For many people in the South East, tis’ an age old tradition to drive to the nearby port of Dover, jump on board a ferry and cash in on the preferential exchange rate with cheap wines & beers from the continent.

With the UK Pound plummeting against the Euro and a host of other currencies, the benefits of travelling abroad for a Christmas bargain are rapidly diminishing.

As with most things good and bad, there is often a flip side. For the current currency crisis, this is the rush of UK retailers slashing prices to entice shoppers to part with their hard earned cash.

With pre-Christmas sales and heavy discounting across the board a trip abroad for cheap beer and wine and other Christmas gifts may not be necessary after all.

If however you’re still tempted by the wines and cheese from overseas, a little advance planning for the journey can save you pounds on the journey. Here are a few tips to help you on your way…

With the heavily competitive cross channel ferry market all fighting for festive shoppers, it’s worth looking around to find the best cross channel ferry deals.

If you’re driving to Dover, port parking can also be booked in advance saving up to 50% on the standard ‘turn up’ parking prices.

And lastly, why not fill up with fuel on the continent before your return. With less tax on the overall cost of fuel, the difference in price could be equal to a few more bottles of wine in the basket.

The importance of providing travellers with top quality airport ground services has been addressed by Diners Club International as they announce the opening of 18 new cardholder club lounges at 14 UK airport locations.

These UK airport lounges will be managed and staffed by Servisair, the leading aviation ground services provider. They provide a range of complimentary snacks, freshly brewed coffee, tea along with television, newspapers, magazines, telephone and fax services. Many also provide internet access and business desks.

The new travel service from by Gosimply.com provides travellers with a lot more than simply price comparisons for airport parking, hotels, lounges and car hire.

Gosimply are giving travellers an abundance of additional services that make the whole process of travel-planning a lot simpler. They provide access to their complete database of customer reviews enabling prospective clients to read what others have to say without having to scour the internet for this invaluable information. The reviews are completely unedited and exactly as provided by previous customers. This should give customers a clear indication that they are dealing with an honest organisation who have confidence in the quality of their services.

They go on to provide realistic recommendations based upon the typical requirements of different types of travellers. If you are travelling on business you only have to glance at their recommendations for business travellers and you can be sure that their suggestions will meet your needs.

Even in the area of price comparison they go that little bit further by providing details of all charges involved, including those often annoying, hidden credit card charges. They provide the widest choice of car parks at all 26 UK airports and over 200 airport hotels along with easy access to international car hire and airport lounges.

In addition they offer customers 10% discount on a variety of popular travel insurance policies. The savings made can often be enough to cover the airport parking charges.

As many travellers are now beginning to watch their spending more closely it’s good to find an organisation who are going that little bit further to provide complete, honest and accurate information that will help people make the most informed and economical choices.

For Gatwick Parking visit http://www.gosimply.com/

The new Gosimply.com website, packed with impartial reviews and advice for travellers, is already proving to be an invaluable resource for those using Heathrow airport.

An informal survey has indicated that travellers are particularly impressed by the money saving advice and recommendations provided for Heathrow airport hotels. Many have said that they were unaware that booking both their hotel accommodation and airport car parking as a package could provide such significant savings.

Others have said how they have found the recommended hotels a great time saver. Rather than spend valuable time making comparisons they have been able to follow the suggestions from Gosimply confident in the knowledge that they are getting a good deal on a quality Heathrow hotel.

The all new Gosimply.com website is proving to be a powerful and popular travel resource with sensible money saving suggestions presented in a user-friendly easy-to-use format.

Gone are the days of simply turning up at the airport and with minimal time and fuss, simply boarding the plane and waiting for take off. As with any journey, a little research and planning can go a long way to easing the stress of the trip to the airport and enhancing the enjoyment of your holiday or business trip.

Rather than dreading the pre destination part of the journey between front door and the aircraft seat, why not make it an enjoyable part of the overall experience so that you arrive at your destination refreshed and relaxed. Start your holiday from the moment you leave home with the help of these simple tips.

Picking the best airlines

Especially important if you’re embarking on a long haul flight, the varying differences in legroom and standards of service can make all the difference. With a little research on websites like www.airlinequality.com you can read extensive customer reviews that can help you decide on which airline is best for you.

Online Check-In

Some airlines now offer this service that allows you to check-in online and in some instances, enable you to pick your own seat. Online check-in facilities do vary between airlines and are normally on a first come, first served basis. Check-in is usually available up to 24 hours in advance but rules and terms can vary so it’s always best to double check when booking your trip.

Flight Upgrades

Although high end upgrades can be expensive, some standard and last minute upgrades can be had for a much more palatable surcharge of around £15.00*. Upgrades are well worth looking into especially on Long haul flights as a relatively small surcharge can bring about a big difference in the standards of comfort and enjoyment of your flight.

Booking a seat with a view

Enjoyed by most first time or seasoned travellers, a window seat truly does give you a window to the world. Operated by Trip Advisor, www.seatguru.com provides a guide to the best seating on all of the main airlines. Simply select an airline and aircraft type for a detailed seating plan and a handy guide on the seat position.

Getting to and from the airport

Probably one of those things that people leave to the last minute. For those who intend to drive to the airport, this is rarely a problem with the extensive range of cheap and affordable airport car parking deals either at or near to the airport. Alternatives include either getting a friend or relative to pick you up and drop you off although this can be inconvenient with early morning or late night flights. Using public transport such as buses and trains can be a viable means of getting to the airport. Service operating times and the cost of some journeys however may exceed the cost and benifits of travelling by car. Whatever means of transport to the airport you decide on, it’s always best to plan well in advance and allow extra time for potential delays.

A good time to fly

Not always an option for all but if possible, try to avoid booking flights that are on school and bank holidays. Statistically, mid-week flights are usually less crowded than weekend flights with Mondays actually being the busiest flying day of the week. With a little research and planning, £££’s can be saved on flights if booked on less popular dates and times.

Local and regional airports

Many airlines now operate services from some of the smaller local and regional airports. Although there may not always be a flight to your destination within the required time frame, it’s always worth checking. Why travel potentially hundreds of miles to one of the major national airports like Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Luton or Manchester when there maybe a suitable flight from one of the smaller regional airports potentially saving time, hassle and money.

Start your holiday early

No one enjoys the prospect of a long drive to the airport late at night or in the early ours of the morning followed by hours of waiting at the airport terminal. Chances are that by the time you arrive at your destination, you’ll be tired and harassed and looking forward to a rest. An easy and affordable way of avoiding this scenario might be to book an overnight stay at one of the many airport hotels at or near to the airport. With prices starting from as little £30.00* with full access to a range of hotel facilities, you can add a whole new dimension to your holiday by waking up refreshed, relaxed and usually just a matter of minutes from the airport terminal.

Airport Lounges

Often thought of as something that only executives or celebrities use, airport lounges are in fact a facility that is available to anyone. Usually costing in the region of £15 to £20* per person, the airport lounge admission price usually includes access to a range of complimentary snacks, soft drinks, newspapers, magazines and more. Facilities on offer can vary from lounge to lounge but some also include free alcoholic beverages and internet access in the price. Airport lounges provide an opportunity for you to relax and unwind in a less stressful environment with some great home comforts like sofas and TV.

Travelling light

Turning up at the airport with excess luggage can cause no end of problems for you, your travelling partners, family or friends. To avoid potentially expensive excess luggage charges or the prospect of emptying everyones cases in an attempt to re-distribute the load, pack carefully. Only take what is really necessary, you’ll be surprised at the amount of things that people will pack that they don’t really need. Check the luggage weight restrictions of the airline well in advance and prior to departure just incase they have changed. Weigh your cases prior to leaving for the airport and make sure that the scales you use are accurate. Never go right up to the maximum weight allowance on your own scales and allow for a margin of error, if your scales are understated by just a couple of pounds you’re likely to face an excess luggage charge at the airport.

By following some or all of these simple tips, you can help to make your travel experience that little more enjoyable and a little less stressful. For further information, the latest deals and to compare airport parking, hotels and airport lounges visit www.simplyextras.co.uk. Further advice and information on BAA operated airports such as Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, can be found at www.baa.com or alternatively by phone on 0870 8502825.

Your views and travel experiences

If you have any interesting stories or helpful travel tips, why not let us know?

* Prices shown and marked give an approximation of the costs involved. Prices of airport services are based on date and time of travel, airport concerned, car park, hotel or lounge operator and service availability at the time of booking.

Whilst flying can be slightly more complicated for the disabled traveller most airlines and airports are perfectly equipped and ready to make every journey easy and enjoyable.

Planning is the key, whether disabled or not. There are always lots of things to consider including:

• Vaccinations suitable for your intended trip
• Medication and any special equipment needs
• Medical insurance and how to get medical assistance if needed
• Travel insurance that covers any specialist equipment
• Any special transportation requirements that you may have
• Dietary requirements for the flight and your destination hotels
• Availability of appropriate disabled toilet facilities
• Suitability of any rented transport

Before booking your flight you should check that the airline provides any assistance that you may require and be certain to find out if this costs extra. Ensure that you pre-book any assistance that you may require to be certain that it is ready when and where you need it.

Parking for disabled travellers is often provided conveniently close to the airport terminal buildings. For example, when parking at Aberdeen Airport disabled travellers can pre-book either long stay or short stay parking, but both are actually in the same conveniently located car park near to the airport terminal building.

For most disabled travellers a safe and enjoyable journey can be guaranteed with a little forethought and preparation.

For more information visit: Flying with Disability

The number of passengers using Scotland’s third largest airport, Aberdeen, increased again last month. The total number of passengers using the airport in the first four months of 2008 has exceeded 1 million with 280,700 using the terminal during April. This is an increase of 1.6% on the figures for April 2007.

Aberdeen continues to be Scotland’s fastest growing airport offering flights to over 35 destinations. It is also the main heliport for the North Sea oil industry providing helicopter flights to and from the oil rigs for oil workers.

