2012 flights to Languedoc ...

[Sandra]

I am trying to find flights to stansted next week and is it correct that the only flights are from carcassonne? Girona has stopped...

[peter]

Bit of a drive, but Rodez and Marseille still fly to Stansted in winter, I think.

Where are you trying to get to in UK ?


Peter

[Sandra]

colchester, essex. andy is buying a new car so thought i would fly back and have a weekend in london and then drive back with him. looks like I can do the beziers luton and then get the train or bus into the center of London

[peter]

There is a bus between Luton and Stansted : http://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/lut ... ansfer.htm

Easyjet do a cheap bus from ouside Luton arrivals to central London :
http://www.easybus.co.uk/london-luton

It takes quite a while to do the Luton - London - Liverpool St - Stansted slog, so maybe the airport transfer is the way to go ?

Peter

[Sandra]

thanks yet again Peter.

[peter]

Ryanair has announced the first routes from its Turku (Finland) base including Girona flights starting 30 Mar 2012.

[Kathy]

Have you heard anything about your flight Sandra? I been trying to book Easter flights to Beziers but it looks like they are no longer available.

[peter]

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.743514,2.882066&spn=0.026947,0.066047&t=k&z=15&vpsrc=6

The decline of Perpignan airport continues. The new owners were confident of attracting new routes, but no decisive news yet.

Current news for summer 2012 :

Flybe
*Birmingham 26 May - 1 September 1 flight per week
*Southampton 19 May - 8 September 1 flight per week
http://www.flybe.com

Ryanair
Not confirmed, but we think Ryanair will continue with :
**Brussels (Charleroi) 2X per week
***Stansted 5X per week
http://www.ryanair.com

Aer Lingus
****Dublin 3X per week
http://www.aerlingus.com

* Sa
** M/F
*** M/Tu/W//F/Su
**** Tu/TH/Sa

Flights via Paris still available with AF : http://www.airfrance.com


Peter

[peter]

Iceland, Ibiza of the North ?

An increasingly popular, but expensive destination until now, but flights to Iceland from Luton with easyJet starting at EUR 62 (ISK 9,900, USD 85 went on sale earlier this week. Fights start in Match 2012

Most local airports have Luton flights making this an interesting vplace to visit.

More : http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Iceland,_Ibiza_of_the_North__(ZR)_0_384396.news.aspx

Peter

[Brian and Helen]

They also do a great line in volcanos!
(Take off is optional, landing is compulsory)

[Sandra]

Have you heard anything about your flight Sandra? I been trying to book Easter flights to Beziers but it looks like they are no longer available.

the manchester ones are ok (mondays and fridays) they start on the 26th of march. I have spoke to the airport about the car hire and they are getting back to me.i have a meeting with them in a couple of weeks so should know more then.

[Kathy]

Thank you for the car hire enquiry. I rang Ryanair to see why I couldn't book flights. The operator didn't know but thought it was because they may be changing times or prices. Sure enough they were back on yesterday and £30 cheaper.

[Kathy]

The latest information on the dispute between Ryanair and the Catalan Government.


http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/b ... oesnt-rais

[peter]

Thanks Kathy.

Seems that Ryanair may have reached an agreement in Catalonia :

Ryanair and the Catalan Government have reached an agreement concerning the Irish low-cost airline’s activity at Girona-Costa Brava Airport and Reus Airport. After having completely abandoned Reus this winter and drastically reducing its activity at Girona-Costa Brava last summer and this winter, Ryanair has decided to return to the situation it was in prior to the ten month disagreement it has had with the Catalan Government. Both parties disagreed over the conditions under which Ryanair should continue operating at both airports. The low-cost airline started to fly from Barcelona Airport in September 2010. On Wednesday both sides in the dispute announced that they had reached a solution. It will come into effect in April 2012 and Ryanair has guaranteed that in the first 12 months it will transport at least 3 million passengers through Girona Airport and 500,000 through Reus Airport. The exact financial details remain confidential but the agreement foresees offering the airline a plot of land at Girona Airport for free to build a hangar, and another plot close to the airfield to build a hotel. Furthermore, Ryanair is committed to running a route linking Girona and Madrid, which was a special request from the local business community. However, the Irish airline stated through a press release that the agreement will be broken if the Spanish public airport operator and air navigation service provider AENA decides to increase “the already high” airport taxes of the two airports involved. AENA, which is managed by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, had not made any further statements at the close of business on Wednesday.

Peter

[peter]

Select seats with Easyjet ...

EasyJet is to trial allocated seating on selected routes in the spring, following a similar move by rival Ryanair.

Travelers are currently unable to choose a seat until they board the plane.

Those who have purchased speedy boarding or are traveling with young children have priority, but even there is no guarantee of a particular seat.

The trial of allocated seating is seen as another step on the road to increasing easyJet’s appeal to business customers. Shares fell 3 per cent following today’s update.

Ryanair currently charges a fee for a seat in the front row and has recently extended its reserved seating trial on 80 routes.

Although the move has not made the airline's 25-minute turnaround any longer, a spokesman said the carrier has no plans to extend the programme to the entire plane.

More : http://www.eturbonews.com/26465/easyjet ... ts-flights


Peter

[peter]

Easyjet continue to move into the more lucrative business travel market ...

