British Airways passengers ready for a crash landing?

Have you got a few Airmiles and you're not quite sure how to spend them? How about a class on how to survive a plane crash?

British Airways have announced that they are to offer 4 hour classes to teach important skills you might need to call upon in the event of a plane crash. If you're a member of the British Airways Executive Club, then you're welcome to join. It's unlikely that you will ever get to put your new found skills into practice (see our article on the safest airlines), but perhaps it will earn you a no claims bonus on your travel insurance?

Apparently, the course aims to teach people techniques that will help increase their chances of surviving an air disaster, and it covers topics such as how to release a seat belt and locating the life jacket on a plane. It's not clear if there is any guidance on what to do once you're marooned on a desert island following the air accident?

I suspect the biggest appeal to people will be the opportunity to use the escape slide, without the stress and anxiety of having to following an accident. I can't quite work out whether the course would make people more or less likely to make a holiday compensation claim, but let's be honest, unless you are really stuck for a birthday gift; is anyone going to go on the course?

For more information you can visit the website!

The Great TUI Package Price Hike

Considering a break out from the stay-cation cycle next year? You may have to think again. Whilst the average family continues to feel the pinch, the owners of Thomson and First Choice Holidays, TUI UK, have recently announced its package holiday prices would rise more than 5% in 2012 – on top of a 3% increase this year.

How much more will I have to pay?
In real terms, the inflation busting rise will add roughly £27 per person, or £110 for two adults and two children on any summer package holiday with Thomson and First Choice Holidays. Whilst the cost of living continues to rise, TUI’s profits continue to show strong growth, increasing to £470million this financial year.

These record profits come despite a slight overall reduction in the number of British Holiday Makers booking a TUI package over the summer just passed. Even with this drop, it appears the appetite of the British holiday maker for using TUI’s service is still fairly strong, with over 5 million people choosing a TUI holiday last year. That’s just under one in twelve in the entire country. So, chances are if you asked all the families down your street who they booked their last holiday through, there is a good chance the names of Thomson or First Choice will crop up.

Rising in Profits = Rise in Compensation?
With the coffers of TUI’s bosses being filled to bust, will those who have had their holiday blighted by and bring a holiday compensation claim receive more compensation? Most of us know someone who has had an accident on holiday, be it a minor graze from a slip, or something with far more serious consequences.

It may be naïve to suggest that TUI, and other similar package providers, will be quick to further open their hearts, and their wallets, at the news that profits continue to rise. However, with the sheer number of accidents abroad occurring on TUI’s watch, the package providers may be well served in boosting the compensation kitty available to its customers.

Greater compensation, and greater transparency in their awards of compensation for holiday makers, would probably benefit all parties in the long run. With improved levels of compensation, the goodwill towards the package provider would slowly filter through the public; this would inevitably drive more people to the package provider who protects its customers. This is not rocket science, nor any ground breaking business plan; just simple consumer protection which benefits everyone.
It is no secret that the past 3 years have been tough going for the British consumer; if the traders and fiscal analysts are to be believed, it seems that times are going to get worse before they get better. With prices on the rise, British holiday-maker will want, and deserve, a greater sense of security that, if the worst does happen, the package provider will dip a little deeper into their rather sizeable pockets than they do now.

For more information you can visit the website!

Ryanair in €15 million victory

Ryanair and Michael O'Leary court publicity where they can. Most of the time, they don't care if it's good or bad news. This time round it was good news for them because Ryanair has won its appeal against a Spanish court ruling that declared a 40 euro fee for issuing boarding passes at airport check-in illegal. It is estimated they earn upwards of 15 million euro each year from the charge. The issue was heard recently  by the Barcelona appeal court who ruled the penalty fee lawful. They overturned the finding of a Barcelona commercial court in January which had declared airlines were obliged to issue boarding cards. Ryanair welcomed the ruling, a spokesman saying: “This ruling removes any confusion in Spain about the lawful nature of our boarding pass reissue penalty. We understand it cannot be appealed.” He added: “This is the first of a number of bizarre lower court rulings in Barcelona which we expect will be overturned. We urge all Ryanair passengers to ensure they check in online prior to arriving at their airport.” When you fail to check in online and print your own boarding pass, there is a penalty  of 40 euros. One lawyer who took exception to this practice took Ryanair to court and the charge was ruled as unlawful. Ryanair appealed on the grounds that passengers agree when they book to check-in online and print their own boarding card. Its lawyers argued passengers failing to do so had breached that agreement and were not entitled to fly. Ryanair charges a 6 euro or £6 fee for online check in. The airline said less than 1% of passengers pay the boarding card penalty “which applies only where passengers fail to comply with their agreement that they will check in online”. However, it carried 76.8 million passengers in the 12 months to September, meaning if just 0.5% of passengers pay the fee it brings Ryanair in excess of 15 million euros a year in “penalty fees”. Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary is never one to miss an opportunity to keep the airline in the news. He admitted that his latest scheme to drive down costs and increase revenue was to reduce the number of toilets on new aircraft from 3 to 1. Now if that's not going to be the cause of an accident abroad I'm not sure what is??

