If the British winter is getting you down, and you long for the sight of the sun, then the Canary Islands may be the perfect holiday destination.

All year round, the Canaries offer an ideal climate – long hot days in summer and cooler but still pleasant in the winter.
The Canary Islands, located just off the northwest coast of Africa, are autonomous from Spain and receive a combined 12 million visitors per year. The four largest islands are the best known – Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

Tenerife is the most popular, boasting not only lively resorts in the south but the world’s third largest volcano, Mount Teide.

Gran Canaria is a good guide to the archipelago’s climate. Average highs in Las Palmas are above 20 degrees centigrade even in January, while reaching just over 27 degrees in August and September.

It will rarely get cooler than 20 degrees at night in Gran Canaria between July and September, and there is virtually no rainfall during that period. Statistically the best month to visit is July, as it receives an average of 304 hours of sunshine.
Lanzarote is an island with much to see, from the caves of Los Verdes and the many vineyards including the World Heritage Site of La Geria, to the Timanfaya National Park with its rugged and fascinating landscape.

Fuerteventura is a particular attraction for those who love the sea. The clear blue Atlantic waters are not only home to whales and dolphins, which can be best seen on boat trips, but a great destination for big-game fishermen.
The island is buffeted by Trade Winds in the summer and swells during the winter, making it excellent for surfing, while scuba divers will also find Fuerteventura ideal.

There are many flights per day to the Canaries, all year round, so the chances are you’ll be able to find a good deal.

Not good news for expats and regular travelers in Spain who travel tourist class with Iberia as they have announced they will be charging for second suitcases checked into the hold from 1st March 2010, in an attempt to lighten the planes, save fuel costs and speed up operations ….. no mention of making more money or reducing costs to passengers you note!

Passengers in Business and other classes are not affected as luggage charges there are already up to 30 kilos in one bag and 46 kilos per passenger in two bags.

Although many are warning that Britain is at risk of plunging back into recession based on the remarkably low growth figures (0.1%) compared to an expected 0.4%, the 18 month recession has officially ended and early indications are that it is good news for the travel industry, and therefore one hopes for expats living in Spain hoping to see the tourism related business that so many depend on for their income pick up.

In addition to more travel it is to be hoped that the average spending money taken on holidays rises from the current £295 per person, per week, which is down from £312 6 months ago.

Spanish Air Traffic Controllers are threatening to disrupt flight plans for thousands of expats living in Spain either wanting to fly back to the UK to spend time with their families and take advantage of the current exchange rates, or wanting to fly out to their holiday homes and get some sunshine over the Easter break.

The Air Traffic Controllers have said

If in the forthcoming months a similar situation to last Christmas arises, it will not be because we are carrying out any sort of labour pressure, but because of the inability of the Sr. Minister of Development and the directors of AENA, (The Spanish Airports Authority), to face up to an adequate process of negotiation

The Telegraph has an excellent article highlighting the best routes by air, rail, and ferry to Sain for 2010, and explains how to save money on car hire. With more and more flights getting cut, and ferry services scheduled to stop later in the year this is a pretty comprehensive guide.

Unfortunatley it doesn’t say if flights are winter, winter and summer, or just summer but it does list the web sites and phone numbers for the various companies.

British Airways (0844 493 0787; www.ba.com) Flies to Barcelona, Gibraltar, Ibiza, Madrid, Malaga. Flies from Heathrow, Gatwick, London City. New services start in May from London City to Palma and Ibiza.

easyJet (0905 821 0905 – 65p per minute; www.easyjet.com) Flies to Alicante, Almeria, Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Gibraltar, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Palma Majorca, Tenerife, Valencia. Flies from 10 UK airports.

Flybe (0871 700 2000; www.flybe.com) Flies to Alicante, Malaga and Palma (Majorca), from Exeter and Southampton.

SIberia (0870 609 0500; www.iberiaairlines.co.uk) Heathrow-Madrid, plus connections on to 35 regional airports.

Jet2.com (0871 226 1737; www.jet2.com) Flies to Alicante, Barcelona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Palma Majorca, Tenerife. Flies from Belfast, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Leeds-Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle.

Monarch (0871 940 5040; www.monarch.co.uk) Flies scheduled to Alicante, Almeria, Fuerteventura, Gibraltar, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Malaga, Menorca, Murcia, Palma, Tenerife. Flies from Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton, Manchester.

Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) Flies to Alicante, Almeria, Girona, Granada, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Jerez, Lanzarote, Madrid, Murcia, Palma Majorca, Reus, Santander, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife, Valencia, Valladolid, Zaragoza. Flies from 15 UK airports.

