Virgin Pledges to Fight Global Warming
Virgin Pledges to Fight Global Warming
Sir Richard Branson, rebel billionnaire and head of the Virgin empire, has committed £1.6bn over 10 years to fight global warming.
He announced at a news conference at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York that he will hand over all the profits from the Virgin Group’s transport business to support the cause.
Sir Richard said: “We are very pleased today to be making a commitment to invest 100% of all future proceeds to the Virgin Group from our transportation interest into tackling global warming.”
“Our generation has inherited an incredibly beautiful world from our parents and they from their parents.
“We must not be the generation responsible for irreversibly damaging the environment.”
The Virgin Group’s “transportation interests” include the Virgin Airline and Train businesses, whose proceeds would be invested in efforts to find renewable, sustainable energy sources.
The aim would be to help wean the world off oil and coal.
Sir Richard made his announcement on the second day of the annual conference hosted by former President Bill Clinton.
Mr Clinton praised the entrepreneur, calling him one of the most “creative” and “committed” people he had ever known.
The above is based on a Sky News article on 21st September 2006
If you want a taste of the Virgin travel businesses then the Virgin Holidays and Virgin Atlantic web sites are worth exploring.
Airport and Airline Security Regulations
Airport and Airline Security Regulations
Please Note (2nd November 2006 Update) – The Department for Transport has announced further changes to the UK’s aviation security measures, notably allowing limited quantities of liquids in the cabin. The changes will take effect from Monday 6th November 2006.
The full update to the Airport and Airline Security Regulations can be found on TheTravelPage.co.uk main site.
The summary below has therefore been superceded, and we strongly recommend you follow one of the links above for the up-to-date position.
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UPDATED: September 21 2006
The Department for Transport has today announced changes to the UK’s aviation security measures, notably increasing the size of cabin baggage that can be taken onboard an aircraft. The changes will take effect from Friday 22 September 2006 (see below).
The full update to the Airport and Airline Security Regulations can be found on TheTravelPage.co.uk main site.
The highlights are summarised below:
Cabin Baggage – ONE item only of cabin baggage will be permitted through the airport security search point, but the permitted dimensions of this item has been increased to a maximum length of 56 cm, width of 45 cm and depth of 25 cm (including wheels, handles, side pockets etc.). Other bags, such as handbags, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage.
Mobility Aids - No change
Liquids – No change. No liquids of any type are permitted, except Baby Food and Essential Medicines
Large Electrical Items / Laptops – No change
Musical Instruments – These are now permitted as a second item of cabin baggage, and will be subject to the usual screening.
Note, for flights departing on Thursday 21st September, the existing Airport and Airline Security Regulations remain in force.
See Airport and Airline Security Regulations for the full text of this announcement.
Norwich Airport Parking
New Car Parking for Norwich Airport – Drop and Go, Meet and Greet
We now have an excellent Drop and Go, Meet and Greet Airport Parking service for Norwich International Airport.
In response to a rapidly rising demand for Airport Parking at Norwich, we are delighted to announce we can now offer discounted prices for advance booking of this Drop and Go, Meet and Greet service.
You have the option of either secured undercover storage or secured outdoor car parking – at Norwich the choice of Airport Parking is yours!
Look at these Prices:
From: £44.50 for 8 days parking and £78.00 for 15 days (Outdoor Parking)
£52.50 for 8 days parking and £93.00 15 days (Indoor Parking).
To use this service just follow the simple steps below:
- Call drop and Go 20 minutes before you are due to arrive at Norwich Airport to confirm your arrival time.
- Drive to the Drop Off/Pick Up area directly outside Norwich Terminal building, where the driver will collect your car (the driver will be identified by a board displaying the Drop and Go Parking logo)
- Then you go to check in – Easy!
To Book your Norwich Airport Parking just visit our main Airport Parking page.
Categories: Airport Parking, Travel Extras Tags:
Child Restraints and Booster Seats – New UK Law
Child Restraints and Booster Seats – New UK Law
From Monday, 18th September 2006, a new law comes into force in the UK regarding the use of child restraints for children when travelling by car in the UK. This new law regarding child restraints can be summarised as follows. For more detailed information please see Child Restraints and Booster Seats – New UK Law at TheTravelPage.co.uk
| From 18 September 2006 in cars, vans and goods vehicles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Front seat | Rear seat | Who is responsible? | |
| Driver | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Driver | |
| Child up to 3 years* | Correct child restraint MUST be used*. | Correct child restraint MUST be used*. If one is not available in a taxi, may travel unrestrained. | Driver |
| Child from 3rd birthday up to 135cms in height (approx 4’5″) (or 12th birthday whichever they reach first)** | Correct child restraint MUST be used***. | Where seat belts fitted, correct child restraint MUST be used. Must use adult belt if the correct child restraint is not available:- in a licensed taxi/private hire vehicle; or - for a short distance for reason of unexpected necessity; or - two occupied child restraints prevent fitment of a third.A child 3 and over may travel unrestrained in the rear seat of a vehicle if seat belts are not available. |
Driver |
| Child over 1.35 metres (approx 4ft 5ins in height) or 12 or 13 years | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Driver |
| Adult passengers (ie 14 years and over) | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Seat belt MUST be worn if available. | Passenger |
In addition, the revised regulations also say that rear-facing baby seats MUST NOT be used in a seat protected by a frontal air-bag unless the air-bag has been deactivated manually or automatically.
* Children under 3 years MUST use the child restraint appropriate for their weight in all cars, vans and other goods vehicles, with the single exception for the rear of taxis. They cannot travel otherwise. This means for example that they may not travel in cars, vans or goods vehicles which do not have seat belts installed.
** Examples. A 7 year old who is 140 cms tall is over the height for a child restraint and may use an adult seat belt. A 12 year old who is 130 cms tall is over the age threshold and therefore may use an adult belt.
*** If no seat belts are fitted in the front, then children under 135 cms in height (who are also under 12 years of age) cannot travel in the front.
In buses and coaches (including minibuses), seated passengers aged 14 years and above will have to use seat belts where they are fitted. Regulations requiring children 3 years to 13 years to use seat belts (or child restraints if they are available) in these vehicles will be brought forward as soon as practicable. The regulations will not include any obligation for anyone to provide child restraints in these vehicles. Bus and coach (including minibus) operators need to notify their passengers that seat belt wearing is compulsory.
Exemptions
Three exceptions allow children 3 years to 135 cms in height to travel in the rear and use an adult belt:
- in a licensed taxi/private hire vehicle, if the right child restraint is not available (Children under 3 years may also travel in the rear of a taxi unrestrained if no child restraint is available); or
- for unexpected necessity over a short distance, if the right child restraint is not available (note that regular school trips are not included in this exception); or
- where two occupied child seats in the rear prevent the fitment of a third child seat.
All the indications are that you can expect leniency from the police for a few weeks while everyone gets used to the new rules, which is just as well as many high street shops have completely sold out of the booster seats (although full size child restraints for smaller children are still widely available). The police will probably offer guidance to offenders in the short term.
After this initial period, however, if you are caught in breach of the new law you will receive a fine of £30!
If you want to obtain a booster seat quickly then we recommend you try ebay.co.uk. If you can wait a little longer, we think you’ll get a better price (and/or better quality) by sticking to established makes from stores like Argos.co.uk (who’ll deliver to your home for a small charge). With Argos.co.uk
, of course, you can also check availability and reserve online, and then collect it from your local store yourself.
You can find even more information on the new law for child restraints at TheTravelPage.co.uk/booster_seats
Categories: Accessories, General Tags:
Thomsonfly Adds 28 New Low Cost Routes
Thomsonfly Adds 28 New Low Cost Routes
Thomsonfly has announced this week that it is expanding its summer schedule of low fare flights in 2007 by adding a further 28 routes. More are expected to be announced later in the year.
Full list of new Thomsonfly routes:
- Manchester to: Salzburg, Venice, Naples, Dubrovnik, Faro, Paphos, Mahon, Tenerife, Corfu, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote,
- Gatwick to: Paphos, Mahon, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, Corfu
- East Midlands to: Alicante, Palma, Ibiza, Mahon and Paphos
- Cardiff to: Faro
- Bournemouth to: Valencia and Prague
- Luton to: Prague, Corfu and Paphos
Thomsonfly’s other low fares routes also going on sale today are:
- Coventry to: Malaga, Alicante, Palma, Ibiza, Valencia, Barcelona, Pisa, Faro and Salzburg
- Doncaster Sheffield to: Malaga, Alicante, Palma, Ibiza, Pisa, Faro, Prague
- Bournemouth to: Malaga, Alicante, Palma, Pisa and Faro
- Manchester to: Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Ibiza
- Cardiff to: Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Ibiza
- Luton to: Malaga, Palma and Ibiza
- Gatwick to: Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Ibiza
- Newcastle to: Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Ibiza
- Birmingham to: Palma
- Glasgow to: Palma
All of these flights may be booked through TheTravelPage
or Click Here to Book Direct with Thomsonfly
The full text of the announcement is included below.
Thomsonfly today continues its growth and ownership of the skies by announcing it will be expanding its summer network of scheduled low fares flights in 2007.
An additional 28 new low fares routes go on sale this week and more are expected to be announced later in the year. This strengthens Thomsonfly’s position as the UK airline offering the widest range of low fare flights from more UK departure points than any other airline. It also shows Thomsonfly’s commitment to meeting the changing needs of travellers who want more convenience and choice and are increasingly turning to the internet to find the cheapest flights available for short city breaks, business travel and summer holidays.
The growth in low cost flying for the coming summer will see scheduled low fares on no less than 11 new routes from Manchester and on five new routes from Gatwick. Also added are new scheduled flights to the Balearic Islands, Spain and Cyprus from Nottingham East Midlands, to Faro from Cardiff, to Prague from Bournemouth and Luton, and to Valencia from Bournemouth. This new service will meet the needs of the sailing community on the South Coast travelling to the 2007 America’s Cup, hosted in Valencia
Today’s announcement means that Thomsonfly now offers more routes than any other airline from Manchester Airport. On sale today are exciting new scheduled low fare routes, all operating at least four times per week, on sale to Faro, Menorca, Paphos, Venice, Naples, Salzburg and Dubrovnik with prices starting from £19.99 one-way including taxes and charges. This is in addition to our low fares flights to Malaga, Alicante, Palma and Ibiza, and new low fares services to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Corfu and Lanzarote. Additional new routes for summer 2007 will also be announced and on sale soon. To achieve this level of growth Thomsonfly will be basing extra aircraft in Manchester.
More low fares flights to Spain and the Balearic Islands from across the UK reinforce Thomsonfly’s commitment to these destinations, with a new low fares service to Menorca from Manchester, Gatwick and East Midlands; Palma served with high frequency flights from 11 UK airports, Ibiza from 9 UK airports and Malaga and Alicante from 8 UK airports. Thomsonfly remains one of the biggest airlines flying to the Canary Islands, with low fares flights to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote available from Manchester and Gatwick. With over 100 weekly departures to Palma in the peak of summer across its whole network, Thomsonfly has a local low fares service within an hour of everyone in the UK.
Currently boasting the widest coverage of any UK carrier, with daily flights from some airports during peak ski season, Thomsonfly’s low fare flights will operate from Coventry and Manchester next summer, with prices as low as £19.99 one way.
Prague is proving so popular as a new low fares route from Luton for this winter that the airline has decided to extend this route into the summer months as well as offering low fares flights to the Czech Capital from Bournemouth and Doncaster-Sheffield.
Thomsonfly remains committed to providing a high level of customer service and offers allocated seating on all flights unlike the majority of low fares airlines, as well as offering passengers the opportunity to book inflight meals and extra legroom. Thomsonfly also offers the most generous baggage allowance among low fares airlines – 25kg with flexibility for passengers to choose how they split this between hand luggage and hold luggage.
Guy Stephenson, Thomsonfly’s commercial director, said: “The announcement of our expanded flight programme for next summer makes Thomsonfly an even more serious player in the UK’s low fares market. With fares from just £19.99 including taxes and charges, customers will benefit from a range of brilliant destinations, a fantastic choice of regional departure options, really attractive prices, allocated seating, a flexible 25kg baggage allowance and a selection of great products to buy to make the journey even more comfortable. We believe this matches what our customers are telling us they want, and we are convinced our new routes will be a great success.”
The airline is building on its reputation as one customers can trust – unlike several of its competitors Thomsonfly did not cancel any flights during the recent security disruptions.
Thomsonfly is now offering low fares flights to over 80 destinations from 20 UK airports.
The Secrets to Finding Lower Hotel Rates
The Secrets to Finding Lower Hotel Rates
About.com has a useful article with sound advice on how to find the best hotel rates available for the time you need to stay.
TheTravelPage agrees you should really look around and check different hotel sites, as in many cases the rates for the same hotel will vary through the different agents, so we have listed on our site a few of our favourites of the ‘big names’.
In addition, you may well do better to book as far ahead as possible. Where there are special deals, this will often only apply to a limited number of rooms, and if a standard room is all you need then book it early while it is still available. In the past we have had to pay a single supplement on a double room in a small hotel, as their single rooms were all booked.
Once you know where you want to stay it is definitely worth double-checking the hotel’s own website. Although in many cases you’ll see the prices higher as they’ll just be the rack rate, on occasions you may find special deals or prices the hotel is running itself.
Categories: Hotels Tags:
