March 2008

Few of us plan our travels around airports, but the “best” airports in service quality in Europe, according to the Airports Council International, were Oporto, Portugal; Zurich, Switzerland; Helsinki, Finland; Munich, Germany; and Southampton, UK.

February 2008

We enjoy Rick Steves’ weekly columns in the Seattle Times and his travel guidebooks. Recently, he’s been discussing some of what’s in store for Europe in 2008. Click here for our special report on some of his thoughts and comments.

More Train News: The 300-plus mile journey between Madrid and Barcelona, Spain is now served by a high-speed train that makes the trip in less than 3 hours (with shorter transit times coming soon). Once again, this shows that train travel in Europe may displace the annoyances of air travel for shorter hops.

As we reported back in February 2007, JetBlue (U.S.) and Aer Lingus (Ireland) airlines have begun a joint marketing partnership aimed at creating a more seamless booking process between the two low-cost carriers’ networks. European travelers can buy one ticket from Ireland to New York, and then connect to any of JetBlue’s 53 U.S. destinations. The companies hope to soon add JetBlue’s destinations in the Caribbean and Aer Lingus’ flights to other parts of Europe.

The website of the British magazine Business Traveler has a series of quick-bite city guides to various cities around the world. Not at all comprehensive or detailed, the guides nonetheless list about half-a-dozen spots in each city, with a handy small map. These are, obviously, geared to business travelers who maybe have an afternoon free to explore, yet can be useful to anyone. There are more than 30 European cities currently covered, including London, Rome, Cork, Copenhagen, and many more. Around the rest of the world, the guides cover Tokyo, Seoul, Nairobi, and several other destinations. These will never replace Lonely Planet or Michelin, but if you are in any of these cities for business, or are on a very short stop-over on a longer trip, the guides might be just the ticket to lead you to a few interesting sights.

January 2008

We haven’t tried them yet, but a new airport-to-hotel shuttle in London sounds very appealing. We’ve used such door-to-door shuttles in many places around the world, but somehow in London we always ended up taking the Heathrow or Gatwick Express trains. The National Express dot2dot service from central London to Heathrow and Gatwick airports seems competitively priced with the express trains, and a lot more convenient than cramming your luggage on the tube, making the train connection, and then schlepping your kit through train terminal and airport.

The UK has relaxed rules for carry-on baggage, and now most airports (not all, notably Gatwick) allow passengers to bring two carry-on bags, in line with the rest of the world. Details of specific airports, and other good info is available in this BBC News article.

In a nod to the new Open Skies agreement, which allows airlines to fly between any U.S. destination and nearly any European one (not just between the U.S. and the airline’s home country), in June British Airways will begin operating a new airline with routes from New York to either Brussels or Paris (with flights to the other city to begin later in the year). Competing international routes are usually beneficial for consumers, but in reality this may be more about BA being able to offer lower-cost U.S.-to-Europe routes (fees into the UK and Heathrow are high). The new airline’s name? “OpenSkies.” Everyone is speculating about the impact of the Open Skies agreement on consumer air travel and pricing, and everyone has a different opinion. We’ll keep you abreast of changing news.

On January 1, 2008 new limitations go into effect regarding carrying lithium batteries in checked and carry-on luggage. Several recent news reports have gotten the information incorrect, so go to safetravel.dot.gov for complete information. The way we read it is that you can take a lithium battery attached to a device (camera, cell phone, laptop) plus two spares. But the spares must be in your carry-on bag, not in checked luggage. The electronic devices can be in either or both your carry-on and your checked luggage. As with all things governmental and travel related, there are lots of silly details and exceptions – if you can get through the mumbo jumbo, you should be able to glean the correct information from the SafeTravel website.

December 2007

There is much uncertainty about the “new” UK airport carry-on baggage limits set to take effect on January 7, 2008. If you’re flying after that date, and going through the UK, check the website or rules for each airline you’re flying. Do not assume that after January 7 you will universally be allowed a second “personal item” (as in the U.S. and most of the rest of the world) in addition to your 56cm x 45cm x 25cm carry-on bag.

Under the new Open Skies agreements, airline alliances could become a thing of the past, or they might actually gain some value for travelers. Open Skies goes into effect in March 2008, and only time will tell what the new routes are and how individual airlines will be affected. Here is a wrapup of members of each of the three airline alliances. One thing we would recommend, is that if possible book any multi-leg trips on airlines within one alliance – the process from reservations through frequent-flyer mileage credit will be much more seamless. All three alliance websites (SkyTeam, Star Alliance, oneworld) have useful routing/flight tools, as well as other good information.

• oneworld
  American Airlines
  British Airways
  Cathy Pacific
  Finnair
  Iberia
  Japan Airlines
  Lan
  Malev
  Qantas
  Royal Jordanian

• Star Alliance
  Adria
  Air Canada
  Air China
  Air New Zealand
  ANA
  Asiana
  Austrian
  Blue 1
  BMI
  Croatia Airlines
  Lot Polish Airlines
  Lufthansa
  SAS Scandinavian Airlines
  Shanghai Airlines
  Singapore Airlines
  South African Airways
  Spannair
  SWISS
  TAP Portugal
  THAI
  Turkish Airlines
  United Airlines
  US Airways

• SkyTeam
  Aeroflot
  AeroMexico
  Air Europa
  Air France/KLM
  Alitalia
  China Southern
  Copa Airlines
  Continental Airlines
  Czech Airlines
  Delta Airlines
  Kenya Airlines
  Korean Air
  Northwest Airlines
  
  

London’s legendary Savoy Hotel will close later in December 2007 for a $200 million, 16-month restoration and renovation project. The classic hotel was built in 1889, and has been the preferred getaway for celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Winston Churchill, Coco Chanel, Alice Cooper, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, Elizabeth Taylor (who used it for two honeymoons), Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier, Oscar Wilde, and many others. The hotel is scheduled to reopen in May 2009.

We’ve lately come to the conclusion that train travel is back as a way to travel in Europe. Used to be, in the hippie days of wandering around Europe, that  a Rail Pass was a budget traveler’s best friend. Then, the low-cost airlines (easyJet and Ryan Air the two best examples) made it more practical for many to just hop on a plane across Europe. Now, with the new French high-speed train; the speeded-up Eurostar from London to Paris; and the soon-to-be-opened Loetschberg tunnel in Switzerland, train travel is reviving. As we've mentioned below, and noted elsewhere, what with luggage restrictions, airport security, and crowded skies, the train makes more and more sense. The new Loetschberg tunnel is said to cut many cross-Switzerland times nearly in half (the trip from Bern to Visp – near Zermatt – is reported to be reduced from 110 minutes to 55).

November 2007

With the new open skies rules between the U.S. and Europe, still more nonstop flights are popping up. Recent announcements include Aer Lingus’ newly instituted nonstop between Dublin and San Francisco, and Delta’s upcoming (June 2008) nonstop from New York’s JFK to Malaga, Spain. (Delta also flies nonstop from New York and Atlanta to Madrid and Barcelona.) In general, we can’t stress enough the benefits of flying directly to your primary European destination (even if you have to take connecting flights within the U.S. to get to a nonstop departure airport).

Getting from London to Paris and Brussels just got a bit quicker. Eurostar trains running through the "Chunnel" now leave from London's St. Pancras station. In addition, the station (originally built in 1868) received a massive facelift and is touted as anchoring another of London's new, trendy neighborhoods.

October 2007

Few things are more troublesome for travelers arriving after a long, uncomfortable overnight flight to Europe than a long layover or the prospect of having to kill the morning wandering around an unfamiliar large city such as London while waiting for their hotel or early evening connecting flight. Now, in London, there is an alternative: a compact cocoon for jet-lagged travelers modeled in part on the Japanese capsule hotel and first-class airplane cabins, the Yotel. Gatwick airport offers a low-budget refuge for those needing a nap, a shower, or a just a little privacy during a long layover (the minimum stay is four hours). The Yotel at Gatwick opened in July, with two other airport Yotels soon to follow: one at Heathrow airport in early November, a third at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam in early 2008.

The European Union (EU) has lowered cell-phone roaming rates in EU countries. These lower rates should make it even more practical to buy a SIM chip for the main/first country you're visiting, and then roam with that chip (in your GSM phone, of course) throughout the rest of the continent. For more news on that subject, see this article.

If you haven’t heard of easyJet, you probably aren’t interested in Europe travel. easyJet’s low-cost airline model is being applied to a hotel chain. The first easyHotel in eastern Europe has opened – in Budapest, Hungary. The hotel joins three existing easyHotels in London and one in Switzerland. easyHotel spokespeople expect to have as many as 60 hotels open within 3-5 years. The chain’s concept is similar to the airline model – cheap, on-line bookings, and small rooms with few amenities.

August 2007

If you had any doubt that France shuts down in August, the New York Times tells us that new French president Nicolas Sarkozy is spending a summer vacation at Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Since the entire country of France is pretty much on vacation (elsewhere in Europe), it seems natural that Sarkozy would choose a U.S. destination.

July 2007

If you’re anywhere near as fed up with air travel as we are, consider taking the train. Obviously, we’re not talking about the U.S. here, but Europe. The Paris-based International Herald Tribune reports that rail operators from the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgian are developing a new rail alliance called Railteam.
The system hopes to have an on-line ticketing site available by 2009. The Trib reports that already, “Eurostar, which runs trains from London to Paris and Brussels, said it saw a 39 percent jump in the first three months for tickets that connect to French high-speed services that bring travelers to the Mediterranean and the Alps.”
By 2009, we wouldn’t be surprised to see prices competitive with some European air travel. And factoring in fewer luggage hassles (you have lots of room and convenience on the trains), scheduling convenience (if you miss one train, just get on the next), lots more personal space (no cramped 31-inch seat pitch), easier terminal access (the train stations are often in or near city centers, not out in the countryside), and simplified security (no hours-long waits), rail may again become the way to travel in Europe.

June 2007

By now, everyone should know the news about the bombing attempts in London and at Glasgow airport. The UK terror alert levels have been raised, air passengers are being encouraged to only arrive at UK airports by public transportation, and other security measures are in place. On a practical level for most travellers to Europe, this means one simple thing – PLAN MORE TIME. More time to get to the airport, more time at check-in and security, and more time for just about everything associated with air travel.

Trip Advisor recently announced the results of voting from their website users, in various categories.
Here is their list of “Top 10 European Attractions.”
1. British Airways London Eye, London, UK
2. Tower of London, London, UK
3. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
4. Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
5. Colosseum, Rome, Italy
6. Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
7. Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France
8. Hermitage Museum and Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia
9. Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark
10. The Alhambra, Granada, Spain

London and England are about to get more "comfortable." On July 1, pubs, restaurants, and many other businesses will become non-smoking. Budget Travel Online has an excellent map showing the smoking situation throughout Europe.

In less than a month, the Tour de France will begin its first stage on July 7 — in London. The tour frequently visits other countries for a day or two, often in the early stages, and while it has been to England before, this is its first visit to the city of London. The prologue stage will be within London, and the first road stage the next day will begin in London and travel to Kent.

And speaking of London, it's much too early to begin travel planning, but do remember that the 2012 Olympic Games will be held in the city. We'll post London Olympic news as it affects your travels (such as construction delays, etc.) as well as updates about ticket purchases, etc. as the event gets nearer.

May 2007

Airlines always want to tout their new routes and amenities. With Northwest Airlines now out of bankruptcy, watch for news from that airline. For example, Northwest has begun new international non-stop service from Detroit to Dusseldorf and Brussels, and from Hartford to Amsterdam.

Add Italian airline Eurofly to the list of carriers offering non-stop flights between the U.S. and Italy. Eurofly is adding service this month to Palermo, Naples, and Bologna, in addition to its current flights to Rome. All originate at New York’s JFK. (Not all flights fly every day of the week; see the Eurofly website for schedules and details.)