For more information you can visit the website!

Cruise Blog - Cruise Liners: what are the dangers?

Unless you have been living on Mars for the past 3 weeks, you would have undoubtedly read or watched hours of news reporting on the tragedy of the Costa Concordia. We’ve certainly all seen the image – the ginormous cruise liner perched on its side on the Italian coastline. As with all forms of mass transport, the only time people ever really take notice is when an accident occurs, but what are the dangers of going on a cruise and on cruise liners? What are the real dangers of a cruise? In reality, incidents such as those seen recently are extremely rare. Often, the main reason a cruise can be ruined is an outbreak of Norovirus. The winter vomiting bug is a highly contagious, and is spread from person to person via the air. In the densely populated arena of the cruise ship, Norovirus can spread from cabin to cabin before you have time to reach for the toilet roll. Without the proper action by cabin staff, you can quickly find your holiday ruined due to the illness. Battling the bug - Norovirus on a cruise ship The winter vomiting bug is often viewed as being so common in its occurrence, that it is a simple part of life, such as catching a cold. However, the effects of Norovirus on a Cruise Ship can often be far more devastating. If the staff on board are doing their job, you will find yourself cooped up in your cabin, quarantined from others, a prisoner on your own holiday. All of a sudden, your holiday is ruined. There are an increasing number of claims arising from passengers who contracted an illness whilst abroad. Is it fair that a Cruise Liner should pay compensation to those who became ill? Is it fair that your holiday can be completely ruined through no fault of your own, and then have no recourse to make a claim? It certainly is an interesting debate. As a passenger, you can only do so much to avoid the bug. However, even if you do wash your hands and carry disinfectant around with you wherever you roam, it really is the ship’s captain and crew who are crucial. If they haven’t quarantined those infected, if they haven’t ensured hands are washed, and if they haven’t warned all passenger that Norovirus is, or has, been on board, you may find yourself wanting compensation for your holiday. For more information about Accident abroad, visit the website!

2012: The Year of the Value Holiday?

According to new research of 5,000 British adults from online price comparison site TravelSupermarket, value for money is going to be the main priority this year when choosing their holiday in 2012. According to the holiday survey 96% state that they will be taking at least one holiday in 2012, up from the 91% who got away in 2011.

Holiday Survey for 2012

The TravelSupermarket holiday survey provides some interesting statistics for how people are planning to holiday in 2012:

• 42% of those surveyed said price was the number one consideration
• 32% said weather was number one consideration
• 26% said accommodation was the main consideration
• Holidaymakers plan to go away for longer, despite tighter holiday budgets
• Average holidaymaker intends on spending £642 on main 2012 holiday
• 19% say they'll rely on a credit card to afford 2012 break
• 46% say they will use savings to take a holiday
• Only 40% said they will be able to afford a holiday on disposable income
• Average Holiday money is expected to be £450 for a week (£47 per day)

Holiday Makers Spending Less in 2012

In 2011, the average British holiday makers spent an average of £829 each on flights and accommodation. In 2012, that average budget seems to average £642. Yet 51% of British holidaymakers still aim to have a main holiday abroad lasting over a week.

The research also found an increase in those intending to take self-catering and all-inclusive breaks - at 31 per cent and 12 per cent of main holidays in 2012 respectively. Both are tried and tested methods for keeping holiday costs under control and helping budget.

As Brits, we love a good bargain. In tough economic times, we look even harder for the best deal. People especially seem to want to travel to foreign shores to escape the difficult economic environment at home, I suspect they want a bit of guaranteed sun too!

Package Holidays vs Independent Holidays

Rather than trust to package holidays through high street travel agents, in recent years there has been a trend toward online bookings and independent holidays in an attempt to make savings. Customers are arranging flights and accommodation separately and, increasingly, directly from the source, rather than through a travel agent.

What does this mean for the quality of our holiday and what risks does that represent for the holidaymaker? Well, travel agents are obviously feeling the pinch in these economic times; people are more likely to go online and in to the store in search of a bargain. Package holidays have lost popularity as holiday makers look to book their own flights and accomodation from different holiday companies to get the best value. Recently though, the feeling we get is that the trend has been tempered a bit by the collapse of some holiday companies meaning that people opt for the more financially secure traditional package holiday.

There are many different ways of buying holidays and travel arrangements today, so it’s very important that you understand whether or not the money that you’ve paid for your holiday is safe if things go wrong. There are a number of different ways that you can get this protection, but not all travel arrangements are covered so you should always check. There’s no legal requirement that flights bought direct from an airline, or accommodation-only sales, are protected. There are two statutory schemes that exist to protect your money and to ensure that you’ll be brought home if your travel company goes out of business. These schemes apply to package holidays and to some flight-only arrangements more details of them can be found on the ABTA website.

Is it Worth Getting Travel Insurance?

We would always advise getting travel insurance. Policies can be obtained quite cheaply and help remove the worry of what might happen if things go wrong. Booking via a credit card can also provide some protection from your card issuer. We would also advise trying to do as much research into the place you are staying, and the local area, as possible. Try to find recent reviews of others who have stayed there and see what they thought.

