http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/?service=Rss http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-ten-best-vampire-holidays-1824807.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-ten-best-vampire-holidays-1824807.html ]]> <p> A plethora of fang-bearing films and television shows have hit our screens recently, from The Vampire’s Assistant to the highly acclaimed True Blood, and the latest is New Moon, sequel to the 2008 hit Twilight, released last week. </p> News & Advice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:16:58 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/minister-sees-fasttrack-passport-gates-in-action-1826319.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/minister-sees-fasttrack-passport-gates-in-action-1826319.html <p> Home Secretary Alan Johnson saw new automatic passport gates in operation at Gatwick Airport today. </p> News & Advice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:22:51 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/oyster-cards-extended-to-main-line-trains-1826181.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/oyster-cards-extended-to-main-line-trains-1826181.html <p> More commuters will be able to use Oyster pay-as-you-go travelcards on London main line rail services from January, it was announced today. </p> News & Advice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:02:49 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/more-than-100-icebergs-heading-towards-nzealand-official-1826269.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/more-than-100-icebergs-heading-towards-nzealand-official-1826269.html ]]> <p>More than 100, and possibly hundreds, of Antarctic icebergs are floating towards New Zealand in a rare event which has prompted a shipping warning, officials said on Monday.</p> News & Advice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/weekly-transport-agenda-oasis-maiden-voyage-1826363.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/weekly-transport-agenda-oasis-maiden-voyage-1826363.html ]]> <p>The world's most expensive cruise ship makes its four-night maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Labadee, Haiti, plus boat shows in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.</p> News & Advice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/antonio-banderas-plans-hotel-at-spanish-vineyard-1826428.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/antonio-banderas-plans-hotel-at-spanish-vineyard-1826428.html ]]> <p>Antonio Banderas wants to ramp up production at his vineyard in the north of Spain and build a hotel there, the Hollywood film star said in an interview published on Sunday.</p> News & Advice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/its-time-to-wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee-1825242.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/its-time-to-wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee-1825242.html ]]> <p>The view from our veranda is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It's a vision of earthly paradise as painted by the Flemish masters. There are 20ft trees that would be no taller than a much-loved potted plant in the UK. Flame-red heliconias fringe the lawn, as red as the plumage of the tiny bird known as sangre de toro (blood of the bull) that darts in and out of the palm trees, dodging the hummingbirds and parrots. </p> Americas Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/city-slicker-in-shanghai-1825244.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/city-slicker-in-shanghai-1825244.html ]]> <p> <b>Why visit?</b> </p> <p> Shanghai is gearing up to host the six-month-long World Expo, which opens in the Pudong district in May 2010 – a staggering 70 million visitors are expected, bringing with them around 300bn yuan (£26bn) to spend. </p> Asia Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/tips-and-deals-22112009-1825243.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/tips-and-deals-22112009-1825243.html ]]> <p> <b>The website</b> </p> <p> Check out bestvaluefares.co.uk, a new one-stop online shop for rail travel across Britain. The website features deals and offers from all the country's train-operating companies and incorporates the National Rail Enquiries fare finder. </p> News & Advice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotels/stay-the-night-hotel-le-bleu-brooklyn-1825245.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotels/stay-the-night-hotel-le-bleu-brooklyn-1825245.html ]]> <p>This new boutique hotel is a sure sign that Brooklyn is becoming a tourist destination in its own right. Designed by architect Andres Escobar, the nine-storey chrome and glass structure, which opened last year, sits rather uncomfortably above the garages and low-rise factories of Park Slope's 4th Avenue, the first "full service" hotel in a neighbourhood of scant B&Bs. </p> Hotels Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/on-the-path-of-righteousness-in-jordan-1825247.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/on-the-path-of-righteousness-in-jordan-1825247.html ]]> <p>In the highlands of northern Jordan, Ibrahim, my guide, leads me in the footsteps of Ibrahim the prophet. "Look up there," he says as we head through Wadi Orjan, amid lush terraces of fig, pomegranate, walnut and olive groves. "Ancient caves with little niches for oil lamps, even some crosses have been found up there ... it's where Christians hid, maybe from the Romans." </p> Middle East Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/snow-report-22112009-1825246.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/snow-report-22112009-1825246.html <p> Skiing across international borders isn't what it used to be. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, when Europe's ski areas started to link together with lifts and runs, about a dozen of these cross-border pistes were created for those of us too lazy to hike across as "ski tourers". </p> Skiing Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/macau-hotel-to-display-jacko-moonwalk-glove-1826009.