Up in the air …

AN improved air link between Yorkshire and Southampton targeting business travellers and cruise passengers has been scheduled for later in the year. Regional carrier Eastern Airways is increasing frequency on the Leeds Bradford to Southampton route from three to four flights a day on weekdays.

An additional early afternoon service will run year round from September 14 with a 12.15pm departure from Southampton, arriving in Yorkshire at 1.25pm.

STANSTED AIRPORT saw more than two million passengers pass through the terminal in June 2015, up 11 percent the same month last year and an increase of more than 200,000 passengers. It was the airport’s busiest June since 2008. The total number of passengers flying from Stansted in the year rose to 21.5 million, an increase of 16.5 percent over the previous 12 months, the highest annual rate of growth of any major UK airport. 

AIR FRANCE has introduced its Best & Beyond cabins on flights to Los Angeles and Washington. These destinations will be served with the new cabins up to seven times a week throughout the 2015 summer season, making the new long-haul cabins available to 16 destinations around the world.

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Picture Credit: Air France

Face-to-face airline seats concept unveiled

PASSENGERS could be forced to face one another in an aircraft seating plan designed to make better use of cabin space, reports The Times in London. 

The design for short-haul flights features alternating forward- and backward-facing seats placed side by side. 

Industry supplier Zodiac Seats France says the aim of the design is to ‘increase the space available at the shoulder and arm area’. It will also create room for more seats.

The lightweight seats would be built with televisions and foldable tray tables in the back, and the design would comply with industry standards for aisle space.

The company said that the industry had shown strong interest in the concept of its economy class cabin hexagon seating configuration.

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Picture Credit: Zodiac Seats France

Israel sees foreign tourism slump

#ISRAEL is seeing a drop in its tourism flow in the first half of 2015. Just over 4.1 million foreign tourists made overnight stays, a drop of 25 percent on the first half of 2014.

#Eilat saw a drop of 46 percent. Other affected tourist spots include the #DeadSea, Jerusalem, and the Galilee, with falls of 34%, 27% and 29% respectively. Haifa and Tel Aviv were least affected by the decline, but still saw drops of 17% and 14%.

Domestic tourism, however, increased, with overnight hotel stays – mostly in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv – rising by eight percent.

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Balloons over Bristol

THE star of this year’s #Bristol International #BalloonFiesta (August 6-9) is likely to be the world’s first solar-powered hybrid hot-air balloon. Developed by Cameron Balloons, it is powered by the sun and a conventional propane burner, and will be making its debut flight at the fiesta.

The free, four-day event #AshtonCourt Estate – said to be largest of its kind in Europe – attracts half a million people who go to see more than 130 balloons of all shapes and sizes taking off and lighting up the sky from dawn and dusk.

There are fairground rides, food stalls and bars, and parachute and model aircraft displays … plus displays by Battle of Britain Spitfires and Hurricanes, and the Breitling Wingwalkers.

For the evening ascents, visitors are encouraged to arrive early to get a good spot to watch pilots inflate the balloons and take off en masse at 6pm.

www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk

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UK travel spend at highest level for two years

CONSUMER spending on travel grew by 8.4% in the last quarter, the highest level since the second quarter of 2013.

Spending on hotels rose by 6.9% and on airlines by 4.1%, according to the Barclaycard Spend Report for the second quarter of the year.

Growth looks set to continue as 43% of UK consumers say that they are more likely to holiday in Europe this year to take advantage of the weaker euro.

But there is some evidence that the ongoing question mark around Greece’s future in the eurozone is having an impact on travel plans. As a result of this uncertainty, and doubts around the security of holidaying abroad, a quarter of holidaymakers are opting for a UK domestic break this summer.

Among those who still plan to head overseas, Spain, the US, and Italy are the leading choices.

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Highland courses high on the Leaderboard

THREE of the most prestigious courses in the Highlands have been rated among the 13 best venues to play in Scotland by #GolfWorld magazine.

#RoyalDornochClub is placed 5th, The Nairn Club 12th, and #CastleStuartLinks 13th in the magazine’s list of 100 leading Scottish courses.

All three are part of the Highland Golf Links (HGL) partnership which promotes Play and Stay destination breaks in the area.

The Golf World list was drawn up by a 19-strong panel of its readers which looked at factors including strategic merit, presentation, memorable holes, playability, and visual appeal in making their decisions.

The only other Highland course to feature in the list's top 30 was #SkiboCastle, placed 10th.

Fraser Cromarty, chairman of HGL and CEO at The Nairn Golf Club, said: ‘The three courses are accessible for visitors and can be played over the course of a weekend, making golfing breaks in this part of the world easy to manage and very rewarding.’

The three HGL courses will host the 54-hole Tomatin Single Malt Pro-Am, to be held on September 28-30 this year.

www.highlandgolflinks.com

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Fun week for the folks

BROADSTAIRS FOLK WEEK (August 7-14) has more than 500 events, including concerts, workshops, dances, parades, a craft fair, a children's festival, and Morris dancers in venues ranging from the 600-seat concert marquee in the town's park to the sailing club on the seafront.

Highlights include Cajun dances and the opportunity to English clog dancing.

The #festival campsite is close to the town centre of town, where there will be a panic Circus on-site.

Festival tickets are on sale now.

www.broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

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Picture Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/65882683@N03/14679132173">Sandwich Folk & Ale Festival 2014</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license),http://www.flickr.com/photos/59262395@N00/673921554">Ron</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)