Ultimately quality and price tend to go hand in hand. As the old saying goes “You get what you pay for” and so by looking for a bargain, especially in accommodation costs, you might not be happy with what you end up with. Let’s just hope you’re reading this for interest, rather than because you need our help!


For more information you can visit the website!

Illness onboard?

On the face of it, cruise liners are the height of luxury, the high-end of the holiday market, waking up in a new and glamourous location everyday and enjoying first class service everynight - but when you scratch beneath the surface what's actually there? Since the smoking ban many a struggling pub has re-invented into itself into what many term as Gastro pub. With fancy menus describing food with such spin that would make  Alistair Campbell proud. Once you are over the distraction of the fancy new décor with flowered wallpaper you realise that whatever Gallic flavour is given to describe food such as “sausage and mash” is it still just that. Often I feel the only difference is the price tag  and leave such re-vamped places wondering if the food was actually any better than it was in the previous albeit dingier place. I know for a fact that my wallet feels lighter when leaving, coupled with the thought I had paid double for the ambience of the new looking place but doubting I got better quality food? You might be thinking - what has this got to do with travel? Well, traditionally I consider cruising as the height of luxury. I have Cruised once so far going around the Caribbean and plan to cruise again some day because I loved it. Cruises are expensive holidays, albeit there is speculation price cuts in light of the recent tragedy on the Costa Concordia are to come.  My experience albeit wonderful and positive was that it did not meet my expectation of the height of luxury. The cruise ship was indeed glitzy and the décor was magnificent and modern but on the other hand there was buffet style food available and fast food sections serving burgers and pizzas. More after a nightclub feel.  There was also a fine dining area and it was marketed that the alternatives I mentioned were for those who did not want to dress up. My colleagues and I  have represented many people that have contracted and suffered from illness on board cruise ships. We have had clients who have experienced the glamour and luxury of a cruise liner but had that enjoyment curtailed due to illness suffered whilst on board. Due to illness, which often gets labelledd as gastrooenteritis they might have spent most of their time inside their cabin room in the bathroom using up the medication they hoped they would never need. Cruise ships are large environments catering for a large number of guests and staff who all live and work on board. Virus and illness  can spread like wildfire. Cruise liner operators have an obligation to have preventive procedures in place as well plans of action when there is an outbreak. The operators don’t always get it right. When something as major as Ship sinking can occur you can easily see how the smaller things like for example food preparation and storage can be overlooked. Don't get me wrong, problems are very much the exception, but when they do occur, it's not always just one of those things. The moral of my ramblings is that paying more does not necessary you mean you get better quality of food but at least it looks nicer, well unless you are ill that is. For more information you can visit the website!

Does my bum look big in this?

Have you grown up like me hearing some parts of the media and society saying smokers and heavy drinkers  should pay more towards the NHS as they supposedly bring the system to it’s knees? The counter-argument being that the tax revenue generated from sales of tobacco and alcohol contributes well to the government purse. It looks like the airlines are putting one foot in the "fat tax" camp. We live in an age where obesity in adults as well as children is on the increase without much sign of improvement, especially as Western diets worsen in our 'fast food, do it yesterday' society. We live in a world where we need to be greener and protect our environment for the future generation.  The airlines need to show corporate and green responsibility. There is an onus on people to reduce their carbon footprint and one effort that people commonly take is to reduce their fuel consumption. This is probably the major outgoing for the airline industry. We have a social responsibility to be greener but does not extend to us being leaner? A recent comment I have read from a former Qantas group chief executive took me by some surprise.  In essence the comment was that people who weigh more should pay more to travel on aeroplanes (it sounds like something Michael O'Leary would say). Mr Webber commented “that the more a plane weighs the more fuel it must burn”.  I cannot disagree with that comment BUT should we extend this principle to society’s larger members of society and make them pay for their air ticket? If this were to occur would the smaller sections of society pay less for their ticket when they take their holiday abroad. I am parent and it annoys me that I have to pay full adult price for some forms of transport for my daughter who is under 3 and I would describe as light as a feather. My daughter is fan of the TV show Peppa Pig and I really wonder and debate if it would be fair for the Daddy pigs of this world to have to pay more for their airfare. I have spent many an hour at an airport watching people (in sheer boredom)  take their obviously overweight luggage to check in and feign surprise when the scales groan in panic and say “No”. This is then followed by the same people emptying parts of their suitcase in full public sight tipping contents into another persons’ suitcase or their hand luggage to avoid the surcharge.  Imagine a future where there are scales for people at airports. I can only imagine the industrious ways people will try to avoid the surcharge.  The check in assistant politely responds to excuses…. ” Mr Smith you claim you are 9 months pregnant? Are you sure you should be flying?" Society will have to evolve and decide if our quest to save the planet may be achieved by getting leaner or will the Airlines just get meaner and keep the extra money as profit. Travelling and going on holiday abroad  is an important part of our lives, but what is the ultimate cost and who should bear it? “” For more information you can visit the website!