p2 Contents Oct23 21/10/09 22:12 Page 2
‘Boris Island’ should
learn lessons from
news
Gatwick’s history
THIS WEEK’S sale of Gatwick airport marks an
important phase for a transport hub that has been
at the heart of the UK’s outbound holiday industry
for half a century.
It was built originally promising new standards for
modern airports by avoiding the ad hoc, piecemeal
approach to expansion at its much bigger near
neighbour Heathrow.
this week
Gatwick was the first airport to allow passengers
to access aircraft via piers and the first to tie in good
public transport and road links.
However, one of its failings was despite good rail
links people still did not want to fly from there and
so neither did the scheduled airlines which preferred
Heathrow. As a result it became the focal point of
the UK holiday industry as charter airlines based
themselves there and the package holiday was born.
Gatwick has since welcomed countless holiday-
Viva Las Vegas!
makers, become a two-terminal airport and swelled British Airways brought a bit of glamour back into the aviation business
capacity to 34 million passengers annually today. to mark the launch of its new Las Vegas service this weekend. For other
But all that has come at a cost and the owners aviation news, including bmibaby’s new no-frills “code-share” agreement
BAA have been accused of under-investment, with Germanwings, see p20
turning it into a shopping mall and ignoring
customer service. It’s a common, and sadly all too Court report. Cruise.
accurate, observation of many airports today. CAA v Travel Republic p4 P&O loyalty scheme p9
The new owner, subject to the deal going through The CAA tried to “shoehorn” P&O Cruises is expected to
in December, has been praised for the improvements companies into an outdated and continue with a new policy trialled
to customer experience at its London City airport. unworkable system of consumer this month which is designed to
Airlines which welcomed the change of protection, it was claimed in discourage customers shopping
ownership and break-up of the BAA monopoly will court this week around after booking onboard
be hoping some of that thinking can be replicated
at Gatwick. Charter flights. Tourism Concern.
But what should be the limit of the ambition for Viking UK set to take off p5 Charity fights for survival p12
Gatwick’s future? A marker has already been Noel Josephides is set to lead a new Threatened charity Tourism
laid down by opponents to any sort of UK offshoot of Viking Airlines, the Concern is calling on travel
expansion of the airport. Sweden-based carrier with links to companies to help it find funds
So, with expansion at all four London the failed XL Leisure Group so it can continue its work
airports vociferously opposed, we are monitoring the impact of tourism
now debating the virtues of the next London Olympics. on destinations
“new London airport” 50 years Cook to sponsor 2012 p6
after work started on Gatwick. Thomas Cook plans to create more City.
The £40 billion so-called attractive foreign holidays for Brits Expert’s guide to VAT p14
“Boris Island” in the Thames during the Olympic Games in 2012 As Medhotels prepares to appeal
Estuary could prove a to persuade them to continue a reported £11m VAT bill, tax
costly error if the reasons travelling expert Damon Wright outlines the
why Gatwick did not issues facing UK firms claiming
become the originally- Central America. to be operating as agents
envisaged alternative Travel Market report p11
to Heathrow are not Honduras could take 10 years to REGULARS.
understood. recover from the impact of its Cruise p18
current political crisis which has Air p20
Lee Hayhurst News Editor seen tourist numbers plummet Business travel p24
by 70% Letters p26
02 23.10.2009
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