+ THE TRAVEL NEWS IN BRIEF - Everything you need to know

A free trip on Ryanair

Amsterdam to London

Bangkok to Gatwick

British Airways and the A380

China visas

EasyJet adds to London

Gatwick’s second runway

Heathrow’s VIP terminal

KLM summer 2025

London leads the world

MAG and Mo T ‘Airport Guy’

Malvern Waters

Morocco here we come

Quiz night at the RAeS

Roger Putnam CBE and Lotus

Runway safety

St Pancras Eurostar boost

Salon Privé at Chelsea

Science Museum closing

Scunthorpe venue for Heathrow announcement

Virgin’s lost bags

Visit Britain



A free trip on Ryanair

Yes it is true. Travel News Update reports.

The Dublin-based airline, Europe’s largest, has invited selected customers to Dublin for two nights in April for what it terms a ‘Future Flyer Customer Panel’, all expenses paid.  It will not break Ryanair’s bank, the company turning over £12.04bn in 2024 with profits of £1.3bn.

Ryanair says it is committed to improving the customer experience as it expects to grow to 300m passengers by 2034. The plan is very simple. It wants to hear from these travellers.

Successful panellists also have the chance to pitch to Eddie Wilson, Ryanair’s CEO, on what the future of flying is, and a money award too.  No doubt Chairman Michael O’Leary will be lurking in the background and ready to pounce.

www.ryanair.com/ie/en/lp/customer-panel


Amsterdam to London

Eurostar is now operating direct services between Amsterdam Central and London St Pancras for the first time since June last year with three frequencies per day (two on Saturdays).  

However, the Amsterdam Central immigration will close between 30 March and 22 April allowing for further platform renovations.  During this period the service will revert to a change at Brussels Midi where passport control and security checks will take place.

www.eurostar.com


Bangkok to Gatwick

Bangkok is Norse Atlantic’s latest route from Gatwick for winter 2025 with up to four weekly flights. As is often the case with airlines the Norwegian carrier’s other news is not announced but Miami is being withdrawn.

Gatwick is Norse Atlantic's UK home and the largest strategic hub for the airline, with daily flights currently to key destinations across the Atlantic and to South Africa, and now to include to Asia. The introduction of this service marks a significant expansion of the airline’s operations in the UK market.

British Airways also flies non-stop Gatwick to Bangkok.  Heathrow offers Eva and Thai International.  

www.gatwickairport.com

https://flynorse.com


British Airways and the A380

For those of us that love the Airbus A380, and there are many, British Airways plans to use its refurbished 12 strong fleet most effectively.

Rob Burgess of Head for Points has been doing some research using the now published winter 2025/26 timetable.

In alphabetical order here we go:

Dubai:  One A380 service daily plus two Boeing 777

Johannesburg:  Twice daily both A380

Los Angeles:  One A380 service daily plus two Boeing 777

Miami:  One A380 service daily plus two Boeing 777

San Franciso: One A380 service daily plus a single Boeing 777

www.britishairways.com


China visas

Ever since China opened up to Western tourists in the 1980s, obtaining a visa has been complex and expensive.

The indefatigable journalist Simon Calder has found a way around the problem.

Under the rules for UK passport holders, applicants must pay over £150 and attend a visa centre in London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Belfast to be photographed and fingerprinted (though under-14s and over-70s are exempted from the biometric requirements).

But this year travellers to the People’s Republic can avoid much of the traditional red tape.  

Explore China while technically “in transit” says the man from The Independent.  Book a trip to a third country and you are free to roam around for up to ten days.  That should be enough for a Shanghai arrival, a flight to Beijing and then on to Xi’an for the remarkable Terracotta Warriors.

https://simoncalder.co.uk


EasyJet adds to London 

Brest is a popular cruise destination, often either the first (or last) port for Southampton based ships.

This summer it will be linked to London Gatwick for the first time starting 25 June with easyJet operating twice weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the season, providing a convenient direct connectivity to north west France.

A beacon of Breton culture, the port city of Brest is a listed City of Art and History and boasts a strong maritime heritage and unique attractions, like the unique open-air aquarium. For food lovers, the city is known for its mouth-watering gastronomy, from world-class oysters to local classics of apple cider, crepes, and gourmet galettes.

