WORLD DEPARTURES

With school holidays approaching, flights to popular destinations worldwide are filling up fast. The threat of strike action by British Airways pilots, now averted, has had little impact on BA bookings. These remain heavy. But, says Jerry Bridge of discount specialists Bridge The World, the threat created late availability on other airlines. "While a strike was on the cards, passengers who were ticketed on BA turned to their agents to book a back-up flight on airlines such as Emirates and Alitalia. Now the strike is off, some long-haul seats are becoming available."

Tour operators do not often reveal the story behind special deals, but Voyages Jules Verne (0171-616 1000) gives clients the lowdown on a cut- price offer to the Seychelles. The company explains that Air Seychelles recently introduced a new service from Manchester to the capital, Mahe, which has "diluted existing business rather than stimulating growth". So the airline is selling off seats cheap. Voyages Jules Verne has packaged these with hotels to offer a price of six nights for pounds 750 between August and October, at the Hotel Mahe Beach; a fortnight at the Plantation Club is pounds 1,350.