Pink Meet & Greet - Airport Valet Scandal

Many people may not yet be aware of this awful news so we feel obliged to pass it on to the unwary.  We haven’t felt this let down since we found out about Father Christmas.  Several of us here have used airport meet and greet valet services and vowed we would never again fly without them.  So the recent news about the goings-on with Pink Meet & Greet has been a bitter blow.   Apparently, this particular company (based at Gatwick airport) is still taking payments on its website, despite claiming on the same site to have ceased operating!

Pink Meet & Greet has been exposed as a rogue company by the BBC’s Watchdog programme.  Their investigators fitted a car with a tracking device and handed the keys over to find out just what they did with it.  The results were everyone’s worst nightmare.  They discovered the car was only in a ‘secure compound’ for two out of the five days.  The remainder of the time it had been shuttled about between supermarket parking areas and streets, and driven at speeds over 100mph!  We heard other reports of illegal substances being found in cars and music CDs that did not belong to the owners.

BAA, which operates most major airports, can do nothing more than warn the public to be very wary and play it safe by using their designated airport car parking areas.  Airport forecourt areas are for public use and therefore they have no control over the honesty of those you hand your car keys over to.

We want to believe there are still reputable companies operating out there.  So, if you are not put off by this recent report the best advice on offer seems to be to thoroughly check out the company you plan to use.  They should be a member of the Independent Airport Park and Ride Association (IAPRA).  Opt for members who have been awarded the Safer Parking Award which is granted by the police after a detailed risk assessment.  To check for registration visit:  www.saferparking.com – but even this may not be failsafe. The AA reported that operators such as Airport Car Parking Direct (www.acp-direct.com) claims to have the AA Gold Standard award for security, even though that particular scheme terminated over five years ago!  Any company still displaying the award should be reported.

Summer/Gap Year Plans? We Have Travel Insurance

Are you busy making summer or gap year plans or stuck for ideas?  CCUSA (Camp Counselors USA) will be holding Recruitment Fairs this month.  If you live in any of the following areas and are thinking of spending the summer in the USA you might want to go along and see what they have on offer or else check out their website:  www.ccusa.com.  (They regularly hold Fairs at universities and locations other than those listed, so check on their site.)

• CCUSA Edinburgh on 12th March
• CCUSA Leeds on 13^th March
• CCUSA Nottingham on 15^th March
• CCUSA London on 17^th March

At the Recruitment Fairs they have experienced camp directors available to give you information on choosing the right summer camp or advise on other types of experiences that might be right for you.   CCUSA is a specialist in helping you find work, volunteer, and travel experiences.   They have placed thousands of young adults in countries all over the world, including USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil and Russia.

They can help with obtaining a J-1 visa for practical training in the USA in various business fields; What a great plus for your CV and step-up on the career ladder!   Non-students can gain fantastic work experience with the H-2B visa for the USA which will allow you to stay and work for longer periods.   They also have various programs for finding work in ski areas, restaurants and hotels, to name just a few.  Several other agencies offer similar services, such as www.statravel.co.uk and www.seasonworkers.com.  A bit of constructive surfing could land you the experience of a lifetime!

BA Connect Sale to Flybe Causes Cancellations

British Airways is in the news yet again.  Hundreds of ‘BA Connect’ flights have been cancelled due to the takeover by Flybe (www.flybe.com). The affected services are at Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Glasgow.  The major routes affected include Birmingham departures to Barcelona, Madrid and Frankfurt, and Manchester departures to Lyons, Madrid, Vienna and Berlin.  For a full list of affected services check the website: www.britishairways.com/travel/flightops/public/en-gb

BA Connect replaced BA’s CitiExpress a year ago and is said to have been losing money for parent company British Airways for some time.  Flybe is actively recruiting pilots to replace the many who have quit BA Connect in anticipation of the upcoming changes. 

Those holding tickets to fly with BA Connect have several options, including a full refund, switch to a Flybe flight, rebook via services through London, or rebook at an alternate airport which is still operating for an additional charge. 

Meanwhile latest news reports are that shares in British Airways have dropped six percent following reports of a possible strike by GB Airways pilots (a franchise of British Airways) over Easter with affected flights out of Gatwick, Heathrow, E. Midlands and Bristol.  Website: www.gbairways.com.

The threatened Easter strike by British Airways ground crew is still up in the air, so to speak.

West Nile in Algarve. Travel Insurance Current?

There have been renewed warnings by health experts about contracting the potentially deadly West Nile virus from mosquito bites.  Two cases of West Nile virus were found recently in tourists who returned to Ireland after visiting Portugal.  The virus causes symptoms that are flu-like and can be fatal.  Both cases involved being bitten by mosquitoes while in the Algarve area.   These are the first reported cases, but obviously the risk exists even though it is rated as very low.  Travellers need to always be aware of the potential for contracting diseases from biting insects such as mosquitoes.

