UNITED KINGDOM: EasyJet Flight From Newcastle To Bristol Diverted To Birmingham Due To Technical Problems.

The 6am flight from Newcastle to Bristol had to land in Birmingham after a “technical issue” on board.

It had only been in the air for several minutes before passengers were told the plane was diverting.

One passenger, who did not want to be named, said it was believed smoke had entered the cockpit.

The traveller said: "I heard someone mentioning smoke in the cockpit but other than that we weren't told what was happening and couldn't smell smoke of anything.

"But the staff were absolutely brilliant. One or two people were nervous but they kept everyone totally calm throughout.

"The flight was packed but the pilots and flight attendants did really well."

An EasyJet spokesman said the diversion was to ensure the safety of passengers.

An EasyJet spokesman confirmed the diversion, saying: easyJet can confirm that flight EZY565 from Newcastle to Bristol diverted to Birmingham due to a technical issue.

Upon landing the aircraft was met by the fire brigade as a precaution only.

All passengers were disembarked normally and engineers are investigating. Passengers were transported to Bristol by coach.

At no point of was the safety of the passengers and crew compromised and the diversion was a precautionary measure only.

The safety of its passengers and crew is easyJet's top priority and easyJet operates its fleet of aircraft in strict compliance with all manufacturers' guidelines.

We apologise for any inconvenience experienced due to the diversion and resulting delay.


Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: TUI Airlines Passengers Sit On Plane Floor After Buying Tickets For Seats That Were Non Existent

A family returning from holiday found they had no seats once they had boarded their plane and spent part of the flight sitting on the floor.

Despite having boarding passes, the Taylor family found empty spaces where their seats should have been.

The family, from Alcester, Warwickshire, had paid £1,300 and were flying from Mahon in Menorca to Birmingham with TUI airlines.

The Civil Aviation Authority is looking into the matter.

Mrs Taylor and her husband were given flip-up seats but the plane's food and other items were stored behind them, she said.

Paula Taylor said her husband and 10-year-old daughter had got to the airport early, in June, to make sure they were seated together.

Their seat numbers were 41 D, E and F. But when they got on the plane there was an empty space underneath the numbers.

We all just looked at each other as if to say where's our seats gone?, Mrs Taylor said.

Once all the passengers had boarded there was just one seat left. Mrs Taylor's daughter Brooke was given that seat while she and her husband were given flip-up seats in the crew section.

Paula Taylor said she was given short shrift when she tried to raise the matter with TUI afterwards.

But once the flight had taken off, crew were busy serving food and other items stored behind those seats and Mr and Mrs Taylor had to go and sit on the floor, in the space their seats should have been. They were joined by Brooke as she did not want to sit alone.

The family say they were thanked by the plane crew for their understanding.

But Mrs Taylor says she was given short shrift when she raised the matter with TUI and was eventually offered a goodwill gesture of £30.

After the family contacted Rip Off Britain, TUI refunded their fares and said a last-minute aircraft change, meant the family's assigned seats were unavailable, as the alternative aircraft had a different seating configuration.

It said it was sorry for the way the situation was initially handled and will contact the family directly to apologise.

The Civil Aviation Authority says while passengers are allowed to sit in crew seats under certain conditions, they must not be left unseated during any stage of the flight.

It told Rip-Off Britain it would be contacting TUI for an explanation.


Tourism Observer

QATAR: Qatar Airways To Commence Doha To Cardiff Flights

Qatar Airways has announced that it is to launch Doha-Cardiff route on May 1st.

This is the first time that Qatar will be directly linked to Wales, and more importantly, the Welsh capital, offering passenger and cargo opportunities for those in the catchment area.

After the inaugural flight, the route will then be operated by the 787 Dreamliner that the carrier has in their fleet.

The launch of the new service to Cardiff will be a major milestone for Qatar Airways.

It makes sense that the inaugural flight that welcomes Qatar Airways to Wales is on the A350-900, as the wings of this very plane are built at the Airbus plant in Broughton, North Wales.

The new service will connect the Welsh people with more destinations globally and provide them with the opportunity to experience our unparalleled five-star service.

Qatar Airways forward to flying its new passengers on board and to connect them to Doha and points beyond.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner that will operate on this route will have 22 seats in Business Class, offering a 1-2-1 configuration followed by 232 seats in Economy which will run under a 3-3-3 configuration.

