COMMENT: easyJet for Heathrow?

British Airways has finally secured BMA which was announced last Friday.  (We prefer the old term as that includes bmibaby and bmi Regional.)  Whether that turns out to be good news for the British travelling public, and for UK Plc remains to be seen.  It is terrific news for BA staff and IAG shareholders, and for the most part tragic for BMA workers. 

A great deal depends on how responsibly the airline acts now that it has a monopoly of the country’s trunk routes, at least into Heathrow, still the world’s most important (and largest) international airport. 

Only one airline is capable of challenging the new monopoly.

That is easyJet, Britain’s largest carrier in terms of passenger numbers.

At a recent Aviation Club luncheon Chief Executive Carolyn McCall did not rule out taking slots at Heathrow.  The airline flies into Charles de Gaulle and other major airports.  It is efficient and bright and would certainly gain the support of Sir Richard Branson, a big loser in the BMA debate.  Edinburgh to T3 by easyJet.  Why not?  The links from the central area to London are far quicker than T5 and the connections to other carriers are superior.  Or even the new T2.

Which brings us around to a featured item in the Daily Telegraph, not known for its accurate reporting on the business aviation front, with a recent story that Heathrow’s third runway was a goer just days before the Prime Minister ruled it out.  Perhaps AERBT is biased.  The Telegraph’s headline was misleading regarding Northolt, now emerging as a strong possibility if the runway is not to happen.

Last week the newspaper launched a bitter attack on Sir Richard, that was totally unnecessary and unwarranted.  Perhaps the fact that the current BA Director of Public Affairs is a former Daily Telegraph hack has something to do with it.  Virgin Atlantic’s campaign to stop the BA/BMA acquisition has been weak and lacking the guile of the past, but it was very much justified in that the airline has relied on connecting traffic from Baron Glendonbrook’s (Michael Bishop) former airline.  Virgin is not in the position to introduce its own domestic routes.  It once attempted regional services and failed.  Long haul and short haul are totally different operations.  BA can tell them that.  But in a partnership with easyJet.  Why not?  Carolyn and Richard.

British Airways public relations is normally re-active, and a press release issued last week could not be construed as newsworthy ”bmi take-over brings customer benefits”.  They were bound to say that.  In fact AERBT finds the BA Waterside press office difficult to deal with.  This publication has requested viewing the new Business Class layout – on the ground – “far too busy”.  A lounge inspection was recently refused in order to report on an upgrade.

Yes some new destinations, but loss of choice and frequencies (and jobs).  What BA should have done is straight away announce some new (prospective) destinations.  Be really upbeat for once.  They’ve had plenty of time to organise and they are not going to be in competition with anyone except perhaps a Chinese airline.

This editorial will not win AERBT any friends at either Virgin or British Airways, both excellent carriers, but not these days keen to flout their qualities.  Sad really.  In the past constructive criticism was welcome.  Now one gets total indifference.  BA is a fine airline set to once again be a leader amongst the carriers.  Just as Virgin did in the past with the disappearance of British Caledonian and kept British Airways on its toes, a challenger is needed today. 

easyJet, in the spirit of Stelios, here is another opportunity. Grab it.


Malcolm Ginsberg
Editor in Chief


www.telegraph.co.uk/Northolt

www.telegraph.co.uk/Virgin

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ATOL Reform

The Department for Transport (DfT) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have published the key documents outlining the next steps for reforms to the ATOL (Air Transport Operators Licence) financial protection scheme.  AERBT emphasises that travellers wishing to purchase a package holiday should only book trips that are ATOL protected and therefore indemnified.  For separate scheduled air travel it is suggested that insurance cover be arranged.  A 12-month or bank-backed arrangement is probably best as it should cover most eventualities without having to think every time you travel.

Key among the changes is that any travel business wishing to sell Flight-Plus holidays from 1 June 2012 will need to have appropriate ATOL arrangements in place.  This is intended to broaden the scope of financial protection beyond traditional package holidays.  If you hire a car, or book a theme park or some other add-on as part of the holiday, this should be included under the ATOL approved package.  Domestic flights do not form part of Flight-Plus, or tours abroad of less than 24 hours, which often takes in football trips. www.abta.com/atolreform www.caa.co.uk

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CNN debates wi-fi

Alisha Durgahee, CNN’s investigative business travel reporter, has been rushing about to get hoteliers’ views on wi-fi, and that of providers too.  She has interviewed Kurt Ritter, President of Rezidor Hotel Group, Monika Neger, Chief Information Officer of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Juliana Shallcross, Managing Editor of HotelChatter and Joe Germanotta, CEO of wi-fi provider GuestWiFi.  

Now that mobile phones have rendered hotel room phones largely obsolete, wi-fi is the new bugbear for today's traveller.