Vueling (0906 754 7541 – 75p per minute; www.vueling.com) Heathrow to Bilbao, La Coruña, Seville. The airline recently merged with Clickair.

Charter flights

Thomson Airways (0871 231 4787; www.thomson.co.uk) and Thomas Cook Airlines (0844 855 0515; www.flythomascook.com) fly to the main costas, Balearic and Canary islands from 22 and 19 UK airports respectively. Thomson also offers the only non-stop flights from the UK to the less-visited Canary island of La Palma (weekly from Gatwick and Manchester).

Other charter flights are offered by Monarch (0871 423 8550; www.monarch.co.uk) and, mostly from Bournemouth but also from Exeter and Jersey, by Palmair (01202 200700; www.flypalmair.co.uk) The Charter Flight Centre (0845 045 0153; www.charterflights.co.uk) is useful for deals.

BY SEA

Brittany Ferries (0871 244 0744; www.brittany-ferries.co.uk) is doubling the frequency of its services to Spain this year, with the introduction of a new vessel. From March, there will be three services a week from Portsmouth, and one from Plymouth, to Santander.

P&O Ferries (0871 664 5645; www.poferries.com) offers Portsmouth-Bilbao crossings, twice weekly until the end of September.

Brittany Ferries’ crossings are quicker: 24 hours maximum, compared with 35 hours out, 29 hours back with P&O. But P&O can work out cheaper – by nearly £150 on a spot check for a car and family of four with inside cabins in early August.

Though fares can be affordable in low season, a family travelling in the school summer holidays can pay more than £1,100 return with Brittany Ferries. You can cut costs by taking the ferry to Spain one way, and driving through France on your return and taking a shorter Channel crossing.

BY RAIL

A new high-speed Paris-Madrid service is due to start in 2012. In the meantime, take Eurostar to Paris, and then the slow overnight sleeper Elipsos Trenhotel to Barcelona or Madrid: book through Rail Europe (0844 848 4064; www.raileurope.co.uk) For further information, see www.seat61.com (which also covers other UK-Spain rail options in great detail).

Spain has a growing network of high-speed AVE services: Barcelona-Madrid takes just two hours 38 minutes. For rail timetable information and bookings (possible up to 60 days in advance), go to the website of RENFE, the state-owned rail operator: www.renfe.es See www.seat61.com for advice on getting the best out of the RENFE website. Reservations, and rail passes, are also possible through RENFE’s UK agents, the Spanish Rail Service (020 7725 7063; www.spanish-rail.co.uk); 25-40 per cent discounts available for those aged over 60 with a Golden Card.

CAR HIRE

Book well ahead for best rates. Price-comparison websites such as www.carrentals.co.uk and www.carhiresearch.co.uk are good for identifying the cheapest deals. Also think about purchasing insurance against the high excess charges imposed by rental companies – see www.carhireexcess.com and www.insurance4carhire.com

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Spanish National Tourist Office (020 7486 8077; www.tourspain.co.uk)

Overweight passengers who cannot squeeze into a single plane seat are to be charged double to fly with Air France.

People who cannot fit into a standard seat will be asked to pay for two seats, or not be allowed on board for “safety reasons”, according to the airline.

Air France spokeswoman Monique Matze said: “We have to make sure that the backrest can move freely up and down and that all passengers are securely fastened with a safety belt.

“The charge will only apply on flights that are fully booked. They will get their money back on flights where spaces are available.”

The airline intends to charge passengers 75% of the cost of the second seat on top of the full price for the first.

Air France was ordered to pay £5,000 damages in 2007 for “humiliation” to a 27-stone passenger at an airport check-in desk in New Delhi.

Frenchman Jean-Jacques Jauffret, 43, had his stomach measured by Air France staff before being told he needed to buy two seats.

Mr Jauffret claimed he was told: “People as fat as you need to buy two seats.”

United Airlines introduced the same policy last year, making passengers with extra-wide bodies pay for an extra seat.

Air France’s new charges will apply for people who book their tickets from February 1 for all flights from April 1.

Original Source – Sky

Gatwick Airport has suspended all flights while it clears snow off the runway. It does not expect flights to resume until at least 4pm. Passengers should check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

Heathrow Airport is open but warning of flight delays and cancellations due to the weather. Passengers should check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

Stansted Airport and Luton Airport are open and operating as normal.

The Stansted Express and Gatwick Express are running as normal, but the Heathrow Express is warning of delays and cancellations.