EasyJet has signed a new and enhanced deal with Amadeus. The airline has taken this initiative in order to capture a bigger share of the managed corporate travel market. They were among the first few low cost airlines to make its inventory available to business travel bookers through the GDS providers in 2007.

Amadeus and easyJet will work closely together to increase functionality and enhance the booking process for all travel agents using Amadeus. The airline mentioned that it has made great gains in the European corporate travel market in recent years.

Amadeus IT Group is a transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry. The company is structured around two key related areas - its global distribution system and its IT Solutions business area. Acting as an international network, Amadeus provides search, pricing, booking, ticketing and other processing services in real-time to travel providers and travel agencies through its distribution business area. Through its IT Solutions business area, it also offers travel companies software systems which automate processes such as reservations, inventory management and departure control.

http://www.amadeus.com

[peter]

Ryanair are adding additional routes from Knock in 2012, including one to Girona.


Peter

[peter]

RYANAIR EXTENDS RESERVED SEATING TO ALL ROUTES FROM JANUARY 10th 2012 AFTER TRIAL SUCCESS



Ryanair, the world’s favourite airline, today (22nd Nov) announced that it will extend its popular reserved seating service to all its routes, after successfully trialling it on over 100 routes since May. The pre-booked service, which will be bookable on all routes from 10th Jan 2012, costs just €10 (each way) and includes priority boarding. The optional service allows passengers to pre-reserve seats in the front two rows, for a quick getaway on arrival, or in over wing rows (16&17), which provide greater legroom, and has proven to be very popular with Ryanair passengers during its summer 2011 trial.

Ryanair will continue to offer its Priority Boarding service for just €5, with priority and reserved seating passengers allowed to board the aircraft first. Those travelling with passengers under 16 years of age can reserve seats in row 2 only due to safety restrictions.

[Sandra]

Ryanair are adding additional routes from Knock in 2012, including one to Girona.Peter

Seems bizarre that they are adding new flights to Girona, the irish will be happy as there are not many flights around.

[peter]

Thomas Cook has experienced severe trading difficulties and some restructuring is inevitable. In 2011 Languedoc visitors used flights to Toulouse from Belfast, Bristol, Gatwick and Manchester ...

Second largest European travel group Thomas Cook (founded in 1841 when a UK vicar organised a day trip to a temperance meeting, but now German owned) has experienced a huge drop in bookings. The company sold 22m package holidays in 2010. After announcing 3 profit warnings this year the share price has dropped 93% since January to a low of £0.12 (including 75% this week - Monday close was £0.41).

Despite a slight recovery this morning, news that the company is renegotiating bank loans of around €1bn sends shudders throughout the travel industry.

Travel companies typically have negative winter cash flow, switching to positive flows in spring. The drastic reduction in bookings suggests that Thomas Cook will need additional borrowings to survive, as well as favourable renegotiated terms on existing loans.

Bookings have fallen due to the recession, tightened credit facilities, fears surrounding the "Arab spring", collapse of the pound over the last couple of years, UK loss of feel good factor, and fears for the euro.

The global long term trends of self booking travel via the internet and taking fewer but shorter breaks has compounded the problems. It is almost inevitable that Thomas Cook will reduce its UK network of retail outlets, further accelerating the disappearance from the high street of traditional travel agencies.

Other travel companies are expected to make announcements.

More :
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... story.html
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/ ... -woes.html

[gurubarry]

I have used Thomas Cook for bookings for the past 3 years,and found their service excellent. We had problems with our trip this year, and they secured a refund within 6 weeks of our complaint . I hope they ride out the storm...Simon Caulder was on TV this morning , very annoyed at the press whipping up panic over the situation. It is , as you point out, standard buisness practice in the travel trade, and what with all the problems involving Regime changes and volcanic eruptions, holiday bookings are suffering.

[Ian Hanson]

Flights Leeds/Bradford to Montpellier recommence 26 March 2012. Now twice a week on Monday and Thursday but still at a sensible time of day.

[gurubarry]

I thought Bradford closed on Thursdays ?

Does it connect to a Bradford Biggin Hill flight ....I go to Kent ...and Manston isn't always open either !

[Ian Hanson]

I could pick up an IED next time I'm in Bradford if you like, and drop it on you as we come in to land. Cheeky s*d!!

Actually, Bradford is ONLY open on Thursdays, but it's hard to see which parts.

[peter]

Thomas Cook has experienced severe trading difficulties and some restructuring is inevitable. In 2010 Languedoc visitors used Thompson Airways flights to Girona from Birmingham, Gatwick, Manchester and Newcastle ...

Thomas Cook Group, said it will borrow another GBP£100 million (USD$154 million), easing fears about the future of the world's oldest travel company, whose shares slumped earlier in the week when it asked its banks for new funding.

The 170-year-old company said its banks, led by Barclays, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland and UniCredit, had agreed to provide a new GBP£200 million facility available until April 2013, which replaces the GBP£100 million short-term facility announced in October.

The banks have also agreed to relax the terms of an upcoming key test of its financial health, Europe's second-biggest travel company said on Friday.

More : http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1322280061.html

Peter