It is going to happen some day. And only when it does, perhaps, will everyone truly appreciate what has gone before.

Q. We were flying from Murcia to Stansted on Ryanair. Due to the runway at Stansted being closed, our flight was diverted to Newcastle for refuelling. However, we were eventually told to get off the plane at 2am and to make our own way home. We endured a very uncomfortable and stressful time getting back to Stansted – spending around £300. I thought we had a contract with Ryanair to get us to Stansted? Margaret Wellington

In his riding days, Conor O'Dwyer had as safe a pair of hands as any jockey round Cheltenham. Many who cherish the memory of Hardy Eustace in the Champion Hurdle, or War Of Attrition in the Gold Cup, will be gratified to see his horsemanship telling in a new career. Certainly, Folsom Blue looks his best chance yet of training a Festival winner, having handled a step up in class in style at Clonmel yesterday.

This German city where the Rhine and Main meet is gearing up for carnival season, says Susan Griffith.

Q&A: Travel unravelled

Low-cost airline Ryanair is to create more than 1,000 jobs this year as it expands its fleet and bases around Europe.

Winter sun and an impressive urban beach: the capital of Gran Canaria is an alluring prospect for Matthew Hirtes

Ryanair carried 4.8 million passengers in December, 5 per cent down on a year ago, Europe's largest budget airline said yesterday after it grounded 80 aircraft to avoid flying routes made unprofitable by high fuel prices.

Today: Check into the new Tierra Patagonia hotel, on the outskirts of Chile's Torres del Paine national park. The 40-room retreat overlooks the breathtaking beauty of Lake Sarmiento and has a list of outdoor activities from horse-riding to wildlife hikes (tierrapatagonia.com). Meanwhile, Virgin Holidays has opened its first retail shop on High Street Kensington in London, with pods dedicated to cruise, hotels and holidays (virginholidays.co.uk). And if you're about to head off on holiday, consider tour operator Black Tomato's new retail website The Beach Tomato Shack, which stocks beachwear and more (thebeachtomatoshack.com).

Q. I am fully aware of the various fees Ryanair charges and how to avoid them, but I have just discovered it now charges for online check-in at £6 per person. This is scandalous, since there is no other way to check-in without incurring a charge. Surely someone should be taking it to task for this? Richard Hunt

Receive a warm welcome in the cultured corners and bustling bars of this Mediterranean marvel

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Q&A travel unravelled