Volcanic Ash Cloud Closes air space across Northern Europe
16. April 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
Yet another set back for northern European air travellers, this time not caused by strike or human intervention, but by the collaboration of the Volcano in Iceland Eyjafjallajokull Spewing laver and chocking ash into the air and the wind
A huge Volcanic Dust Cloud originating from Iceland is causing havoc across northern Europe, thousands of flights have been cancelled, delayed or detoured due to the Cloud of Volcanic Dust.
British Air space is closed, and is not due to reopen until at least 7am Saturday Morning. All of UK’s commercial flights from London Heathrow have been grounded about 840 Flights affecting over 180,000 passengers and over 120,000 passengers have been affected at Gatwick.
Earlier this week on Thursday flights in Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Russia were also affected
It is difficult to predict the duration of both the air space closures and the cloud cover.
A lot depends on whether the volcano continues to produce ash and whether the wind continues to carry that ash towards Europe.
Volcanology expert professor Chris MacLeod, of Cardiff University, told Sky News: “The last recorded eruption of Eyjafjallajokull lasted over a year (1821-1823) but we don’t know if it was as intense as this eruption.”
He added: “It’s difficult to say how long the eruption and consequential flight disruption will go on for.
“The Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland eruption in 2004 lasted four days but it’s possible it could go on for quite some time - maybe a week or two - before the ash plume fully disperses.
He added: “Even if the eruptions stopped now, it’s not going to clear up within the next 24 hours. I suspect flights could be grounded for some time.”
Its hard to plan for such disruptions such as Volcanic dust clouds grounding your flight and putting a stop on your Holiday or travel plans, and a lot of travel insurance policies do not cover Volcanic eruptions, and even if the Flight costs are refunded or rebooked the cost of unused Hotels and Hostels accommodation at your holiday destination are not covered.
At least one good news and ironic fact is that Icelandic Air space is still open, the reason being the cloud is drifting south and Icelandic flights usually fly north, so there are not any real dangers for flights leaving and arriving into Reykjavik and other cities in Iceland, from Asia and Far East.
Other benefactors of the cancelled and delayed flights in UK and across europe are Hotels accommodation near the airports that are now nearly fully booked with delayed passengers and Euro Star Rail from London which is also almost fully booked for the whole weekend and Euro Rail and TGV in France who have seen a massive increase in customers.
Volcanic Dust cloud from Iceland disrupts air travel | 0 Kommentare »
Yet another silly $45 add on by Spirit Air
8. April 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
Spirit Airline the so called ULCC (Ultra Low Cost Carrier) is due to charge travellers $45 for carry on luggage each way
Spirit Airline Inc. the Miramar, Florida based airline has added yet another fee for its customers; they are due to start charging travellers as much as $45 for Carry on Luggage that fits in the over head bins, the new fee is due to take affect for flights on or after 1 August.
They have been so nice, not to charge for carry on luggage that fits under the seats, hurray, although we all know that barely nothing fits under the seats, and also takes up your leg room, that was already limited in an Airline like Spirit Air.
The CEO of spirit Air Ben Baldanza said, having fewer carry-on bags will help empty the plane faster, he said the idea is to get customers to pay for individual things they want while keeping the fare low
What a load of Rubbish, I think also having an empty plane will also help to empty the plane quicker, sometimes after all customers do get in the way of running an Airline business.
Low cost airlines are meant to give travellers an alternative to expensive air fares charged by traditional airlines, but when there are a lot of hidden charges for everything from Food, Drink, Blankets, Pillows and Luggage, in the end they are more hassle, stress and almost the same price as any other airline.
You got to ask yourself, are they worth it?
Non Existent Customer care and Cramped flight conditions, its getting to a time now that these airlines, will even start charging customers for Oxygen during the flight, after all the Oxygen needs to be filtered and provided by the airline.
In the long run some of these budget airlines are becoming joke and their so called low cost fares are a gimmick because after adding all the taxes, added fees and credit card charges they are just as expensive as any traditional airline.
Customers should vote with their feet, to stamp out these gimmicks, unless if you want to travel without a luggage.
On the other hand, it maybe cheaper to ship your luggage before hand anyway.
Its not as if travellers are asking for Champagne, Caviar and first class serve for a budget cost, all travellers are asking is for a clear set price for an airline ticket that has basic food, drink and a luggage allowance included.
So in conclusion, the passengers and customers of Spirit Air, are not worthy of respect
Spirit Airline | 0 Kommentare »
Over inflated airfares to Nigeria
3. April 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
Why is the cost of travel to Nigeria so high?
The high cost of air travel to Nigeria is stopping the country from becoming a popular tourist destination that it deserves to be and therefore makes the attempt of the government who are spending money promoting the country as tourists destination, and to modify the battered image of the country, futile.
