bmi , the second largest carrier at London Heathrow, has removed its fuel surcharges on all flights within the UK and Europe, providing UK holidaymakers with a cheaper way to explore their favourite holiday destinations.

Managing director Peter Spencer said, “bmi has always been a market leader in UK and Europe and is committed to providing the best value flights backed up by our renowned friendly service. Our extensive UK domestic and European mailine network links 17 cities and the abolition of fuel surcharges on these short haul flights are designed to help encourage more business and leisure travel.”

The bmi mainline network offers flights between Heathrow and Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Belfast City, Brussels, Dublin, Durham Tees Valley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hanover, Jersey and many more destinations.

A new craze currently seeping the US is “holidating”, where new couples go on holiday together after only a few weeks of meeting each other.

The luxury hotel chain Fairmont offers “ice breaker” packages for new couples, including an exciting combination of candelit dinners, adventure outings and romantic picnics.

A survey by Fairmont hotels and a Canadian online dating site showed that women were more skeptical of the idea, while half of the men questioned said they would like to go on holiday within the first two months of dating.

Britains however seem more keen on the idea, with a survey by Cupidbay.com showing that 70% of men and women would go on a mini break within a few weeks of starting a relationship.

British holidaymakers looking to escape the cold weather in the UK for some winter sun abroad may find a warm spanish resort is exactly what they are looking for.

Barcelona maintains a 12 degree temperature in the winter but has a its fair share of warm sunny days through the season. A scenic city, it offers a wealth of excellent shopping opportunities and stunning architecture. The work of Antonio Gaudi can be seen throughout, and no trip to Barcelona would be complete without a visit to the breathtaking cathedral, La Sagrada Famillia.

The golfing hotspot of the Costa del Sol offers UK visitors a range of beautiful beaches and a pleasant winter climate of around 16 degrees. The cities of Malaga and Marbella host a wide range of attractions for all tastes and the resort is easily accesible from a number of UK airports.

Tha Canary Islands are a favourite of UK tourists and during the winter they offer a 21 degree sunny climate to tempt visitors onto the famous black sandy beaches. Tenerife is one of the most popular islands and the stunning cliffs of Los Gigantes offer a spectacular backdrop to a warm winter break.

More flights to popular ski holiday destinations are to fly from Manchester Airport this winter.

New services from the Swiss Airline include -
Additional Saturday and Sunday flights to Geneva between 14 December 2008 and 18 April 2008 2009. Fares start at £117 return.

“We are delighted to be offering this additional connection between the UK and Switzerland, which demonstrates our commitment to both tourism in the Lake Geneva area and to our customers in northern England, north Wales and Scotland.” said Swiss country sales manager UK and Ireland, Gregor Koncilja.

“Leisure travellers looking for a ski holiday or extended city break can now escape conveniently and directly to Geneva, whilst enjoying the services of a top quality airline and the associated benefits of free baggage allowance, complimentary transportation of skis, food and beverage and, of course, Swiss hospitality from the moment they board the flight.”

According to recent research by Moneysupermarket.com men are much more likely to travel abroad without first taking out holiday insurance.

Around 17% of men asked said they would go on holiday without insuring their belongings or protection against flight cancellations. Only 12% of women agreed.

However a report by the Northern Echo has revealed that travel insurance is currently more affordable than ever. Journalist Sharon Griffiths said, “A year’s travel insurance policy can be bought for as little as £30. If you’re travelling outside Europe then you’re absolutely crazy to think of doing so without insurance”.

UK travellers can also take advantage of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which pays for state medical care in the European Union.

Recent research by the Guardian newspaper has compiled a range of top tips and useful hints for booking the ideal skiing holiday in France.

To avoid the crowds plan your holiday for January or March time, which have the best deals as they are outside of peak times.

A driving holiday will provide greater flexibility and drving over night could make travelling with children easier, as they are likely to sleep through most of the journey.

Skiiers with their own equipment will find flying with low cost airlines expensive due to the additional charges. Airlines such as Snowjet and BA may be worth looking into for good deals.

Ensure the children are well catered for in advance. France has some of the most sophisticated childcare in the Alps and ski schools are always very well organised.

Many French ski resorts offer loyalty discounts for returning skiiers, which could save money on lift passes and equipment hire. Many resorts also offer free or discounted passes for children, depending on their age.

Recent research by travel advisory service Travelex.co.uk has revealed the best summer destinations for holidaymakers looking to make their pounds go further.

The weakening of the pound against the Euro has led many British travellers to decide against a holiday break in otherwise popular European holiday destinations such as France and Spain.

Travelex director John Nicholas said, “Destinations within eastern Europe which still have their own currency such as Slovakia, Bulgaria and Croatia are continuing to gain popularity with tourists year on year as holiday makers travelling to these destinations find that they get a better value for their pound against the local currency.”

Inverness Airport will increase its destinations to include a number of popular European holiday destinations including Spain, Majorca, Malta and Italy.

It is expected that many Scottish holidaymakers will relish the opportunity to fly abroad for asummer holiday from their local airport.

Inverness Airport manager James Walton said, “Whether it’s young families or couples, the charter providers offer a good range of choice flying direct from Inverness, and operated very successful programmes this year.

“We believe that the early booking now available for 2009 will be popular with people who do not want to travel considerable distances to other Scottish airports to start their holidays.”

Research by Abbey Credit Cards has revealed that this year’s dissappointing British summer has prompted UK travellers to head abroad in the search for sunnier climbs.

Despite the current economic uncertainties, more than 15 million Britons intend to jet off abroad spending a collective £8bn.

The research also revealed that just over 1 million UK holidaymakers were so disappointed by the poor summer weather that they are opting for a holiday abroad for the first time in three years.

