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Month: November 2019
Cracked cockpit window forces plane to make emergency landing
A transatlantic flight was forced to divert to Ireland when pilots noticed a crack in the cockpit windscreen while flying at 38,000ft.
Air Canada flight AC857 was flying from London Heathrow to Toronto when a crack in the side window was discovered mid-flight.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft had passed Ireland and was beginning its journey across the Atlantic when the decision was made to turn back and land in Dublin.
Data from flight tracking site Flight Radar 24 shows the plane making a sharp U-turn over the water before landing in the Irish capital.
1/10 1. Air Zealand
The Kiwi flag carrier claimed the top spot in the AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards due to inflight innovations, environmental leadership and staff motivation
Air New Zealand
2/10 2. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines came second overall and also took the Best First Class award for its Suites product
Getty
3/10 3. All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways claimed third place, hailed for being at the forefront of cabin innovation
Getty Images
4/10 4. Qantas
Qantas won two awards – Best Domestic Airline Service and Best Lounges – alongside fourth place
Qantas
5/10 5. Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific was named the best long-haul airline in Asia
Getty Images
6/10 6. Emirates
Best Inflight Entertainment was awarded to Emirates
AP/Adam Schreck
7/10 7. Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic came in seventh
Virgin Atlantic
8/10 8. EVA Air
Taiwan’s EVA Air was eighth
Getty
9/10 9. Qatar Airways
The Best Catering and Best Business Class awards went to Qatar Airways thanks to its Qsuites
Getty
10/10 10. Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia won Best Economy for an “extremely spacious cabin that sets it apart from many airlines”, plus Best Cabin Crew
Getty Images
1/10 1. Air Zealand
The Kiwi flag carrier claimed the top spot in the AirlineRatings.com Airline Excellence Awards due to inflight innovations, environmental leadership and staff motivation
Air New Zealand
2/10 2. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines came second overall and also took the Best First Class award for its Suites product
Getty
3/10 3. All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways claimed third place, hailed for being at the forefront of cabin innovation
Getty Images
4/10 4. Qantas
Qantas won two awards – Best Domestic Airline Service and Best Lounges – alongside fourth place
Qantas
5/10 5. Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific was named the best long-haul airline in Asia
Getty Images
6/10 6. Emirates
Best Inflight Entertainment was awarded to Emirates
AP/Adam Schreck
7/10 7. Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic came in seventh
Virgin Atlantic
8/10 8. EVA Air
Taiwan’s EVA Air was eighth
Getty
9/10 9. Qatar Airways
The Best Catering and Best Business Class awards went to Qatar Airways thanks to its Qsuites
Getty
10/10 10. Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia won Best Economy for an “extremely spacious cabin that sets it apart from many airlines”, plus Best Cabin Crew
Getty Images
A spokesperson for Air Canada told The Independent: “On November 23 2019, AC857, operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, from London Heathrow to Toronto, diverted to Dublin due to a cracked Captain’s side window.
“There were 254 passengers onboard, who were put in hotels for the night. Another aircraft was dispatched to bring the customers home the next day and the original aircraft was repaired and has since returned to service.”
It’s not the first time a cockpit windscreen has cracked.
In May, a mid-air hailstorm shattered the windscreen of a plane as it was flying at 37,000 feet above China.
The China Southern Airlines Airbus A380 was flying from Guangzhou to Beijing when it was hit by freak weather.
Essaouira city guide: Where to eat, drink, shop and stay on Morocco’s Atlantic coast
The first thing you’ll notice when you land into the port city of Essaouira on Morocco’s Atlantic coast is the wind. The alizee, or “taros” in Berber, lashes dramatically around the city’s Unesco-listed ramparts and across its beaches, making it one of Morocco’s best spots for kite-surfing.
But there’s plenty to tempt you off the beach too: the pint-sized, pretty medina for starters, and a series of lovely resorts hidden among swathes of argan trees slightly further out of town. Essaouira has a far more French Atlantic feel than its Moroccan neighbours, thanks to a wave of immigration from France.
The city is also now better connected to the UK. Ryanair started a direct flight from Stansted in November 2019 – doing away with the three-hour minibus from Marrakech.
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There’s no competition for food between the cats here – because there’s enough for everyone.
Sanne Zurné
2/10
Stretching after a fulfilling nap behind a fishing crate
Sanne Zurné
3/10
Portrait of a cat and his humble servant
Sanne Zurné
4/10
Ships full of fresh fish arrive every day
Sanne Zurné
5/10
The cats chillax on fishing nets
Sanne Zurné
6/10
Here the bedding smells of their favourite food
Sanne Zurné
7/10
Strokes are included with dinner here
Sanne Zurné
8/10
The fishermen and the cats work hand in hand
Sanne Zurné
9/10
It’s easier to sleep on a full stomach
Sanne Zurné
10/10
It’s clear who is the boss here
Sanne Zurné
1/10
There’s no competition for food between the cats here – because there’s enough for everyone.
Sanne Zurné
2/10
Stretching after a fulfilling nap behind a fishing crate
Sanne Zurné
3/10
Portrait of a cat and his humble servant
Sanne Zurné
4/10
Ships full of fresh fish arrive every day
Sanne Zurné
5/10
The cats chillax on fishing nets
Sanne Zurné
6/10
Here the bedding smells of their favourite food
Sanne Zurné
7/10
Strokes are included with dinner here
Sanne Zurné
8/10
The fishermen and the cats work hand in hand
Sanne Zurné
9/10
It’s easier to sleep on a full stomach
Sanne Zurné
10/10
It’s clear who is the boss here
Sanne Zurné
Things to do
Wander the medina
If you’re familiar with the hurly-burly of the Marrakech medina, Essaouira’s version feels positively placid. The Unesco World Heritage Site follows an easy to understand grid system, with the alleyways fanning off three main arteries, all stuffed with cafes, restaurants and boutiques begging for your attention. Look out for “thuya” wood carving, which has been practised here for centuries. The medina is so small that you can see almost all of it in three hours. Finish by wandering up to the ramparts, built in the 1760s by a French military architect. They had a starring role in Orson Welles’ Othello – the director even has a square named after him.
Go kite-surfing
That persistent alizee means Essaouira’s beaches are dotted with every type of surfer – wind, kite and, er, ordinary – but kite-surfing is definitely the thing to do. Beachfront shacks such as Ocean Vagabond can organise lessons; from €75 for a class.