They are not attracting non-Nigerians to visit Nigeria; all they have is Nigerians going home, and few business travellers, who charge the expensive air fares to the company they work for.
It’s not because it’s a far distance to travel to Nigeria, for example like travelling from London to New York or Australia. So the excuse of the price is based on the number of the miles is untrue, because a direct flight from London to Lagos by British Airway or Virgin Atlantic which is only 6 Hours 25 Minutes, is more expensive than a flight by Air France that first stops at Paris then goes to Lagos which takes in total 9 Hours and 40 Minutes and is over £200 GBP Cheaper.
To me I think all the Airlines that have the rights to fly to Nigeria, are taking advantage of people travelling to Nigeria and they are over inflating the air fares. The few flights that travel to Nigeria are full, but not because customers have chosen to travel by the airline because of competitive prices offered, but because they have no choice but to pay the high air fares and take one of the few flights available.
Another issue that is stopping Nigeria from becoming a true Holiday destination is the accommodation options are very limited, mostly luxury expensive hotels, and hardly any budget hotels and hostels, and there is definitely no chance of a package Holiday organised by a tour operator which would attract more tourists.
Well, I think that the price of air line ticket should be a fair reflection of the actual distance travelled and not a preconceived inflated fixed price that people are forced to pay, if more airlines like 
budget airlines especially, had the rights to fly to Nigeria the price would drop and become more competitive and beneficial for customers, and people should have the choice of budget, mid range and expensive hotels accommodation.
The most annoying part of this is, the Nigerian Government is not doing anything about this, maybe they still believe like one of the Nigerian Government Officials said a few years ago that air travel is for rich people. The Government may also think that Nigeria isn’t a tourist destination so why encourage a range of accommodation options for travellers, what they forget is, when people spend so much to get to Nigeria, they won’t have a lot of money spare, to spend in the country and help the economy.
Who actually benefits from this high cost of travel to places like Lagos Nigeria, except the Airlines?
Or is it someone else benefiting behind the scene?
Flights to Nigeria | 0 Kommentare »
There should be travel Options for all budgets
2. April 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
A choice of Airlines and accommodation for all Budgets
.
There is no denying that the economic climate has hit the travel and hotels accommodations industry hard, especially when it comes to luxury and mid range hotels accommodation, as people t
ighten there belts and try to make there hard earned money go further.
But some sectors that have faired a little better during the credit crunch are the budget airlines, Budget hotels and Hostels accommodation. The main reason these businesses are doing ok is because now there is a whole new set of customers looking to them as an alternative to expensive Hotels and Airlines.
To be honest if an Airline gets you safely from A to B and gives you a meal and drinks during the flight then the other things offered are just extra frills, and are nice but not necessary. The same thing applies to Budget Accommodation, as long as the Budget Hotel or Hostels accommodation is clean and in a safe location what more do you really need other than a clean bed to sleep in for your stay, and it must be said that some of the larger hostels have great facilities like guest kitchens, bars, restaurants, games rooms, free internet access and even private en-suite rooms.
In the end in order for everyone to be able to enjoy a holiday and a well earned break from work, there needs to be budget, mid range and luxury options for airlines and hotels accommodation after all if you are lucky enough to be able to afford First Class travel and 5 star hotels then you should be able to book what ever you want.
But on the flip side if someone is struggling to meet all the financial commitments every month, they too should have a budget option available for travel and accommodation.
So in conclusion I think there should be all types of Airlines, Hotels and Hostels accommodation.
Travel & accommodation | 0 Kommentare »
British Airways Cabin Crew Strikes Again
27. March 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
Yet another strike by British Airways Cabin Crew.
As if air travel isn’t hard enough at the best of times, this strike rubs salt in the wound of travellers just trying to get around and enjoy a well earned Holiday from the hard work of everyday life.
One thing British Airways Cabin Crews don’t seems to understand, is the cost of running an Airline like British Airways in a difficult economy, has got to be competitive, in line with other airlines that do not have over inflated work force.
I’m not the one to say, lets throw ourselves in the arms of any airline like a love sick Lover, but I think on this one, Travel Critic is on the side of British Airways Management. They are competing with the likes of budget airlines like Ryan Air so must try and be competitive. I’m not saying that British Airways should get away with mistreating their staff, but these things have a better way of being resolved, than constantly holding travellers to ransom.
I don’t think the union are doing this Cabin Crews a favour, or helping them, they are going to end up loosing a lot of these cabin crews their jobs and benefits, that are hard to come by in a difficult economy like this.
This is strike for the sake of strike.
It doesn’t make sense.
British Airways cabin crew are not the most poorly paid or the most over worked in the airline business, and they should be thankful that they have a job at all, as many people are out of work and would jump at the chance to work for British Airways.
So in conclusion if they don’t want to work for British Airways they should move aside, maybe get a job with another airline and let someone else have the job that will appreciate it.