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/macau-hotel-to-display-jacko-moonwalk-glove-1826009.html ]]> <p>A hotel in the glitzy Asian gambling haven of Macau will display Michael Jackson's rhinestone-encrusted glove after paying 350,000 dollars for the piece of pop history at auction, the hotel said Sunday.</p> News & Advice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ausandpacific/travellers-guide-to-antarctica-1824896.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ausandpacific/travellers-guide-to-antarctica-1824896.html ]]> Australasia & Pacific Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/a-kaleidoscope-of-colour-in-kolkata-1824889.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/a-kaleidoscope-of-colour-in-kolkata-1824889.html ]]> <p>Eight o'clock on a Tuesday morning and already a dozen or so of Kolkata's legal clerks were hard at work. At their makeshift offices of tarpaulin and bamboo that fringe the exterior of the imposing 19th-century High Court, they were clattering away on sturdy manual typewriters, their multiple carbon copies clipped together with clothes pegs. India, the land of IT, was showing an endearingly antiquated face. </p> Asia Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/48-hours-in-bermuda-1824892.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/48-hours-in-bermuda-1824892.html ]]> 48 Hours In Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/high-anxiety-the-biggest-liftserved-verticals-1824602.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/high-anxiety-the-biggest-liftserved-verticals-1824602.html <p> Last winter, I was fortunate to ski the biggest lift-served verticals on both sides of the Atlantic. In the Alps, this means the long-standing leader by this measure, the Vallée Blanche above Chamonix. At approaching three vertical kilometres, it is the world's largest. However, across the Atlantic a new contender, the resort of Revelstoke in British Columbia, in its second season of operations, has wrested the crown from Whistler. It boasts the biggest rise from base station to highest lift on the continent. So how do they compare?</p> Skiing Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/ski-news-so-far-so-good-for--this-seasons-snow-1824603.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/ski-news-so-far-so-good-for--this-seasons-snow-1824603.html <p>Anyone who mentions how good the autumn snow has been this year might be accused of jinxing the coming 2009-10 ski season. But the truth is that the pre-season to the coming winter has so far equalled, if not exceeded, the start of the snowy spectacular 2008-9 ski season.</p> Skiing Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/rail-travel-that-hits-the-heights-with-carbon-footprint-site-1824605.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/rail-travel-that-hits-the-heights-with-carbon-footprint-site-1824605.html ]]> <p> <b>What does Snowcarbon provide for the traveller?</b> </p> <p> Everything you need to know in terms of getting from the UK to a ski resort by train. If you take the carbon footprint of a typical Alpine ski resort, 73 per cent of it is made up of how people get there. So a train is the most important thing that you and a resort can do in terms of preserving the ski slopes. </p> Skiing Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/ski-gear-ready-to-wear-this-winter-1824604.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/ski-gear-ready-to-wear-this-winter-1824604.html ]]> <p><b>Burton Supreme boots </b></p> Skiing Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/chalet-holidays-a-snow-place-like-home-1824607.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/chalet-holidays-a-snow-place-like-home-1824607.html ]]> <p> The identity of the inventor of the ski-chalet holiday is a matter of some dispute. According to one school of thought, it was a British-based Austrian woman named Erna Low, who in 1932 placed an advertisement in the Morning Post (or possibly the New Statesman – accounts vary) that announced "Viennese undergraduette taking party to Austria, fortnight £15". The cost of the holiday in Sölden included the return train fare from London, full-board in a guest house, ski hire and tuition and German lessons.</p> Skiing Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/samo235ns-a-resort-that-goes-down-a-treat-1824608.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/samo235ns-a-resort-that-goes-down-a-treat-1824608.html ]]> <p>As a Francophile who only recently returned to skiing after a long hiatus, I was less than enamoured by the idea of the French Alps. Too many British people and concrete villages. But surely there was an authentic slice of France somewhere among the dozens of resorts that run from the Jura to northern Provence. I asked a few people from the Rhône-Alpes region where I could find a resort that could more or less guarantee snow, wasn't completely anglicised, had more than two restaurants and didn't resemble a Sixties modernist horror. "Samoëns," they chorused. "Where?" I asked. </p> Skiing Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/basques-of-the-net-bilbaos-iconic-football-team-1824891.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/basques-of-the-net-bilbaos-iconic-football-team-1824891.html ]]> <p>The picture that shows you what makes Bilbao tick cannot be found in the Guggenheim. For all its undeniable magnificence, the Frank Gehry-designed gallery that rises sleekly beside the Nervió*River does not contain the famous photo of the celebrations after Athletic Club, the city's football team, won the Spanish league and cup double in 1984 (without the help of the hand of God). To find that, you'll have to go to the bar or, more accurately, you'll have to end up in one of the many bars in the city that display this striking image on the wall. </p> Europe Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-agenda-kendal-mountain-festival-dean-street-townhouse-viceroy-snowmass-homecoming-scotland-1824899.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-agenda-kendal-mountain-festival-dean-street-townhouse-viceroy-snowmass-homecoming-scotland-1824899.html News & Advice Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/my-life-in-travel-angela-griffin-actress-and-television-presenter-1824898.