Spend a day blissing on the beach
The wide, sandy beach is also perfect for less high-octane activities (although avoid the sellers touting camel and, more bizarrely, horse rides). A row of low-key beach shacks lines the promenade, the most breezy of which is Ocean Vagabond. It has a sprawling garden area dotted with argan trees and cats, where drinks and giant croques monsieurs are served. Open daily for breakfast and lunch; open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays.
Visit an argan oil co-operative
Argan trees, which bloom across south-western Morocco, are known as Essaouira’s gold. Mining the oil from the trees’ nuts provides a crucial source of work for local women in rural Moroccan communities. A pitcher of argan oil is a common sight on almost every tabletop (it’s a great oil to dip bread into, and packs more of a punch than olive oil), and it’s also used in local cosmetics. There are a handful of co-operatives on the road between Essaouira and Marrakech.
Where to stay
Bougainvillea and palm-stuffed oasis Jardin des Douars is a 12-minute drive out of the medina, and all the better for being further from the action. Its collection of 19 terracotta rooms and six villas overlooks the surrounding valley, through which the Oued Ksob river cuts and argan trees blossom. There’s a tiny, traditional spa and a choice of adults-only or a family pool – great if you want to come with a big group. It’s very well set up as a resort, with a prettified restaurant that serves an in-house twist on Moroccan cuisine alongside a cosy fire in winter. Doubles from around £115, B&B.
With every surface covered in technicolour Moroccan zellije tiles, Salut Maroc is in the heart of the medina with smashing views out to the ocean. Doubles from €125, room only.
Where to eat
Aladdin’s cave-esque Mega Loft has a decidedly Seventies design scheme – orange and black lacquer circular chairs, old movie posters on the walls and even blue leather suitcases nailed to the ceiling. There’s a shop attached, exhibition space downstairs, and a rooftop bar that overlooks the medina, plus live music most nights. Dishes span fresh fish and Mediterranean dishes, but be warned: there’s no alcohol. Open 12pm-12am, 49 Rue Yemen.
Right by the entrance to the medina at Orson Welles Square, La Table de Madada is part of the Madada complex that includes rooms and a boutique. The upscale restaurant fuses Moroccan and European flavours. Open Wednesday to Monday, 7-11pm.
Essaouira’s patisseries sell a dizzying array of sweet snacks, from flaky croissants to sweet baklava and freshly made almond cookies. If you’re not tempted in by the window displays at Patisserie Boujemaa in the medina, there’s no hope.
Where to drink
Named after the harsh wind that buffets the city, Taros is a rooftop spot perfect for sundowners. There’s a small stage for live music and two viewing platforms even higher up to help amplify the pinky/purple sunset. Open 10am-12am.
Stop for a glass of wine or coffee at Caravane Cafe, just inside the main gate to the medina. The plant-stuffed courtyard is the ideal place to unwind. Rue du Qadi Ayyad, open daily 11am-11pm except Mondays.
Cafe de France serves what might be the medina’s cheapest cup of sugary the a la menthe – at just 10 dirhams (80p). It’s also a prime-people watching spot. Piazza Mulay Hassan, open 6.30am-1am daily.
Where to shop
The Essaouira medina is a great place to start for the predictable tourist trinkets such as carpets, throws, clothing and leather goods. Sellers are not quite as pushy as they are in Marrakech. There are also a number of argan oil sellers, including well-regarded Sidi Yassine.
Carefully curated design shops such as Histoire Des Filles and Minimal sell local artisanal items that you want but don’t need.
Architectural highlight
The 18th century Skala du Port ramparts. From atop this fortress there there are breezy views across the Atlantic Ocean and the rollers crashing into the rocks below.
Nuts and bolts
What currency do I need?
Moroccan dirhams.
What language do they speak?
French, but English is widely spoken.
Should I tip?
There isn’t a huge tipping culture, but 10 per cent is appreciated in restaurants.
What’s the time difference?
+1 GMT.
What’s the average flight time from the UK?
3.5 hours.
Public transport
Taxis are widely available, although prices are hard to negotiate. There are plenty of stories about taxi drivers being unable to find tiny riads.
Best view
One of the viewing platforms at sundowner bar Taros, ideally with a Casablanca beer in hand. Swivel your head to catch either the beach or the ramparts – and a fair few seagulls, too.
Insider tip
Taxis are expensive and involve a lot of teeth-clenching haggling. See if your hotel or guesthouse can organise a cheaper transfer for you.
How travel has become more sustainable over the last 10 years
As we approach the end of the decade, it’s clear there’s been a shift in public opinion when it comes to sustainability in general – and sustainable travel in particular. In 2019, global climate strikes drew hundreds of thousands of protesters – Extinction Rebellion raised awareness of climate change in a series of highly publicised shutdowns of the UK capital and the flygskam (flight shaming) and tagskryt (train bragging) movements – born in Sweden – started to sweep across Europe, encouraging travellers to clip their wings and swap planes for trains.
We all have questions to ask ourselves concerning travel habits – and how they impact the world around us – as the threat of climate crisis creeps ever closer – but what about the progress that’s already been made? Here’s how travel has become more sustainable over the last 10 years.
Flights
It’s controversial because of the sheer numbers of flights there are now – 4.6 billion passenger journeys are expected to have been taken in 2019 compared to 2.63 billion in 2010, an increase of 75 per cent – but that doesn’t mean flying hasn’t become more efficient in the last decade. It’s not to downplay the impact of soaring aviation growth, more to acknowledge how technological advances have already been made.
1/7 Mont Blanc aerial photographs from 1919 (left) and 2019 (right)
The images show the impact that climate change has had upon the mountain’s glaciers
Walter Mittelholzer, ETH-Bibliothek Zürich/Dr Kieran Baxter, University of Dundee
2/7 Walter Mittelholzer’s biplane
ETH-Bibliothek Zürich
3/7 Mont Blanc aerial photographs from 1919 (left) and 2019 (right)
Walter Mittelholzer, ETH-Bibliothek Zürich/Dr Kieran Baxter, University of Dundee
4/7 Walter Mittelholzer
ETH-Bibliothek Zürich
5/7 Mont Blanc aerial photographs from 1919 (left) and 2019 (right)
Walter Mittelholzer, ETH-Bibliothek/Dr Kieran Baxter, University of Dundee
6/7 Dr Kieran Baxter photographing Mont Blanc in 2019
Dr Alice Watterson, University of Dundee
7/7 Dr Kieran Baxter in front of the glacier
Dr Alice Watterson, University of Dundee
1/7 Mont Blanc aerial photographs from 1919 (left) and 2019 (right)
The images show the impact that climate change has had upon the mountain’s glaciers
Walter Mittelholzer, ETH-Bibliothek Zürich/Dr Kieran Baxter, University of Dundee
2/7 Walter Mittelholzer’s biplane
ETH-Bibliothek Zürich
3/7 Mont Blanc aerial photographs from 1919 (left) and 2019 (right)
Walter Mittelholzer, ETH-Bibliothek Zürich/Dr Kieran Baxter, University of Dundee
4/7 Walter Mittelholzer
ETH-Bibliothek Zürich
5/7 Mont Blanc aerial photographs from 1919 (left) and 2019 (right)
Walter Mittelholzer, ETH-Bibliothek/Dr Kieran Baxter, University of Dundee
6/7 Dr Kieran Baxter photographing Mont Blanc in 2019
Dr Alice Watterson, University of Dundee
7/7 Dr Kieran Baxter in front of the glacier
Dr Alice Watterson, University of Dundee
Newer aircraft are much more fuel efficient than their predecessors – each new generation of aircraft typically consumes 20-25 per cent less fuel than those that went before while airlines are getting better at reducing carbon output per passenger.