For the winter London Southend will offer easyJet to Barcelona, Lanzarote and Salzburg, adding to Antalya, Enfidha, Faro, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Malta, Marrakech, Palma and Tenerife, established all  summer routes.

www.easyjet.com


Gatwick’s second runway

The upgrading (and moving 12m to the north) of Gatwick’s emergency second runway and making it a full 2500m strip has got the go-ahead, or in Government terms the Secretary of State for Transport is “minded to approve”.  Assuming no legal problems it could be in use by the end of the decade. Other important terminal work is included in the project.

More imminent, and announced at the same time, is the arrival of Gulf Air.  Starting 30 March the airline will offer three weekly flights on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, using its flagship Boeing 789 Dreamliner. There is no change to the existing two daily flights from London Heathrow. The five weekly Manchester flights will also continue.

www.gatwickairport.com

www.gulfair.com


Heathrow’s VIP terminal

Not to be confused with the Royal Suite on the south side of the airport, Heathrow’s Windsor Suite, within Terminal 5, has now been unveiled with the first part of a three-year refurbishment programme featuring upgraded lounges, a redesigned atrium and specially curated artwork, including Banksy and Warhol pieces.  

Heathrow says that highlights of the service include private chauffeurs direct from front door to plane, all airport formalities taken care of, a private butler, and exclusive dishes from Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton.  A Personal Shopper will navigate the back corridors of Heathrow to take guests discretely to their favourite stores in Terminal 5.

With prices starting at £3,812 (inc VAT) for up to three guests, the world class luxury service has been tailored to meet the needs of ultra-high-profile guests from world leaders to A-list celebrities – offering unmatched discretion, convenience and a seamless travel experience.

www.heathrowvip.com/s


KLM summer 2025

From its Amsterdam Schiphol hub KLM will fly to 161 destinations this summer, 95 in Europe and 66 intercontinental. In a press statement it points out that only 90% of its intercontinental capacity is used due to long delivery times for aircraft parts and a shortage of pilots.

KLM is popular to and from the UK and connecting flights with up to eight from both London City (LCY) and Heathrow (LHR) plus Aberdeen (ABZ – 5) Birmingham (BHX – 5), Bristol (BRS – 4), Edinburgh (EDI – 5), Glasgow (GLA – 4), Humberside (HUY – 3), Inverness (INV – 1), Leeds (LBA – 3), Newcastle (NCL – 5), Manchester (MAN – 6) and Teesside (MME – 3), a total of 13 airports.

Readers with long memories will recall that when KLM was put up for sale years ago many of the airline’s senior management were keen for a tie-up with British Airways. Air France became the majority shareholder, a position it retains to the day.

KLM no longer flies to Zanzibar (Tanzania).

www.klm.com


London leads the world

Figures released by the CAA show that London’s six airports – Gatwick. Heathrow, London City, Luton, Southend and Stansted – moved an astonishing 177 million passengers last year, a 6.7% increase over 2023. London is by far the world’s largest airport hub.

Heathrow also leads in terms of European airports with a record breaking 83.9m passengers, well ahead of the 2019 pre-Covid 80.90m total.  Of the smaller London airports City is on par with other airports when it comes to a month-to-month percentage increase but its 2024 passenger throughput of 3.57m is still well adrift of the record 5.1m in 2019.  

Southend was the hardest hit of the London airports, easyJet withdrawing due to Covid.  The airport moved just over two million passengers in 2019.  The 2024 number is just 287,785 but the throughput should increase substantially this year with amongst others Gran Canaria, Malaga and Palma added by the returning Luton-based airline.

www.caa.co.uk


MAG and Mo T ‘Airport Guy’

In what is an industry first Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has announced a partnership with aviation content creator ‘Mo T Airport Guy’ to showcase the variety of exciting careers on offer across its airports and inspire the next generation of airport professionals.

Mohammed Taher or as he is known online – Mo T Airport Guy – has amassed more than a million followers across his social media channels with engaging and educational videos about aviation.  Mo T is also an ‘Aviation Ambassador’ for the Department for Transport, with a clear focus of ensuring that future talent is aviation minded.

MAG previously collaborated with Mo T for the publication of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report in November, with a video which highlighted the breadth of education, skills and employment support on offer across the Group’s Airports and visiting its on-site Aerozone education facilities.

www.airportguy.co.uk


Malvern Waters

Looking ahead for English travel plans engaging the Spring Bank Holiday?  The Malvern Water and Well Dressing Festival might be the ideal family occasion.

The annual event celebrates the history of the Malvern Hills District, from its iconic spring water and Victorian Water Cure to the area's ancient Pagan traditions.