The flight schedule is as follows:

- Doha (DOH) to Cardiff (CWL) QR 321 departs 07:25 arrives 12:50 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat)

- Cardiff (CWL) to Doha (DOH) QR 322 departs 15:55 arrives 00:45 (+1) (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat)

- Doha (DOH) to Cardiff (CWL) QR 323 departs 01:15 arrives 06:40 (Tue, Thu, Sun)

- Cardiff (CWL) to Doha (DOH) QR 324 departs 08:10 arrives 17:00 (Tue, Thu, Sun)

On top of this new route addition in May, the airline will also be operating services to London Gatwick on May 22nd.

This means that by the end of May, Qatar Airways’ UK portfolio will consist of destinations being Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Gatwick, offering an even spread across the UK to connect passengers to the State of Qatar as well as beyond.


Tourism Observer

UNITED KINGDOM: Emirates Passenger To Birmingham Airport Spits In Flight Attendant's Face

Khalid Mir was on a seven hour Emirates flight from Dubai to Birmingham when the incident unfolded.

Birmingham Magistrates Court heard how the 39-year-old from the West Midlands city, had become involved in an altercation with a female passenger on the flight on November 17, 2016.

Mir was asked to calm down, but his behaviour became more aggressive and the crew were forced to restrain him.

Prosecuting, Colin Phillips, said: “The defendant consumed a few drinks before boarding the aircraft and had purchased three bottles of vodka from duty free.

“He also shared a bottle with a friend.”

Just half an hour into the flight, Mir became involved in the altercation.

He was repeatedly asked to calm down, however, his behaviour became more “disorderly and threatening”.

It was at this point Mir received a formal warning from the captain.

Despite this, his behaviour continued and the flight attendants felt it was necessary to “restrain” him “for the protection of other passengers”.

Mir was taken to the back of the plane where he was tied to a chair and his hands and feet were tied together. A mask was also placed over his face.

The court heard how he then went on to spit in the face of a crew member as she attempted to give him a drink through a straw.

He was also reported to have called the air hostess a “dirty white”.

In a statement read out in court, the female flight attendant said she was “disgusted” when Mir “started spitting and spat directly in my face”.

Mir pleaded guilty to being drunk on board an aircraft and failing to obey a lawful command of a pilot.

The court was also told that Mir has 57 prior convictions. These include more than 20 offences for theft and drug related incidents.

Mir is due to be sentenced on March 8 at Birmingham Crown Court.

The story comes after a video captured two lawyers getting into a heated fight on a Monarch flight from the UK to Malaga.

USA: Birmingham Tourism Positively Improves In 2016

Alabama’s tourism director says the state is on pace for the fifth straight year of record attendance from tourism.

The state’s tourism office projects guest spending should top $13 billion.

It’s not just the gulf coast beaches attracting the business.

Birmingham is seeing increases.

Shiro Ndungu is visiting the Magic City for the first time.

The Kenyan native now living in Massachusetts didn't know what to expect when she arrived.

She’s been pleased ever since.

“I'm visiting a lot of historic sites. I'm impressed to be honest with you," said Ndungu.

Birmingham has enjoyed good publicity this year.

It has been called "the South's rising star" by the travel website Lonely Planet.

One of the city's newest restaurants, OvenBird, got praise that Birmingham is a food destination.

Tourism numbers are still preliminary for Birmingham, but the Convention and Visitors Bureau reports booked hotel rooms at this stage of the year are ahead of last year's numbers.

In 2015, Birmingham hosted 4.4 million overnight visitors with tourists spending $1.7 billion.

The City of Birmingham alone has already seen an increase in lodging tax collection this year.

UNITED KINGDOM: 'Summer in Worcester' Tourism Campaign To Begin

A MAJOR new push to market Worcester as a tourist attraction is kicking off - based on the theme of 'summer in the city'.

Worcester City Council's new Labour leadership wants to help launch a plan to market the main shopping area and visitor attractions like the riverside better.

Under the strategy, a new website portal called summerinworcester.com will be launched and promoted heavily over the coming weeks and months.

The big push, which will start this week, will also partly focus on so-called 'staycations', with more and more people opting to take short weekend breaks around Britain rather than go abroad - and what visitors can do for free.

A new report has been published on the move saying "Worcester comes alive in the summer".

The report, published for the Labour cabinet, says as well as the new website, social media campaigns will launch via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Alongside heavy newspaper advertising in Worcestershire, a big regional media campaign headlined 'Summer in Worcester' will see adverts placed in publications covering Birmingham, Gloucester, Solihull and Stratford.

The new Labour leadership wants to make increased tourism one of its big themes, with leader Councillor Adrian Gregson seeking to get more visitors to choose Worcester over rival destinations.

The report says: "Worcester comes alive in the summer with ample space to relax and a picnic, enjoy sporting events, take riverside walks and bike rides.