British Airways Cabin Crew Strikes Again | 0 Kommentare »
Virgin America Flight from LA to JFK New York turns into a 16 hour nightmare
17. March 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
Direct 5 hour Virgin America Flight 404 from LA to JFK New York turns into a 16 hour nightmare for passengers.
Virgin America flight 404 left LA at about 7 am, for a direct 5 hour flight to JFK New York but due to gale force winds the plane was diverted to Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York, located about 90 miles north of NYC, instead of JFK were the plane was due to land, the plane at Stewart Airport was grounded on the tarmac for 4.5 hours, passengers were offered a chance to leave the plane only once and then the remaining passengers were told they had no choice and had to remain on the plane.
Then after a 4.5 arduous hours wait, on the tarmac, the passengers were finally shuttled by Virgin America’s competitor Jet blue, by Bus to travel the 90 Miles to JFK Airport New York, the total journey took a marathon 16 Hours, instead of the scheduled 5 hours.
During the wait on the tarmac the food and drink ran out and had to be rationed to a couple of crisps per passenger, and I don’t mean packets, I mean actual crisps and the flight crew were not dealing with the whole situation in the best way, due to lack of information and fatigue, which also escalated the tension on the grounded plane.
All passengers were sent a letter of apology from the CEO of Virgin America, given a full refund for the flight and an additional $100 credit for future travel.
A bill of rights for airline passenger’s would have ensured that passengers had access to clean toilet facilities, food and water and the right to leave the plane after 3 hours.
It has to be said that this was not a usual occurrence and different factors contributed to the ordeal the travellers endured for 16 Hours, but flight crews and staff should be give training in how to deal with difficult and unusual situations, as no matter what happens they still have a duty of care to all the passengers to ensure they are looked after and accommodate to their needs, the passengers should not have been left on the tarmac for such a long period of time, with insufficient food and drink, and a lack of information.
Airlines are getting away with a lot of this, I don’t think that just giving a refund, apology and a couple of bucks to use on the same airline, is enough to compensate what was a very traumatic experience. Being restricted to a confined space on an aircraft that is grounded on the tarmac, not only wastes travellers time but is very frustrating, as in these types of situations, there always seems to be a lack of information given.
For passengers and the flight crew this type of situation is very stressful to say the least. Tensions and passions run high, if at least travellers have enough food, drink and information they can try and make the best of a bad situation, because the plane will be their accommodation until the situation is resolved but tired, thirsty, hungry people that don’t know what is going on are all a recipe for disaster.
Virgin America Flight | 0 Kommentare »
Jardin Secret Hotel Cheap Place To Stay In Lhasa Tibet
15. March 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
Jardin Secret Hotel Lhasa
Like a piece of emerald on the bank of the Lhasa River in Tibet, the Lhasa Jardin Secret Hotel is located on the Jinzhu West Road of Lhasa Tibet, taking up full advantageous location at the gateway of Lhasa. Across the river stand the Lhasa Railway Station and the Tibetan Museum. The Norbulingka, or the “Garden of Treasures”, is only 10 minutes ride from it. And the world renowned Potala Palace is just 5 kilometres away.
The Jardin Secret Hotel is a five star hotel in Lhasa Tibet China, that fully absorbs the elements of the Traditional Tibetan construction. It also has modern ideas in the spatial distribution and the use of material. National construction elements are fully taken into consideration in the design. Stylishly designed rooms are modern, comfort and relaxation providing to a home away from home feeling.
The 200 rooms and luxury suites include several special layouts and designs are the most fashionable and comfortable hotel rooms in Lhasa Tibet. The hotel will give an unforgettable experience in your visit to Lhasa Tibet.
The human-oriented service philosophy and the mature Hong Kong style management mode both make the Jardin Secret Hotel an unforgettable experience trip to Lhasa Tibet.
Services
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
- Limo or Town Car service available
- Safe-deposit box - front desk
Business & Event
- Business center
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Meeting rooms (small groups)
- Room service (24 hours)
Rooms (all rooms include)
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Cable/satellite television channels
- Coffee/tea maker
- Desk
- Direct-dial phone
- Flat-panel television
- Hair dryer
- High-speed Internet access
- In-room safe
- Internet access (complimentary)
- Iron/ironing board
- Minibar
- Satellite television service
Jardin Secret Hotel offer affordable, comfortable and cheap sleeps in Lhasa Tibet
Jardin Secret Hotel is somewhere Cheap and Affordable to stay in Lhasa Tibet offering budget accommodation all year round and weekend breaks.
