Meon Valley Travel Newsletter - Sept 2009

BA re-introduce the Club World one-way upgrade to First
From 08 Sep to 18 Dec 2009, UK customers will have the opportunity to enjoy a one-way upgrade from an eligible Club World flight to First Class. You need to purchase a full published return fare to take advantage of this promotion. The upgrade is available on either the outbound or return journey & is subject to availability.

BA change their ex-UK shorthaul restricted fare rules
From 04 Sep 2009, BA now allows customers to change a booking on the day of departure for certain fare types, thus allowing customers greater flexibility. This change is a direct result following feedback from customers who prefer to have the option to change their booking on the day of departure. Tickets sold in Europe, between Europe and UK already allow changes on the day of departure.

Air France Premium Economy product
The first Air France long-haul flight equipped with the new Premium Voyageur cabin is scheduled on 25 Oct 2009 from Paris to New York. This new cabin, located between the Affaires and Voyageur cabins, completes the Air France range of services and meets the needs of customers who travel for business in the Voyageur cabin on long-haul flights, especially small and medium-sized businesses, and customers travelling for leisure but who are seeking additional comfort at affordable fares.

Gulf Air launched flights to Baghdad
Gulf Air has commenced services from London Heathrow to Baghdad via its hub in Bahrain on 31 Aug 2009. The new service will provide the best outbound connection to the Iraqi capital available from the UK with under two and half hours connection time in Bahrain, half the transit time of the main competitor airline flying to Baghdad from LHR.

Virgin Clubhouse refurbishment at Gatwick
The Virgin Clubhouse at Gatwick will be closed from 1 Sep to 30 Nov 2009 for refurbishment. The fully refurbished Clubhouse will re-open in time for Christmas 2009, and will include a new Cowshed spa. During the closure, passengers travelling in Upper Class and their guests will be able to use Virgin Holidays' V ROOM, located in the South Terminal. Gold card members will be able to use the No.1 Gatwick Lounge located in the South Terminal and invite a guest to join them. Upper Class and Gold card members will be handed an invite to the respective lounges at check-in.

Ryanair hikes checked-in baggage fees
Ryanair has raised its prices for checked luggage as the airline tries to encourage all customers to take only carry-on bags. The no-frills carrier has increased fees for checking in one bag at the airport from £20 to £30, or from £10 to £15 if checked-in online. Charges to put a second bag in the aircraft’s hold have risen by even more, from £20 to £70 if checked-in at the airport, or £20 to £35 per bag if booked on the website.

Manchester loses transatlantic service
Delta Air Lines confirmed the withdrawal of its Manchester to New York service which will stop on 8 Jan. The airline has been operating the route since 2006. A spokeswoman said the decision to drop the route had been taken following an analysis of the airline’s network which found demand dropping over the winter. Delta is to maintain a year-round Manchester-Atlanta service.

Heathrow delays fall
Heathrow flight punctuality improved in the three months ending in Jun. The London hub recorded a 14% increase in the number of punctual flights between Apr and Jun. The average delay fell by eight minutes, from 18 to ten, according to statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority.

Terminal improvements planned for London City
London City Airport will start a multi-million pound reconfiguration of its terminal building in early 2010. The project, once completed in autumn 2010, will provide a significantly enlarged passenger search area as well as additional space and comfort for passengers in the departure lounge.

Dubai set for opening of cruise terminal
Dubai’s new cruise terminal is expected to open in Jan 2010 to support the destination’s plans for growing its cruise industry. Royal Caribbean’s first ship based in the Middle East, Brilliance of the Seas, will start sailing from Dubai in Jan, stopping at Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. Next year, Dubai expects an additional 99 ships carrying more than 383,000 passengers.

Operators gear up for World Cup rush
Operators are gearing up for a flood of bookings for their World Cup packages following England’s 5-1 win against Croatia on 9 Sep. FIFA has already allocated 60,000 tickets to English supporters after their qualification. There are various packages being offered for England fans to follow the team through the tournament stages and demand for packages is anticipated to be very high.

Climate body says flight taxes must go up
Airlines are likely to come under more pressure from the government and environmentalists after an advisory body on climate change said ticket prices in the future must increase to deter air travel. In a letter published on 9 Sep, the Committee on Climate Change said tens of billions of pounds must be raised through flight taxes to offset the damage aviation causes the environment. It said airlines should be responsible for all their emission, not just the 15% proposed by the EU. The group recommended airlines be forced to play a key role in Britain’s target to cut emissions by 80% by 2050.