"People can sample the unique history and enjoy a varied festivals and events programme.

"This summer's events include the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations, Worcester Literary Festival, Worcester Foodie Festival, Worcester Carnival, Worcester Show, Worcester Festival, CAMRA Beer, Cider and Perry Festival, family fun days and sporting fixtures at the racecourse and cricket club.

"However Worcester’s route to the marketplace for the promotion of the various summer activities is currently limited - and there is no 'hub' for joint promotion."

The 'summer in Worcester' domain name has been provided by Worcester's Business Improvement District (BID), and will not depend on companies coughing up any cash.

Another internet domain called christmasinworcester.com is also available for a festive winter campaign later in the year - with any lessons learned from this summer's tourist push applied to that.

It comes amid data showing how footfall in the city centre dropped around 3.9 per cent in the last quarter of the 2015/16 financial year between January and March.

The council says that small decline, which mirrors shopping areas across the country, is another reason for the big push.

The cabinet will be meeting this evening (Tuesday) at the Guildhall at 7pm.

Flying With Monarch Airlines

It’s summer holiday time across most of Europe, so we focus on what travellers can expect if they are flying on Monarch Airlines in the coming weeks.

About Monarch Airlines
Monarch Airlines recently transitioned from a charter airline service to a scheduled low cost operation for short haul leisure routes. The airline operates a fleet of A320 and A321 aircraft in an all Economy Class configuration from its main base at Luton Airport and from Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Gatwick.

Seats onboard a Monarch Airlines flight
The typical dimensions for Monarch Airlines cabin seats provide a seat pitch of 28 inches, and seat width of 17.5 inches.

Checking in for your Monarch Airlines flight
Traffic delays, longer than expected security queues are good reasons to make sure you get to the airport nice and early.

YES : Online check-in
Available 28 days until 6 hours prior to departure, only available for bookings made directly with Monarch. Not available if you have booked via a travel agent or tour operator, or are part of a group booking of over 15 passengers. If you check-in online you will be charged for allocated seating

YES: Airport check-in
Opens 3 hours prior to departure, and close 40 minutes prior to departure. Check in is free of charge

What baggage are you allowed on Monarch Airlines ?
Don’t get caught out with expensive baggage charges … remember that airlines apply rules for a reason!

Checked-in Luggage
20kg baggage allowance per customer.

Hand baggage
Hand baggage – 1 item of hand baggage (10kg / 56x40x25cm) OR 2 items as long as the combined weight / size dimensions do not exceed (10kg / 56x40x25cm)

Excess Baggage charges
10GBP (13.50EUR) per kilogram

Food and drinks on your Monarch Airlines flight
If you’re feeling peckish on your Monarch Airlines flight, you can buy refreshments onboard

Some example Buy-on-board prices

Muffin and hot drink : £4
Sandwich, drink and snack : £7.50
Other hot meals available through the “Manage my Booking”

Travelling with children on Monarch Airlines
These are leisure and low-cost airlines, so don’t expect free gifts or activity packs for the little ones!

Infants receive 10kg baggage allowance
Pushchairs and car seats will be carried free of charge.
Travel cots may be carried in the hold but must form part of the 10kg infants baggage allowance.

Monarch Airlines customer reviews
“Seats were fine for 3.5 hour flight, might be slightly less so on a longer flight, as Monarch have ceased long haul not a problem”
“The fixed angle of seat back is good (a compromise between fully upright and reclined) so there are no hassles with the passenger in front depriving you of your legroom”
“Ordered meal online both ways (very tasty for an aircraft meal). Sitting in Row 10 finished the meal before the drinks trolley arrived”
“Meal service was at the expected level for a budget operator”

UAE: Emirates Expands A380 Operations In S16

Emirates today continues to revise planned operational aircraft for summer 2016 season, including the expanded A380 destination

Following planned new A380 service has been reflected in the GDS inventory at 1030GMT (schedule switched to A380 after 0900hrs GMT):
eff 01MAY16 Dubai – Taipei Taoyuan 2-class A380 replaces 2-class 777-300ER

Following planned new A380 service has been reflected in Amadeus timetable listing at 1055GMT, EK inventory to be updated soon:
eff 27MAR16 Dubai – Birmingham 2-class A380 replaces 2-class 777-300ER on EK039/040
eff 01MAY16 Dubai – Prague 3-class A380 replaces 3-class 777-300ER
eff 01JUN16 Dubai – Barcelona EK187/188 operates with 3-class A380, replaces 777-300ER (All 2 daily operates with A380)

POLAND: Wizz Air Will Fly From Wroclaw To Birmingham

Wizz Air today announced a new route from Wroclaw to Birmingham. The route will commence on 18 March and will be operated with two weekly flights, on Mondays and Fridays.

