Author: Shawon Hannan

easyJet, a UK based airline, has announced a new route from London Southend Airport in the UK. The airline will be flying to Newquay from Southend Airport commencing June 20, 2013. Seats are currently on sale for the three-times-weekly service. Hugh Aitken, the easyJet UK commercial manager said, ‘We’re thrilled to be announcing this new route from London Southend to Newquay which opens up a fast connection to the English Riviera and its great beaches, restaurants and attractions. The new service makes the South West much more accessible, and certainly a lot faster to reach than the current road or…

A Baltic blizzard in Sweden has affected travel plans, with the cold spell also strengthening in several other parts of Europe. Travellers have had to battle against wind and snow, and residents are having a difficult time coping with the conditions in Stockholm. The first week of meteorological winter brought continued cold and snow to many areas of central and northern Europe. In some places, conditions are said to be severe and lasting. Sweden appears to be the worst affected, with the strong Baltic storms bringing up to 40cms of snow to the nation’s streets. Blizzards broke out in central…

Car rental company, Enterprise, is launching its operations for the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand in Portugal, through a franchise. The company has appointed Guerin Car Rental Solutions as its franchise partner in Portugal, increasing its operations in Europe to six countries, including the UK, Germany, Ireland, France and Spain. Peter A Smith, the vice president of global franchising for the company, said, ‘While this may be the first franchising agreement for the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand, it won’t be the last. In fact, we plan to continue this same growth strategy throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. We’re careful to…

UK-based train service, East Midlands Trains, is intending to increase its rail fares in the New Year. The company has announced an increase of around 4 percent on its fares, effective January 2, 2013, with the cost of a single journey likely to increase by around £0.52 per ticket. The new fares can be checked at www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk, or through National Rail Enquiries. David Horne, the managing director of East Midlands Trains, said, ‘Railway funding can only come from the taxpayer or from the passenger. The government’s policy remains that a bigger share must come from people who use the train.…

Monarch Airlines, a UK-based airline company, is re-launching a service to Almeria, in southern Spain, from Manchester Airport in the UK. The service to Almeria will be offered during the summer of 2013, with twice a week flights commencing on May 4, next year. The managing director of Monarch Airlines, Kevin George, said, ‘We are delighted to be resuming the Almeria route for our summer 2013 flights programme from Manchester Airport. Since we last operated the route in 2011 the popularity of our Birmingham/Almeria flight has grown considerably and therefore we thought it timely to bring the route back to…

Pisa is a popular tourist haunt at any time of year, with even the least clued-up traveller sure to have heard of attractions like the Leaning Tower. But it’s even more impressive at Christmas, when decorations adorn the streets and various special events are held. Located in the central Italian region of Tuscany, Pisa is undoubtedly one of our favourite Italian cities to visit in the run-up to the festive period. Milan may have its shopping and Venice its canals, but it’s hard to beat Pisa’s traditional Christmas markets, beautiful illuminations and cheerful seasonal atmosphere. If you’re planning a visit…

British Airways (BA), a UK-based airline, has announced its list of the top 13 destinations to visit in 2013. The airline company expects the coming year to see far more UK residents visiting Far Eastern destinations. And a recent survey conducted by the airline for its Facebook page shows that 22 percent of the respondents want to visit New York in 2013, while 8 percent would like to visit Australia. Richard Tams, the airline head of UK and Ireland sales, said, ‘Undoubtedly consumers will continue to be driven by value-for-money next year, with routes such as Dubai, Cape Town and…

TUI Travel, a UK-based travel company, has reported increased bookings for the 2013 summer holidays. The company has reported an 8 percent increase in annual pre-tax profits from its UK businesses in the year ended September 30, 2012. The company has also reported that early bookings for the summer of 2013 have shown an increase of between 9 percent and 16 percent in Northern European markets. The company has reported an outstanding performance in the UK, with a record operating profit of £197m in 2012, compared to £149m in 2011, and operating profit margins of 5.4 percent in 2012, a…

Travelodge Hotels, a UK-based company that owns and operates hotel properties, is offering a customised hotel rooms to its guests, which feature a night sky panorama on the ceiling. The rooms have been created with the intention of providing guests with a good night’s sleep, and include a ceiling featuring the Milky Way and constellations of stars that shine as the room turns dark, and fade to a perfect white ceiling with the morning light. The brand has created the room as a result of a recent survey that it conducted to research the perfect sleeping conditions. Around 42 percent…

Qatar Airways, a Qatar based airline company, will be offering its newly acquired Boeing 787 aircraft for commercial service to London Heathrow Airport in the UK, from Doha, in Qatar. The airline has recently taken delivery of its initial 787 Dreamliner aircraft at the Seattle, US, headquarters of the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing. The airline has flown the aircraft to Doha, Qatar, where it will be based and will be used to operate the London-Doha service. The airline becomes the first to operate regular scheduled flights to the UK with Boeing’s next generation aircraft. The new service to London Heathrow commences…