The Rezidor Group owns mid-tier chain Radisson Blu and has offered free wi-fi since 1995, which is now available in more than 50,000 rooms worldwide.

For hotel guests there is the added frustration of inconsistency.  Some hotels charge for wi-fi per device, others offer it free only to loyalty members; some chain hotels offer free wi-fi at their budget brands but charge for it at their luxury ones; sometimes wi-fi is free in the lobby.  With no set rules, hotels charge as much or as little as they like.  In London the Hilton Mayfair is £20 per day, £10 The Savoy and £30 at The Ritz Hotel.  The Four Seasons is free.  For the full interview see. www.cnn.com

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Edinburgh to Barcelona

Vueling, which calls itself "the new generation airline", has announced the reintroduction of a direct Edinburgh – Barcelona route.  The three times weekly flights will complement Vueling’s expanding UK – Spain route network comprising existing fights from Heathrow to Bilbao, Galicia, La Coruna and Vigo and its new routes for summer 2012 from Cardiff to Barcelona, Mallorca and Alicante and from Southampton to Barcelona.

“We are delighted to see the return of Scotland to Vueling’s route network,” said CEO, Alex Cruz.  “Edinburgh is a great complement to our expanding UK route network.  Barcelona and Edinburgh have strong links and we are confident our flights will be appreciated by business and leisure travellers alike as well as all the destinations available through our connecting flights.”

Vueling is emphasising onward connections at Barcelona, currently accessing more than 40 destinations throughout Europe and North Africa, including the Canary, Greek and Balearic Islands.  The airline offers full through baggage check-in from Edinburgh to the final destination. www.vueling.com

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Loganair takes over bmi Scotland – Yorkshire route

Following the announcement by bmi that it is withdrawing its long-standing service between Glasgow and Leeds Bradford airports, Loganair is stepping in with a Flybe franchise operation from Tuesday 8 May.  It will also introduce a Sunday evening service in each direction from 2 September, marking the return of weekend schedules after a gap of several years.  For the time being bmi continues with Edinburgh to Leeds Bradford.  New flight timings facilitate connections via Glasgow to points including Stornoway, Kirkwall, Sumburgh, Tiree, Barra and Benbecula.

Loganair’s Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Hinkles said: “We are delighted to be announcing the launch of services between these two airports.  Loganair has every confidence that its successful formula will re-vitalise this crucial air service between Scotland and West Yorkshire and help to ensure that business links between these regions are maintained and developed.”
 
Loganair will use a 34-seat Saab 340B pressurised turboprop aircraft on the route.  It operates its scheduled services under a franchise agreement with Flybe, and offers over 500 flights every week within, to and from Scotland. www.flybe.com

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Manx2 drops all credit and debit card charges

Based on the Isle of Man (IoM), and not officially an airline at all (it describes itself as a ‘ticket selling company’), Manx2 has abandoned credit card charges, booking fees and surcharges.  The Manx2 ‘brand’ offers flights to and from Blackpool, Belfast, Leeds Bradford, Newcastle, Gloucester, Oxford, Jersey and Anglesey, as well as Ronaldsway, IoM.  The flights are operated by various European licensed airlines.

David Buck, Managing Director of Manx2.com, said that he hoped passengers would show their support for their honest pricing and vote with their wallets: “We listened to our customers, so rather than increasing or renaming the charges as some companies have done recently, we have chosen to remove all transaction and booking fees including debit and credit card charges.

Manx2.com’s prices also include all airport taxes, a guarantee of no fuel surcharges, a free 10kg carry-on bag allowance, free online check-in, and free transfer to an earlier flight on the day of travel on a ‘space available’ basis.

On 8 May Manx2 introduces daily services from Oxford Airport to both Jersey and the Isle of Man.  The airline carried 100,000 passengers in 2011. www.manx2.com

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Terminal 5 Olympic equine exhbition

Heathrow Terminal 5 is hosting a special exhibition of equine artwork created to celebrate the contribution horses will make at the forthcoming London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The presentation, called ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger' the Olympic motto, runs until 17 May and is located before security in the Terminal 5 Expo Fine Art Gallery.  It features 12 paintings of horses by artist Faye Nasser-Joley.  Each painting has been named after one of the 12 mythological Gods of Olympus, the Greek birthplace of the Games.

Faye, who began painting aged three, has won numerous awards for her work.  Regarded as one of England's most talented emerging artists, her work is sought after by collectors in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.  During the exhibition she will spend time in the Gallery working on her paintings.  Passengers travelling through the airport are invited to view the exhibition and have a chat with Faye about her career.