Take British Airways, for example. The UK flag carrier is “investing heavily” in more fuel-efficient aircraft, with 44 new planes already flying and a further 73 on order. These newer models are 25 to 40 per cent more fuel efficient than the aircraft they replace. The airline says efficiency has improved by 25 per cent since 2008. In the last three years, BA also claims to have saved more than 200,000 tonnes of CO2 through reducing engine taxing, optimising routes, climbs and descents, and installing lighter seats and food trollies.
There is almost always a “but”, and with BA it takes the bulky shape of 32 Boeing 747 planes. None of these gas-guzzling Jumbo jets was built in the 21st century, and some will remain in the fleet for at least three more years.
Virgin Atlantic has also undertaken a renewal programme to replace its entire fleet over a 10-year period, switching from four-engine aircraft to more efficient two-engine jets. The carrier says this programme has already reduced its carbon emissions by 23.7 per cent since 2007.
The future
The next decade is going to see a lot of investment in “green” flying initiatives as airlines attempt to meet the industry’s collective commitment to slash carbon emissions by 2050.
These efforts largely split into two streams: electric planes and alternative low carbon fuels.
IAG, British Airways’ parent company, is going down the fuel route, investing $400m in the development of biofuels. It’s the first airline in Europe to build a facility that converts household and commercial waste into renewable jet fuel, reducing net greenhouse gases by 70 per cent compared to the fossil-fuel equivalent. However, even by the earliest projections, the plant won’t start producing fuel until 2024.
Meanwhile, some of the industry’s major players – including Boeing and Rolls-Royce – are working on electric-powered aircraft and hybrid jets powered by a combination of fuel and battery power.
EasyJet is going down this route, and is working with start-up Wright Electric to design an electric plane that the airline could use for short-haul services under 500km. It has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to work on a joint research hybrid and electric-aircraft project plus it’s the first major airline to start offsetting carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights, a measure it brought in as of November 2019.
A spokesman for Airlines UK, the body that represents the industry, said: “UK airlines are making enormous efforts to reduce their carbon emissions, and are committed to a global target to cut CO2 emissions from all flights by 50 per cent of their 2005 levels by 2050 – through technology, operational efficiency improvements and the use of sustainable biofuels.”
Trains
Although rail travel is one of the lowest carbon forms of transport – responsible for less than 2.5 per cent of total transport emissions and about 0.6 per cent of the UK’s total emissions – that doesn’t mean there’s not room for improvement or that it hasn’t already come a long way.
In July 2019, then-rail minister Andrew Jones said that – since 2010 – operators have ordered 7,800 new greener carriages, £4.5m has been invested in projects focused on tackling decarbonisation and a further £48bn is being invested in modernising the rail network to enable cleaner, more efficient journeys.
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The key way this is happening is through the replacement of diesel trains on the passenger network with electric and hybrid models.
Eurostar has been ahead of the curve when it comes to reducing emissions: the cross-Channel train service introduced its first Tread Lightly campaign in 2007, pledging to cut emissions by 25 per cent by 2012 and offset every traveller’s CO2 free of charge. It managed to beat its own target, cutting CO2-emissions-per-passenger by 31 per cent by early 2009 and setting a new goal of 35 per cent at the beginning of the decade.
The future
Britain has committed to phase out diesel-only trains completely by 2040, and the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has said that Britain’s railways have a crucial role to play in helping the UK economy decarbonise by 2050.
A new rail taskforce report was published in July by the Rail Industry Decarbonisation Task Force and the RSSB, outlining that battery power, hydrogen and electrification will all be needed to further decarbonise rail travel.
Eurostar is continuing its ambitious plans to decarbonise, pledging to eliminate the use of fossil-fuel energy for all train journeys by 2030. The brand also announced it plans to “plant a tree for every train” that it operates from 1 January 2020 – around 50 per day.
Cruises
Similarly to flying, cruise ships don’t cover themselves in glory when it comes to sustainability – Carnival Cruises was fined $20 million (£15.7 million) earlier this year after admitting to dumping more than 500,000 gallons of sewage in the ocean. A 2019 report from European think-tank Transport & Environment found that cruise lines emit more than 60 kilotonnes of sulphur dioxide, a cause of acid rain and lung cancer, per year – 10 times more than all of Europe’s cars combined.
They also come under fire for their contribution to overtourism in places like Venice and Dubrovnik, where they dock and expel thousands of tourists onto shore for hours at a time.
However, improvements have been made over the last decade.
One of the biggest changes have been made to the hulls on some cruise ships, which have been treated with silicon-based paint to help them glide through water more efficiently, thereby saving fuel. Royal Caribbean Cruises has designed aerodynamic hulls to reduce fuel consumption even further. The cruise brand has invested $100m into converting wastewater treatment systems into advanced purification systems, plus it uses more than 18 million gallons of biodiesel each year, which is a more sustainable alternative to diesel.
Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced eco-ballast technology, a water treatment system that ensures ships don’t send toxins into the water, and it donates cooking oil to farmers in port cities that can then be reused as fuel.
Meanwhile, Disney Cruise Line recycles condensation from air conditioning units for use in the laundry and for cleaning decks, saving gallons of water every day, alongside rerouting excess heat from generators to power evaporators that help turn seawater into drinkable water.
The future
New regulations, limiting the amount of sulphur dioxide emitted by ships, are set to come into force in 2020. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has said that – as of next year – ships will have to use fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5 per cent compared with the current 3.5 per cent.
