The battle between the BAA and Competition Commission has been in the works since March 2009 and now has gone to court. But it seems BAA will keep Stansted, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports and won’t sell them.

The Competition Commission found the BAA’s almost monopolization of UK major airports wasn’t legitimate in terms of competition fairness and was bad for passengers. Therefore, the Competition Commission felt that BAA should sell three of their airports.

The latest appeals ruling has been in favour of BAA as a tribunal ruled on February 25th that the travel giant could keep the airports. To lodge another appeal will take months. However, Ryanair, who operates at Stansted airport, feels that in-between time the decision could deter future sales.

by Richard Armitage

Confidence is being restored in the hotel market according to a poll taken by online booking operators for hotel.info.

Nearly 50% of hotels worldwide are caustiously optimistic about bookings in the summer holidays. Of the 2000 hotels contacted in the study over 46 percent were hoping for a recovery in a moderate market, whilst 24.4 percent expected bookings to be much higher this year and only 6% felt hotel prices would increase.

Contrastingly, in Spain only 15 percent are expecting a recovery anytime soon where as 55 percent are expecting recovery to be slow.

Hotel.info said:
“Taking into account the number of hotel operators who believe in a recovery of any sort – be it slow or fast – Italian hoteliers seem to be the most positive (76.59 percent) about the prospects for 2010.”

by Richard Armitage

Britain has seemingly survived from the recession and consumers are reportedly looking to holidays to pamper themselves, according ro travel expert, Ian Bradley.

Bradley spoke of Office for Natational Statistics figures that have shown the UK is returning to a position of economic growth and that travel market optimism will lead to more Brits taking vacations in 2010.

Bradley said:
‘People who maybe gave up on a foreign holiday last year are very keen to proceed with it this year.’

‘Most people will be looking for sun and for value. Places like north Africa and the Middle East will probably give you that. The same with Greece, Cyprus and places like that.’

by Richard Armitage

Hotel chain, Travelodge, has announced interest in a top spot in Palm Court where they plan to erect a 100-bed hotel not far from their other new hotel in Newton Road.

Steve Taylor confirmed that the 100-bed hotel development will be built on the upper floors of Palm Court and that Travelodge also hopes to begin a new Travellodge hotel at Middlepark Hotel, Marine Drive in Paignton if planning permission is granted in February.

Mr Taylor of Travellodge, said:
“We can confirm we are certainly interested in the site, but nothing has been signed. It is a great location with the beach opposite which will be enjoyed by our clients.”

The rise out of the recession has meant more Brits are booking holidays again but are still considering value as their main focus in holiday choice.

Budget holiday park operator Butlins have reported bookings for 2010 have risen by 11% year-on-year as holidaymakers are increasingly attracted to value breaks, such as those at Butlins starting at £199 for a family of four.

Furthermore, price comparison website Cheapflights UK say that comparisons on value trips in eastern Europe have soared as much as 106% in Dubrovnik and 102% in Warsaw.

In Haiti’s hour of need it is good to see local talent supporting the crisis. The devastation of the recent earthquake in Haiti has grabbed the world’s attention with some estimated 50,000 to a possible 200,000 feared dead. Local Devon based folk musicians will be joining forces to help raise funds to aid the crisis.

A gig featuring some of Devon’s finest folk talents will be held at Exeter Pheonix on Thursday 21st January. The event is organised by Mick Burch and will feature headlining talents Show of Hands along with supporting acts Jim Causley, Jackie Oates and Jenna Witts.

Incidentally all four acts have been nominated in awards for the 2010 BBC Folk awards scheduled to take place in London on February 1st. So for a no doubt classic night of local folk talent which should see thousands of pounds raised to help support the victims of Haiti why not consider paying a visit to the Exeter Pheonix this Thursday. Tickets are on sale for £16.00 a piece and the show will begin at 8pm.

Haiti earthquake benefit concert
Exeter Phoenix
Thursday 21 January 2010, 8pm
Tickets £16.00
Box office: 01392 667080

by Daniel Doughty

According to the website TravelMole the European ski specialist company Pierre & Vacancies state that there has been a rise in ski holiday bookings enquires this January.

This rise is believed to be due to current British weather trends that have been occurring throughout the UK over the past few weeks.

So this recent spate of snow has become somewhat of an inspiration to many, where some may snub this proposition and wish that they were sipping a cold beer on a beach in Thailand a great deal of others have been donning their thermals and flocking to the slopes.

Pierre & Vacancies say that sales this January for the Alps & the Pyrenees have already matched those of lasts years winter bookings, February’s half term week being a popular booking for families with children along with late season bookings with their lower prices such as the week before Easter also proving to be a popular period.

Remote destinations of the Alps & Pyrenees have also on average seen a 17% uplift in sales, the company report that current snow conditions across the Alps are excellent with an abundance of fresh snow and cold temperatures to coincide. Alpe d’Duez and Vars of the Southern Alps setting a fine example and expecting to receive somewhere in the region of 14cm of snowfall per day this week.

Long has it been embedded into the British heart that when it is cold and miserable one should retreat to sunnier climes, but I sense a new trend on the horizon.

by Daniel Doughty

It is good news for people of UK who were earlier cancelled or extended their travel due to heavy rain fall in the season. Now Air transport in UK has started coming back to normal.

Snow and freezing conditions in large areas of England brought Airports to suspended flights. Airport authorities closed runways at Gatwick and Luton Airports due to heavy snow. However, Heathrow Airport has resumed its full operations. According to BBA, owner of Heathrow Airport their airfield team is working round the clock to keep the runway clean to check chaos and travel delays.

Exeter and Plymouth airports are also now operating without major delays. Still passengers should check the status of flights online or contact their airlines for the latest updates.

by Mandira Srivastava

1,500 Devon Royal Marines are undergoing training in the Arctic Circle in Norway to learn extreme survival skills as military preparation.

Royal Marines from Stonehouse, Plymouth will be learning crucial lifesaving skills in Norway’s severe conditions to prepare for visiting places such as the freezing mountains of Afghanistan.

Sergeant Warren Keays-Smith of the 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines explained how this could help save troop’s lives:
“They’ll be living in Arctic conditions, learning to ski cross-country and they’ll be taught basic survival routines. They’ll blow a hole in the ice, 9ft x 4ft, and one at a time, a guy – with their skis on and a burden on their back – will learn how to get out of it. Then we’ll get them warmed up afterwards. It’s all health and safety, so that if it happens in real life they know what to do.

After the basic training, they’ll move on to tactics such as ambushes. The temperature there drops to -40C, but training stops at -30C.”

UK Royal Marines will join with other Marine troops from Norway, Denmark and USA to engage in a multi-national exercise in the end of February.

BBC Devon will follow the troops throughout in online diaries, photos and films.

The county has already been affected by heavy snow fall but more is falling and more is expected overnight tonight.

Heavy snow has already stopped traffic today on the late afternoon rush hour at 17:30 on the A38 and caused flights to be cancelled from Plymouth airport as more disruption is caused.

The bad weather arrived at lunchtime and its set to continue for the rest of the day with the snow being at its heaviest in the overnight.

On the other hand, pictured, is a beautiful scene of the January snow from BBC: