Archive for December, 2007
New York wants British low-cost airlines
Dec 20th
New York is hoping to attract the UK low-cost airlines to fly to the new airport it has purchased just 60 miles north of the city. If low-cost airlines were to start flying over the Atlantic, city break in New York would become far more affordable.
The Port Authority of New York has purchased the Stewart International airport hoping that getting airlines to land there would ease the pressure on JFK. The airport currently handles mainly domestic flights but has immigration facilities ready. There are also plans to open a new terminal and train station.
Colin Smith, the port authority‚s regional director for Europe, said: “We have had discussions with operators this side of the Atlantic suggesting that this is not a bad model for them.
Smith is hoping the airport will be ready to accommodate transatlantic flights in summer 2008.
Record number of Brits expected at Jamaica in 2008
Dec 20th
This year has seen another rise in the number of Britons taking a holiday in Jamaica, and 2008 is expected to be another good year.
In the first six months of 2007 there was a 12.8% rise in the number of Brits entering Jamaica compared to the same period in the previous year, and since that, numbers have continued to rise.
The Jamaica Tourist Board‚s Regional Director for UK, Ireland and Northern Europe, Elizabeth Fox said: “Jamaica saw a strong start to 2007 with steady growth in visitor numbers each month. As the year progressed we have continued to see this strong pattern sustained through the duration of the year.
“‚We can attribute Jamaica‚s growth in visitor traffic to a number of factors. Our dedicated advertising campaign highlighting the huge diversity of experiences on offer provides us with excellent exposure.
“We also operate a very successful online training programme, and have recently announced our 2000th Jamaica Travel Specialist to have completed the training. Educating travel agents on Jamaica‚s abundance of fantastic attractions, mouth watering food, quality accommodation and warmth of the Jamaican welcome is key to our strategy and we are grateful to them for their ongoing support and enthusiasm for Jamaica.
Crackers not allowed on planes
Dec 20th
If you are taking a holiday this Christmas and want to bring some British Christmas crackers along think again. Airports have banned crackers in hand-luggage due to security reasons.
Stansted airport has said that crackers may include dangerous items ad could scare passengers if they go bang.
A spokesman said: “We won’t allow them in hand luggage, basically because we can’t see what’s inside – we would have to take them apart and that would defeat the object.
“And most airlines don’t want crackers in packed luggage. A bang from a cracker could cause alarm on a plane. Our message is don’t bring Christmas crackers if you’re flying over the holiday period.”