Plonky Pilot Pulled at Heathrow

A Heathrow pilot was prevented from taking to the air with 300 passengers because he reeked of alcohol.

Michael Harr, 62, was escorted from the aircraft by armed security police after having been breathalysed. The police had been tipped off by vigilant airport staff who smelt alcohol on the pilot as he boarded the aircraft.

The Jet Airways flight, bound for Mumbai in India, was delayed until a sober replacement pilot could take the controls.

Climate Campaigners Cause Travel Mayhem

Eco-protesters from the climate action group Plane Stupid have broken into Stansted airport to stage a protest at the recently agreed plans for airport exapansion.

Over 50 of the protesters were arrested for aggravated trespass, conspiracy to commit a public nuisance and attempting to gain access to a restricted area.

One of the protesters said that they regretted the impact that their action was having on travellers but they wanted to do everything they could to lessen the amount of CO2 making getting released into the atmosphere.

Complaints Lead to Parking Charge Reductions

Parking charges at Newcastle Airport have been reduced after complaints were received from airport visitors.

Vehicles that remain for more than five minutes will still be required to pay but airport officials have reduced the cost of airport parking to £1 for up to 20 minutes.

Travellers Unaware of Saving Opportunities

Many travellers using the UK's airports are unaware of how they can save money on their airport hotel and parking charges.

While most regular traveller understand that they can receive significant discounts by booking their car parking space in advance most are unaware that, if they book a room at an airport hotel, their airport parking charge would be included.

In many cases this means that the hotel room will effectively cost almost nothing as the combined cost of a room with inclusive parking is often close to the cost for parking alone.

Booking a room in one of the many airport hotels provides a great way to relax before flying and if that room has cost little more than it would have cost to park it can feel like a free holiday.

The UKs Best Airport Lounge

The hunt is on to find the UKs best airport lounge.

Airport lounges provide an excellent setting in which you can relax before your flight. Typically they provide complimentary refreshments, newspapers, magazines and comfortable, quiet surroundings away from the busy main terminal.

But not all airport lounges are the same. The level of service that each provides, the decor, furnishings etc. all vary. We want to hear about your experiences at any and all of the various UK airport lounges.

So drop us a note with some details of the lounge that you have used, when you were there and your experience of the service and facilities. We'd love to hear from you.

Pilot Arrested for Suspected Drunkenness

A 44 year old United Airlines pilot was arrested by police at Heathrow airport on Sunday morning after failing a breath test.

He had been scheduled to pilot a Boeing 777 United Airlines aircraft to San Franscisco, a journey of 5,300 miles.

United Airlines were quick to point out that their alcohol policy is amongst the strictest in the industry. Safety is their number one priority and they do not tolerate any violation of their strict no-alcohol rules.

Passengers have said that they didn't have a clue what was taking place when the pilot was arrested. Several commented that they were horrified to think that they could have been flown across the Atlantic by a pilot who was the worse for drink.

Gatwick Car Park Fire Damages 19 Cars

A fire in a car park used by travellers from Gatwick Airport has seriously damaged 19 cars.

Four appliances from West Sussex Fire and Rescue service attended the packed Gatwick Road open air car park in the early hours of Monday 13th October, called by a passer by.

The fire had initially only affected two of the parked cars but quickly spread to adjacent vehicles ultimately resulting in 19 cars becoming badly damaged. It is thought the most of the parked vehicles are owned by travellers who are now in for an unwelcome surprise when they return to retrieve their vehicles.

EasyBus Launch Cheap Fares Between Gatwick and London

Easybus have launched a promotion lasting until December 15th which means passengers will only have to pay £2 for a one way ticket, when purchased online.

The £2 fare significantly undercuts the Gatwick Express fare from London to and from Gatwick. The new £2 service runs every 20 minutes to and from Fulham Broadwey underground station to the Gatwick North terminal arrivals.

EasyBus have stated that their new service is intended to help business and pleasure travellers save money. They have also stated that their new service is eco-friendly.

Chinese Airline Passengers Get Out and Push

Passengers on a Chinese CRJ7 plane were asked to help push the 20 tone aircraft to the arrivals terminal after it broke on landing at Zhengzhou.

Initially only the airport staff were involved in trying to push the plane to its parking spot, but they couldn't get it to move. So the 69 passengers on board were asked for their help. Even with their assistance it still took nearly two hours to push the plane 1000 yards to the arrivals terminal.

UK Travel Industry in Meltdown

After the collapse of the XL leisure group last week which left around 100,000 travellers stranded abroad and 1,700 employees facing an uncertain future a second tour operator, K&S Travel, ceased trading on Saturday 13th September.

The collapse of K7S travel leaves around 150 travellers stranded in Bodrum, Turkey. K&S travel also trade under the name Travel Turkey, specialising in Turkish holidays.

This latest casualty in the UK travel industry has led many to speculate that the industry is in serious decline as many UK holidaymakers are tightening their belts and choosing to 'staycation' rather than travel abroad.