However, methods vary when it comes to meeting these new requirements.
Analysts say about 90 per cent of cruise ships will comply – not by using cleaner fuel – but by installing exhaust cleaning systems, or “scrubbers”, which use seawater to clean dirty fuel before sending the washwater back into the ocean.
This is a controversial issue, prompting concern about the practice’s impact on marine environments: Singapore, Hong Kong, China and some Caribbean islands have all banned the release of washwater from scrubbers into their waters. For every ton of fuel burnt, ships using scrubbers emit approximately 45 tons of warm, acidic, contaminated washwater containing carcinogens including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), a non-profit organisation.
It’s not all bad news though. Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has made the first-ever industry-wide emissions commitment, pledging to reduce the rate of carbon emissions across the industry fleet by 40 per cent by 2030.
Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean is working with Finland-based shipyard Meyer Turku to pioneer fuel-cell technology on two vessels, set to join its fleet in 2022 and 2024 respectively. They will run primarily on liquefied natural gas (LNG) to eliminate sulphur emissions and reduce the production of NOx and particulates.
“The beauty of fuel cells is that they produce electricity with zero carbon footprint – the only emission is water,” said Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain.
Cars
While the last decade has seen cars become significantly greener – with hybrids and electric vehicles becoming more common – it also saw one of the biggest corporate scandals in living memory: Emissionsgate. In 2015, many Volkswagen cars being sold in America were found to have a “defeat device” in diesel engines that could detect when they were being tested, changing the performance to improve results. The German car manufacturer eventually admitted to cheating emissions tests in the US.
But customer confidence erosion aside, quite a bit of legislation has been introduced to encourage the use of cleaner vehicles in the last 10 years.
For example, since January 2012, a new Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was adopted for London buses, with older vehicles gradually phased out in favour of newer, greener models. In October 2017, London mayor Sadiq Khan introduced a daily £10 “T-charge” for older, more polluting vehicles driving into central London. And tougher LEZ standards are coming into force on 26 October 2020 for heavy vehicles including HGVs, lorries, vans, buses, coaches, minibuses and other specialist diesel vehicles.
In 2017, the Department for Transport overhauled the UK’s vehicle tax system, bringing in harsher rates for higher-polluting cars and using a new set of testing guidelines, called the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), which is more reflective of real-world driving conditions and behaviour than the previous method.
The future
In the UK, electric cars could be issued with green number plates as part of plans to incentivise drivers to buy cleaner vehicles and help tackle climate change and dangerous levels of airborne pollution.
The Department for Transport (DfT) wants to promote zero-emissions vehicles by making them easily identifiable and giving drivers benefits such as cheaper parking and the option to drive in bus lanes. When a similar scheme was introduced in Ontario, Canada, in 2010 – allowing electric car -drivers to use toll lanes for free – the number of electric vehicles on the roads in the city markedly increased.
The government has also said that company car drivers choosing a pure electric vehicle will pay no benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax in 2020/21.
So there you have it. There’s a long way to go. But let’s not forget how far we’ve come.
Business class passenger complains of ‘disgusting breakfast’ and says he’d get better food on Ryanair
A British Airways passenger called his business class breakfast “disgusting” after being served a burnt-looking cheese and tomato toastie.
Charles Allen was flying on flight 208 from Miami to London Heathrow on 21 November when he was served the disappointing meal.
He posted a picture of the offending toastie to Facebook group British Airways Complaints Advice, writing: “Cabin crew agreed that it was an insult and I could get better food on Ryanair.
“The business class seats on BA are bad enough but the food now really takes the P.”
Social media users were also less than impressed with the breakfast offering.
1/8 Cockroach curry
A cockroach was found in an Air India breakfast meal.
Twitter/Manoj Khandekar
2/8 Apples and pears
Avianca’s idea of a vegetarian meal was an apple and a pear on board one flight.
Twitter/Steve Hogarty
3/8 Chicken sandwich
Emirates served this disappointing Cajun chicken and cheese sandwich on a flight to Dubai
Paul Carlin
4/8 Gluten-free banana
Martin Pavelka was handed this banana, complete with “gluten-free” label, as his inflight meal on an ANA service from Tokyo to Sydney.
Martin Pavelka/Evening Standard
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Oman Air’s finest: presenting something approximating a mushroom sandwich on a flight to Heathrow.
Nick Boulos
6/8 Raw vegetables
Aegean Airways served up some raw pepper and carrot sticks as its veggie option on one flight.
musterknabe
7/8 More cockroaches
An Air India passenger wasn’t impressed when she found this in the business class lounge.
Twitter/Harinder Baweja
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Not everyone turns their nose up at plane food – this Urumqi flight attendant was suspended after a video of her eating leftovers went viral.
Viral Press
1/8 Cockroach curry
A cockroach was found in an Air India breakfast meal.
Twitter/Manoj Khandekar
2/8 Apples and pears
Avianca’s idea of a vegetarian meal was an apple and a pear on board one flight.
Twitter/Steve Hogarty
3/8 Chicken sandwich
Emirates served this disappointing Cajun chicken and cheese sandwich on a flight to Dubai
Paul Carlin
4/8 Gluten-free banana
Martin Pavelka was handed this banana, complete with “gluten-free” label, as his inflight meal on an ANA service from Tokyo to Sydney.
Martin Pavelka/Evening Standard
5/8 Mushroom sandwich
Oman Air’s finest: presenting something approximating a mushroom sandwich on a flight to Heathrow.
Nick Boulos
6/8 Raw vegetables
Aegean Airways served up some raw pepper and carrot sticks as its veggie option on one flight.
musterknabe
7/8 More cockroaches
An Air India passenger wasn’t impressed when she found this in the business class lounge.
Twitter/Harinder Baweja
8/8 Leftovers
Not everyone turns their nose up at plane food – this Urumqi flight attendant was suspended after a video of her eating leftovers went viral.
Viral Press
Roger Melly commented: “I flew on ba206 on 14th and had the same burnt cheese on that for breakfast. The Business Class cabin is well below an acceptable standard. The 747s should have been mothballed years ago.”
Caroline Payne added: “If the was business class what did the poor soul at the back get?!”
British Airways says it received no complaints about the food on this particular flight, either from customers – including Mr Allen – or crew.
A spokesperson told The Independent: “We pride ourselves on the quality of the meals we offer onboard and have heavily invested in our catering, in all cabins.
“We have not received any complaints regarding the catering on this flight.”
It’s not the first time a BA customer has complained about the inflight food.