April 2007

It isn't in place yet, but by May 2008, expect all European airlines to have a standarized carry-on baggage policy. The standard size will most likely be the same as is now in place in the UK and other countries — 56x45x25 cm.

Summer is just around the corner, so if you’re planning on visiting the Chelsea Flower Show in London, you’d best book your air and lodging soon. The world-famous flower exhibition runs May 22-27.

With the high season for travel to Europe soon upon us, we wanted to remind travelers going to or connecting through Britain that you’re allowed only one carry-on bag. You can not have a purse, laptop bag, camera bag, or briefcase in addition, as you can in the U.S. That one bag must not exceed 56x45x25 cm (22x17x10 inches). The same 3-ounce, 1-plastic-bag rule for cosmetics as in the U.S. is in force, and it must fit within your carry-on. (Note that you can put a purse, camera bag, or at-your-seat bag inside your carry-on, and remove it after you board.) The latest info can be found at www.dft.gov.uk under the “airport security” section.

American Airlines has come out with a new website and (obviously) a new marketing campaign aimed at woman travelers (www.aa.com/women). While we applaud most everything that contributes to equality of the sexes, we’re not exactly sure what to make of American’s effort. Do women really want or need different booking or destination information? Is there some added value for the female traveler in using a sex-specific website? Take a look at our How To Travel blog for a longer article (co-written by a man and a woman) about this topic.

In the true competitive spirit of discount airlines, Irish carrier Aer Lingus has begun charging for on-line seat assignments. And beginning in May, passengers can choose to pay even more for exit-row or front-of-the-plane seats.

Even if you don’t want to take advantage of easyJet’s cheap fares (with their baggage limits and cattle-car seating), their e-newsletter offers good travel tips and advice (it’s hard to find the sign-up page on their website, try this link). Their website also has good info, including some excellent Destination Guides to various European cities.

More reasons to visit Europe in the off-season, and to sample Europe’s lesser-known destinations:

• Rail Europe’s year-to-date 2007 sales are already up 22 percent over the same period last year.
  
• AAA Travel booked more trips to Italy this year than any other destination in Western Europe, with a 9 percent growth over last year.
  
• Nearly 13 million Americans visited Europe in 2006, a 4 percent increase from the previous year. The European Travel Commission expects those numbers will increase another 2 or 3 percent this year.
  
• The number of Americans visiting places like Croatia is still relatively small (154,000 in 2006 compared to more than 2 million to Italy), yet more than 200,000 are expected to visit in 2007.
  
  

March 2007

It ’s not what we’d call “Eastern Europe” (behind the old Iron Curtain), but the French rail service TGV has announced a new high-speed rail line (TGV Est, for Eastern Europe) to Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Mannheim, Basel, and Zurich. No matter the nomenclature, the new service expands the existing high-speed train options from Paris. Service is scheduled to begin on June 10, 2007.

It’s been in the works for a long time, but it looks like the open skies agreement between the U.S. and the European Union may actually happen. EU transportation ministers voted unanimously for it, and now all it takes is for the U.S. Congress to also approve it. Should this come to pass (implementation is scheduled to begin in October), the major benefit to travelers would seem to be more point-to-point routes between the U.S. and Europe, and certainly more competition.

Don’t get scared off by the recent news from CNNMoney.com/The Economist Group about the world’s most expensive cities. Yes, eight of the top 10 on the list are in Europe, but Europe’s big cities have always been expensive. The current weakness of the dollar against the Euro is also a factor. Just for your edification, the 10 most expensive cities in the world are (in order) Oslo, Paris, Copenhagen, London, Tokyo, Osaka, Reykjavic, Zurich, Frankfurt, and Helsinki.

Similar to the U.S. Daylight Saving Time, Europe generally observes “Summer Time.” The U.S. system has this year changed to begin on the second Sunday in March, and end on the first Sunday in November. In Europe, Summer Time generally begins on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October. Keep these changes and differences in mind when doing your travel planning.

This summer, you should be able to pick up a cheap bike rental almost anywhere in Paris, ride around the city, and drop the bike off at a different location. The plan calls for more than 20,000 bikes, located at more than 1,000 pick-up points around the city, to be available by the end of 2007. Several other European cities have similar schemes.