The festival starts with dressing the wells on Friday 2 May, judging takes place on Saturday 3 May, and prize giving with rosettes and certificates on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May, in Priory Park Malvern where family fun day also takes place.

Malvern, Gloucester, is about 150 miles from London, mainly on the A/M40, and is near Worcester.  From Manchester the mileage is 120 miles.

www.malvernwaters.com

https://malvernspa.org


Morocco here we come

This summer you will be able to fly between Stansted and Casablanca.

One World member Royal Air Maroc will introduce holiday flights launching on 24 June and ending on 12 September, flown on a Tuesday, Friday and Sunday.  

Timings are Stansted at 07:25 (10:45 arrival local) and Casablanca leaving at 03:00 (06:20 arrival local).  The airline also flies to Gatwick on a daily basis, offering alternative routing one way.  The aircraft is a full two-class Boeing 737.

www.royalairmaroc.com


Quiz night at the RAeS

The date for the popular Annual Quiz Night at the Royal Aeronautical Society, Hamilton Place, Hyde Park Corner, London, has now been confirmed for Thursday 27 March.

Test your knowledge of aerospace and aviation, from the Concorde’s record-breaking speeds to the Apollo 11 moon landing.  And if you have never been to the Society’s historic Headquarters that is an experience in itself.  You do not have to be a member to attend.

Tickets are £12 per person (plus VAT) and the booking includes a free drink (wine, beer or soft drink) and light snacks.

The quiz starts 19:00 and runs to 21:30. There is a cash bar to 22:00.

www.aerosociety.com/events-calendar/aerosociety-late-quiz-night-2025


Roger Putnam CBE and Lotus
 
On Tuesday 4 March Club Lotus Avon will welcome Roger Putnam, former Lotus Cars Sales and Marketing Director, as its monthly speaker.  He is one of the very few people alive today who knew Colin Chapman plus Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt, all World Motor Racing Champions. Plus of course Stirling Moss who was never World Champion.

Roger joined Lotus at Cheshunt in 1966 and shortly afterwards moved with the company to Hethel (and married a local girl, the Service Director’s PA).  He oversaw the launch of the Plus 2, Sprint Elan and Esprit and was Public Relations Officer for the launch of the Europa in Paris and the press roll out of the Lotus 49.  Head hunted by Jaguar in 1981 for a similar position he was involved in the privatisation of the company and was instrumental in the sale of the company to Ford in 1989. Ten years later Ford asked him to take on the responsibility as its Chairman of the UK operation. From 2005 until 2006, he was President of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
 
Upon retiring from Ford of Britain, Putnam took on various non-executive board roles and for 11 years chaired ITM Power Plc, an energy storage and clean fuel company founded in the UK in 2001. He is now fully retired but is frequently asked to speak on the subject of the manufacture of Green Hydrogen.
 
The talk starts at 19:30 on Tuesday 4 March at The Bull Inn, Hinton, Chippenham SN14 8HG, adjacent to Junction 18 of the M4.

http://www.ferraritestarossa.net/clublotus


Runway safety

Flight Global (perhaps better known as Flight International when it was a weekly magazine) is hosting a webinar entitled ‘Future of Aviation – Runway Safety’ 6 March 15:00 GMT.

A series of runway incursion and excursion incidents in the past 12 months have highlighted the importance of the industry continuing its laser focus on runway safety.

Flight’s expert panel will discuss what the data tells us and the role onboard and on-ground technology, as well as training, can play in eradicating the risk.

Register now.  

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6tTHA2CfTI2lxSTZCkbdiA#/registration


St Pancras Eurostar boost

Those dreadful long queues for Eurostar at St Pancras, unless you are a Premier customer, could be a thing of the past.

Under the plans revealed last month, expanded infrastructure and “enhanced border security processes” could grow passenger numbers to about 2,400 an hour in the next three to four years. A redesigned layout of the “international zone” could pave the way for 5,000 passengers an hour in the long term.

London St Pancras Highspeed and Eurotunnel owner Getlink have penned proposals for a range of new international routes, including direct connections to Germany, as part of plans to boost the European destination alternatives at London’s only international station.

Getlink has floated Bordeaux, Cologne, Frankfurt, Geneva, Marseille and Zurich as potential destinations.

For the time being passengers will still have to wait ‘landside’ until their train is called. But at least it is under cover.  Facilities are available for the disabled.

www.eurostar.com

www.getlinkgroup.com


Salon Privé at Chelsea

On Thursday 10 April the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea will host an extraordinary one-day-only showcase of over 20 Bugatti Veyrons – a gathering of hypercars unlike anything seen before.  

