passengers voted in favour of very large passengers being charged excess weight fees… ‘Fat Tax’.

The poll results are as follows:

29% - excess fee for overweight passengers.
25% - €1.00 for toilet paper with O’Leary’s face on it.
24% - to allow smoking in a converted toilet cubicle.
14% - Annual subscription fee to access ryanair.com
8% - €2.00 ‘corkage’ fee for passengers who bring their own food on board.

Ryanair now want you to vote again, this time on how the charge will be measured.

Should it be?

A charge per kg over 130kg/20 stone for men and 100kg/15 stone for women.
A charge per inch for every waist over 45 inches for men and 40 inches for women.
A charge for every point in excess of 40 points on the Body Mass Index (+30 points is obese).
A charge for a second seat if a passenger’s waist touches both arm rests at the same time.

Ryanair claim they have set their boundaries to a high level so that ‘fat tax’ does not get out of hand and will only apply to very large passengers encroach on the space of the passengers beside them. They also believe these charges may have a positive outcome and encourage passengers to loose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle.

You can vote online at www.ryanair.com until the 27th April 09. So get voting the revenues from the tax will be used to lower airfares even further.

Leave a comment with us here at the Travellers Club; we’d love to know what you’d choose and whether or not you think they’ll go ahead with the charges.

The Perfect Job Update
09/11/2009 12:20:00 (views 125861) (0 comments)

The latest.....20th April 2009

Tourism Queensland have narrowed down their 34,000 applications to the top 15 with one wild card entry. The 16 hopefuls will be arriving at Hamilton Island on the 3rd of May for the final interview process and the successful candidate will be announced on the 6th of May. Among the finalists are students, receptionists, teachers and charity workers to name a few, from 15 different countries around the world, 10 men and six women aged between 20 and 38.

So we'll wait and see who will be lucky enough to get the perfect job, starting on the 1st of July and earning $AUD150,000 for 6 months work...

€1000 Prize for the Best Money Saving Scheme!
09/04/2009 (views 129205) (0 comments)

Ryanair are taking suggestions for the best way to make money and therefore reduce our flight costs with a cash prize of €1000 for the winner. They received 12,000 suggestions from passengers, you can now vote online at their website to decide who should win out of the top five entries;

€1.00 for toilet paper with Michael O'Leary's face on it
€2.00 "corkage" fee for passengers who bring their own food
€5.00 annual subscription fee to access ryanair.com
€3.00 to smoke in a converted toilet cubicle
Excess fees for overweight passengers based on body mass index

What would you choose? You've got until the 17th of April to cast your vote.

In-flight Mobile Phone Service
20/02/2009 15:43:00 (views 143619) (1 comments)

Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline has launched an in-flight mobile phone service on 20 of its aircraft. They intend to be the first airline in Europe to offer a mobile phone service fleet wide.

Passengers will be able to make and receive mobile calls and texts on over 170 of their aircraft. Price tariffs are subject to each mobile phone provider and each customer's individual price plan.

Do you think this is a positive change or do you like to 'get away from it all' when you board your flight? Send us a comment, we'd love to hear your views.

Prevention of Fraud in Travel
20/02/2009 15:02:00 (views 143587) (0 comments)

A new scheme has been launched today to help fight fraud in the travel industry. ABTA, along with other leading travel organisations and the Metropolitan Police have launched 'PROFIT'-Prevention of Fraud in Travel.

ABTA have always worked hard to make people aware of the dangers and how to protect themselves against fraud in the travel industry, whether it be businesses or consumers. PROFIT is the latest element of this ongoing project.

So if you're planning a long awaited holiday, do check the advice on their website www.profit.uk.com before booking.

The Perfect Job
06/02/2009 12:40:00 (views 148483) (1 comments)

On Monday the 12th of January this year, the Queensland tourist board announced a job opening for a ‘caretaker’ on the idyllic Hamilton Island off mainland Australia.

The successful candidate will be paid £6000 a month to feed turtles, go whale watching, collect the post, write weekly blogs, keep a photo diary and record video updates to attract visitors to some of the Great Barrier Reef’s 900 islands. In addition to the very generous salary, the employee will receive flights, transfers, expenses, transport and will live in a three bedroom villa set on a shady hill overlooking the sea. Does this sound like the perfect chance to escape your troubles and the January weather? Apply online at www.islandreefjob.com. However, due to an amazing amount of interest, 2000 hits per second, the website is proving to be slightly temperamental.

But don’t think about it for too long, applications can only be submitted until the 22nd of February. In May, ten lucky candidates and one wildcard entry, voted for by visitors, will be invited to the islands for a four day interview process.

Snow Filled Journeys
03/02/2009 10:49:00 (views 149691) (2 comments)

What did your journey to work look like?

How was your journey to work this morning? This was the view as one of us contemplated the journey into work, after more heavy snow fall in Essex last night.

If you have any snow filled pictures you'd like to share with us, please send them in, we'd love to see them.

Heavy Snow Causes Airline Disruption
02/02/2009 14:51:00 (views 149946) (0 comments)

With six inches of snow fall throughout the night and more this morning in London and the South East, it may look like a picturesque postcard from your kitchen window but many travellers have been left in disappointing situations with severe disruptions to flights. Many delays are due to runway closures through the night, those badly affected are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead, Luton, London City Airport and Southampton, with interruptions to many connections due to road, rail and public transport problems. As a result, many flights have been delayed and cancelled.