Cheap Backpackers Hostels in Lhasa
Hotels in Lhasa
Group Accommodation Lhasa
Group Booking for Cheap Lhasa Hotels
Student Hostels Accommodation in Lhasa
Cheap Youth Hostels Lhasa
Jardin Secret Hotel a Cheap and Inexpensive Place to Stay in Lhasa Tibet
Jardin Secret Hotel Lhasa | 0 Kommentare »
Cabin Crews of British Airways set to disrupt travel plans of their customers
12. March 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
BA Cabin Crews are due to strike for 7 days later in March, defiant Mr Walsh said he was disappointed that the strike were to go ahead as they were still in negotiations but now BA’s offer for renegotiation is no longer on the table.
Mr Walsh said, some affected customers can re-book flights and he will not allow the strikes to stop all flights by BA, but admits that there will be a reduced service if the strikes go ahead.
Customers who manage to rebook their flights and fly with BA during the strikes of the cabin crew will be faced with cold meals onboard, only first class passengers will receive Hot meals, no special meals will be cater for and customer will have to bring their own food onboard, only special baby meals will be provided.
These days Unions and staff sometimes loose track of the fact that the customer should always come first, these planned strikes by BA cabin crew are only the latest in disruption to travellers holiday plans, its not only the airline that will be affected but the accommodations like the budget hotels, hostels and guesthouses that the customers were due to stay in. Not everyone will be able to rebook their flights so a lot of people will loose out.
Cabin Crews of British Airways set to disrupt travel pl | 0 Kommentare »
Online travel booking users exceeds 30 million in China
9. March 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
China’s online travel booking users in 2009 reached 30.24 million, increasing 77.9 percent from the previous year, according to a report released recently by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).
Ctrip, the one-stop China travel service, also says its number of members has reached 30 million.
Online travel booking in 2009 saw rapid development and has become a highlight of the tourism market. According to statistics released by the CNNIC, online travel booking users in 2009 increased 77.9 percent to reach 13.24 million. The growth rate is second only to online payment (80.9 percent) and exceeds online stocking (67 percent), online banking (62.3 percent) and online shopping (45.9 percent).
As of December 30, China’s web users has reached 384 million, Internet penetration rate has amounted to 28.9 percent and online travel booking rate has reached 7.9 percent. It is believed that there is huge potential for the development of online travel booking.
Online travel booking users in China | 0 Kommentare »
Ole London Hotel- Cheap Place To Stay In Macau China
7. March 2010
TRAVEL CRITIC
Ole London Hotel Macau.
Ole London Hotel in Macau is within walking distance from tourists attractions and the city centre, the newly renovated Ole London Hotel is a chic boutique-hotel and good for people on the budget and looking for Affordable accommodation. Ole London Hotel offers fantastic value for families, couples and leisure travellers.
Ole London Hotel. rooms have undergone a major overhaul and are of very good standard, complete with soft beds and stylish seats. High tech features include wireless internet electronic key access, a LCD TV and new bathrooms featuring a rainforest shower head. With natural light as well as soft lighting, guests will feel right at home. There are free local calls and 2 complimentary bottles of mineral water and facilities to make hot drinks. Guests can access free Internet access in the hotel lobby.
Located opposite a park and within 5 minutes walk of Macau’s historic Senado Square and 10 minutes from the city center, London Hotel combines convenience with value and comfort. Renovated in August 2008, the hotel now looks brand new and boasts a cheery tangerine orange reception and comfortable lounge area. The lounge behind reception currently only serves breakfast, but there are neighbouring bakeries and several cafes just a few doors away.
Ole London Hotel is conveniently located in the Historic Center of Macau - a World Heritage Site, the hotel is just minutes away from popular attractions like the Ruins of St. Paul Church, A-Ma Temple, Shi Liupu Casinos and Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro - Macau’s commercial center.
We are also right next to the Yuet Tung Terminal (to and from mainland China) and only 10 minutes away by car from the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal (to and from Hong Kong) and Zhuhai Gongbei Port - entry to Zhuhai City - mainland China. Surrounded by gift shops and restaurants that offer multicultural cuisines, the hotel is a perfect choice for backpackers and families.
Our sleek and modern suites are clean and comfortable. Remaining faithful to history, the lobby has been transformed into a new experience fusing contemporary and classic Portuguese style. Experience this charming atmosphere while enjoying a relaxing meal in the lobby restaurant.
Ole London Hotel is somewhere Cheap and Affordable to stay in Macau China, offering accommodation all year round and weekend breaks.
Cheap Hostels in Macau
Budget Hotels in Macau
Hostel Group Booking Macau
Group Booking for Cheap Macau Hostels
Backpackers Hostels Accommodation in Macau
Cheap Youth Hostels Macau
Book Cheap Hostels and Budget Hotels in other Worldwide Cities
Youth Hostels Accommodation worldwide
Ole London Hotel Cheap and Inexpensive Place to Stay in Macao China
cheap place to stay in macau | 0 Kommentare »
Recent Comments