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Breaking News

• Airline Passengers face more fares
  28 August 2009 x Close
  In a desperate attempt to raise extra money, many airlines, such as British Airways, have cut the limit on baggage, which means passengers will have to pay more, potentially adding £100 to the cost of a holiday for a family of four. A few American carriers either have, or plan to charge economy class passengers for a second piece of luggage going into the hold on transatlantic flights. These additional fees are set to holidaymakers badly as they normally carry more luggage than business travellers and are more likely to fly economy. Read More at UK Telegraph
• Ryanair scraps check-in desks
  01 October 2009 x Close
  No-frills airline Ryanair starts the removal of all its airport check-in desks today, 1 October. Passengers travelling from today onwards will be required to check in online at least four hours before departure, and no more than 15 days before their scheduled departure. They will also be required to print their own boarding pass at a cost of £5 per person per flight. Passengers needing to check in luggage will use Ryanair's new ‘bag drop’ desks. Ryanair has warned that anyone arriving without a boarding pass will be unable to fly and will have to pay a fee of £40 for one at the ticketing desk. Read More at UK Telegraph
• Heathrow voted ‘worst airport in the world’
  22 October 2009 x Close
  According to a global poll of airline passengers, London’s Heathrow Airport has been voted the worst airport in the world. The survey included responses from 160 countries from passengers who have taken, on average, 17 flights per year. The announcement is a repeat of last year’s result when Heathrow was still reeling from Terminal 5’s opening. Charles de Gaulle airport, in Paris, was voted second worst, followed by Los Angeles, Frankfurt International and Miami International. Read More at UK Telegraph
• First Air Con Tube Train Arrives in London
  22 October 2009 x Close
  The Tube’s first air-conditioned train has arrived in London ahead of its debut next summer on the Metropolitan line. By 2011, 58 new air-conditioned trains, known as Stock trains, will replace the existing fleet on the Metropolitan line and it is hoped that by 2015, the new air-conditioned trains will be in service on the District and Circle lines too. Read More at Sky
• Airlines to impose extra charges
  27 October 2009 x Close
  According to new research, almost two thirds of the world’s airlines are planning to increase the number of charges levied on passengers. According to the new report, 65% of airlines expect to increase revenue from extra charges, such as baggage and check-in fees, by up to a fifth over the next year. British Airways has already introduced baggage charges, while Ryanair also raised its baggage fees last month by 50%.
• EasyJet adds new routes
  27 October 2009 x Close
  EasyJet will be adding a total of 22 new routes this winter, which will focus on winter sun destinations. The first of the new services takes off on Thursday, 29 October between Manchester and Marrakech while others begin on 2 November, including Gatwick to Porto, Liverpool-Fuerteventura and Luton-Tel Aviv. On 3 November a Liverpool-Lanzarote service begins as well as Luton to Sharm el Sheikh. On 4 November Stansted-Fuerteventura, Luton-Paphos and Gatwick-Agadir will commence, while on 6 November Manchester flights to Copenhagen and Munich will begin, Edinburgh-Lyon on 17 December and Gatwick-Hamburg on 2 February 2010. Read More at TravelMole
• Virgin Atlantic launches iPhone aerophobia app
  03 November 2009 x Close
  Good news for people who suffer from aerophobia, also known as fear of flying. Virgin Atlantic has launched a new application for the iPhone and iPod which is part of the airline’s Flying Without Fear Course, which has a success rate of 98% and aims to help people with fears of all kinds, from slight anxiety at making bookings to absolute inability to go anywhere near an aircraft. Features include video-based inflight explanation, relaxation exercises and fear of therapy techniques.
• Storm triggers severe flooding in United Kingdom
  16 November 2009 x Close
  A severe storm has brought heavy rains and gale force winds to the southern regions of the United Kingdom in recent days. The heavy rains resulted in flooding in parts of south western England and southern Wales. The counties of Cornwall, Kent and Sussex were reportedly the worst affected areas of England while in Wales the county of Pembrokeshire was the worst hit. Travellers in the area are urged to monitor local advisories.
• British Airways' Top 10 Destinations for 2010
  18 November 2009 x Close
  British Airways has released its Top 10 list of destinations that it expects will be busy with travellers in 2010. Long-haul hotspots include destinations such as the Maldives, Delhi and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Cape Town is high on the list as it is set to welcome hundreds of British visitors with the FIFA World Cup coming to its shores. Las Vegas, Vancouver and New York are expected to see droves of tourists, while Stockholm, Dubrovnik and Istanbul are Europe’s hottest 2010 destinations. Read More at Just the Flight
• North of England on flood alert
  19 November 2009 x Close
  The northern parts of England are expecting more heavy rains and flooding is even expected in Cumbria where warnings are in place at Keswick Campsite and Carlisle. The southern parts of Scotland too can expect lots of rain with the possibility of flooding as the region is expecting up to 100mm of rain in the next 36 hours. Travellers in the area are urged to brace themselves for bad weather, expect possible travel disruptions and monitor local advisories. Read More at BBC

Overview

Leeds Castle © raindog

It may seem hard to believe that this small, cold, wet island once held dominion over three quarters of the globe. The pomp and circumstance of previous centuries may have dwindled and the monarchy takes daily batterings in the local press, yet the UK and its people remain a fiercely proud nation. The past 100 years have seen a vast transformation as the country came to terms with its diminished role on the world stage, from colonial empire to a member of the EU.

The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the geography sweeps from mountainous highlands, to green and pleasant rolling countryside and vibrant cities. The country is jam-packed with two millennia of heritage, making visits of any length of time feel too short.

London is the UK's biggest city, a fantastic and frenetic metropolis teeming with people of all races, creeds and walks of life. Here the old contrasts spectacularly with the new, offering some of the world's most famous sights and an unrivalled nightlife. Travelling through the country will reveal its diversity, from quiet country lanes and inland waterways to majestic stately homes and castles. Thatched cottages in the Cotswolds paint a picture-postcard quaintness, where life appears to revolve around the village pub.

The medieval cathedral cities of York and Durham reveal a rich history of a bygone age, while the industrial cities of Liverpool and Newcastle both harbour an exciting nightlife. The beauty of the Lake District remains almost untouched, and Edinburgh's International Arts Festival draws talent from around the world.