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/my-life-in-travel-angela-griffin-actress-and-television-presenter-1824898.html ]]> <p>Angela Griffin has starred in <I>Emmerdale</I>, <I>Coronation Street</I>, <I>Cutting It </I>and <I>Waterloo Road</I>.</p> News & Advice Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/open-jaw-dining-out-on-tales-of-the-pudding-shop-1824897.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/open-jaw-dining-out-on-tales-of-the-pudding-shop-1824897.html News & Advice Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotels/24hour-room-service-grand-h244tel-stockholm-sweden-1824895.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/hotels/24hour-room-service-grand-h244tel-stockholm-sweden-1824895.html ]]> <p>Any coastal town or city worth its salt has a Grand Hotel; those that host political shindigs – Eastbourne, Scarborough and Brighton, for example – seem to be particularly partial to them. All too often they are grand in size, rather than quantifiably opulent. Victorian edifice, "promenade" location, luridly patterned carpets, conference facilities – you know the sort. But the Grand Hôtel Stockholm is of a different breed. In Sweden, style is written into the genes, so Stockholm's Grand is just that: opulent, dazzling and every bit as grand as you'd expect. </p> Hotels Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/something-to-declare-le243n-spain-lebanon-colombia-via-florida-answers-on-australia-1824894.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/something-to-declare-le243n-spain-lebanon-colombia-via-florida-answers-on-australia-1824894.html News & Advice Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-challenge-a-new-year-gettogether-in-england-1824893.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-challenge-a-new-year-gettogether-in-england-1824893.html <p>Every week we invite competing companies to give us their best deal for a specified holiday. Today: a self-catering break over the new year. Prices are for seven nights' rental (commencing 28 December) for properties that sleep at least 10 guests.</p> News & Advice Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/on-the-road-the-kindness-and-spontaneity-of-syrian-strangers-1824890.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/on-the-road-the-kindness-and-spontaneity-of-syrian-strangers-1824890.html <p>I feel like I've been taken hostage, but in a good way. True, I've been bundled into a car and taken to an unknown destination somewhere in the old city section of Homs. But there are no dank cells or handcuffs here. Instead it's just endless cups of tea and a table groaning under the weight of huge plates of food. This is Syria and, yet again, I've been befriended by a local family and brought home for lunch. This is a nation that takes hospitality very seriously. </p> Middle East Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/simon-calder/simon-calder-the-seven-classes-of-man-antarctic-style-1824888.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/simon-calder/simon-calder-the-seven-classes-of-man-antarctic-style-1824888.html <p>Imagine checking in for a 12-hour, 6,000-mile flight, yet not needing to show a passport because it's a domestic journey. No, this is not a trip across all 11 time zones of Russia: it is a flight chartered from Qantas by a firm in Sydney with the suburban-sounding name of Croydon Travel (00 61 3 9725 8555). The passengers are looking forward to a trip on the world's biggest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380, on the last day of the year, from Sydney to Sydney – via Antarctica.</p> Simon Calder Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/obergurgl-a-blast-from-a-past-master-1824606.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/obergurgl-a-blast-from-a-past-master-1824606.html ]]> <p> As we speed up the mountain on one of Obergurgl's newly built, state-of-the-art chairlifts, conversation turns to the subject of marmot fat. There are lots of marmots up here, close to the border with Italy. In fact, we have been skiing over them, snug beneath the snow in their hibernation quarters. </p> Skiing Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/widows-tribute-to-hero-pc-swept-away-in-floods-1824671.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/widows-tribute-to-hero-pc-swept-away-in-floods-1824671.html <p> The widow of a hero police constable swept away when a bridge collapsed in floods paid a moving tribute to her husband today. </p> News & Advice Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:40:13 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/climate-change-survey-says-83-willing-to-make-sacrifices-1824663.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/climate-change-survey-says-83-willing-to-make-sacrifices-1824663.html <p> More than 80 per cent of people believe climate change is a serious threat and are willing to make sacrifices to combat it, a survey by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) showed today. </p> News & Advice Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:56:29 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/worlds-biggest-cruise-ship-goes-on-display-1824596.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/worlds-biggest-cruise-ship-goes-on-display-1824596.html ]]> <p> The world's biggest cruise ship - boasting its own open air park and amphitheatre - was officially unveiled today. </p> News & Advice Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:25:33 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/recession-increases-demand-for-solo-holidays-1823671.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/recession-increases-demand-for-solo-holidays-1823671.html <p> More people are choosing to travel alone as friends and family struggle to fund holidays, a new survey revealed this week. </p> News & Advice Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:50:51 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/business-dip-hits-foreign-visitor-numbers-1823643.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/business-dip-hits-foreign-visitor-numbers-1823643.html <p> The UK's ability to attract overseas visitors is being hit by a dearth of foreign business travellers, it was revealed today. </p> News & Advice Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:02 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/delayed-air-passengers-to-benefit-from-compensation-ruling-1823572.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/delayed-air-passengers-to-benefit-from-compensation-ruling-1823572.html ]]> <p> Airline passengers facing long delays should receive the same cash compensation as those whose flights are cancelled, European judges ruled today. </p> News & Advice Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:33:09 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-firstclass-cabin-of-air-frances-a380-jets-showcases-privacy-1823344.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-firstclass-cabin-of-air-frances-a380-jets-showcases-privacy-1823344.html ]]> <p>Nine passengers will have the privilege of flying First Class on each Air France A380 flight starting November 23 when the airline begins commercial flights between Paris and New York. Refined and luxurious, Air France's First Class is staking its claim as the "most private cabin" of all the A380s in service.</p> News & Advice Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/worldrsquos-largest-highspeed-rail-system-set-to-seduce-chinarsquos-commuters-1823551.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/worldrsquos-largest-highspeed-rail-system-set-to-seduce-chinarsquos-commuters-1823551.html ]]> <p>The Chinese Government's grand plans to link the entire nation by high-speed electric train are steaming ahead, with 2012 now set as the date when the system will overtake Europe's as the world largest.</p> News & Advice Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/air-france-a380-set-for-first-transatlantic-flight-1824035.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/air-france-a380-set-for-first-transatlantic-flight-1824035.html ]]> <p>An Air France A380, the world's largest civilian airliner, sets off Friday on its first flight across the Atlantic despite production and delivery delays still plaguing its manufacturer Airbus.</p> News & Advice Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/click-pack-and-go-our-pick-of-this-weeks-travel-deals-1822954.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/click-pack-and-go-our-pick-of-this-weeks-travel-deals-1822954.html ]]> <p> Late November into early December is traditionally the quietest period in the travelling calendar, which is why tour operators, hotels and transport providers often release some of their best deals around about now. </p> News & Advice Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:55:37 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/dollar-boost-for-british-travellers-1822924.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/dollar-boost-for-british-travellers-1822924.html <p> British travellers are being boosted by the strengthening pound which is making dollar destinations much more attractive, it was revealed today. </p> News & Advice Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:34:11 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/free-sky-deal-opens-way-to-multinational-airlines-1822616.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/free-sky-deal-opens-way-to-multinational-airlines-1822616.html ]]> <p>Nations representing 60 percent of global aviation endorsed Monday a plan to liberalize the flagging industry that will drive consolidation and could lead to the emergence of multinational airlines.</p> News & Advice Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/football-plenty-of-hotels-but-some-long-drives-for-world-cup-fans-1823277.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/football-plenty-of-hotels-but-some-long-drives-for-world-cup-fans-1823277.html ]]> <p>With 450,000 visitors expected in South Africa for the World Cup, organisers are at pains to reassure that fans will find enough hotel rooms -- but not always in smaller host cities on match days.</p> News & Advice Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/lufthansa-heads-for-lowcost-model-1823008.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/lufthansa-heads-for-lowcost-model-1823008.html ]]> <p>Struggling German flag carrier Lufthansa is poised to adopt elements of the "low-cost" business model, especially on its European routes, deputy chief executive Christoph Franz said on Tuesday.</p> News & Advice Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/named-and-shamed-uks-worst-stations-1821928.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/named-and-shamed-uks-worst-stations-1821928.html ]]> <p> The 10 worst railway stations in the country were named and shamed in a report out today. </p> Home News Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:44:42 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/profits-down-65-at-easyjet-1821907.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/profits-down-65-at-easyjet-1821907.html <p> Budget airline easyJet said today that profits were down 65 per cent on last year but added that it was one of the few carriers to make a surplus in the recession. </p> Business News Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:37:22 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/extra-legroom-being-offered-by-more-airlines-sometimes-at-expense-of-others-1821887.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/extra-legroom-being-offered-by-more-airlines-sometimes-at-expense-of-others-1821887.html ]]> <p>On November 16 Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific airlines announced they will offer economy passengers the chance to purchase extra legroom for a fee in the latest trend of airline add-on charges.</p> News & Advice Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/alternative-fuel-can-power-15-pct-of-flights-by-2020-airbus-1822276.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/alternative-fuel-can-power-15-pct-of-flights-by-2020-airbus-1822276.html ]]> <p>Alternative fuels could power 15 percent of global air traffic by 2020 and 30 percent by 2030, European aircraft-maker Airbus said at the Dubai Airshow on Tuesday.</p> News & Advice Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/formula-one-surtees-drives-through-channel-tunnel-1822530.