Up until March 2005 aircraft were not allowed to take off from the airport between the hours of 22:30 and 06:00 due to local noise restrictions. These were lifted by the local council, despite opposition from local residents. The airport is now set to undergo development to extend the main runway.

City councillors have agreed to an extra 300 metres that will enable larger, international aircraft to use the airport. Initially an extension of 125 metres is to be added to the runway. Whilst this expansion has been welcomed by the Scottish tourism board, it has met with strong opposition from environmental campaigners.

For the local tourism industry to continue to grow, expansion of Aberdeen airport is essential.

There has been a marked increase in the number of international travellers returning to the UK with malaria. Health officials are encouraging travellers to ensure that they take appropriate anti-malaria precautions.

There are four main types of malaria, all spread by mosquitoes, present in around 90 countries. Malaria infects around 1 in 10 of the worlds population and a child dies of the disease every 30 seconds.

Symptoms
The first symptoms of malaria can easily be mistaken for a bout of flu. They can often include:

• Headache;
• Nausea;
• High Fever;
• Upset Stomach;
• Vomiting.

These can vary depending upon the specific type of malaria. Most forms will present symptoms within 7 to 14 days but Plasmodium malariae can take up to 30 days.

These early symptoms are often dismissed as unimportant, which is a mistake. Malaria symptoms tend to follow a cycle as the lifecycle of the blood borne parasite progresses. If untreated, further serious complications can arise including kidney failure, anaemia, paralysis and coma.

Increase in Number of Malaria Cases
The increase in malaria cases is due to a variety of factors including:

• The disease is developing a resistance to traditional treatments
• Mosquitoes are becoming resistant to insecticides
• Constraints on health care spending in some countries has led to malaria control activities being curtailed or reduced.

The increase in the number of people returning to the UK with malaria is on the increase because travellers are not taking adequate precautions.

Gap Year Travellers
One group who appear to be particularly at risk are young gap year students. There is a tendency amongst this group to think of themselves as impervious to disease and infection. They tend to embark upon adventurous trips, sometimes lasting many months, into regions of the world that have a high level of malaria infection and they do so with minimal preparation.

Preventing Malaria
The best prevention is avoidance. In particular, avoiding mosquito bites. In conjunction with repelling mosquitoes anyone travelling to a malarial region should take appropriate anti-malarial drugs. Here are just a few basic precautions:

• Wear Protective Clothing
• Use an effective insect repellent
• Use a repellent treated mosquito net
• Use the correct anti-malarial drugs for the region you are visiting (consult your doctor).

Further information and advice can be found on the Department of Health website: UK Department of Health on Malaria.

A recent survey of airport car parking facilities, in which users were asked to provide feedback on the service they had received, shows that staff at Scottish airport car parks are the most courteous and helpful.

In the survey passengers who had used the airport car parks were asked to rate their experience of the staff, how helpful they were, their politeness and how willing the staff had been to provide assistance above and beyond the call of duty. The office staff and transit bus drivers at Scottish airports were consistently praised and those working in Edinburgh airport’s car parks and the staff at Aberdeen airport’s car parks singled out for special praise due to their willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ in order to help passengers.

Their counterparts working in English airport car parks were also praised but the Scottish staff were found to be consistently polite, helpful and more willing to put themselves out.

Poor customer service is something we all tend to remember. It doesn’t matter if the product or service is actually any good, if we can’t get through on the telephone, can’t find a representative to speak to and can’t get the help we need this is the experience that we will remember and this becomes the story that we share with our friends.

Every business needs to recognise the need for good quality customer service that goes that extra mile to ensure that the customer experience is as positive as possible. This requirement has recently been highlighted by the debacle at Heathrow airport’s new terminal 5 where many flights have been canceled and thousands of bags caught up in a huge backlog.

People working in the travel industry all need to be ready and able to provide stressed passengers with help and support when they need it. Everybody in the industry needs to be willing to go that extra mile in order that the customer feels like every effort has been made to resolve their problem. Even if their bags cannot be found the customer needs to know that their voice has been heard and that efforts have been made by everyone concerned to resolve the issue.

It’s always good to hear of positive customer experiences but, equally, it is important for business operators to hear of negative experiences so that steps can be taken to address the issues identified. Facilities that enable customers to provide impartial testimonials and feedback are a great way to gather this information.

For example, feedback from customers regarding their experiences when parking at Glasgow Airport indicate that the staff are friendly and helpful. The same positive comments on the staff can be seen in the reviews of parking services at Prestwick airport and the reviews of car parking at Aberdeen airport. Similar positive experiences have been recounted by customers who have used the car parking facilities at Edinburgh airport, but if we look at the feedback provided on specific car parks we can see some areas where customer service could be improved.

The impartial feedback provided by car park users provides invaluable insight into any negative aspects of their experience which, when addressed, will bring dividends as customer satisfaction will be enhanced. The facility that allows and encourages customers to feed back their experience is invaluable to the business. It also serves to provide prospective clients with an impression that the business is open, honest and confident in the quality of the services provided.