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Archive for January, 2012

Computer failure delays airline passengers

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

A computer crash has disrupted the travel plans of thousands of airline passengers including customers of Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Qantas and Iberia. The glitch in the Amadeus system meant that staff at airport check-in desks were forced to manually input passengers’ data rather than just scan their passports.

An industry source said that the meltdown had caused hours of irritation for passengers as they waited for the Amadeus system to be restored. The airlines affected by the disruption are all members of the oneworld alliance.

However, industry experts said that the problem had occurred at a time when airlines are not as busy as they are during peak holidays.

There are four main distribution systems used by the industry, but other booking programs run by Worldspan and Galileo were unaffected. Amadeus is yet to announce what caused the breakdown, but has issued an apology to all customers who have been affected, as well as the airlines.

A number of travel agencies were also affected by the disruption as they were unable to book airline tickets on behalf of their customers. The booking systems play a vital role at a time when airlines are encouraging as many customers as possible to complete processes such as reserving a seat and checking in over the internet before they turn up at the terminal.

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Hotel rooms back on the market for the Olympics

Monday, January 30th, 2012

The organisers of the London Olympic Games have put 120,000 hotel rooms back on the market after having originally booked 600,000 for Olympic officials during the bidding process in 2005. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games said that the rooms were no longer required, and that it had always planned on giving back the excess bookings at the beginning of 2012.

Paul Deighton, Locog’s boss, said the return of the rooms would allow hotels to plan more effectively for the summer.

The number of rooms coming back onto the market is around 20 per cent of those originally reserved by the committee. They were initially booked for International Olympic Committee members, the International Sports Federations, sponsors, media and those working at the event.

VisitBritain’s chief executive, Sandie Dawe, said the availability of the rooms was good news for those who will be travelling from abroad to enjoy the festivities this summer. He added that the sector would be boosted by the addition and that it would help the UK to showcase itself as a destination of choice.

Miles Quest, of the British Hospitality Association, said that the reintroduction of the rooms would mean that an extra 8,000 night would be available to the public. He added that there would now be around 110,000 hotel rooms available in London, and some 75,000 more in the area around the capital.

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Son of senior US official banned from leaving Egypt

Friday, January 27th, 2012

The son of the US Transport Secretary is not being permitted to leave Egypt. Sam LaHood, son of Ray LaHood, was prevented from boarding a flight following a raid by the authorities on the offices of International Republican Institute, the non-profit pro-democracy organisation he works for.

The military government in Egypt has said that it will be investigating the funding of all such human rights and pro-democracy organisations currently operating within its borders. The authorities have said that foreign interference into how Egypt conducts its affairs will not be tolerated. The government has so far conducted raids on another 17 organisations.

Mr LaHood was stopped by an official in Cairo on Saturday as he tried to pass through the airport. He said that he asked her why he was not being allowed to fly, to which she replied that she did not know. The 36-year-old was then given back his passport and told he would be allowed to leave the airport.

According to Mr LaHood, 300 NGOs are currently being investigated by the authorities. Michael Posner, a US State Department human rights official, said that the move by the Egyptian government raised questions over its intention to move towards democracy following last February’s uprising against Hosni Mubarak.

Mr Posner said that if the issue was not addressed, future aid to Egypt could be compromised. Although the list of those not allowed to leave Egypt has not yet been made available, other NGO officials believe the move is directly related to the recent raids.

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Pilot fails breath test before boarding plane

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

A pilot due to fly 24 passengers to Ireland from Bristol was prevented from doing so because he failed a breath test before boarding the aircraft. Airport staff became concerned after they witnessed the pilot, who has not been named, walk through a security gate for passengers rather than the entrance designated for crew.

Reportedly he did not have his uniform on, and a source has alleged that he visited a hotel in the city with another crew member. Police were called to the airport and arrived at around 5.30pm. The pilot was then breathalysed and arrested after the test indicated that he was over the legal limit.

The pilot had been due to take off for Cork at 5.10pm following a stopover in Bristol of around five hours. Passengers who had bought tickets on the Aer Lingus flight did not leave for Ireland until 9.20pm because a new pilot and crew needed to be located. At the time the airline said that the disruption was to do with operational issues.

According to an Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson, because the pilot had failed that breath test at the airport he was taken to a police station where another test was conducted. The pilot apparently passed this one and was not charged.

Aer Arran, the company operating the flight, said it was taking the matter seriously and that an investigation was already underway.

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British Airways puts Libya back on its schedule

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Although the UK Foreign Office continues to advise against any travel to Libya, British Airways has said that it will be resuming a regular service to the capital Tripoli as of 1 May this year. The airline made the decision to stop carrying passengers to Libya after civil war erupted in February 2011. The conflict came to an end in October, and since then a no fly zone has been lifted by NATO.

The decision to begin operations again has been made after a close assessment of the security risks was conducted by BA. However, the fact that the FCO is still advising people not to travel to the North African country means it is unlikely that BA will be carrying tourists for the time being.

BA boss Keith Williams said that the airline was extremely pleased to once again be able to offer a vital economic link between the UK and Libya. The airline joins several other European carriers which have made the decision to resume operations since the end of the conflict including Italy’s Alitalia.

Air France has already announced that it will be resuming services as of 27 March. BA has said that it will be running three services every week to and from Tripoli.

The problems in Libya meant that many tour operators offering holidays to the country had to cancel bookings. Responsible Travel, which previously arranged visits to sights around the country including the Leptis Magna Roman ruins, said that it was unlikely that tours would resume until the FCO drastically changed its advice.