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/formula-one-surtees-drives-through-channel-tunnel-1822530.html ]]> <p>Motor sport great John Surtees had to keep the speed down for his latest challenge as he became the first person to drive a sports car through the Channel Tunnel on Tuesday.</p> News & Advice Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-cabin-crew-begin-voting-on-strike-action-1821552.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-cabin-crew-begin-voting-on-strike-action-1821552.html ]]> <p> Thousands of British Airways cabin crew started voting today on whether to launch a pre-Christmas strike in protest at "far-reaching" changes to working practices. </p> News & Advice Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:23:24 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/singapore-airlines-opens-flights-to-tokyos-haneda-will-others-finally-follow-1821351.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/singapore-airlines-opens-flights-to-tokyos-haneda-will-others-finally-follow-1821351.html ]]> <p>On November 11 Singapore's flag carrier, Singapore Airlines, announced it will launch a twice-daily service to Haneda Airport, marking another step towards a second major international airport for Tokyo.</p> News & Advice Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/weekly-transport-agenda-maiden-voyages-1821375.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/weekly-transport-agenda-maiden-voyages-1821375.html ]]> <p>Luxury train travel is returning to India and most expensive cruise ship will make its four-night maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Labadee, Haiti.</p> News & Advice Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/new-high-speed-rail-service-in-italy-takes-tourists-from-rome-to-milan-in-under-3-hours-1821707.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/new-high-speed-rail-service-in-italy-takes-tourists-from-rome-to-milan-in-under-3-hours-1821707.html ]]> <p>Train journey times in Italy will soon be sharply reduced thanks to the completion of the state-owned high-speed rail next month.</p> News & Advice Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/katy-holland-a-painful-christmas-experience-1820797.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/katy-holland-a-painful-christmas-experience-1820797.html <p> So, you want to take the kids to visit Santa in Lapland? Painful experience has taught me that Christmas is a time for hibernating. But a few of you have dropped me e-mails insisting on learning your lesson the hard way. </p> News & Advice Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:54 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/stay-the-night-grab-a-piece-of-the-limelight-in-aspen-1820794.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/stay-the-night-grab-a-piece-of-the-limelight-in-aspen-1820794.html ]]> <p> <b>Limelight Lodge, Aspen, Colorado</b> </p> <p> In glitzy Aspen, Limelight Lodge is a stand-out hotel on the grounds that it is central, affordable, and very much part of the local community. Its complicated family history spans the past half century. In 1958, Ski & Spur, a three-room lodge and musical venue where John Denver used to perform, combined with what was once Aspen Jail to form Hillside Lodge, the core of the Paas property empire. As the family grew, so too did their sprawling premises on South Monarch, until, in 2006, they decided that enough was enough and tore the whole lot down. Two years later, the newly christened Limelight Lodge emerged from the ruins. The hotel is right across the street from Wagner Park, a top spot for epic snowball fights, and a five-minute walk from the Silver Queen gondola base station, the access point for high-quality skiing on Ajax Mountain. The bus station for the shuttles to Snowmass, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands is even closer. </p> Americas Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:53 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/tis-the-season-for-christmas-markets-1820800.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/tis-the-season-for-christmas-markets-1820800.html ]]> <p> <b>For family fun</b> </p> <p> <b>Get away: </b></p> <p> In the chic French resort of Le Touquet, made magical at this time of year with hundreds of twinkling lights, families can enjoy carriage rides, fairytales, skating, and an atmospheric snow garden. You can follow the ice trail through the enchanted forest to the house of Father Christmas and browse the traditional chalet market from 18 December to 3 January. </p> <p> When: 27 November to 3 January (letouquet.com/noeluk). </p> <p> Go with: SeaFrance (seafrance.com) offers a day return for car and five passengers from £19. </p> News & Advice Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:53 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/city-slicker-in-havana-1820790.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/americas/city-slicker-in-havana-1820790.html ]]> <p> <b>Why visit?</b> </p> <p> Havana, the most captivating city in the Caribbean, has any number of treats to offer visitors. Exquisitely dilapidated streets; mighty forts; iconic hotels, from the colonial to the uncompromisingly modernist; a pulsating street life; fleets of classic cars – in various states of disrepair; dough-soft beaches lapped by turquoise waters; the world's tastiest rum and finest cigars; virtuoso musicians jamming on every corner and in every unassuming bar; a vibrant art scene; and warm, good-humoured, highly educated locals who know how to laugh and live in the moment despite the pressures of everyday life in this land of shortages and hardship. </p> Americas Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:32 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/armenias-latest-struggle--the-battle-for-tourists-1820783.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/armenias-latest-struggle--the-battle-for-tourists-1820783.html ]]> <p> On a hillside in the outskirts of Yerevan, capital of Armenia, there is a black-and-white picture of a 24-year-old man. A head-and-shoulders shot, he is dressed in military uniform, has thick eyebrows, a wide nose and slightly cauliflower ears. So detailed is the photograph that even the curvature of his Adam's apple is clear. </p> Europe Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:18 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/tips-and-deals-151109-1820786.