General Chat

.

Please add everything you want to regarding holidays or days out. Reviews for hotels and places you've visited Your holiday horrors Travelling with kids tips, Family friendly locations Safety advise Travel advice Weather advice ..including high heat advice when we get that hot summer (lol ) Any other advice or tips which may help other Gr members planning to go away this summer / year.

Source & Copyright BBC news online Saturday, 13 January 2007 Airports face chaos over tax rise Air travellers are being warned of possible chaos at airports next month as some are told to pay a rise in tax despite buying tickets months ago. From 1 February, the Air Passenger Duty is set to go up by between £5 and £40. Most airlines raised fares as soon as the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, announced the hike on 6 December. But some are demanding payment even for tickets booked before the announcement. Ryanair said those who do not pay before flying, will be turned away. Many of the airlines say they would be making a loss if they did not charge passengers the extra duty. 'No flight' Low-cost airline Easyjet has given passengers flying after 1 February until Monday to pay the new extra duty on their flights. Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said all passengers will be emailed and asked to pay. If they fail to pay by midnight on the night before they travel, they will not be able to fly, he said. Leeds-based Jet2 is automatically taking the increase from travellers, using their card details held on computer. Monarch airline is to email customers asking them to pay online and failing that, at an airport ticket desk. British Airways meanwhile says it will absorb the costs of duty on passengers who booked before the rise was announced. BMI Baby has still to decide how it will cover the costs. Toby Nichol, of Easyjet, said: 'It's absolutely chaotic. Come 1 February, there is going to be a lot of uncertainty. 'It's not just Easyjet asking for money in advance. There will be an awful lot of airlines walking up and down check-in aisles in places like Luton Airport, with a bucket collecting the tax.' Check-in payments Sean Tipton, of the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), said it would have preferred the duty rise to be postponed until the summer but airlines should be collecting the extra payment at check-in. He advised passengers who booked before 6 December 2006 - when the rise was announced - to check with their airline whether payment was due before travelling. The rise will mean for example that tax on a short-haul flight in Europe will double to £10 per passenger and to £80 per passenger on long haul business flights. Simon Calder, travel editor of the Independent newspaper, said that while the duty rise had been anticipated, the liability of those who had already booked had not. For a family of four travelling between Leeds and Belfast that could mean an extra £40 which could make some people's account overdrawn, he said.

we're going to the inlaws caravan at haven site caister, near grt yarmouth. the kids enjoy it and its cheap for us. there is quite abit to do in the area for kids as well. thrigby hall wildlife gardens, pleasurewood hills theme park, dinosaur park, pettits animal kingdom, the model village to name a few.

Just had an e-mail from a friend. She has booked with Ryanair to come out in March, now she is saying she has to pay this new tax or she can't fly. How much is it. Does anyone know. Hilary.

Wow – I’m going to Barbados!” very safe place, clean crime rate low, brill place, Oh and Cyprus but not been there before will feed back once ive been QUEEN LILxx

Queen Lil - I've been to Barbados - it's lovely and can't wait to go again

Spending our hols. in England, again. Since we moved to France all our neices & nephews have decided to get married. 2 more this year. At least they are close to each other. Hilary. x

Yea Chris been loads hubby loves the Golf courses, its a great place safe and very friendly, me sister has gone to Cape Town yesterday for 3 weeks not my sort of Holiday at all, i will feed back any info she tells me Queen Lilxx

We went to Mallorca in 2005, and tomorrow we are going to root through the brochures to find a holiday for August. The problem were having is that with 2 kids, one will be 12 and the other 8 at the time of going, is that lots of the rooms are based on 3 beds, so 2 rooms would have to be booked, thus raising the price by a lot. Also some have cut off ages of age 12 for half board so that again makes it difficult and results in paying adult price for a child again. We dont want to do self catering as it costs more to eat out (im not cooking) and rooms are based on four adults sharing...so again we have to pay adult price for the kids again. And when you work out the total price of both SC and HB you come up with similer amounts...Id rather pay HB and get the food thrown in, and normally its a buffet too....handy as the kids can eat something else if they try something they realise they dont like.

A very good site I belong to is called Holiday Truths.which is free to join. http://www.holidaytruths(.)co(.)uk They have particually good forums, which offer a wealth of advice, each one dedicated to a different country or place, even some places in this country. There are resort reports, photo galleries, resort reports, hotel reports and more. I booked my last holiday after reading reviews and gaining advice on this site, and will do so this time Elaine x

We are having a working holiday this year.We are going to Durham/Northumberland to look at the Records office to look up my husband's family.We will be making time to have a look around there as well.Also we will be having a day in Scotland to see my daughter who is working in Dalguise Perthshire. Hope it will be nice,dry and Sunny up that way in July. Maureen

Elaine, I am going to look into that forum you mentioned, I usually check trip advisor. We are off to Hawaii on the 30th January, going to stay on Waikiki Beach, not been there before so will report back. Debs x

If you're going somewhere which requires anti-malaria medication, PLEASE take it as directed, including on your return. Hot and dry climates, e.g. Egypt - DON'T get dehydrated, it's easy to do as sweat rapidly evaporates. It is not pleasant! Keep money and credit cards separate - if you have the misfortune to have cash stolen (yes it happened to me!) you still have means of getting cash.

I am the same as Hilary,our holidays are spent back in the UK and Isle of Man visiting family. We get a lot of holiday makers come to our Gite and if we meet up with them for a drink or two ,it makes us feel we are on holiday as well :)) xx Jill

Elaine--- I know you dont want to do cooking,,,,,,,,,but reports that Spain is cheap on food,,,,,,,,,,,,,have you looked into an apartment or Villa, to rent, with that extra bed space,,,,,,,,,then come and go as you please,,,,,,,,,,,,,,some have pool access,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Jill in France, lucky you to have family on Isle of Man, been there a few times for the TT races. It is a wonderful island. Hilary.

Anyone thinking of going to China then I can recommend The Red House Hotel in Beijing. It is about 20mins from the airport. It is also within walking distance of the underground. Maybe not a 5 star hotel but very comfortable. Bit like an English bar downstairs, you can get bar meals etc. We went to all the touristy bits, Great Wall, Summer Palace etc. Also went to Xian to see the Terracotta Army. This is a must. We went on an overnight sleeper there & back. Interesting as we were the only Westerners in our carriage. Although lots of people everywhere, we never felt threatened at all. Taxies are everywhere & very cheap. Well worth a visit. Hilary.

Hi Elaine If the wind is blowing the right direction We're going to Jamaica in October Will have a look at the web site you put on

Has anyone been to Orlando? Want to book somewhere that is really central to everything. I've had anywhere on International Drive recommended...what does anyone think. Sue xx PS Holiday is for me, hubby and 2 teenagers.