Production started in 2005 and culminated in 2015, after Bugatti completed 450 examples of this superfast machine.  Starting price was $1.9m, but the automaker introduced a number of special editions, some of which cost double the initial amount.

The Friday is Ladies' Day where beautiful hats mingle with sensational supercars, classic cars, boats and even helicopters.

Saturday is described as “Family Day”.

www.salonpriveconcours.com


Science Museum closing

London’s Science Museum “Exploring Space” exhibit will partially close after 22 April and fully close on 2 June as part of an ambitious transformation of the ground floor galleries.

As part of the reimagination of the museum’s ground floor a new Space Gallery will open in autumn 2025, followed by “Tomorrow – The Peter Bennett Gallery” in early 2027.

On the aviation front the Science Museum is home to an Antoinette monoplane (1909), Amy Johnson's Gipsy Moth and the Vickers Vimy, which first crossed the Atlantic in 1919. Also seen from the overhead walkways are a Supermarine S6B racing seaplane, Hawker P1127, which led to the Harrier jump-jet fighter and a complete slice of a genuine Boeing 747 jumbo jet.

Entry to the Science Museum is free, but pre-booking is required.

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/flight


Scunthorpe venue for Heathrow announcement

Heathrow chose a really odd venue to officially reveal plans for its future. Or maybe it was dictated to by  Westminster?  British Steel Scunthorpe!

Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, responded to the Government’s strong support for expansion at Heathrow – including a third runway. Woldbye announced the largest private investment programme in Heathrow’s history and confirmed the airport is developing proposals for a third runway to share with Government by summer. 

Heathrow says it will work with airlines and the regulator to finalise plans to invest in the capacity of Terminal 2 and make changes to optimise and increase passenger capacity in Terminal 5.

As seems to be the norm these days the press release also offered quotes by stakeholders.

• Sarah Jones MP, Industry Minister
• Gareth Stace, Director-General, UK Steel
• Zengwei An, CEO, British Steel
• Sir Nic Dakin MP (Scunthorpe)
• Martin Vickers MP (Brigg and Immingham)
• Anna Turley MP (Redcar and Cleveland)
• Craig Beaumont, Executive Director, Federation of Small Businesses
• Roy Rickhuss CBE, General Secretary, Community Union
• Andy Prendergast, National Secretary, GMB Union

www.heathrow.com


Virgin’s lost bags

Virgin Atlantic with its airline customer service team is offering a new Share Item Location feature to privately and securely locate delayed bags and reunite them with customers quickly.
 
The airline does not admit that bags can get lost but Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer, had to admit it can happen.

“We know many people already use AirTags or a Find My network accessory to keep updated on the location of their luggage. On the rare occasion, when operational issues or misconnecting flights may require bags to be located, our teams now have this shared source of information, so our customers have peace of mind on our progress. We welcome this innovation from Apple”.
 
It is all done via Find My app on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac with the airport and baggage tracing teams who can view the live location of the bag and use it to reunite customers with their luggage.
 
The entire process is end-to-end encrypted and anonymous, so no one else, not even Apple or Find My Network accessory manufacturers, can view an item’s location or information.

www.virginatlantic.com


Visit Britain

VisitBritain is bullish in publishing its inbound tourism forecast for 2025, showing that international visits overall and visitor spending to the UK are set to increase on 2024 levels, although with varying rates of growth from across its major inbound markets.

A midweek evening out in London’s very busy West End during February indicates that the research has got it right.  Overseas visitors want to come to London.  Twenty, or even ten years ago it would have been quiet.

The United States (US) continues as the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor market. Spending by Americans is forecast to be up 9% on 2024 to a record £6.7bn this year, meaning that almost £1 in every £5 of inbound visitor spending in the UK is by US visitors. Visits and spending from Europe overall are also showing growth on 2024, although it is a mixed picture across major European inbound markets. While recovery from East Asia overall continues to lag, numbers are continuing to improve with China forecast to return as the UK’s fifth most valuable visitor market this year, worth an estimated £1.6bn to the economy.

www.visitbritain.org

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READERS' COMMENT

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 200 words maximum

John August,

KLM in this issue. I am a reader with a long memory. Rod Eddington (CEO following the Ayling disaster) appeared to be in favour of a KLM integration but was firmly interested in saving BA, his solution being Willie Walsh! What might have been.