In August, a passenger complained of being served an “absolutely disgusting” breakfast on a £1,200 long-haul flight.
Sandra Arthur, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, was travelling from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago to London Heathrow when she was given the “soggy” bruschetta with egg and cheese.
Ms Arthur shared a picture of the unappetising meal on Facebook, which showed bits of egg scattered around some damp-looking bread, adding that many other passengers also complained.
“We could not eat this and when we complained we were offer a cold croissant,” she wrote.
“The flight attendant was extremely embarrassed but professional.”
A BA spokesperson said at the time: “We are sorry that our standards fell below our customer’s expectation on this occasion.”
Charity plans to airdrop aid using fleet of drones
Almost a year after 150,000 passengers at Gatwick airport had their travel plans wrecked by unauthorised drone activity, a Dutch organisation has successfully tested the technology for delivering aid.
Wings For Aid has just used a test aircraft to drop 18 boxes from a height of 100m, including two boxes containing raw eggs – all of which survived intact.
The test took place at an airbase in the Netherlands, as part of the charity’s development of the concept of providing essential aid to people cut off from terrestrial supplies.
“We were a little bit annoyed that military forces had access to drone technology while humanitarian actors hadn’t,” said Barry Koperberg, general manager of Wings For Aid.
His organisation plans to “bridge the last mile” to reach people beyond the reach of conventional aid logistics.
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Summer camp of Gran Canaria by Karolis Janulis
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Moab Rock Climbing by Maxseigal
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Complejo Acuático Norte de Santander by losmanesdeldrone
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Chugach Mountain Range, Alaska by High Angle Shot
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Swarm of sheep by Szabolcs Ignacz
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Piton de la fournaise, Volcano by Jonathan Payet
At the heart of the concept is a specially designed all-cardboard “delivery box” that can be dropped from a height of up to 500m without a parachute.
“We have developed a cargo drone with eight boxes of 20kg carrying humanitarian aid,” he said. The boxes can contain food, water, shelter kits or medical supplies.
“With pinpoint precision we can deliver it anywhere worldwide. Anyone worldwide will be in reach of such a system – we can deliver 20kg of humanitarian aid anywhere be it conflict, be it natural disaster.
“Think of Haiti, think of Somalia, think of the Nepal earthquake, where you are out of touch for a couple of days or a couple weeks.”
Wings For Aid, whose start-up has been co-funded by the Dutch government, calculates that while 100 million people involved in crises were provided with emergency supplies last year, an estimated 20 million in need did not.
In past humanitarian disasters, essential infrastructure has been destroyed by floods or earthquakes. In some parts of the world, those in need may be located deep inside conflict zones, beyond the reach of aid trucks.
While helicopters can sometimes be used, they are expensive and have limited capacity. In addition, pilots will not fly in areas where they believe they may be targeted.
Mr Koperberg said: “We hope launch our first aircraft, which is now being built, in 2020. Meanwhile we are testing the whole system.
“A very good application of modern technology, I think.”
Beautiful Italian town gives away homes for €1 after population plummets
Another Italian town is hoping to tempt new residents with the offer of €1 homes.
Bivona in the Southern Italian island of Sicily is the latest contender, and it is including the added incentive of significant tax breaks for those who not only buy and renovate the slashed-price houses, but also choose to live in them and be part of the community.
The quaint commune, set in the heart of the Sicilian countryside, has seen its population plummet by half over the last 40 years.
“Today we’re down to just 3,800 residents,“ Angela Cannizzaro, Bivona’s culture councillor, told CNN Travel.
”We want to recover the lost grandeur of our greatest time in history, back in the Renaissance, when 8,000 people lived in Bivona and it was a flourishing feudal duchy blessed by Emperor Charles V.“
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As always, there’s a catch – buyers have to commit to renovating their new property within a certain timeframe, plus pay a deposit, refundable as long as they start the refurbishment in the agreed timeframe.
However, Bivona is offering a better deal than many of the other towns competing for new blood with the €1 homes deal.
Where others are demanding a deposit of €5,000, Bivona requires just €2,500. It also gives buyers four years rather than the usual three for the works to be completed.
“Also, there will be appealing tax bonuses for those who decide to take up residency and actually move here,” says Ms Cannizzaro.
She described the town centre as “vibrant, packed with history and very welcoming,” despite the many empty and dilapidated properties.
An 18th-century farm and shepherd huts are among the properties available for less than £1.
The town prides itself on its bucolic setting, fresh mountain air, clean rivers and hiking, cycling and horse riding opportunities.
Bivona’s Mayor, Milko Cinà, said of the town: “Life quality is good, it’s an optimal place to detox.”
It’s one of many towns in Italy to adopt a scheme to boost population numbers.
Cammarata in Sicily announced it was giving homes away for free earlier this month after more than 100 buildings in the historic centre have been left abandoned.
Vincenzo Giambrone, the mayor of Cammarata, has convinced former owners of these buildings to give them to those who can breathe new life into the town.
“I can’t stand to see this gorgeous, old historical centre empty and turn into a ruin,” he said. “It hurts me.”
So far there are around 12 empty homes up for grabs, with Giambrone hoping to add more in the near future.
General Election: What the SNP says about travel
“We want Scotland’s rail services to be significantly better and significantly greener into the bargain,” says the SNP in its manifesto. “We are committed to making the Highlands and Islands the world’s first net zero aviation region. Against the backdrop of Brexit, we are working collaboratively with Scotland’s tourism industry to future-proof the workforce.”
Key ideas
The essence of the transport policy is to “make our transport system greener”. This involves “investing over £500m in improved bus priority infrastructure to make bus travel the faster, greener option and encourage people out of their cars”. That sum represents over £92 per person for everyone living in Scotland.
An additional £17m would go towards loan funding for ultra-low emission vehicles.
Besides reducing the environmental impact of rail, the SNP “will insist our railways are run here in Scotland and that they can be run by the public sector”.