With the new service, WIZZ is now offering seven routes to five countries from Wroclaw.

Gabor Vasarhelyi, Communications Manager at Wizz Air said: ”We are thrilled to announce the third UK route for our Wroclaw network. Birmingham is now available on our low fares from our Polish base allowing business and leisure travelers to explore the West Midlands from only PLN 79.

Stimulating air travel between Poland and the United Kingdom, we hope tourism and hospitality sectors will benefit from our newest service, as well as strengthen business relations between the two countries. We urge our customers to book the lowest fares quickly on wizzair.com!”

USA: Xenia Hotels & Resorts Announces Opening Of The Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook In Mountain Brook, Alabama

The property was developed by a joint venture between The Kessler Collection and Xenia as majority owner and will be managed by The Kessler Collection.

Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc. announced the addition of the Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook, an Autograph Collection hotel located in the affluent Mountain Brook suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, to its portfolio of operating hotels. In addition to its 100 well-appointed guest rooms, the luxury boutique hotel boasts a grand ballroom and flexible meeting spaces, on-site Grand Bohemian Gallery, Poseidon spa, 24-hour fitness center, interactive cooking school, wine blending experience and tasting room, as well as the Habitat Feed & Social rooftop terrace and restaurant.

"We are excited to announce the completion of the Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook, the second development project completed in a joint venture with The Kessler Collection this year," said Marcel Verbaas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Xenia Hotels & Resorts. "This hotel is the first of its caliber in the state of Alabama and its superb, irreplaceable location amidst the unique architectural charm of Mountain Brook is in close proximity to Birmingham's strong and varied demand generators including leading firms in the financial, medical, and automotive industries."

The property was developed by a joint venture between The Kessler Collection and Xenia as majority owner and will be managed by The Kessler Collection. Kessler currently manages four other Marriott Autograph Collection hotels for the Company, including the Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, the Bohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront, the Bohemian Hotel Celebration, and the recently completed Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston.

POLAND: Wizz Air Commenced Services On Four New Airport

On 14 September, Memmingen Airport celebrated the inaugural service of flights to Vilnius. Flights on the 1,276-kilometre sector will be flown using A320s, with a Monday and Friday rotation.

Wizz Air commenced services on four new airport pairs on 14 September, including the airline’s first services to Birmingham (BHX) from Warsaw Chopin (WAW). The 1,535-kilometre sector connecting the Polish capital with the UK’s second city will operate twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays, facing no direct competition. The city pair was last operated by bmibaby in 2008.

Commenting on the launch from Birmingham, Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport CEO, said: “It is fantastic to welcome another new airline to Birmingham; our seventh this year. Warsaw is a very popular tourist destination that has not been served from Birmingham for some time so we are extremely pleased to be able to offer our customers even more choice, and thank Wizz Air for recognising the Midlands as a new market opportunity.”

The carrier will also launch services from Birmingham to Budapest on 15 September. Other new routes launched on the 14 September include services from Lublin (LUZ) to Brussels Charleroi (CRL). The route becomes the sixth for the carrier from the Polish city, which is now a base for the low-cost airline.

None of the airport pairs will face any competition, and all will be served with a twice-weekly operation, flown by the airline’s A320s. See how Birmingham Airport’s FTWA compares to others from around the world.

BELGIUM:VLM connects Antwerp to Birmingham

The airline VLM Airlines has announced a new route between Antwerp and Birmingham.

The flights depart three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11:35, arrival at 12:05 (one and a half hour flight), return flights starting again at 14:30 Birmingham for an arrival at 17:00 in Antwerp. "There are strong commercial synergies "between Antwerp and Birmingham, said Steve Blair, operations manager at VLM Airlines citing the fashion industries, diamond, automotive and chemicals." We are confident that this new route will be attractive for people looking for a city break and can be used as a gateway to Bruges, Ghent and Brussels, all less than an hour from Antwerp, "he said. From Antwerp, VLM already serves Geneva, Hamburg and Southampton. Antwerp is also served by CityJet (from London-City) and Jetairfly.

Recall that the Belgian airline, which has regular services to seven destinations in five countries, including Geneva, Hamburg, Southampton, Waterford and London Luton. early June announced its withdrawal from Liege Airport in Belgium with the cancellation of the four routes to Avignon, Nice, Bologna and Venice. Its fleet consists of 11 Fokker 50 configured for 50 seats. In addition to regular flights, it continues to offer charter flights and ACMI including on behalf of CityJet or Aurigny.