Further snowfall is predicted today and tomorrow with conditions unlikely to improve. Passengers due to travel are advised to check with their airline in advance.

Let us know what troubles you may have encountered today and what advice you may have for travellers in the same position.

XL add to holiday makers gloom
15/09/2008 16:18:00 (views 184371) (0 comments)

XL Leisure Group joined other airlines as it went into administration in the early hours of Friday 12^th September with debts of £143 million, resulting in a staggering 85,000 tourists stranded abroad and another 200,000 holidays cancelled.

Consumer groups have urged anyone who has paid for holidays to check their travel insurance covers them. People who paid for holidays with credit cards are protected, as are those who bought package holidays, which are covered by the industry's Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Atol) agreement, but passengers who booked with debit cards will lose their money, as most travel insurance schemes do not cover companies going bust.

The failure of XL comes just weeks after low-cost airline Zoom went into administration, one of 26 airlines which has gone out of business this year.

As well as XL Airways UK, companies no longer trading include Excel Aviation, Explorer House, Aspire Holidays, Freedom Flights, Freedom Flights (Aviation), The Really Great Holiday Company, Medlife Hotels, Travel City Flights and Kosmar Villa Holidays.

For advice on what to do next – visit www.xl.com

The Civil aviation Authority has set up emergency helplines for holidaymakers affected by XL Leisure Group’s failure. For customers abroad the number is: +44 (0) 2891 856547. For those in the UK with advance bookings, the number is: 0870 5900927.

Here at the Travellers Club we hope those affected have been able to recover financially and that future holidays can be replaced.

News latest
29/08/2008 10:57:00 (views 185620) (0 comments)

News of Zoom’s Doom

News has broken today that hundreds of travellers are left stranded following the collapse of the low-fare airline Zoom.

The airlines collapse will leave an estimated 900 passengers on both sides of the Atlantic stranded, and facing long and expensive journeys home.

Zoom has gone bust

Zoom, which operated from five UK airports, blamed its financial difficulties on a massive jump in fuel bills as a result of the high cost of oil, and has grounded all flights as they prepare to go into administration.

The Scottish brothers who founded the Airline have been quoted as saying:

"It is a tragic day for our passengers and more than 600 staff. We are desperately sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment that this will cause passengers and those who have booked flights."

This is indeed bad news, and hits home here at the Travellers Club office where one of our own is now one of the many stranded in San Diego, trying to get home! We hope passengers manage to find other arrangements amidst this airline disaster.

WHAT SHOULD ZOOM AIRLINE PASSENGERS DO?

►Any Zoom flight you have booked will not be departing. If you still wish to travel, Zoom recommends contacting other carriers and lists several on its website

►If your flight is part of a package holiday originating from the UK, you may be able to make a claim under the CAA's Air Travel Organiser's Licence (Atol) scheme.

►If you have paid for a Zoom flight, contact your credit card or debit card issuer to see if they can refund your money

Source: Zoom Airline

Do you know someone affected by this News? Contact us or post a comment below

James & Frankie's Tales of the Sea
28/08/2008 11:00:00 (views 185940) (0 comments)

The Adventure Begins!

Hi, James & Frankie here!

Meet James & Frankie!

This is our blog following our adventures on the high seas! We are engaged, and set to marry in November 08', and did what we're sure many of us wish to do, James left his IT job and Frankie graduated from University, sold most of our material possessions and left for new pastures aboard our 30ft racing yacht!

We hope to travel to new places, discover new friendships and plenty of experiences along the way. We will be regularly updating our travel log on The Travellers Club, so keep checking in and if you have any tips or knowledge of where we are heading - please leave a comment and let us know!

Our home for the future 'Grimalkin'

Our Boat

This is our home for the future! A 30ft racing yacht called Grimalkin. The boat is actually a survivor of the 1979 Fastnet Race, for the crew it ended in tragedy as they battled to survive one of the worst storms to hit an ocean yacht race.

To read more about the race click here.

We have worked hard on maintaining the boat and cannot wait to embark on our travels, and then as man and wife!!

So, stay tuned and when we can get in touch we will keep you posted on our journey.

Bye for now!

James & Frankie

A Whole lotta gold!
27/08/2008 10:42:00 (views 186238) (1 comments)

Members - my apologies it has been some time since I posted an entry, a sudden and unexpected operation has left me recovering gradually from home.

The surgery has resulted in me working from my couch, but allowed me to witness the incredible Olympic Games this year! Watching Britain breaking records left, right and centre has been fantastic and I think China has done a superb job at hosting the games this year. We are going to have to live up to quite alot come 2012!

This has left me aching to see more of the Capital Beijing, and I have never been to china before. You can see all the latest news from the games at http://en.beijing2008.cn/. To read more about visiting China and its Capital City, browse our mini fact-file in the A-Z list of destinations, or visit http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/china/beijing/

Been to China? email me and tell me more!

Welcome
06/08/2008 14:30:00 (views 199294) (3 comments)

The Travellers Club New Blog!

Hi, Nicki here,

Welcome to the brand new Travellers Club website, the one stop portal for all the latest news, information and features on travel. We hope you like our new look and find our site useful for all your travel needs.

Got any comments or ideas? Post a comment below, as we love hearing from our members. Have a good look around, you'll find news snippets, holidays ideas, Useful links, A-Z destinations, recipes, advice and much more!

Look out for a new exciting blog by engaged couple James and Frankie, who have just left their jobs, sold their home and set off for the open seas on a sailing adventure!

Stay Tuned!