Author: News Team

TripAdvisor, an online travel community offering user-generated travel information, has announced its list of top five classic luxury hotels in London, UK. The hotels are ranked on traveller reviews, and have been winners of the 2012 Travellers’ Choice Hotel awards, which were initiated by the company. 1) The Dorchester, a classical luxury hotel located in Mayfair, London, tops the list. A hotel from the Dorchester Collection, a UK-based hotel management company, it has 250 room and 49 suites, and boasts a clientele that has included celebrities, royalty, and political leaders. 2) Claridge’s is also located in Mayfair, and its frontage…

UAE-based airline company, Emirates Airline, has offered to operate nighttime flights to help increase the capacity of Heathrow Airport in the UK, by using the quieter Airbus A380s for overnight operations. The airline’s Airbus A380 super-jumbo airplane fleet is capable of a steeper landing descent than other airplanes, which may lessen noise pollution close to the airport. However the airline is also proposing an increase in its operating hours out of the airport, by augmenting its daily flights to Dubai, UAE, to seven from Heathrow, instead of the current five. Currently Heathrow Airport is only authorised to allow 15 flights…

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), a US-based company focusing on the business travel industry, has released its quarterly outlook, sponsored by Visa Inc, a US-based credit card company. The newest edition of the Business Travel Quarterly Outlook – United States, highlights stability in business travel in the first quarter of this year, although travel to European destinations still remains worrying due to the looming European debt crisis and rising air fuel prices. The association, in its 2012 international business travel forecast, predicts a 4.6 percent increase in business travel expenditure and a slower rate of growth in person-trips of…

Britain’s holidaymakers may have to alter their summer itineraries, as British Waterways, a UK government navigation authority for England, Scotland and Wales, may restrict the use of certain waterways and canals. The canals and waterways are facing severe drought conditions, and the authorities have been forced to restrict water transportation on around 245 miles of its national network, with partial or total restriction of the waterways in places. For holidaymakers, this may translate into changes in summer water cruise itineraries, with areas of Britain’s scenic waterways being blocked across the Midlands and the south. While the authorities have restricted traffic…

Virgin Atlantic, an airline subsidiary of UK-based Virgin Group, intends to bid for the acquisition of 12 slot pairs at London Heathrow Airport in UK. The airline is keen to acquire the slots to facilitate its plans to commence short-haul services between Scotland and Heathrow, in the UK. The airport slots will come available when British Airways’ parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), gives them up as part of its merger with BMI, British Midland International, an airline formerly owned by Lufthansa, a German airline company. Virgin Atlantic chief commercial officer, Julie Southern, reportedly said, ‘We will bid for all…

The parent company of British Airways, the UK-based airline company, has expressed an interest in investing in TAP Airline, Portugal’s national air carrier. International Airlines Group (IAG) is keen to acquire TAP Airline stock if the Portuguese government decides to sell the airline company, which has reported an operating profit for 2011 of EUR485 million. IAG also owns Spain-based Iberia Airline, and has currently entered into an agreement to acquire British Midland International from Lufthansa, a German airline company. The company is trying to strengthen its presence in the European airline market, and TAP Airline would appear to meet all…

Dubai visitors will be able to take part in a gruelling yet rewarding Vertical Marathon event at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers on April 13th 2012. This taxing charity run will see up to 200 participants racing each other to the top of the towering 52-floor building, a route that takes in 265 metres and a massive 1,334 stairs. The 2012 edition marks the tenth anniversary of the marathon, which is organised annually by Talise Fitness to support the humanitarian work conducted by Medecins Sans Frontieres. More than one million dirhams (£170,400) has been raised by the event to date, thus…

With the rising oil prices eating into profits, saving fuel on flights is a major issue for airlines. Ryanair have announced drastic actions to help reduce their load, with its in-flight magazine being reduced in size, less ice will be served in drinks and staff have been encouraged to not pile on the pounds. In a controversial move, Stephen McNamara a spokesperson for Ryain air claimed that every little helped when it came to reducing the weight of the aircraft, including heavy staff. He said: “We cut costs wherever possible, and the changes will represent a significant reduction in weight.…

Devon will be playing host to the Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink once again from April 13th to 15th this year. To be held at Northernhay Gardens and Exeter Castle Courtyard, the annual event is designed to showcase the quality and variety of produce in south-west England, allowing visitors to meet and buy from local growers and sellers. High-profile chefs, led by master cook Michael Caines, will be showing off tips and tricks at the festival’s cookery theatre, with the likes of James Nathan, Mat Follas and Jackie Kearney to be in attendance. After Dark Parties will…

Bargain-hunting Brits are increasingly looking to camping holidays as the tough financial times continue. Last week saw unseasonably warm weather, and even with the drastic change in weather this week, many holidaymakers are willing to gamble on the chance they may strike lucky with the weather on a camping trip. As the Easter holidays loom Britain’s Camping and Caravanning Club have seen a huge increase in bookings as Brits see camping as cheaper alternative to a holiday abroad. The Club has seen five per cent rise in Easter bookings this year, and a 28 per cent jump since 2010. The…