If you're traveling to Europe this summer, and plan on visiting several sites or attractions in a particular city, look into the European City Cards. Prices for the cards vary, as do the discounts, but the cards can be a good way to save on some of the most popular (and other) attractions. The best website we've found (although it's not all-inclusive — it doesn't list the popular Paris card, for example) for information is EuropeanCityCards.com.

From the “dubious good news department” comes the announcement that Priceline, the bid-your-price air and hotel booking website, has teamed up with Zagat to offer hotel reviews. For folks who like Zagat’s reviews (we generally don’t) this could be helpful in choosing from the many hotel options at your destination.

February 2007

British Airways has instituted a new checked-baggage policy, which seems to indicate that coach-class passengers will be limited to one bag for free, weighing no more than 23 kg (50 lb). Additional bags will be charged on a varying scale. The exceptions are, quoting British Airways, “World Traveller [economy/coach] customers travelling/connecting to or from the US, Canada, Caribbean, Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico will continue to be allowed two checked bags in line with the local government regulations.” If you’re planning to fly BA to/from a European destination to Asia, Africa, other parts of Europe, or anywhere else, be prepared to check only one bag for free. Details are available on British Airways website.

France retained its title in 2006 as the world’s top tourist destination, attracting 78 million visitors over the course of the year, according to France’s Tourism Ministry. In related news, the UN World Tourism Organization said that China could easily surpass Spain as the second-most popular world tourist destination by 2010.

We know it’s confusing, but the “new” U.S. lost-luggage-compensation rules seem a little more generous. Beginning February 28, 2007, if an airline loses your luggage on a flight within the U.S., you will be entitled to up to $3,000 in compensation. Unfortunately, if an airline loses your luggage on an international flight – including U.S. portions of international flights – you’re entitled to either approximately $450 per bag or approximately $1,500 per passenger (depending on what countries you’re flying between). Of course, good luck getting anywhere the maximum compensation.

JetBlue and Aer Lingus are forming a strategic alliance, according to media reports. Aer Lingus claims the partnership “would be the world's first tie-up between two international low-cost carriers,” according to Reuters news service. “The partnership will [allow] customers to make just one booking, which will allow them to travel from Ireland to the U.S. and onto a direct JetBlue flight to 51 destinations,” according to Aer Lingus. This may also benefit U.S. travelers flying to Europe. The alliance is expected to be put in place this summer.

Michelin Travel Guides has released a couple of new books covering the UK. Redesigned, the Red Guides London 2007 and Great Britain & Ireland 2007, join the vast array of well-respected Michelin guidebooks.

Non-stop flights from the U.S. to Europe keep increasing. German airline LTU International will begin service between Dusseldorf, Germany, and both Los Angeles, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, sometime in May. And American Airlines announced it will offer service between Rome and the U.S. (Chicago and New York) year-round, rather than just seasonally.

We always used to suggest that the best airfares to Europe from the U.S. — no matter your final destination — were through London. With the recent increase in the UK's "Air Passenger Duty" tax, it may now be cheaper to fly into Amsterdam, Netherlands, and make connections from there.

January 2007

Can you trust that travel blog? One of our favorite travel writers, Christopher Elliott, has an excellent piece in National Geographic Traveler magazine about whether or not you should trust the writings and opinions in travel blogs. Elliott’s biggest points are that many blogs are written by: 1) enthusiasts with no formal journalistic training and standards of ethics, and 2) paid for by hotels, destinations, or attractions looking for good publicity. Elliott’s bottom line is the same as what we’d suggest: Be skeptical; don’t listen to only one voice; and check out as many different information sources as possible.

A new website that international travelers might find useful is DoctorBabel.com. DoctorBabel is an on-line medical records site, which stores your medical records and can translate them into many different languages. There are two levels of service – one free and one currently costing £20 per year. We have not yet tested this service, but it may be useful if the languages of the countries you’re visiting are supported, and especially if you plan to visit many countries on an extended international trip.