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Thomas Cook holiday bookings down

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Troubled travel company Thomas Cook has confirmed that bookings for summer holidays in the first two weeks of January have dropped by 33 per cent. Although this is seen as an important time for tour operators, the firm is denying that the fall is solely to do with dented consumer confidence following last years refinancing.

Thomas Cook claims that the drop in bookings is because it is attempting to cut costs by reducing capacity. Rival operator TUI, which owns Thomson Holidays, has reportedly seen an 11 per cent fall over the same two weeks.

In a statement issued by Thomas Cook, the company said the last time it reported on booking figures in the UK was in December, adding that the results suggested that going into January the operator’s order book was ahead of the market. However, because of weaker consumer sentiment, the company also announced that it would be slimming capacity by 8 per cent.

This apparently meant that a drop in the number of holidays being booked was to be expected as margins were to become the focus, not volume. Thomas Cook pointed out that the latest UK figures did not reflect performance in overseas sales or its specialist arms.

Shares in the company lost around 75 per cent of their value in November 2011 after it was announced that extra financing needed to be secured from the banks. Thomas Cook said that it had faced a number of problems including the flooding of large areas of Thailand and unrest in North Africa.

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Airlines told to inspect cracked superjumbo wings

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

Airlines with Airbus A380 planes in their fleets have been warned that the aircraft should be checked for cracks in the wings and initiate any repairs which may be necessary. A directive by the European Aviation Safety Agency has been issued to carriers including Emirates, Air France-KLM and Singapore Airlines.

The issue concerns a bracket which attaches the skin of the wing to its internal structure. Although Australian airline Qantas has since been told that the problem does not affect its fleet of the jet liners, the carrier’s engineers association has demanded that safety checks be made over the next few weeks.

Paul Cousins, president of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, said All A380s should now be inspected. He explained that any issue which could impinge on the integrity of a wing was a cause for concern.

He added that if one of the brackets begins to crack, then unnecessary pressure could be placed on other brackets which could in turn cause them to crack. Safety authorities have said that there is no immediate danger, but are concerned about the longer term problems if the issue is not dealt with.

EASA has said that the 20 planes it has focused on should be brought in for inspection over the next four days if that have flown 1800 flight cycles or more. A flight cycle is a take off and a landing. Planes which have flown less than 1800, but more than 1300, will have to be inspected within six weeks.

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Festive season sees rise in drink drive arrests

Friday, January 20th, 2012

December’s crackdown on drink and drug drivers resulted in over 7,200 arrests. The AA said it was disappointed by the figures which were up on the past couple of years. However, the organisation conceded that better weather last month meant that more people were choosing to get behind the wheel.

Last year the poor weather meant that more people decided to stay at home over the festive period. According to road safety campaigners, the figures show that messages about the dangers of driving after drinking alcohol are not getting across. Figures released by the Association of Chief Police Officers show that younger drivers are more likely to drink drive.

The rate of offending for people below the age of 25 is 5.7 per cent compared to a 4 per cent rate for drivers over the age of 25. Detective Chief Constable Suzette Davenport of the Northamptonshire Police said there was a definite correlation between higher accident rates and drink driving.

Routine tests find that 4.1 per cent of drivers are over the limit, but tests conducted after an accident show that 7 per cent of motorists have had too much to drink. DCC Davenport said that driving while under the influence puts at risk more than just a driver’s safety.

She explained that being arrested can result in the loss of a licence, a prison term and being sacked from work. She added that even one drink can affect the way in which someone drives and advised that people who have drunk should stay away from the car.

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Olympic dove to feature on BA planes

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

British Airways has said that it will be celebrating the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics by repainting some of its planes with a dove design. The airline also said it will be repainting 747 and A319 planes with a colour representing the Olympics. The dove is the creation of Pascal Anson, a Kingston University design tutor who lives in Brighton.

He said that the idea for the artwork came to him while he watched airliners taking off and landing at Gatwick which he saw on his journey each day into London. He explained that to him the planes sometimes look as if they are birds.

Mr Anson said that he realised a dove would be appropriate for the Games as it has been used before in Olympic celebrations and it represents the idea of social unity and is the symbol of peace.

The design was chosen by a panel of judges. Amongst them was Tracey Emin, who will be on hand to advise Mr Anson throughout the repainting process. She said that the artwork was stunning, and certain to impress all of those who get to travel on the planes on which it will feature.

The design will cover the whole of the plane, but BA said that the flag carrier will still retain its identity. The planes will keep the new design throughout 2012, and the first glimpse of the artwork will be given in April. BA will be celebrating and promoting a range of UK talent up until the opening ceremony.

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Summer holiday costs to be kept down in 2012

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Recently published research shows that cost-conscious Brits intending to go on holiday this summer are looking for ways in which to save money, with many choosing the option of staying in the UK. The survey, conducted by Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance, showed that 78 per cent of people intending to take a holiday would be looking for ways of cutting costs.

In order to keep a close eye on exactly what they would be spending, 10 per cent of respondents said that they would be paying up-front for a package deal. Another 12 per cent said that they would be reigning in the costs by looking for a self-catering option. Of those who said they would be going abroad, 13 per cent said they would be keeping the cost down by staying in a property owned by friends or relatives.

However, less than half of those who replied to the survey said that travelling abroad was an option this year. Many said that they intended to leave booking their trip as late as possible in the hope that travel companies will be offering last-minute deals.

Just under a quarter will not be getting in touch with a travel agent until after March, and 10 per cent admitted that they would not be making a booking until July at the earliest, when the summer season will be in full swing.

Sainsbury’s Travel Insurance spokesman, David Barrett, said that although people were still looking for time away in the summer, they were also keen to keep a tight grip on expenditure.

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