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Posts Tagged ‘air travel’

Things You Absolutely Must Do And See In Dubai

August 13th, 2010 No comments

With more people wanting to explore further afield for their next vacation Dubai is a perfect location for all the family. This amazing city has so much to offer and with cheap flights to Dubai now available it is easier than ever to visit.

Dubai has grown very rapidly over the last few years and is now a top vacation destination for people from all over the world. There are some things that you must see on your trip to Dubai and these will leave you wanting more and ready to return another day. Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates it boasts the largest population of all of the emirates with just over two million people living there.

Dubai has a very hot climate and is sunny throughout the whole year with temperatures reaching over 100f in the summer months. It is not only the weather that attracts the tourists to Dubai as the shopping plays a huge part as well.

The low cost flights are attracting more bargain hunters to this amazing city and tourism plays a large part in the economy. Dubai was christened the shopping capital of the world as it offers so many shops and boutiques. Dubai has over 70 shopping malls , which are all affordable and and attract visitors from all over the world.

As well as the shopping, there are amazing buildings and architectural sights to be seen. Dubai has fantastic buildings of all styles and structures, as well as the newer style buildings. Dubai also has many parks and gardens, as well as amusement parks that will keep the whole family entertained.

The area has begun a green zone, which means there are more areas of beauty than ever before and the flowers and exotic plants are breath taking. There are many places to eat and drink in Dubai and this fantastic city offers some of the best fine dining in the world. You will find that although alcohol is not illegal it is heavily regulated and you will have to be aware of the customs and laws regarding drinking.

This article was written on behalf of Tel Me International. For more information see Cheap flights to Dubai Cheap flights

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London Airport Guide

June 29th, 2010 No comments

London attracts so many visitors from around the world that it needs to have five airports to accommodate them all. What follows is a brief overview of each of those airports and details of how you can travel between them and Central London.

Heathrow Airport – Heathrow is located approximately 20km from the centre of London and benefits from its own London Underground station. The journey into the city centre takes up to 50 minutes however the cost is minimal at around $6 each way. Heathrow is by far the busiest of the 5 airports, with 5 terminals catering for 90 airlines that between them fly to over 170 worldwide destinations.

Gatwick Airport – Gatwick, located 45km south of the city center, is London’s second-largest airport. It is the main hub for discount and charter airlines. The journey from Gatwick Airport to central London, takes anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. To avoid potential traffic problems, you might want to consider a train instead, which will take you directly from the airport to Victoria Station.

Stansted Airport – Stansted is the definition of a budget airline hub but, despite the limited number of airlines, it is still London’s third busiest airport. It is located 48km northeast of the city center and there are convenient and reliable bus and train connections between the two. Stansted Bus and easyBus all would be your best options – they both send vehicles between the airport and Victoria Station, with the option to jump off at Marble Arch or Baker Street if you prefer.

Luton Airport – This small airport operates a single runway for the use of budget airlines traveling to and from European destinations. Located in the county of Bedfordshire 55km north of London, Luton Airport takes a while to get to and there may be more than one bus journey needed depending on your starting point. There are several round the clock bus services to and from London though, mostly run by Green Line and easyBus.

London City Airport – This small, central airport is situated just 11km from the centre of London and is suited to light aircraft that specialize in short take-offs and landings. Its location close to Canary Wharf makes it ideal for business flights and private travelers destined for the nearby financial district. In addition, the airport is well connected to London in its entirety through the Docklands Light Railway and a network of bus routes.

Alternatives to the 5 London Airports include the centrally located Birmingham Airport and Manchester Airport to the north. Both of these large international airports have very good transport links to London and the rest of the UK, meaning you can be anywhere within the country with just a few hours traveling.

Read On : Gatwick Hilton Hotel

Virgin Airlines

January 22nd, 2010 No comments

Owned by Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines, Virgin Airlines is well known for its decidedly British feel. Its main hubs are located at two London airports, Heathrow & Gatwick. It also has a secondary hub at Manchester. The airline provides service from the United Kingdom to North America, Africa, Caribbean, Australia, Asia and the Middle East.

Virgin Atlantic serves about 30 destinations worldwide with its fleet of more than 35 aircraft. It further extends its network through code-sharing relationships (agreements that allow airlines to sell tickets on each other’s flights) with other airlines including Air China, Continental Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Australia-based sister company Virgin Blue.

Plans for two routes, one from London to the Falkland Islands in the aftermath of the Falkland War, and the other from London Gatwick to JFK Airport, were either scrapped or rejected. Plans were in the works for a route between London Gatwick and Newark Liberty International Airport, when it became necessary for the company to secure additional funding.Virgin Atlantic and its sister companies got their start in’82 when American Randolph Fields teamed up with pilot Alan Hellary to launch British Atlantic Airways.

Fields and Branson struck an agreement after tortuous discussions which led to the formation of the airline currently known as Virgin Atlantic starting its first flight between Londan and Newark in June’84. (Fields was later bought out.) A combination of funding from sister company Virgin Records and the timing of the agreement within the peak summer travel system allowed the company to make money in its first year of operation.

This move led to BA’s so-called “dirty tricks” campaign against Virgin Atlantic which included libel lawsuits, and an out-of-court settlement on BA’s part after lawyers found evidence of the extraordinary efforts BA was taking to “kill off” Virgin Atlantic.Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have been rivals since the company’s inception. The competition became even more intense when the UK government began allowing Virgin Atlantic to operate from London Heathrow airport in January’91.

