Author: Shawon Hannan

The UK economy may be slowly coming out of recession according to the hospitality industry, as more travellers are ready to invest in a holiday. A similar positive outlook has been proposed by a report submitted at the World Travel Market, currently being held in London. The World Travel Market 2012 Industry Report has highlighted that around 52 percent, of the 1,001 UK holidaymakers polled have taken more than one holiday in 2012. This is the best result for a poll since the downturn in the economy, and compares favourably to 2010, when only 24 percent of British citizens polled…

Monarch Airlines, a UK-based airline company, has commenced services from Birmingham Airport in the UK to Sharm El Sheikh, in Egypt. Sharm El Sheikh is bordered by the Red Sea on one side, and Mount Sinai on the other side. Water sports are a major attraction for tourists visiting the beach destination, and scuba diving in particular. Visitors flock to the resort to experience the underwater beauty of 250 coral reefs, and 1,000 different species of fish, which thrive in the waters. The airline is offering a service to Sharm El Sheikh once a week, on a Thursday, for the…

South West Trains, a UK-based train operating company, is offering a new online Rainbow Board information resource. The online tool will provide passengers with detailed information about their train itinerary, and a summary of the South West Trains network. The new Rainbow Board, which is available at southwesttrains.co.uk, offers a colour-coded panel for each of the company’s 12 different route lines on the Rainbow Board, and maps of each of these routes. The guide allows passengers to see how each of the routes is running on a minute-by-minute basis; for example, green shows a normal service, yellow shows that there…

While the British are renowned for their reserve in most things, especially what they eat, a new survey has revealed that once they travel abroad that reserve is abandoned and nothing, it seems, is too exotic for their palates. The new research, which has been carried out by river cruise company, Viking River Cruises, revealed that 97 percent of British respondents said they were more likely to be adventurous with food when they were abroad on holiday. The survey also revealed the top five exotic foods that the British traveller is likely to sample, with the French delicacy, snails, leading…

East Midlands Trains, a UK-based train service, is supporting the 2012 Poppy Appeal conducted by the Royal British Legion to support troops that have lost their lives in the line of duty. The company will be conducting activities with staff and customers in honour of service personnel in the run up to Remembrance Day. East Midlands Trains has announced that uniformed Armed Forces personnel can enjoy complimentary travel on the routes served by the company on October 31, and November 1, 2012. The complimentary service is intended to help serving and former servicemen and women from across the country to…

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Airport are slowly resuming normal service, after remaining closed for two days, bringing some relief to travellers that have been trapped in the city, due to the severe weather in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy has battered the northeast coast of the US, before moving northwards, causing extensive damage to the cities of New York, New Jersey and many others. Most of the public transportation system in New York, the financial capital of the US, has been shutdown, with some underground tunnels being completely flooded. Both New York airports…

The idea of paying hand luggage fees has not been well received by British air passengers. Recently Wizz Air, a Hungary-based airline, commenced a trial of a new cabin baggage policy, by charging its passengers for carrying hand luggage that needed to be stowed in an overhead bin. Following the news, a recent poll conducted by TripAdvisor, a company offering an online travel community for collating user-generated travel information, has reported that British travellers have reacted unfavourably to the airline’s policy. The company has reporting that around 73 percent of more than 11,500 British respondents to the poll expressed their…

Taking the train service from London to Edinburgh may be more cost effective than taking a flight, according to a recent report submitted by sustainable transport group, Transform Scotland. The report, named ‘On track for business: Why Scottish businesses should try the train’, states that train tickets between Edinburgh and London are around 81 percent cheaper than flights, and hence provide a very cost-effective travel option for commuters. Transform Scotland has also reported that travelling by rail between the two cities is a better option for business travellers, as it provides a better working environment and is better for the…

Easyjet, a UK-based budget airline, is expanding its operations to new routes for the 2013 summer season, Marrakech (Morocco) and Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt). The airline will be flying to Marrakech from London Stansted airport three times a week, from February 15, 2013, and twice weekly to Sharm el Sheikh from Stansted, commencing from February 17, 2013. The airline is also offering a new route to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, as part of its extended services from Stansted. The twice-weekly flights to Sofia commence on February 16, 2013. Hugh Aitken, the airline’s commercial manager for the UK, said, ‘easyJet…

Bmi Regional, a UK based airline, will be commencing its operations shortly, and has announced a change of its previously used BD flight codes to new BM flight codes. The airline, which was previously a part of the British Midland International (bmi) brand, a UK-based airline, has recently been acquired by a financial consortium and will be flying independently. Sector Aviation Holdings, a Scotland-based holding company, is the current owner and operator of the airline, which launched its inaugural services from Aberdeen to Bristol, and Manchester to Antwerp, from October 29, 2012. The company fleet of Embraer jet aircraft will…