The UK Health Protection Agency (www.hpa.org.uk) is warning travellers to take extra care abroad as the virus has been found in other European countries over a number of years.   The National Travel Health Network and Centre also has some useful information on its website:  www.nathnac.org.

The best protection is prevention.  Make sure you set off armed with your bug sprays, and stay away from areas infested with mosquitoes.  The worst times are during the evening and early morning, between dusk and dawn, when the mosquitoes are feeding.  It’s a good idea to wear loose fitting clothing to cover as much of your skin as you can and apply insect repellent to any exposed skin.  Repellants which contain DEET are considered to be the most effective. You could also try treating your clothing with the repellant sprays, using mosquito nets and burning mosquito coils. 

The virus has been found in parts of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and central and west Asia, as well as some cases reported in North America.   Incidents of West Nile Virus in Europe have been sporadic over the past fifty years.  A few cases of malaria have recently been reported in visitors to areas of northern Goa and Jamaica, but the risk is considered to be low.

Travel Insurance for Zero-Gravity Flights Soon?

Those struggling with weight issues can dream of following in Stephen Hawking’s footsteps and experience a wonderful five minutes of weightlessness.  Of course most of us can’t afford $3,750 (just under £2,000) for such a brief trip into zero-gravity fantasyland.  We purchase our travel insurance and fly on budget airlines to our holiday destinations praying we never experience the sort of turbulence that might provoke zero-gravity or worse.

We say good for him!  What a guy!  Stephen Hawking, the brilliant astrophysicist and Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, is paralyzed due to Lou Gehrig’s disease and confined to a wheelchair only able to speak with the help of a voice synthesizer.  He has spent his life studying fascinating subjects such as gravity, black holes and the Big Bang theory, plus authored many books including the popular ‘A Brief History of Time’.  His flight takes place at the end of April when he will have an experience similar to that of astronauts-in-training.   Hawking expressed his gratitude to the company for making the experience available to disabled people.  You can marvel at this man and his achievements on his website: www.hawking.org.uk.

The company, Zero Gravity Corporation, based in Florida and Las Vegas, is the only one currently offering such experiences to the public.   They have been operating since 2004 and approximately 2500 people from children to the elderly have so far gone on the trip.  Several tickets have been donated to charities by the company to be auctioned off.  Zero Gravity Corporation website:  www.gozerog.com.

Hawking’s 90 minute flight will take place on a modified Boeing 727, taking off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  If you fancy the experience, we’d suggest an extremely light lunch as you will soar up at a 45 degree angle to about 33,000 feet (10,000 metres) and then make a stomach inverting plunge to 8,000 feet (2,500 metres).  Passengers experience about 30 seconds of weightlessness during the plunge.  The maneuver is repeated about twelve times, so passengers get a total of about five minutes in various levels of zero-gravity.  This either sounds like your worst nightmare come true or the experience of a lifetime.  I don’t know about you, but I think I’d have to pop a few travel sickness pills and go for it!

Hawking is planning to fly into space in 2009 aboard Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic spacecraft.  Virgin Galactic website: www.virgingalactic.com.

Planning to Visit Rome?

Rome is a popular destination and usually crowded.  But if you really hate crowds you might consider avoiding March 22-25 for your trip.  Chances are, if you haven’t already  booked, you may not find a hotel room anyway.  Globe 07, the new international tourism fair will be taking place in the City’s new exhibition centre.

The huge event will feature over a thousand companies from around fifty countries in S. Europe, N. Africa and the Middle East.  The fair is similar to large tourism events held in Berlin and London and will involve hundreds of exhibitors.  Events will be held at various locations around Rome, such as the Sheraton Golf Hotel and Spazio Etoile.  Exhibitions for the public will also be located in piazzas around the city.  Website: www.globe07.com.

Not everything is happening at the exhibition centre.  Many events being held throughout Rome for the public are under the name ‘Globe in the City’ and will take place from March 22-25, including Sunday.   Watch for events held in museums, theatres, galleries and restaurants.  Website:  www.globeinthecity.com.

Travelling to Italy? Check Volcano Reports

Volcanic activity is happening throughout the world all the time, attracting tourists on ‘volcano adventure tours’ to marvel at the amazing displays.  We tend not to worry about them until something significant happens but Mother Nature is unpredictable, as we all know.  We should expect the unexpected and that’s why it’s a good idea to purchase your travel insurance with immediate effect rather than waiting until the date of travel for coverage to start.

