All About Travel!

[Wishfull]

Re: All About Travel!

driving in france you must also have a first aid kit

[Wishfull]

Re: All About Travel!

also note the uk border agency have changed the limits on what you can bring back last october but has never really made it public
HM Revenue Customs: Tax and duty on goods brought to the UK from the European Union

[helmsman]

Re: All About Travel!

driving in france you must also have a first aid kit

Dont forget a spare set of bulbs!

[jen_br]

Re: All About Travel!

I think the breathalyzer is a good idea!

[5corpio]

Re: All About Travel!

New holiday Atol protection rules begin

Expanded protection that automatically covers UK holidaymakers if an operator collapses has come into force. The extended Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Atol) scheme is estimated to protect some six million holidaymakers. Package holidays are already covered by the scheme, which offers refunds or flights home if an operator goes under. Now, flight-plus holidays - that look like normal packages but were previously not protected - are included in the automatic cover.

Exceptions

The scheme, run by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), began in the early 1970s and was last overhauled in 1995. Until now, it only offered protection for those who bought package deals and some flights if their tour operator or travel agent went bust. However, it has now become commonplace for holidaymakers to book online. Many found they were not protected, even though it felt as though they had bought all the elements of the holiday from the same provider as a package for one price.....Read more here---: New holiday Atol protection rules begin

[5corpio]

Re: All About Travel!

Driving through France? Pack a breathalyser or risk a fine from the latest trap for unwary British drivers

• Fine for drivers who fail to carry the £2 kit

• Rules in France already force drivers to carry a warning triangle and a fluorescent safety vest
• Drivers warned to check rules or face fines as much more is needed than in UK

Motorists caught without a breathalyser kit when driving through France from July will risk an €11 (£9) fine as new laws come into force. The breathalyser kits, which cost between around £1 and £2, will be available at ferry and tunnel terminals for crossings to France, but motoring groups have warned that many drivers will still forget to pack them in their car. The gadgets, designed so that drivers can test themselves to ensure they are under drink-drive limits, are the latest addition to a list of rules for driving on the other side of the Channel....Read more here--: What you need to drive in France: Now it's pack a breathalyser or risk fines

BUMP................!!!
France orders breathalyser for motorists - As from JULY 2012
BBC News - France orders breathalyser for motorists

[5corpio]

Re: All About Travel!

OFT issues Statement of Objections against Booking.com, Expedia and Intercontinental Hotels Group..........Read more here at AAD Blog pages: OFT issues Statement of Objections against Booking.com, Expedia and Intercontinental Hotels Group - allaboutFORUMS

[5corpio]

Re: All About Travel!

Fresh twist in US-EU airline tax row

The US Senate's commerce committee is to vote on a bipartisan bill that would make it illegal for US airlines to comply with a controversial EU law on carbon emissions. Washington is looking to ratchet up the pressure in an ongoing row over the legislation, which will force carriers using European airports to pay extra charges from April 2013....Click HEREto watch Video News

[5corpio]

Re: All About Travel!

Travel industry warned not to mislead consumers when selling holidays

Travel companies operating in the UK must provide consumers with clear, transparent and timely information when advertising and selling flights and holidays, states new guidance launched by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today. The guidance is aimed at airlines, price comparison websites, travel agents and tour operators, and is designed to make sure the travel industry is fully aware of its responsibilities under existing consumer legislation. The document makes clear that the travel industry must provide consumers with the information they need, when they need it and in a transparent way they can clearly understand. The guidance also sets out how the enforcement process works if regulations are breached such that further action may be necessary.

Key points of the guidance include reminders to the travel industry that:

• All unavoidable and foreseeable charges for flights must be included in the headline price - this includes taxes, fees and any other mandatory charges such as a booking fee.
• Information on optional extras such as baggage and seat selection charges must be clearly available from the first stage of the booking process.
• Consumers must be free to choose these optional extras - they cannot be pre-selected.
• The name of the airline travellers will be flying with must be displayed from the start of the booking process.
• Information on the financial protection arrangements for the booking and other key information must be made clear to consumers.
• Terms and conditions relating to a booking must be clearly available and easy to understand.