Virgin has never been shy about taking on its competition through its advertising. Some examples: Mine’s Bigger Than Yours – painted on the back of the Airbus A340-600s because they are the longest passenger aircraft in the world

Avoid the Q – Advertised Virgin’s London to Hong Kong to Sydney route in opposition to Quantas which was operating the same route; also promoted Virgins online check-in literally allowing passengers to avoid the queues.

Upper class is the equivalent of business class since the airline does not offer a traditional first class cabin service. Virgin Atlantic claims its Upper Class seat is the largest fully flat bed when compared with any other airlines’ business class seating.No Way BA/AA – Expressed Branson’s displease with a proposed British Airways/American Airlines partnership.Virgin Atlantic currently offers three cabin classes: upper class, premium economy and economy.

Premium Economy passengers have their own check-in and get to board before Economy passengers. They enjoy greater seat width and legroom. Most planes have undergone upgrading to provide Premium Economy seats that come with power supplies for laptops. Economy class now includes free drinks and upgraded seats with adjustable back support in all aircraft.

Personal televisions mounted in the seat backs are available on all of the planes flown by Virgin Atlantic. Audio and video on demand systems are also installed on some of their aircraft. In addition, Virign Atlantic has various sister airlines. These are Virgin America, Virgin Blue, Virgin Express, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Nigeria Airways, Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer and V Australia.,

Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for South Arica’s leading Flight comparison portal, which includes Virgin Atlantic Airlines amongst others.

Pod Hotels Can Save You Money On Holidays Or Vacations

November 30th, 2009 No comments

The next time you book air flights and travel through airports when on vacations or holidays, look around. You might just see a pod hotel. Here’s the low-down on these unique airport and city accommodations.

Pod hotels are not a new phenomenon. They have been around for many years, but most travelers have never heard of them. The concept started in Japan as “capsule hotels”, that were, and are still being used mainly by businessmen on stopovers. However, pod hotels are becoming more and more popular with vacation travelers as well, because they are convenient and cost a lot less than regular hotels. They can be found in the United States, Britain, Europe, and Asia, usually in, or near airports.

The pod hotel concept is just in its infancy in the U.S. and Europe, but is growing by leaps and bounds as more and more holiday travelers demand this unique service. Entrepreneurs are responding by creating very small, pod-like hotel rooms that are usually rented by the hour, or number of hours.

Most of the pod hotel rooms are small in size, but comfortable and convenient, and they usually have all the amenities of a regular hotel room at a fraction of the cost. They can be a great choice for budget-conscious business travelers and vacationers.

Some pod hotels are situated in airports such as the ones at Yotel.com, located in London, England’s Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.

EasyHotels.com have pod hotels in London, Zurich, Basal, and Budapest. QBICHotels.com have pod hotels located in Amsterdam and Antwerp. A New York pod hotel is the PickwickArms.com.

There is a new evolution in pod hotels called Metronap Sleep Pods. These space age style pods are starting to spring up not only on airport concourses, but in prominent locations in office buildings. They are excellent for tourists and business travelers, as well as tired people and executives that just want to have a nap. Even though these sleep pods sit out in the open, they partially enclose for privacy, but will not feel claustrophobic. They also are equipped with noise canceling headphones. The rental is by the hour and is reasonably priced.

To quickly grab cheap flights and luxury cruises at really great discounts, whenever you want to enjoy a

A Helpful Guide to Traveling with Small Children

November 18th, 2009 No comments

Air Travel with small children can turn out to be quite a difficult situation that can cause stress for many parents. In order to help diminish some of the chaos and stress, take some time prior to your trip and plan out as many details as possible. Younger children may have difficulty being confined to their seats on the airplane, bring along crayons and coloring books to help take their minds off of being confined. A change of pressure in the cabin that occurs during takeoff can hurt their ears, bring along gum or hard candy to help with this issue.

There are quite a few factors that you can complete ahead of time to help make sure that your kids are ready for air travel. Probably the most important item on the list is to make sure that your children have had a medical check-up completed by the family doctor or pediatrician. At this time, if they are behind on any vaccinations, you can get those shots caught up. In order for small children to fly the friendly skies, their immunizations must be current.

If you are scheduled for a longer flight, make every effort to reserve an overnight flight that will coincide with your children’s sleeping habits. Even though you are traveling, you want to try and mimic the same routine you have at home as closely as possible with younger children. Many airlines have ‘assistants’ available for parents who are traveling alone with small children. The assistants take care of collecting baggage from the aircraft as well as from the baggage carousels.

As far as your carry-on luggage is concerned, you should make every attempt to only pack items that your kids may need on the flight such as a changing mat, baby wipes, tissues, rash creams, and bottles of milk, favorite snacks, daily medications, spill-proof drinks, games, toys and an extra change of clothing for each child going on the flight. Try to avoid using your carry-on bag for items such as your laptop which will take up a lot of unnecessary room.

I suggest that you dress your children in a few light layers of clothing; this way you can add layers if cold or remove layers as necessary once you are onboard the aircraft. If your child is cold, you can simply ask a flight attendant to bring a blanket. Lastly, if you need help, do not hesitate to ask the flight attendants for help. In other words, don’t try and heat up your baby’s bottle under the hot water in the sink in the plane’s bathroom; ask the flight attendant to properly warm up the liquid in the bottle for your child.

Want to find out more about private business jets, then visit James Bishop’s site on how to choose the best air charter companies for your needs.