6 UPDATE


Harry Potter star launches new service J


NEW BULGARIAN ROUTE FOR 2019


ET2.COM and Jet2holidays recently announced further details of its Summer ‘19 programme, with the launch of a brand new destination to Bourgas, Bulgaria from Belfast International Airport. And on hand to launch the new route was Bulgarian actor Stanislav Yevetski, better known for his role as Victor Krum in Harry Potter.


This latest announcement means that the award- winning airline and tour operator has 24 summer sun destinations on sale from Belfast International Airport, a total of more than 450,000 seats which represents seven per cent capacity growth.


From May 2019, the company will operate a weekly Wednesday service to Bourgas, meaning almost 5,000 seats in its first year of operation. The destination offers great value for money as well as miles of golden sands along the Black Sea. What’s more, with a range of 2-5 star hotels on sale, holidaymakers can soak up the Balkan sun in resorts such as Sunny Beach, Nessebar, Obzor and St Vlas.


Another great flyer, Stanislav Yevetski, the Bulgarian actor best known for his role as Victor Krum in Harry Potter, helped this Bourgas announcement get off to a flying start by supporting the launch to his home country, Bulgaria. (see picture above) In addition to today’s exciting announcement Jet2.com and Jet2holidays also announced 24 destinations including Bourgas. Over 450,000 seats are available from Belfast, a seven per cent capacity increase on the back of a bumper Summer 18 programme. There are more seats to the Canary Islands with a longer summer season on Antalya, Dalaman, Naples and Paphos departures Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “We are extremely excited about our Summer ‘19 programme from Belfast International Airport, which is our biggest and best to date. This fantastic brand new destination of Bourgas in Bulgaria gives


holidaymakers even more choice with our award- winning airline and package holiday business. “The addition of flights to Bourgas means we will operate to Bulgaria for the first time, and with resorts such as Sunny Beach on sale, we are expecting it be hugely popular with local holidaymakers. As well as this, we are adding more flights and holidays to destinations such as the Canary Islands, the Algarve, Dalaman and Naples.


“All of this means we are hugely excited about Summer 19 when we will have thousands of 2-5-star hotels and a fleet of aircraft full of happy holidaymakers enjoying the VIP customer service that Jet2.com and Jet2holidays delivers.”


This year, the award-winning airline Jet2.com celebrated 15 years of flying, and package holiday specialist Jet2holidays recently celebrated both its 10th anniversary and becoming the UK’s second largest tour operator.


The company continues to win a number of awards for its VIP customer service, including winning an unprecedented four accolades at last week’s 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice™ awards for airlines (Best Airline – UK and Best Low-Cost Airline – Europe for the second year running, Best Economy Class in Europe, and the only UK and European airline to be recognised in the Top 10 Airlines in the World category – coming 7th in the prestigious list). In line with its family friendly approach, the company recently expanded its Free Resort Flight Check-In service, meaning customers in nine destinations and 250 hotels can now securely drop their bags off on the last day of their holiday, making their flight home quicker, easier and more convenient. Flights start from £69 one way including taxes from Belfast Airport to Bourgas, and holidays from £359 per person, including a 22kg luggage allowance and return transfers.


Travel disruption and cancellations major issue for Irish holidaymakers


A RECENT survey carried out by Ireland’s No 1 Travel Insurance provider Multitrip.com, found that 88 per cent of people plan to take two or more holidays aboard in 2018.


The poll also found that travel disruption and holiday cancellations are a massive concern for Irish holidaymakers currently, confirming that over 42 per cent have experienced flight delays or cancellations recently, with 34 per cent confirming that they worry considerably about air travel strikes.


So far this year, Lufthansa, Air France & Ryanair have together cancelled thousands of European flights causing widespread travel disruption for Irish holidaymakers. Through customer surveys and day to day queries, Multitrip.com Travel Insurance has discovered a growing concern amongst Irish holidaymakers to cover their holiday plans against aviation industry strikes and travel disruption due to adverse weather conditions.


The 2018 Multitrip.com Annual Travel Insurance Survey revealed some interesting insights into Irish holidaymaker’s travel plans this year:


• 88 per cent of people plan to go on 2 or more holidays this year, up from 73 per cent last year. • 75.7 per cent of people will book their trip three to 12 months in advance of their departure date. • 75 per cent of people’s holidays this year will last up to two weeks.


• 60.7 per cent of those surveyed will go on a sun holiday in 2018.


• 57.4 per cent feel that foreign medical expenses cover is the most importance reason to take out travel insurance cover.


• 51 per cent of people will spend up to €2,000 on their main holiday.


• 1 in 4 (24.3 per cent) still opt to book their holiday last minute in the weeks leading up to their departure date.


• 30.7 per cent will choose Spain or the Canary Islands as their destination.