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/tips-and-deals-151109-1820786.html <p> <b>The gallery</b> </p> <p> Magnum, the photo collective, is opening a second gallery in Paris on Friday. The opening exhibition, titled "demain/hier", will focus on Magnum's new generation of photographers, set against a backdrop of the founders. Go to magnumgallery.fr. </p> News & Advice Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:03 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/british-police-drop-bike-guide-after-mockery-1821107.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/british-police-drop-bike-guide-after-mockery-1821107.html ]]> <p>British police chiefs said Thursday they will not go ahead with a planned 93-page guide telling officers how to ride their bikes, after its simplistic advice was mocked and its expense criticised.</p> News & Advice Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/us-airlines-expect-fewer-thanksgiving-travelers-1821243.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/us-airlines-expect-fewer-thanksgiving-travelers-1821243.html ]]> <p>Despite discounted air fares, fewer Americans are expected to fly during the Thanksgiving holiday, traditionally the busiest US travel time, according to US airline industry forecasts.</p> News & Advice Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/british-airwaysiberia-merger-to-bring-world-closer-for-their-customers-1821189.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/british-airwaysiberia-merger-to-bring-world-closer-for-their-customers-1821189.html ]]> <p>On November 12 London-based British Airways and Spanish giant Iberia announced they have agreed to merge, effective spring 2010.</p> News & Advice Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/48-hours-in-istanbul-1820364.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/48-hours-in-istanbul-1820364.html ]]> <p> <i><b>Click here for <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00261/Istanbul48hrs_261861a.pdf">48 Hours</a></b></i> <i><b>In...Istanbul map </b></i> </p> 48 Hours In Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:53 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/journey-to-the-top-of-mount-teide-1820152.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/journey-to-the-top-of-mount-teide-1820152.html ]]> <p> It takes just eight minutes for the cable car to speed you to the top of Tenerife’s Mount Teide, the highest mountain on Spanish territory and the world’s third-loftiest volcano. Infinitely more rewarding, though, is to pull on your hiking boots, pack water and sunblock and devote five hours to walking up it. The path, called La Rambleta, starts almost apologetically from a lay-by at kilometre 40 on the road (the TR-21) that crosses the Teide National Park. At an altitude of 2,300m, you are already above the tree line, in the middle of a broad, ancient crater, rimmed by red and ochre walls of rock, out of which thrusts the severe and imposing cone of Teide. </p> Europe Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:52 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-beautiful-land-of-fuerteventura-1820156.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-beautiful-land-of-fuerteventura-1820156.html ]]> <p> It’s a warm autumn morning and a donkey is eyeing up my elevenses. Its owner notices at once, and tells it to behave. They’re on duty, after all. Both are traditionally dressed – the man in a waistcoat and trilby, the donkey in a burlap yoke – and they’re here to drive the community waterwheel. </p> Europe Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:51 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-canary-islands-will-take-your-breath-away-1820151.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-canary-islands-will-take-your-breath-away-1820151.html ]]> <p> <b>Surely the big attractions of the Canary Islands are the man-made resorts?</b> </p> <p> Yes and no. Man might have had a hand in harnessing the natural assets of these sunny islands but it’s Mother Nature who is |responsible for the Canaries’ true wonders, shaping and |shading each island with unique contours and colours. Avert your attention from the resort areas and you’ll easily catch an eyeful of the archipelago’s spectacular green assets. </p> Europe Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:42 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/seven-wild-island-hideaways-1820154.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/seven-wild-island-hideaways-1820154.html ]]> <p> <b>Finca Malvasía, Lanzarote</b> </p> <p> Turreted chimneys, a curvaceous pool and cacti as tall as apple trees: it’s easy to see the influence of the great Lanzarotean artist and designer César Manrique in the design of this stylish self-catering guesthouse. Named after the wine of the region, it offers a choice of four apartments. Like Manrique’s own creations, they’re remote and beautifully in tune with the textured landscapes of rural Lanzarote. To help you unwind, soothing activities such as yoga, painting and wine tastings can be arranged. The owners know all the best restaurants and organise special gourmet experiences on request. </p> <p> <i>Finca Malvasía, La Geria, Lanzarote (00 34 928 173 460;<b> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fincamalvasia.com">fincamalvasia.com</a></b>). Rates start at €110 for two people sharing a one-bedroom self-catering apartment.</i> </p> Europe Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:39 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/art-in-the-landscape-csar-manrique-1820150.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/art-in-the-landscape-csar-manrique-1820150.html ]]> <p> When La Corona in northern Lanzarote erupted around 6,500 years ago, it created one of the most interesting volcanic cave systems in the world. Well after the top layers of lava had begun to solidify, the faster-moving lava below kept on flowing, |carving out underground channels as wide as a city street. Pockets of trapped gas became subterranean chambers, some higher than a house. </p> Europe Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:32 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ausandpacific/south-australias-kangaroo-island-land-of-hops-and-glories-1820365.