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Britain’s Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn poses with WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) supporters after he outlined Labour’s plans to repay the “historical debt of honour” owed to women born in the 1950’s
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with sheep as he visits the Royal Welsh Showground, in Llanelwedd
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A coalition of NHS (National Health Service) campaigners led by “Keep Our NHS Public” and “We Own It”, pose for photographs with masks of US President Donal Trump, right, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson carving up the NHS with a giant knife and fork, as they take part in a demonstration on Parliament Square. The campaigners are calling for the NHS to be taken “off the table” in a trade deal with the US by ending privatisation in the health service and restoring it to a wholly publicly owned and provided service
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage visits Plymouth Fisheries at Sutton Harbour
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon gives her party’s candidate for North East Fife Stephen Gethins a haircut, during a visit to Craig Boyd Hairdressing in Leven
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Vans belonging to The Community United against Labour Party anti-Semitism group, Culpa, parked next to a police car ahead of the Labour Race and Faith Manifesto launch
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Boris Johnson prepares to serve food at the Royal Welsh Showground
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Jeremy Corbyn tries his hand at bricklaying during a visit to the West Nottinghamshire College Construction Centre, in Ashfield
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to the London design museum to discuss the party’s tech policy
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage visits Seaham
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives for the Conservative party’s manifesto launch in Telford
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn meets supporters during a visit to Thurrock in Essex
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Protesters wait for the arrival of Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of the launch of his party’s manifesto
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Jo Swinson gestures from atop a crane during a visit to an eco home building site in Sheffield
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Jeremy Corbyn meets a supporter on a train on his return from a visit to Sheffield
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to Bassetlaw District General Hospital in Worksop, Nottinghamshire
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Nigel Farage campaigns in Hartlepool
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Jeremy Corbyn outside an Amazon depot in Sheffield, to announce plans for a workers’ rights revolution and to ensure big businesses pay their fair share of taxes
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, during their successive appearances on BBC Question Time Leaders’ Special at the Octagon in Sheffield
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Liberal Democratic Party leader Jo Swinson visits a primary school in Cambridge
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Boris Johnson lays a brick during a visit to the Barratt Homes
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn attends the launch of the party’s election manifesto at Birmingham City University
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage holds his party policy document during the party’s policy launch in Westminster
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon joined Dundee East candidate Stewart Hosie to made a keynote speech at The Quay
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a part of an electrical appliance during a General Election campaign trail stop at Ebac in Newton Aycliffe
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Jeremy Corbyn poses during a visit to The Oatcake Boat on the Trent & Mersey Canal, Stoke
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Jo Swinson and Willie Rennie Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats gesture, during a visit to Glasgow
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson (left) during a visit to the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Temple in Glasgow
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meets Colin and his mother after a speech at the University of Lancaster
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Britain’s Green Party co-leaders Jonathan Bartley, Sian Berry, and deputy leader Amelia Womack, wave during the launch of the party manifesto at the Observatory at London Wetland Centre
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Scottish Nationalist Party leader Nicola Sturgeon meets voters and activists at Cafe Roma in Clarkston, Glasgow
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Protestors participate in an anti-Boris Johnson rally in his constituency Uxbridge, west London
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage looks out from a window on the Kestrel crabbing boat in Grimsby fish dock
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a tug boat in the port of Bristol
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Green Party Co-Leader Sian Berry has a selfie taken with a supporter at the Observatory, London Wetlands Centre
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Jo Swinson helps chef Leonardo Mastofilippo to make pizza during a campaign visit to cafe Amisha in South Bermonsey
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) ladies during a visit to Birkenshaw Sports Barn in Uddingston
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Boris Johnson at the unveiling of the Conservative Party battlebus in Middleton, Greater Manchester
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Nicola Sturgeon sits alongside Cycling Without Age user Cyril Corcoran (centre), aged 78, in an electric tricycle during a visit to Hawick, in the Scottish Borders
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Nigel Farage holds a fish during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village
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Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson in the boxing ring at Total Boxer, a specialised boxing gym which offers training to young people as a means of keeping them away from violence, in Crouch End, London
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts as he participates in a school art lesson, making a clay figure at George Spencer Academy, west of Nottingham
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn during a visit to the Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre in Glasgow
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Scotland’s First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon visits the Cafe Gelato in Rutherglen, Glasgow
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The Green Party launch in Bristol
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Farage enjoys some chips at the start of a nationwide tour for the 2019 general election, in Whitehaven
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unveils the Labour battle bus in Liverpool
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Boris Johnson reacts as he talks with workers whilst weighing packaged tea bags at the Tetley Tea Factory in Stockton-on-Tees
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on the campaign trail in Whitehaven, where he was confronted by Karl Connor
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Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson speaks to volunteer Rosie Squires in the Stainforth 4 All charity shop during a visit to Stainforth in South Yorkshire to meet people affected by flooding
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Nicola Sturgeon poses with candidates during the SNP general election campaign launch in Edinburgh
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn with Laura McAlpine, the party’s candidate for Harlow
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Anti-Boris Johnson protesters demonstrate outside the hall where the Conservative Party were launching their campaign in Birmingham
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Green Party Co-Leader Sian Berry (left), Deputy Leader and Parliamentary Candidate for Newport West Amelia Womack (right), and Bristol West Candidate Carla Denyer (centre) at the launch of the party’s general election manifesto in Bristol
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The PM tastes whisky during a visit to Diageo’s Roseisle Distillery near Elgin, Scotland
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Nigel Farage poses with boxer Dereck Chisora during a visit to a boxing gym in Ilford
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Jo Swinson visits a science class at Hinchley Wood School near Esher
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds a guitar as she visits Dalkeith Community Hub
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A man heckles as Jeremy Corbyn gives a speech at the Senior Citizens Hall in Macclesfield
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Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn visits residents affected by flooding in Conisbrough
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Boris Johnson gestures as he helps quality control staff during a visit to the Tayto Castle crisp factory in County Armagh, Northern Ireland
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The Lib Dem leader eats a marshmallow during a visit to Free Rangers Nursery in Midsomer Norton, Somerset
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Nigel Farage visits a butcher’s shop in Sutton-in-Ashfield
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon visits Blosson Tree children’s nursery
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Jeremy Corbyn laughs during a visit to the Scrap Creative Reuse Arts Project, Sunny Bank Mills
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson hold Rosie the rabbit during a visit to a primary school while on the campaign trail in Taunton
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Jo Swinson playing with children at the Battersea Arts Centre in Lavender Hill
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Farage addresses supporters at the Washington Central Hotel in Workington
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Jeremy Corbyn poses with Labour activists as they canvas in Govan, Glasgow
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Nicola Sturgeon during a visit to The Shed, a Climate Challenge community project at North Edinburgh Arts
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets six month old Willow Rose Anderson, at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton
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Jo Swinson holds up a sack of barley during a visit to Crafty Maltsters Scotland
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Jeremy Corbyn tries a scone in Bentley, Doncaster
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Nigel Farage takes a mouthful of homemade cheesecake during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village
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Boris Johnson hauling a consignment of frozen chocolate gateaux, during a visit to Iceland Foods HQ in Deeside
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Jo Swinson puts on a high visibility jacket during a visit to Sigma Pharmaceuticals, a family run pharmaceutical wholesaler in Watford
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Britain’s Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn poses with WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) supporters after he outlined Labour’s plans to repay the “historical debt of honour” owed to women born in the 1950’s
