Passport costs set to rise wef 5/10/06

Don't forget that British holidaymakers will have to pay £66 (currently £51) for a standard British passport from next week. A child's passport will increase to £45 (currently £34) and those that travel often will have to pay £77 (currently £62.50) for their extra page document.The fast-track options with a guaranteed one week turnaround will cost £91 (currently £77.50) for adults, £80 (currently £70) for kids and £97 (currently £87) for the extra page passport.So if your passport is due for renewal within the next 9 months it's well worth considering applying before 5th October in order to avoid the increased costs as any unused time (in whole months) will be credited to your new passport. For more information visit: http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/

Amazing caribbean savings

XL.com have introduced new Caribbean services to St. Kitts, Antigua, Tobago, Grenada and Barbados.
Explore the tropical rainforests and dormant volcano in St. Kitts, go snorkelling in the crystal clear waters of Antigua, dive with the turtles in Tobago, sample the widest range of Caribbean spices in Grenada or relax in the bars of Barbados' St Lawrence Gap.
These are available at fantastic prices so don't miss out on this great chance to get away for the winter and experience some glorious Caribbean Sun!!!

Jetlag and how to avoid it

Jet lag can ruin the first few days of a long-awaited holiday, or make an important business trip seem impossibly demanding. Read this article from the BBC to find out what is thought to cause jet leg, and how you can help avoid it.

Airport security - new restrictions from 22nd September

The Department for Transport has today announced a further relaxation in the security restrictions at UK airports, which will be implemented at all BAA airports from the start of business on Friday, 22 September 2006.
The revised security measures allow for: an increase in the size of the hand baggage permitted onboard and musical instruments to be taken onboard.
In addition, BAA will now be allowing passengers to take solid cosmetics in hand luggage.

This easing of restrictions is not a return to normal as the revised regulations will continue to have an impact on our airports' operations. All passengers will be subject to hand baggage restrictions and are asked to be patient while these additional security measures are in place.Passengers are asked to allow extra time for their journey and to arrive at the airport prepared.

Hand baggage restrictions: passengers are permitted to carry ONE item of hand baggage, no larger than the specified size, through the airport security search point. The dimensions* are as follows:
56 centimetres long (approximately 22 inches)
45 centimetres high (approximately 17.5 inches)
25 centimetres deep (approximately 9.85 inches).
* This is the maximum bag size allowed through security. Smaller bag sizes may apply depending on who you travel with so please check with your airline. For more information go to http://www.baa.com

Money to burn

Recent research by Halifax Travel Insurance reveals that over the last 5 years British holidaymakers have spent a staggering 1.2 billion euros, at the airport, on products they otherwise would not have bought. This phenomenon has been dubbed 'money dumping'. Your average dumper spends 70 euros in airport shopping centres but the high-end dumpers spend up to 3,700 euros on impulse-buys!

Mobiles considered more precious than passports

Britons cherish their iPods, jewellery and mobile phones more than their passports according to the latest research conducted for the Identity and Passport Service (IPS).
Despite the fact that over half of those surveyed believed that passports were worth more than £500 to criminals on the black market, many admit they don’t always take great care of them.
Continue reading this report at:
http://www.passport.gov.uk/news/news.asp?strAreaNo=320&intelement=1180

Baggage restrictions

After several weeks of bad news, finally some good news for airline passengers: the BAA, which runs most UK airports, has indicated that it will look at relaxing some of its new security regulations, specifically those with regards to the dimensions of carry-on luggage, after the "summer rush" is over.
But for now, at least, we must continue to comply with the current rules, which state that we may take nothing larger than a "small laptop bag" through security. This bag, note, is not in addition to your handbag and you can't stuff items into the bag's pockets or fill it so full that it bulges beyond the prescribed measurements. The dimensions are as follows:
45 centimeters wide (approximately 17.7 inches)
35 centimeters high (approximately 13.7 inches)
16 centimeters deep (approximately 6.2 inches)