As the official Host Airport, Heathrow is expecting to facilitate the travels of around 80% of the several hundred thousand spectators due to attend the Games including more than 100,000 athletes, sponsors and VIPs. www.baa.com

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ON TOUR: Cardiff – Well worth a visit

The Welsh rugby team are very much on the up (Six Nations Champions 2011/2012) and so is their home city Cardiff.  Even if you are not into the 15 men per side form of legalised hooliganism (played by gentlemen – or so they say), the National Stadium, owned by the Welsh Ruby Union is one of the many places in the capital of Wales worth a visit.  Tours take place daily and the stadium (also called the Millennium Stadium) is just a short walk from the city centre. 

If you are coming by the most popular route, that is the M4 via the Severn Bridge, you do have to pay to get into the country, currently £6 for a vehicle up to nine places.  Mind you once the money has been spent they are not worried.  To get out is free.

Cardiff was the world’s busiest coal port 100 years ago.  All that is now very much in the past.  The place is clean and bright, typified by Cardiff Bay, the largest man-made sea inlet in the United Kingdom.

We stayed at the Cardiff Hilton, highly recommended.  Right in the centre of the city one just abandons the car (don’t worry – they bring it back when wanted) and perfect for grandchildren (under 10) who could use the fine indoor pool and make the most of a free lunch and dinner menu.  This was supposed to be when dinning with the adults but the sympathetic staff were more than happy to let them eat early and for the seniors to dine later.  Maybe there was method in their madness.  We drank a bit more wine.  At any event there are some very good deals available, but not when Wales are playing!

The Cardiff Hilton is really at the centre of everything.  On one side is Cardiff Castle and 2,000 years of history, and behind the building the pedestrian precinct including a new John Lewis.  Plus many pubs and eating places to suit all tastes.  Also very close by is the start and finish of the circular tour bus, a vital ride early in your visit in order to establish the essential layout of the place and what to focus upon.

Cardiff Castle is an enigma.  It actually dates back to Roman times and the Norman keep cannot be viewed from the road.  What you see from the outside is essentially a grand Victorian palace, a living memorial to the Earl of Bute, landowner, dock developer and lover of the arts.  The Family Trail will keep the younger ones amused and entertained teaching them about the Tudor times, mid-Victorian Wales, and history of the valiant warriors from these parts who went out and defended the Empire.  The lovely grounds have also been the venue for many a concert, pop and philharmonic.  Tom Jones is always popular.

If it is theatre that you are into The Wales Millennium Centre is a must in a lovely setting down by the waterside.  Locally nicknamed ‘the Armadillo’, the Centre comprises one large theatre and two smaller halls with shops, bars and restaurants.  It houses the national orchestra and opera, dance, theatre and literature companies, a total of eight arts organisations in residence.  The main theatre, the Donald Gordon Theatre, has 1,897 seats, the BBC Hoddinott Hall 350 and the Weston Studio Theatre 250.  Regular daily showcase tours are on offer which take you around all of the backstage.  Have a look at the programme to see if your visit fits one of the many and varied offerings.

As an alternative you can visit the New Theatre, which is not new at all (1906), currently running Murder on the Nile and due to offer the Susan Boyle musical “I dreamed a Dream” in mid-May.  St David’s Hall is nearby, a venue for Welsh voices.

Easy walking distance from the Millennium Centre is Techniquest a science and discovery centre for children.  It was the UK’s first project of its kind 25 years ago and is a big success.  Techniquest gives visitors a hands-on approach to science and includes a science theatre, a planetarium, and a discovery centre.  More than 120 exhibits are just waiting to be pushed, pulled and prodded!

Just outside Cardiff is St Fagans Natural History Museum.  Go early.  It gets crowded. 

The museum includes over 40 buildings which represent the architecture of Wales, including a nonconformist chapel, a village schoolhouse, a toll booth, and a small farm.  The museum holds displays of traditional crafts with a working blacksmith's forge, a pottery, a weaver, miller and clog maker.  There is a row of workmen's cottages, each one from a different era.

South Wales is a great area for tourism with Merthyr Tydfil, the southern gateway to the Brecon Beacons National Park, just 25 miles away.  Continue north to the visitor centre for an early lunch and then turn east on the A470/A40 towards Brecon, Abergavenny and Blaenavon and The Big Pit, a former mine and now a national museum (and as such free) with a working lift shaft enabling visitors to go underground.  150 years ago children worked under terrible conditions.  It is a real eye opener.

Our visit was not long enough, just two nights, a full week needed to justify this corner of Wales.  We missed out on the Cardiff International White Water Centre, The National Museum of Wales, and Dyffryn Gardens, 55 acres of natural beauty.  The concierge at the Cardiff Hilton was keen to suggest Penderyn Distillery and the Cardiff Central Market, wrought iron and Victorian. 

As General McArthur once said under more arduous circumstances, “we shall return”.
www.hilton.co.uk/cardiff  www.visitcardiff.com

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