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ausandpacific/south-australias-kangaroo-island-land-of-hops-and-glories-1820365.html ]]> <p>I've been pondering the koala in front of me, and my quandary is this: is it cute, or is it sinister? How does the consensus on a species develop? I grew up with those Qantas advertisements from the 1970s in which a curmudgeonly, xenophobic little furry-eared marsupial by the name of Sydney starred as a slow-moving senior citizen with the tourist-baiting catchphrase "I hate Qantas". He was lovely – grumpy but cuddlesome – and he probably convinced a whole generation of people to fly Down Under and meet their own private koala.</p> Australasia & Pacific Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:19 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-by-numbers-christmas-markets-1820367.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-by-numbers-christmas-markets-1820367.html ]]> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:18 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/discover-the-dramatic-volcanic-landscape-of-lanzarote-1820148.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/discover-the-dramatic-volcanic-landscape-of-lanzarote-1820148.html ]]> <p> Henry Myhill was the author of an early English-language travel guide named simply <i>The Canary Islands.</i> It is a handsome hardback, published in 1970 at a price of two guineas (£2.10). </p> <p> The year before publication, |as Myhill was completing his research in the Canaries, the first Moon landing took place. Myhill was one of few British travellers who had, up to that point, enjoyed the good fortune of visiting the easternmost Canary Island: Lanzarote. “Lunar” is the term that he uses more than any other to describe the raw, volcanic terrain at the island’s core, and I imagine he empathised with the crew of <i>Apollo 11 </i>when they crunched across the Sea of Tranquillity. </p> Europe Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:17 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/dune-roaming-discover-the-real-arab-culture-in-abu-dhabi-1820363.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/dune-roaming-discover-the-real-arab-culture-in-abu-dhabi-1820363.html ]]> <p> "Dubai?" The camel farmer plumps his cushions, shifts on to the other buttock and takes another sip of coffee. "Dubai is not Arab. There's nothing there." He pauses and a cool breath of evening wind brings us a whiff of the desert – subtle and serious, reminding me of a foxed paperback. We sit with our backs to the Empty Quarter, picking at the remains of dinner as the twilight gathers. "The only place where you can find Arab culture now," he continues, "is in the small villages and oases."</p> Middle East Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:07 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/24hour-room-service-aditya-sri-lanka-1820357.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/24hour-room-service-aditya-sri-lanka-1820357.html ]]> <p>The road that curls around Sri Lanka's south-west coast traces vacant beach after vacant beach, where the teal waves of the Indian Ocean heave on to the sand. Some stretches are sheltered from the road by gangly palm trees, others by intermittent scars of the devastating 2004 tsunami. </p> Asia Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-agenda-lapland-comes-to-kent-city-of-lights-fesival-kicks-off-ryanair-flights-from-birmingham-to-grenoble-1820358.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-agenda-lapland-comes-to-kent-city-of-lights-fesival-kicks-off-ryanair-flights-from-birmingham-to-grenoble-1820358.html News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-big-six-luxury-forest-retreats-1820359.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/the-big-six-luxury-forest-retreats-1820359.html ]]> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/how-will-the-deal-really-affect-the-operations-of-our-national-airline-1820554.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/how-will-the-deal-really-affect-the-operations-of-our-national-airline-1820554.html ]]> <p>The company letterhead will show an address in Spain – but in reality the whole outfit will be run from London, and you'll be the dominant player. It's a takeover rather than a merger, isn't it?</p> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/on-the-road-the-east-african-market-where-the-brands-come-cheap-1820369.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/africa/on-the-road-the-east-african-market-where-the-brands-come-cheap-1820369.html ]]> <p>I am trying to decide between a Gap shirt and a Guess top. My partner has a carrier bag containing a pair of Adidas trainers and a Versace tie. We're not in a Dubai shopping mall or a Manhattan department store. We're shopping at an open market in Kisumu, a dusty little backwater on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. </p> Africa Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/my-life-in-travel-neil-oliver-author-broadcaster-and-archaeological-expert-1820368.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/my-life-in-travel-neil-oliver-author-broadcaster-and-archaeological-expert-1820368.html <p> <b>Neil Oliver is an author, broadcaster and the archaeological expert on the BBC series Coast </b> </p> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/heights-of-good-taste-why-lech-is-a-mustvisit-destination-for-gourmet-skiers-1820366.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/heights-of-good-taste-why-lech-is-a-mustvisit-destination-for-gourmet-skiers-1820366.html ]]> <p>What comes after snow, as the second-most important ingredient of a skiing day? The answer is supper. With the schussing and schlepping in the fresh but oxygen-depleted air of the mountains done, every skier's thoughts turn to the evening meal. And to the fact that on nights such as these it is permissible to eat your fill. </p> Skiing Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/something-to-declare-southeast-asia-baltimore-risks-in-turkey-american-train-rides-1820362.