Among the most popular sunspots this winter are the western European destinations such as southern Spain and the Canary Islands, which are expecting almost 8 million visitors over the next few months. Other more exotic destinations include the Middle East, Latin America and Asia.

Flights from Southampton will now include the destinations Grenoble and Zurich which will be offered by Blue Islands, an airline based in the Channel Islands. Flights to Zurich will depart daily during the week with an extra flight being introduced on Sundays as of October 26th.

Blue Islands will join the airline Flybee in offering flights to Geneva.

Holidaymakers departing from Southampton will now have the choice of eight winter ski destinations across Europe.

Southampton airport customer service director, Mark Knox, said: “It’s fantastic that Southampton Airport will be offering passengers such a wide variety of ski holidays this winter. Ski enthusiasts can fly from their local airport to literally hundreds of Europe’s leading ski resorts.”

A report by the Telegraph has revealed that short- and medium-haul destinations are becoming increasingly popular with British holidaymakers as increased fuel charges continue to push up the prices of flights to destinations further a field.

Morocco is enjoying increased popularity this winter and is served by a number of low-cost airlines. Marrakesh and the beaches of Essaouria will be popular destinations in the coming months as well as Tunisia.

Only a six hour flight from London, the islands of Cape Verde offer the white sands of the Seychelles and Maldivian waters but at a much cheaper rate.

The game parks and beach resorts of Gambia offer a less crowded and cheaper alternative to the wildlife safaris in Kenya and South Africa.

Mexico and Brazil are also excellent, affordable winter holiday destinations with British Airways offering direct flights to Rio de Janiero and the pound still strong against the Mexican Peso.

Cruises are also proving to be good value this season, with many lines including Ocean Village, offering week-long Caribbean cruises for under £700 including return flight.

Autumn is the perfect time for a colourful holiday break. The Times has compiled a list of the most colourful destinations for this season.

Lake Trasimeno in Italy is said to be at its most beautiful in the autumn, when the woods along the shoreline glow with the colours of autumn. The mild weather makes walking on the largest island or through the woods close to the picturesque village of Panicale an ideal pastime.

Romania’s mythical region of Transylvania and the Carpathian mountains covered in beech, oak and spruce are a breathtaking sight in the autumn. Many walking enthusiasts come here to experience the wildlife and beauty of the countryside. Small towns such as 13th-century Sighisoara offer insights into the history and culture of the area.

The Lot Valley in France offers an escape from the busier Dordogne and its wooded hills and vineyards provide the excellent environment for those wishing to take in the sights.

The wine region of La Rioja in Spain is the perfect destination for wine lovers as the harvest begins against a backdrop of stunning autumn colours.

The High Tatras Mountains in Poland boast breathtaking landscapes at this time of year with the forests glowing with reds and golds. Hiking and riding are popular activities for which the mountain town of Zakopane provides a great base.

The use of mobile phones on UK passenger aircraft may soon be given the go-ahead after an investigation by Ofcom.

UK aircraft operators wishing to permit their passengers to use their mobiles and other such radio equipment during a flight will be able to obtain a licence from Ofcom.

However recent research suggests that the vast majority of British travellers are against the move, preferring a more peaceful, relaxing flight free from catchy ringtones and loud conversations.

Passengers wishing to fly to New Brunswick, Canada will now be able to do so from Gatwick airport.

This long-awaited service will provide travellers with greater access to the many popular resorts along the Atlantic Coast including Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

The flight operator will be Air Transat, offering both Economy and Club Class on an Airbus A310.

The Manchester Airport Group are to invest £45m into Bournemouth airport with the aim of doubling its passenger numbers.

Included in the new development plans are a new terminal and the expansion of the existing aircraft and passenger areas.

Following the completion of the project the number of passengers is expected to more than double from this year’s estimate of 1.2 million to around 3 million in 2013.

There are over 20 airports across the UK sending millions of British tourists to the world’s most popular holiday destinations each year. Recent research has proved that the option of travelling from a local airport is an important factor in choosing a holiday.

In a recent online survey by Travel and Leisure magazine Thailand’s metropolitan capital Bangkok was voted the world’s best city.

Voters also declared the best islands to be the Galapagos, replacing the previous year’s winner, Bali.

The Singita Sabi Sand and Kruger National Park lodges were awarded best hotel, while Singapore Airlines was awarded best airline.

British and European holiday destinations are proving increasingly popular with UK holidaymakers this summer.

Many Brits are opting to travel by car or train to their desired location, resulting in a drop in popularity of former favourites such as China and Kenya.

Eurostar have reported an almost 20% increase on travel compared with last year and it seems that many UK travellers are preferring train fares over air fares.

From 13th December UK holidaymakers will be able to fly to Austria’s popular skiing destination of Salzburg from Gatwick.

This newly announced service from easyjet puts an end to the frustrations of British skiers wanting a more direct connection between London and the Austrian skiing resort.

Easyjet will be offering the flights three times a week with prices starting from £32.99 one way.
David Osbourne, the general commercial manager for easyjet, said: “We expect the route to be popular with passengers seeking both a city break away and a great ski destination for those looking to hit the slopes this winter.”

A survey has revealed that men and women have very different ideas about what is important on a luxury holiday, reports Travel Mole.

Women value top quality bathrooms, whereas men favour a concierge and a fun bar.
Overall 5-star accommodation and a comfortable flight are seen as the most important features of a luxury holiday.

Privacy is important to younger travellers, with 20 per cent of 16-24 year olds saying they prefer to stay somewhere on their own.

Thailand is the most popular luxury destination, the Maldives second and Dubai is third.