• 21 per cent of people still travel without travel insurance, down from 25 per cent last year. Highlighting the critical importance of having the right travel cover in place, Ciaran Mulligan, MD of Multitrip.com, said, “Its looks like a huge amount of Irish people are planning to travel abroad numerous times again this year. We would urge all holidaymakers to consider ‘Travel Disruption Cover’ with their travel insurance policy, to ensure they are covered for future unannounced strikes and adverse weather conditions.” “Despite the drop in the numbers that are travelling without travel insurance, there is still a worryingly high number of Irish holidaymakers taking unnecessary risks, especially with travel to the USA and Spain. People shouldn’t take the chance of having to pay for expensive hospital or cancellation bills when we offer unique two-year Multi Trip travel insurance starting from only €31.99!”


Now Icelandair begins services from Dublin


DUBLIN Airport has welcomed the launch of Icelandair’s new six times weekly service from Dublin to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. The new service will also have onward connections from Reykjavik to 20 cities in North America.


“We are thrilled to welcome


Icelandair to Dublin Airport,” said Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison. “Iceland is growing in popularity as a destination for short breaks and this new service expands connectivity to Iceland and also offer Irish customers an additional choice when travelling to and from


North America via Iceland.” Icelandair will operate its new Dublin to Reykjavik service with a Boeing 757-200 aircraft. Flights will operate Sunday to Friday departing Keflavik Airport at 07.30 arriving in Dublin Airport at 09.15 with the return departing Dublin Airport at 11.50 arriving in Keflavik at 13.15.


Stanislav Yevetski, the Bulgarian actor best known for playing Victor Krum in Harry Potter, is joined by Jet2.com and Jet2holidays staff to announce Bulgaria as a brand new destination from Belfast Internationational Airport


Now Ryanair cuts Check-in time to just 48 hours before departure


MILLIONS of passengers booked on Ryanair flights from from June 13 onwards are being warned that they can check-in only 48 hours before departure.


The low cost carrier is making life more difficult for travellers who choose not to pay extra for assigned seating. Until two years ago, passengers could check in online up to a week before departure. In 2016 the airline cut its check-in window to just four days, saying the move was in response to "extensive customer feedback".


Since May 2017, the airline has faced repeated


criticism for assigning passengers travelling together seats far apart on the aircraft. The airline responded: "We are very happy to facilitate any customer who wants a free-of-charge random seat, but we are also going to do our best to facilitate customers who are


willing to pay for a reserved seat." Earlier this year the Civil Aviation Authority announced an enquiry into airlines' seating policies. Said Ryanair: "Online check-in (for those customers who don't choose reserved seats) will be available from 48 hours to two hours pre-departure for all flights from Wednesday, June 13. "This is more than double the 24 hour check-in period operated by British Airways, Lufthansa, Norwegian and Iberia. This will give reserve seat customers more time to select their preferred seats prior to departure." Ryanair says it has offered passengers booked to travel from June 13 onwards, and who have not paid for reserved seating, the chance to cancel and request a full refund. But it must be made within flve days (by May 19) – "after which the change will be regarded as implicitly accepted", says the airline.


Two nights of Queen music in Pamperovo


LOCAL tour operator, Travel Solutions has teamed up with ‘Flash Harry’ for two nights of Queen Nostalgia, in the Bulgarian ski resort of Pamporovo. This unique partnership offers guests a memorable trip


with a week’s skiing trip to Pamporovo in the Rhodopi Mountains of Bulgaria on February 24, 2019. As well as return flights from Belfast International to Plovdiv and return airport/hotel transfers, there is seven night’s accommodation on a half-board basis, ski pack and 6 x 4hr Skiing Lessons. There will be two complimentary nights for guests who


Flash Harry - heading for Pamporovo


are invited to rock out with the legendary ‘Flash Harry’ as they perform the greatest hits of Queen. Prices for the week start at £699 per person and demand is expected to be strong.


Sketch to etch kits for holiday memories


TOUR operator TUI is encouraging holidaymakers to sketch and record their favourite memories of their holiday abroad.


TUI is providing sketching materials to holidaymakers after experts discovered that drawing your holiday can make it a more lasting memory. In a trial at its new TUI Sensatori Resort Atlantica Rhodes, opening this summer, guests will be given Sketch to Etch kits to record their time abroad. While holidaymakers tend to take dozens of photographs to create snapshots of their trips, scientists say memories can be captured better by putting pen to paper.


Experimental psychologist and renowned Oxford University sensory expert Professor Charles Spence, in collaboration with British artist Philippa Stanton - who possesses the rare neurological condition of synesthesia - visited a TUI resort in Negril to explore how sketching can help engage all five senses


and help retain their best holiday memories. They concluded that only one sense - sight - is stimulated when taking a photo and at most two - sight and hearing - are triggered when filming something. But by drawing activates up to three senses, including sight, touch, sound as well as proprioception (or position sense), enables the brain to solidify the memory.


Helen Morgan, Head of Concept for TUI, said: "We know that our customers spend up to a year planning their holiday yet when it comes to returning home and actually remembering some of their wow holiday moments the expiry date on those memories can be as soon as two weeks.


"We are introducing Sketch to Etch kits to our TUI Sensatori resorts this summer because we want our customers to fuel and engage with all of their senses when they are on holiday with us and retain their wow holiday memories for longer."


June 2018 Travel News


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