The small island of Stromboli in Italy’s Tyrrhenian Sea, just north of Sicily, was declared under a state of emergency yesterday after volcanic activity opened two new faults which are spewing lava.  Stromboli has one of the most active volcanoes in Europe and has been under close watch by scientists.  They don’t anticipate any tidal wave (tsunami) activity even though the lava stream has reached the sea.  The inhabitants have been warned to stay away from coastal areas just in case.  A similar eruption in 2002 caused a huge tidal wave which caused significant damage.  The island has a population of about 400 people and is a huge draw for thousands of tourists every year.   Mt. Etna, located on Sicily’s eastern coast, erupted in December of last year producing a large lava flow.   The island of Ischia is also in a volcanic area and there are about fifteen other smaller volcano sites located around Italy.

Mount Vesuvius, Italy’s other significant volcano, southeast of Naples, caused massive destruction in 79 AD and the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum are still popular tourist attractions.  Hundreds of thousands of people live in close proximity to the volcano today and attempts are ongoing to persuade residents on the volcano’s slopes to move a safe distance away in anticipation of future eruptions.

If you are interested to read up on volcanoes in the part of world you plan to visit, and check for recent activity, visit the Global Volcanism Program website: www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs.

British Airways Easter Strike Possible

Can you believe it?  As if they needed any more negative press.  Apparently the problems at BA are not over yet.  There is talk of another possible strike to hit the Easter getaway rush.  This action would involve ground crew such as check-in staff, ticket agents and baggage handlers.  The GMB union states that it has not agreed to the pensions settlement proposed following the recent threatened strike action by cabin crew.

The cabin crew strike, which was called off at the last minute, has also apparently not been completely settled.  Although the TGWU has recommended acceptance of the proposals, they are awaiting the result of a ballot of the members and there is still a possibility of rejection and resulting strikes.

If you have tickets to fly with BA any time soon we’d suggest you watch the news for developments. Website:  www.britishairways.com.

Travel Insurance - Do You Have the Right Policy?

Recent news reports have exposed that travel insurance policies being sold by travel agents along with their holidays are not being explained adequately.  They may also be charging up to three times more for them or making purchase of their insurance policy a condition of the holiday.  Many people are also said to be travelling abroad without any insurance at all, which is definitely not a good idea. 

Not all countries have a reciprocal health care agreement with the U.K.   The E111 scheme will cover you to a certain extent for medical care when you are travelling to a country within the European Economic Area (EEA).   However, coverage varies from country to country and you may, for example, be required to pay for medicine, hospital stays or an ambulance.  If you are travelling within the EEA and have an existing condition that requires ongoing treatment, you will need to contact the Department of Health for form E112.  Website:  www.dh.gov.uk.  But why take a chance on incurring hefty expenses when for a relatively modest charge to purchase the right travel insurance policy you could have the peace of mind of knowing you are covered.

The biggest problem is for those who have pre-existing medical conditions.  It appears that many travel agents are not trained to explain this to customers, and many companies flatly refuse to cover for certain conditions.  Holidaymakers may not discover their medical condition is excluded until it is too late.  If the travel agent fails to go through medical screening or explain the medical requirements, and you don’t read the small print in the policy you may be in for a nasty shock.  Neglecting to disclose a medical condition when applying for travel insurance is also not a good idea!

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offers travel advice and their website has a lot of good information about travel to foreign countries and any warnings in effect.  Website:  www.fco.gov.uk or call their Help Line:  020 7008 0232.

Heathrow’s Terminal 5 Opens March 2008

Heathrow’s first and oldest terminal, Terminal 2, was opened in 1955.  The building will be closed down and demolished along with the adjacent Queen’s building when the new Terminal 5 building opens in March 2008.

The new T5 building will cater to approximately 30 million passengers each year.   British Airways will transfer its entire fleet and operation to the new terminal.  As well as the main terminal building, T5 will also comprise two satellite buildings which will be completed at a later date.  There will be an additional 60 stands for aircraft, a new air traffic control tower (twice the height of the existing one) and a huge multi-storey car park.  A new road will be built to connect with the M25, with a 600-bed hotel.  The Piccadilly and Heathrow Express rail lines will also be extended.

With air travel increasing at the rate that is anticipated Heathrow would not be able to cope with the amount of future travellers without the new terminal.   The new Terminal 5 site will cover 260 hectares, which is about the size of Hyde Park and its cost will be funded by BAA and not the British taxpayers.  The terminal building itself will be almost a quarter of a mile long.

One interesting fact is that the land at Heathrow airport has been used for archaeological excavations for the past 50 years and it is the UKs largest archaeological excavation on a single site.  Over 80,000 artefacts have been recovered, including pottery shards, pieces of shaped flint, a wooden bowl, buckets dating back to the Middle Bronze Age, an axe dating back to 3000BC, and pottery cups from the Iron Age.  Further information on the Terminal 5 archaeology can be seen at Heathrow Airport Visitor Centre and the Museum of London, and also on the Framework Archaeology website:  www.framearch.co.uk.

For more information about Terminal 5 see the BAA website at:  www.baa.co.uk.