Following publication of the guidance, the CAA and OFT will review the websites and promotional material of travel businesses to make sure the guidance is being followed and the industry is complying with the regulations.....Read more here

[The Tech Clerk]

Re: All About Travel!

Travel industry warned not to mislead consumers when selling holidays

Travel companies operating in the UK must provide consumers with clear, transparent and timely information when advertising and selling flights and holidays, states new guidance launched by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today. The guidance is aimed at airlines, price comparison websites, travel agents and tour operators, and is designed to make sure the travel industry is fully aware of its responsibilities under existing consumer legislation. The document makes clear that the travel industry must provide consumers with the information they need, when they need it and in a transparent way they can clearly understand. The guidance also sets out how the enforcement process works if regulations are breached such that further action may be necessary.

Key points of the guidance include reminders to the travel industry that:

• All unavoidable and foreseeable charges for flights must be included in the headline price - this includes taxes, fees and any other mandatory charges such as a booking fee.
• Information on optional extras such as baggage and seat selection charges must be clearly available from the first stage of the booking process.
• Consumers must be free to choose these optional extras - they cannot be pre-selected.
• The name of the airline travellers will be flying with must be displayed from the start of the booking process.
• Information on the financial protection arrangements for the booking and other key information must be made clear to consumers.
• Terms and conditions relating to a booking must be clearly available and easy to understand.

Following publication of the guidance, the CAA and OFT will review the websites and promotional material of travel businesses to make sure the guidance is being followed and the industry is complying with the regulations.....Read more here

About time to, on occassions in the past some agents offer a price and state deposit then next day actual invoice had add on!s like fuel surharges/admin charges, happened to me I fought the buggers and got small refund,, also quoted telephone conversation with an International airline who asked me what fuel surcharge?

also I saw the actual invoice to the agent from airline with the original quoted price, no extras.

Then after all that I turned up at heathrow to check in to be told sorry this is not your flight? yes it is I said and I have an onward connection to the far east, I had to stand aside for about 30 minutes watching the flight fill up, then he came over and we went to their information desk whereby it was sorted out, but I was lucky as my connection was at the airport I thought I had been booked onto go to but the flight I was entered on their system was over 500 miles away, anyway sorted got on that flight, complained on return to agent who refused the complaint stating the airlines fault as the flight number wrong but the airport stated next to it correct, and booking conditions in small print clears them, well I have passed info onto many A SITE OF THAT AGENT AND THE ALISAS NAMES THEY USE.

[ken100464]

Re: All About Travel!

Bout time that odious Ryanair were brought into line.

What they know about customer service can be written on a postage stamp.

And the worst of it is because punters think they are saving a tenner they put up with cattle class and being delivered to somewhere where it suits the airline and not you.

But when you drill down the fares are not what you think they are and other airlines can give you similar prices for superior service to places you may wish to go to not because they are cheaper to land for the airline.

Done it once and as a seasoned air traveller never again. Was the pits.

[5corpio]

Re: All About Travel!

Scammers target leading online travel agent Booking.com
Online travel agent Booking.com has admitted that it has had to compensate customers whose personal details have been stolen.

Guests booking hotel rooms have unwittingly handed over money to criminals. By accessing Booking.com reservations, the crooks have been able to obtain contact details....Read more HERE at aad form blog pages

[The Tech Clerk]

Re: All About Travel!

Bout time that odious Ryanair were brought into line.

What they know about customer service can be written on a postage stamp.

And the worst of it is because punters think they are saving a tenner they put up with cattle class and being delivered to somewhere where it suits the airline and not you.

But when you drill down the fares are not what you think they are and other airlines can give you similar prices for superior service to places you may wish to go to not because they are cheaper to land for the airline.

Done it once and as a seasoned air traveller never again. Was the pits.

yan


Since this post, we travelled to Malta early this year with Ryanair and back and was very surprised as the service throughout was 1st Class, after hearing rumblings in the past was very surprised no problems. Food on board was fine and Reasonable, we have travelled to Far East/Middle east many a time in the past with different airlines Major Carriers and Ryanair were no different.

[ken100464]

Re: All About Travel!

Think they have learnt somewhat that service, even on cheap tickets, does actually count on their bottom line.

Glad you had a positive experience with them TC. Best sales patter in the world is when customers actually like the product and are willing to say so.