Southampton Airport has suspended flights while snow is cleared off the runway, but is optimistic that flights will resume shortly. Passengers are being advised to check in as normal.

Birmingham International Airport has closed its runway and says no flights will operate until at least midday. Passengers are being advised to check in as normal unless they hear otherwise from their airline.

Bristol Airport, Exeter Airport, Manchester Airport, Leeds Bradford International Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, East Midlands Airport, Bournemouth Airport and Humberside Airport are all open but flights may be subject to delay and cancellation.

Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports are open, but are warning of flight delays and cancellations. Passengers are advised to check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

In addition, Air Traffic Control strike action in Paris airports is also disrupting flights. It is scheduled to last until Friday.

British Airways is warning of continued disruption to flights today with cancellations and delays. It is advising passengers to check the status of their flight online or by accessing its mobile site, batogo.com. Passengers who are unable to get to the airport can re-book on to a flight to the same destination within the next 14 days. Passengers on cancelled flights can also rebook or claim a full refund.

EasyJet is warning of flight cancellations today, some of which may be last minute. It has launched an online flight checker tool for passengers to check the status of their flight. Passengers affected by cancellations are being offered an alternative flight or refund.

Ryanair has cancelled 18 flights so far today, mostly in and out of Birmingham and Gatwick. It has listed them in full on its website. Passengers affected by cancellations can apply for a refund or book an alternative flight.

Flybe has cancelled a number flights in and out of Gatwick, Southampton and Birmingham. The full list is on its website. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled are being offered alternative flights to the original destination or a refund.

Monarch is warning of delays at gatwick and Birmingham, but is advising passengers to travel to the airport as normal.

Jet2 is warning of freezing rain and ice affecting Leeds Bradford airport. It has also cancelled this morning’s flights to and from Belfast and Amsterdam, and is offering customers free transfers to this evening’s flights. Passengers on other flights are being advised to check in as normal .

Aer Lingus is warning of delays and cancellations. Passengers affected by cancellations can apply for a refund or book an alternative flight.

Thomson is warning of delays to flights. It says flights will not be cancelled, so passengers are advised to travel to the airport and check in as normal. Delayed passengers are being offered welfare vouchers, and if necessary, hotel accommodation.

Original Source – The Times

Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport, Luton Airport and London City Airport are all open but warning of some delays and cancellations. Check with your airline before travelling.

The Stansted Express, Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express are running as normal.

Southampton Airport’s runway reopened at approximately 10.30am. Flights have started to arrive but departures have been delayed as they clear the backlog. Passengers are being advised to check in as normal.

Bristol Airport, Exeter Airport, Manchester Airport, Leeds Bradford International Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Birmingham International Airport, East Midlands Airport and Humberside Airport are all open but flights may be subject to delay and cancellation.

Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports are open, but are warning of flight delays and cancellations. Passengers are advised to check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

British Airways is warning of continued disruption to flights today with cancellations and delays. It is advising passengers to check the status of their flight online or by accessing its mobile site, batogo.com. Passengers who are flying from Heathrow today (January can elect not to travel and rebook or get a full refund. Passengers due to travel from either Gatwick or Heathrow between January 8 and 10 who do not wish to travel, can also opt to rebook their flights at no extra charge. Passengers on cancelled flights can also rebook or claim a full refund.

EasyJet has listed all cancellations on its website, with Gatwick and Liverpool flights the worst affected today. Passengers affected by cancellations are being offered an alternative flight or refund.

Flybe has so far cancelled 15 flights, mostly from Southampton and Guernsey.

Ryanair has cancelled 7 flights so far today, mostly in and out of Edinburgh and between Stansted and Grenoble. It has listed them in full on its website. Passengers affected by cancellations can apply for a refund or book an alternative flight.

Jet2 says that it plans to operate a normal schedule today but is warning of delays.

Monarch is warning of delays, but is advising passengers to travel to the airport as normal.

Aer Lingus is warning of flight delays and cancellations and is instructing passengers to check the status of their flight online . It is offering alternative flights or refunds to passengers whose flights have been cancelled.

Original Source – Times On Line

Gatwick Airport is open and flights are operating, but the runway is subject to intermittent closure to enable clearance of snow and ice. Delays and cancellations are ongoing.

Heathrow Airport , Stansted Airport , Luton Airport and London City Airport are all open but warning of some delays and cancellations. Check with your airline before travelling.

The Stansted Express is subject to delays, cancellations and alterations. The Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express are running as normal.