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with sheep as he visits the Royal Welsh Showground, in Llanelwedd
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A coalition of NHS (National Health Service) campaigners led by “Keep Our NHS Public” and “We Own It”, pose for photographs with masks of US President Donal Trump, right, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson carving up the NHS with a giant knife and fork, as they take part in a demonstration on Parliament Square. The campaigners are calling for the NHS to be taken “off the table” in a trade deal with the US by ending privatisation in the health service and restoring it to a wholly publicly owned and provided service
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage visits Plymouth Fisheries at Sutton Harbour
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon gives her party’s candidate for North East Fife Stephen Gethins a haircut, during a visit to Craig Boyd Hairdressing in Leven
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Vans belonging to The Community United against Labour Party anti-Semitism group, Culpa, parked next to a police car ahead of the Labour Race and Faith Manifesto launch
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Boris Johnson prepares to serve food at the Royal Welsh Showground
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Jeremy Corbyn tries his hand at bricklaying during a visit to the West Nottinghamshire College Construction Centre, in Ashfield
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson during a visit to the London design museum to discuss the party’s tech policy
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage visits Seaham
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives for the Conservative party’s manifesto launch in Telford
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn meets supporters during a visit to Thurrock in Essex
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Protesters wait for the arrival of Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of the launch of his party’s manifesto
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Jo Swinson gestures from atop a crane during a visit to an eco home building site in Sheffield
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Jeremy Corbyn meets a supporter on a train on his return from a visit to Sheffield
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to Bassetlaw District General Hospital in Worksop, Nottinghamshire
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Nigel Farage campaigns in Hartlepool
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Jeremy Corbyn outside an Amazon depot in Sheffield, to announce plans for a workers’ rights revolution and to ensure big businesses pay their fair share of taxes
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, during their successive appearances on BBC Question Time Leaders’ Special at the Octagon in Sheffield
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Liberal Democratic Party leader Jo Swinson visits a primary school in Cambridge
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Boris Johnson lays a brick during a visit to the Barratt Homes
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn attends the launch of the party’s election manifesto at Birmingham City University
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage holds his party policy document during the party’s policy launch in Westminster
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon joined Dundee East candidate Stewart Hosie to made a keynote speech at The Quay
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a part of an electrical appliance during a General Election campaign trail stop at Ebac in Newton Aycliffe
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Jeremy Corbyn poses during a visit to The Oatcake Boat on the Trent & Mersey Canal, Stoke
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Jo Swinson and Willie Rennie Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats gesture, during a visit to Glasgow
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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson (left) during a visit to the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Temple in Glasgow
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meets Colin and his mother after a speech at the University of Lancaster
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Britain’s Green Party co-leaders Jonathan Bartley, Sian Berry, and deputy leader Amelia Womack, wave during the launch of the party manifesto at the Observatory at London Wetland Centre
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Scottish Nationalist Party leader Nicola Sturgeon meets voters and activists at Cafe Roma in Clarkston, Glasgow
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Protestors participate in an anti-Boris Johnson rally in his constituency Uxbridge, west London
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage looks out from a window on the Kestrel crabbing boat in Grimsby fish dock
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a tug boat in the port of Bristol
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Green Party Co-Leader Sian Berry has a selfie taken with a supporter at the Observatory, London Wetlands Centre
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Jo Swinson helps chef Leonardo Mastofilippo to make pizza during a campaign visit to cafe Amisha in South Bermonsey
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) ladies during a visit to Birkenshaw Sports Barn in Uddingston
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Boris Johnson at the unveiling of the Conservative Party battlebus in Middleton, Greater Manchester
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Nicola Sturgeon sits alongside Cycling Without Age user Cyril Corcoran (centre), aged 78, in an electric tricycle during a visit to Hawick, in the Scottish Borders
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Nigel Farage holds a fish during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village
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Liberal Democrats leader Jo Swinson in the boxing ring at Total Boxer, a specialised boxing gym which offers training to young people as a means of keeping them away from violence, in Crouch End, London
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Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts as he participates in a school art lesson, making a clay figure at George Spencer Academy, west of Nottingham
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn during a visit to the Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre in Glasgow
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Scotland’s First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon visits the Cafe Gelato in Rutherglen, Glasgow
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The Green Party launch in Bristol
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Farage enjoys some chips at the start of a nationwide tour for the 2019 general election, in Whitehaven
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn unveils the Labour battle bus in Liverpool
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Boris Johnson reacts as he talks with workers whilst weighing packaged tea bags at the Tetley Tea Factory in Stockton-on-Tees
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Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on the campaign trail in Whitehaven, where he was confronted by Karl Connor
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Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson speaks to volunteer Rosie Squires in the Stainforth 4 All charity shop during a visit to Stainforth in South Yorkshire to meet people affected by flooding
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Nicola Sturgeon poses with candidates during the SNP general election campaign launch in Edinburgh
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Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn with Laura McAlpine, the party’s candidate for Harlow
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Anti-Boris Johnson protesters demonstrate outside the hall where the Conservative Party were launching their campaign in Birmingham
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Green Party Co-Leader Sian Berry (left), Deputy Leader and Parliamentary Candidate for Newport West Amelia Womack (right), and Bristol West Candidate Carla Denyer (centre) at the launch of the party’s general election manifesto in Bristol
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The PM tastes whisky during a visit to Diageo’s Roseisle Distillery near Elgin, Scotland
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Nigel Farage poses with boxer Dereck Chisora during a visit to a boxing gym in Ilford
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Jo Swinson visits a science class at Hinchley Wood School near Esher
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon holds a guitar as she visits Dalkeith Community Hub
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A man heckles as Jeremy Corbyn gives a speech at the Senior Citizens Hall in Macclesfield
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Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn visits residents affected by flooding in Conisbrough
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Boris Johnson gestures as he helps quality control staff during a visit to the Tayto Castle crisp factory in County Armagh, Northern Ireland
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The Lib Dem leader eats a marshmallow during a visit to Free Rangers Nursery in Midsomer Norton, Somerset
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Nigel Farage visits a butcher’s shop in Sutton-in-Ashfield
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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon visits Blosson Tree children’s nursery
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Jeremy Corbyn laughs during a visit to the Scrap Creative Reuse Arts Project, Sunny Bank Mills
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson hold Rosie the rabbit during a visit to a primary school while on the campaign trail in Taunton
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Jo Swinson playing with children at the Battersea Arts Centre in Lavender Hill
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Farage addresses supporters at the Washington Central Hotel in Workington
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Jeremy Corbyn poses with Labour activists as they canvas in Govan, Glasgow
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Nicola Sturgeon during a visit to The Shed, a Climate Challenge community project at North Edinburgh Arts
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets six month old Willow Rose Anderson, at the Lych Gate Tavern in Wolverhampton
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Jo Swinson holds up a sack of barley during a visit to Crafty Maltsters Scotland
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Jeremy Corbyn tries a scone in Bentley, Doncaster
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Nigel Farage takes a mouthful of homemade cheesecake during a stop at the Grimsby Seafood Village
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Boris Johnson hauling a consignment of frozen chocolate gateaux, during a visit to Iceland Foods HQ in Deeside
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Jo Swinson puts on a high visibility jacket during a visit to Sigma Pharmaceuticals, a family run pharmaceutical wholesaler in Watford
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On aviation, the party says: “To reduce domestic flights, the Scottish government will work with the UK government to improve our rail journey times between Edinburgh and London.”