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/something-to-declare-southeast-asia-baltimore-risks-in-turkey-american-train-rides-1820362.html News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-challenge-a-winter-weekend-in-new-york-1820361.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/travel-challenge-a-winter-weekend-in-new-york-1820361.html <p> Every week we invite competing companies to give us their best deal for a specified holiday. Today: a long winter weekend in New York. Prices are for two people travelling together and include flights departing Heathrow on Thursday 3 December for New York JFK and three nights' room-only accommodation... </p> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/simon-calder-twenty-years-on--proof-in-the-pudding-shop-1820360.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/simon-calder-twenty-years-on--proof-in-the-pudding-shop-1820360.html <p>The Pudding Shop is a rare geo-cultural travel icon. Its location at the heart of Old Istanbul, together with the indulgent attitude of the staff towards long-haired, impecunious Western scruffs, helped it become the information exchange at the heart of the backpacker revolution.</p> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/megacruiser-docks-in-us-amid-choppy-economic-waters-1820603.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/megacruiser-docks-in-us-amid-choppy-economic-waters-1820603.html ]]> <p>The largest and most expensive cruise ship in the world arrived in Florida Friday, where it faces a challenge to fill its multitude of berths as Americans struggle to keep their heads above water.</p> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/malaysias-mysterious-ship-city-causes-concern-1820865.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/malaysias-mysterious-ship-city-causes-concern-1820865.html ]]> <p>Hundreds of ships mysteriously left idle off the Malaysian coast during the economic downturn are posing environmental and safety hazards, port authorities and fishermen say.</p> News & Advice Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/iberia-losses-soar-as-economic-crisis-hits-air-travel-1820174.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/iberia-losses-soar-as-economic-crisis-hits-air-travel-1820174.html <p> British Airways' Spanish merger partner Iberia today said losses in the first nine months of the year more than tripled to €181.9m (£162.4m). </p> Business News Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:49:16 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-and-iberia-finally-land-7bn-merger-agreement-1819875.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-and-iberia-finally-land-7bn-merger-agreement-1819875.html ]]> <p>British Airways last night confirmed that it will merge with the Spanish flag carrier Iberia in a $7bn (£4.2bn) deal, creating the world's third biggest airline. The announcement comes after a day when the boards of both companies were locked in separate meetings, combing through the fine details of the plans which have been under discussion for nearly 18 months.</p> News & Advice Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:01 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/air-france-draws-inspiration-from-lowcost-carriers-with-stripped-down-coach-class-1820297.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/air-france-draws-inspiration-from-lowcost-carriers-with-stripped-down-coach-class-1820297.html ]]> <p>Air France announced November 12 that it will reduce the quality of its coach-class service on European flights to better compete with budget carriers and high-speed trains.</p> News & Advice Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/qantas-frequent-flyers-get-microchip-cards-heralding-new-era-in-faster-travel-1820337.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/qantas-frequent-flyers-get-microchip-cards-heralding-new-era-in-faster-travel-1820337.html ]]> <p>In a world's first for the air industry, Australian flag carrier Qantas will permit their domestic frequent flyers to check in themselves and their bags with just the use of their membership card.</p> News & Advice Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-and-iberia-boards-meet-to-discuss-merger-deal-1819357.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ba-and-iberia-boards-meet-to-discuss-merger-deal-1819357.html <p> British Airways today looked to be on the brink of a merger with Spanish airline Iberia after the boards of both firms met to consider a deal. </p> News & Advice Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:10:56 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-travellers-guide-to-christmas-markets-1818053.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-travellers-guide-to-christmas-markets-1818053.html ]]> Europe Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:55 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/mexicos-largest-airline-now-aboard-the-oneworld-alliance-1819487.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/mexicos-largest-airline-now-aboard-the-oneworld-alliance-1819487.html ]]> <p>Mexico's flag carrier, Mexicana airlines, joined the Oneworld alliance on November 10, extending the partnership's reach in the Americas.</p> News & Advice Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/head-east-for-christmas-shopping-bargains-says-survey-1818737.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/head-east-for-christmas-shopping-bargains-says-survey-1818737.html <p> Britons banking on pre-Christmas shopping bargains should head for the former Eastern Bloc countries, it was revealed today. </p> News & Advice Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:37 +0000 http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/click-pack-and-go-our-pick-of-this-weekrsquos-lastminute-travel-deals-1818671.html http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/click-pack-and-go-our-pick-of-this-weekrsquos-lastminute-travel-deals-1818671.html <p> British Airways’ cabin crew might not be the happiest of employees at the moment, but don’t they get to go to some interesting places? </p> News & Advice Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:44:14 +0000