Bristol Airport, Exeter Airport, Southampton Airport, Manchester Airport, Leeds Bradford International Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Birmingham International Airport, East Midlands Airport and Humberside Airport are all open but flights may be subject to delay and cancellation.

Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports are open, but are warning of flight delays and cancellations. Passengers are advised to check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

Jersey Airport has reopened and passengers are advised to check in as normal. Flights may be subject to delay.

Guernsey Airport is currently closed.

British Airways is warning of continued disruption to flights today with cancellations and delays. It is advising passengers to check the status of their flight online or by accessing its mobile site, batogo.com. Passengers who are unable to get to the airport can re-book on to a flight to the same destination within the next 14 days. Passengers on cancelled flights can also rebook or claim a full refund.

EasyJet has listed all cancellations on its website , with Gatwick flights the worst affected today. Passengers affected by cancellations are being offered an alternative flight or refund.

Ryanair has cancelled 15 flights so far today, mostly in and out of Gatwick and Knock airports. It has listed them in full on its website . Passengers affected by cancellations can apply for a refund or book an alternative flight.

Flybe has cancelled a number flights in and out of Guernsey, Jersey, London Gatwick and Norwich. The full list is on its website . Passengers whose flights have been cancelled are being offered alternative flights to the original destination or a refund.

Jet2 says that it plans to operate a normal schedule today but is warning of delays.

Monarch is warning of delays, but is advising passengers to travel to the airport as normal.

Aer Lingus is warning of flight delays and cancellations and is instructing passengers to check the status of their flight online . It is offering alternative flights or refunds to passengers whose flights have been cancelled.

News and travel advice following widespread airport closures, flight delays and flight cancellations due to snow.

Heathrow Airport is open but is advising passengers to check with their airline before leaving for the airport and leave extra time to get there. The live departures and arrivals board is showing some delays but minimal cancellations. The Heathrow Express rail link is operating as normal.

Gatwick Airport is currently closed while snow is cleared off the runway. Passengers travelling from the airport in the next 24 hours are advised to check with their airline before travelling. The Gatwick Express is operating as normal.

Stansted Airport is open and operating as normal and most flights are operating to time this morning. However, passengers are advised to check with their airline before travelling. The Stansted Express is operating as normal.

Luton Airport is open but is warning of delays and cancellations. It has listed some cancellations, mostly to Wizz Air and easyJet flights, on its website. Passengers and those meeting people off flights are advised to check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

London City Airport is open and operating as normal. It is warning of only minor delays on the airport Twitter feed.

Bristol Airport will be closed until at least midday. Passengers are advised to contact their airline or tour operator. The Flyer coach service to the airport is currently suspended.

Exeter Airport is currently closed.

Southampton Airport is open and operating flights. Passengers are advised to check in as normal.

Manchester Airport is open and has the following statement on its website: “although further light snow is forecast, Manchester Airport’s operations are unlikely to be significantly affected”. Passengers are being advised on the airport’s Twitter feed that flights are subject to some delays and disruption as a knock-on effect of yesterday’s snow. Check with your airline before travelling to the airport.

Leeds Bradford International Airport is open but is warning of delays. A message on the website, time-stamped 8.30am reads: “We advise all passengers to check in as normal”.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is currently open but is warning of intermittent runway closures this morning. Consequently some flights are delayed or cancelled. Passengers are advised to check with their airline before travelling.

Birmingham International Airport is open but warning of delays. It is advising passengers via its Twitter site to check with their airline before travelling and allow extra time to get the airport.

East Midlands Airport is open but flights are currently suspended while the runway is cleared. It is expected to reopen around 9.30am. So far there have been no cancellations and only minor delays.

Humberside Airport is open and operating as normal.

Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports are open, but are warning of flight delays and cancellations. Passengers are advised to check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

EasyJet is one of the worst affected airlines by the airport disruption today and has listed all cancellations on its website. Passengers are being offered an alternative flight or refund.

Ryanair has also cancelled a number of flights today and has listed them in full on its website. Passengers affected by cancellations can apply for a refund or book an alternative flight.

Flybe has cancelled a handful of flights so far today but is warning that more disruption is likely. The full list is on its website. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled are being offered alternative flights or a refund.

British Airways is advising passengers to check the status of their flight online or by accessing its mobile site, batogo.com. It is warning of delays and cancellations, particularly at Gatwick. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled or who are unable to get to the airport can re-book on to a flight to the same destination at a later date. Passengers on cancelled flights can also claim a full refund.

Original Source – Times On Line