Heathrow airport expansion
The SNP was previously a powerful advocate of a third runway at Heathrow, with the carrot dangled by Britain’s biggest airport of restoring links to airports such as Prestwick and Dundee.
There is no mention of expansion in the manifesto, but presumably the party’s thinking is that if UK domestic flights are reduced then the need for a third runway dwindles.
High Speed 2 rail project
Only the Labour Party thinks that the new and controversial north-south rail link will reach Scotland. The SNP merely says it will demand the UK government commits “to improvements on the journey times between Scotland and London.”
Little persuasion is needed on the East Coast main line; the new Azuma trains will make that happen anyway from 2021, when the current 4h 20m journey time between Edinburgh and London will be cut by around 20 minutes.
If and when High Speed 2 is built, it should accelerate journeys between London and Glasgow.
Tourism
The SNP says far more about tourism than all the other parties put together.
The party wants to protect Scotland’s tourism industry from what it predicts will be the negative effects of Brexit. With one in nine workers in the industry from the European Union, the SNP warns that the “toxic Tory Immigration Bill” would be “catastrophic for Scotland”.
“Scotland’s tourism industry is of huge importance to our economy, contributing around £7bn to GDP and employing over 200,000 people.
“The SNP Scottish Government is working to ensure that Scotland retains its reputation as an open, warm and welcoming destination.
“The EU currently accounts for six out of Scotland’s 10 key visitor markets and around 44 per cent of our overseas visitors.
“Adding barriers to travelling freely will put recent industry success at risk.”
Independent analysis
Compared with the other parties’ manifestos, the SNP is remarkably explicit about some aspects of transport policy – but quiet on others.
The country depends on aviation more than any other part of the UK except Northern Ireland, and the vast majority of visitors from overseas arrive by air. The previous SNP policy to halve Air Passenger Duty to encourage more flights appears to have been dropped.
The plan to deploy electric aircraft on the Highlands and Islands services is bold, though not yet technically feasible.
The Scottish Nationalists’ concern about Brexit and tourism is in sharp contrast to the other parties; the Conservatives say nothing about British tourism and Labour says hardly anything.
Inside the UK industry there is deep concern about visitor numbers from the European Union after Britain leaves.
Last week the Lib Dems said they would “enable local authorities to bring in tourist levies to fund local tourism infrastructure”. The prospect of local tourism taxes is a controversial subject in Scotland currently, but the SNP says nothing on the subject.
The party’s manifesto, though, does hold out the prospect of pressing for lower VAT on tourism, UK-wide.
Avanti to replace Virgin Trains on UK’s busiest intercity line
At 8.10am on Sunday 8 December, from platform 3 of London Euston, a new train operator will dispatch its first departure on the UK’s busiest intercity line.
The franchise has been awarded to Avanti West Coast, a joint venture between FirstGroup of Aberdeen and the Italian state rail operator, Trenitalia.
Avanti is the Italian word meaning “forward”. According to First Rail’s managing director Steve Montgomery, the brand was chosen to ”enshrine the type of forward-thinking operation we intend to run”. He said the new train operator will “generate national prosperity and pride”.
The West Coast main line, connecting the capital with Birmingham, Chester, Liverpool, Manchester, North Wales and Scotland, has been the preserve of Virgin Trains for the past 22 years. The rolling stock and staff will initially be unchanged.
In the most recent survey by the passenger watchdog Transport Focus, Virgin Trains scored the highest passenger satisfaction rating of any franchised train operator.
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Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, has said of his train operator: “Under our stewardship, the West Coast main line has been transformed from a public liability into a valuable asset for the UK, worth many billions of pounds.
“The service is a British success story and one to put up against rail companies around the world.”
But his company, a joint venture with Stagecoach, was barred from bidding to continue the franchise because it refused to take on unpredictable pension funding.
Sir Richard said he was “devastated“ by the decision to exclude Virgin Trains.
Trenitalia’s UK managing director, Ernesto Sicilia, said: ”Avanti West Coast is a strong, progressive and dynamic brand that reflects our commitment to providing our customers with an exceptional service.”
The firm will refurbish the Pendolino trains that Virgin Trains specified and ordered to replace ageing British Rail stock.
All 56 trains will be refurbished, and more reliable wifi and improved catering is promised. The less popular diesel Voyager trains will be replaced.
Within three years there will be 263 more weekly services, with destinations including Walsall, Gobowen and Llandudno getting direct services to and from London Euston.
Avanti has also promised to simplify fares and ticketing – exactly in line with the Williams Review of Britain’s railways, whose publication has been delayed by the general election.
The timing of the new franchise is bizarre, since the Conservatives have vowed in their election manifesto to end “the complicated franchising model” that was introduced at the time of privatisation in the 1990s.
Other franchise operators have been granted extensions until the shape of the rail system is known.
Avanti is also due to operate initial High Speed 2 services from Euston on a management contract, although the future of that project is in doubt.
When the franchise was announced in August 2019, the general secretary of the RMT union, Mick Cash called it “just another political fix by a Government whose privatised franchise model is collapsing around their ears”.
He said: “RMT will take whatever action is required to protect out members’ pay, jobs, working conditions and pensions on these vital intercity routes.”
The final Virgin service in the UK will depart from London Euston at 9.42pm on Saturday 7 December, and arrive at Wolverhampton at 11.47pm.
The Virgin Trains brand lives on in Florida, where it runs trains from Miami to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
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