The following items are NOT PERMITTED in your cabin baggage:Drinks • Any drinks in cans, bottles, plastic containers, cardboard cartons, etcCosmetics and toiletries • All consumable cosmetics and toiletries (solids and liquids), eg: - Soaps - Creams - Lipsticks or lip balms - Mascara - Toothpaste - Talcum powder - Hairspray and other aerosol items - Deodorants - Sun tanning products - Bottles of contact lens solution Food • Any liquid-based food products in packets, tubes, plastic or tin containers • Pasta or any other foodstuffs in sauces, gravies or other liquids • Jams and syrups • Sauces • Pastes • Yoghurts • Soups (carton or otherwise) • Stews • Curry Writing implements • Spare cartridges for fountain pens Smoking materials • Cigarette lighters • Non safety matches

The following items ARE PERMITTED in your cabin baggage:Drinks • Empty containers such as flasks and mugs Cosmetics and toiletries• Sanitary towels and tampons • Non-consumable cosmetics and toiletries, eg: - Combs - Cotton Wool - Fully disposable razors/razor cartridges - Toothbrushes - Disposable contact lenses in sealed packaging, sufficient for flight (ie one or two pairs) - Non-disposable contact lenses in carrier with small amount of solution (but not bottles of solution) Food • Sandwiches • Crisps • Fruit • Vegetables • Other solid foods Writing implements • Biros, rollerball pens, gel pens • Fountain pens with single, open cartridge in use (but no refills) • Pencils Baby milk/baby food • Empty containers such as empty bottles beakers or flasks• Baby milk (if tasted by the passenger)• Sterilised baby water (if tasted by the passenger)• Baby juice (if tasted by the passenger)• Baby food in liquid, gel or paste form (if tasted by the passenger)• Baby food powder (need not be tasted)Smoking materials• Cigarettes • Cigars • Rolling tobacco • Cigarette papers • A single book or box of safety matches

Ryanair extends 4M free* seat sale

Ryanair has extended its 4M free* seat sale on all of its European routes until midnight this Thursday (14th September). Free seats available for travel over the next 6 months are being snapped up fast. *Taxes and charges excluded.

How to survive airport check-in

Check out bbc.co.uk (holiday) for the ultimate guide on how avoid a stressful check-in at the airport.

£75 flights to Hong Kong

A new airline, Oasis Hong Kong, are offering single flights from London to Hong Kong for as little as £75. Oasis Hong Kong launches next month, and for the next year 10% of seats on flights between Gatwick and Hong Kong will cost just £75. The most expensive economy class seat will be £225. http://www.oasishongkong.com/gb/en/home.aspx

SWT strike suspended

ASLEF has today announced that it has suspended the industrial action planned for Friday 8 and Monday 11 September.
Passengers will be offered a normal service on these dates.
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains

Train strike disruption

Rail passengers face major disruptions on some of the country's busiest commuter lines on Friday 8th September and Monday 11th as two further 24 hour strikes by South West Train's drivers were announced. For up to date information go to:
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains

Avoid the airport parking conmen

There has been quite a bit of publicity recently, warning holiday travellers against rogue traders who are selling airport parking on-line. The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) have reported a sharp rise in complaints from holidaymakers who used alternative services in a bid to avoid the costs of airport parking.
It is distressing to discover that traveller's holiday fun has been jeopardised because of these unscrupulous traders. We are not connected in any way to any of these bogus parking companies. Parking4less work in conjunction with Holiday Extras who have a busy commercial department working full time on maintaining their portfolio of excellent car parks and forging great deals with them, that we then pass on to you.

Ryanair gives away 4m free seats

Low-fares airline Ryanair has today launched a sale of four million free seats in an effort to counteract the effects on passenger numbers of the recent terrorism alert at UK airports.
The free flights can be booked from today until midnight on Monday September 11 for travel between September 19 2006 and March 24 2007. Go to http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/

Easyjet charges for second bags

Easyjet is to charge passengers an extra fee for putting a second bag in aircraft holds.Read more at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/5304764.stm

Abta travel bond scheme loses OFT approval

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) will be withdrawing its consumer code from the OFT Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS) from tomorrow, 1 September 2006. The withdrawal follows ABTA's decision to change its financial protection arrangements. The new arrangements will not protect consumers' deposits and prepayments to the same extent as the existing OFT approved ABTA code. The changes are included in a new consumer code, to be issued by ABTA tomorrow. This new code replaces the existing code and will not be OFT approved. Read more at:
http://www.oft.gov.uk/News/Press+releases/2006/127-06.htm