British Airways Announces Flash Sale on First Class to London

British Airways has announced incredible fares for First Class seats to London from major US gateways during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday periods. Fares are as low as US$2742 (round trip) from Boston and US$2745 from Miami.

Discounted fares are also available in Club World - clocking in as low as US$2038 (round trip) from Boston to London. Hurry as the sale ends May 12, 2016!

Click here for more details.

Fuel Surcharges: With Record-Low Oil Prices How Dare They?

Yesterday we were reminded that despite rapidly-falling fuel prices, transportation companies continue to gouge travellers with so-called fuel surcharges.

This came to our attention as we tried to book a round-trip promotional fare on the Victoria Clipper from Victoria-Seattle. Of a base fare of $93, Clipper Vacations was happy to charge an extra $8 as a fuel charge - almost 10% of the fare. (We reached out to Clipper Vacations are are awaiting their response).

Now, maybe Clipper Vacations deserves some credit for being transparent and actually calling the fee a 'fuel surcharge.' Other carriers, such as Air Canada, slap customers with hefty, mysterious 'career surcharges' that can add hundreds of dollars to a ticket.

For example, a recent round-trip booking from Victoria to Dubai on Air Canada in Premium Economy clicked in at $5,369. Of that $436 was identified as a 'carrier surcharge."

Air Canada is not alone - most other airlines do likewise, identifying the add-ons as 'carrier-imposed fee' or 'carrier imposed charges.'

There is some good news in the cruise industry. Carnival Cruise Line, for example, has eliminated its fuel surcharge on all voyages. However the company says on its website that it "reserves the right to charge a fuel supplement of up to $9.00 per person per day, without prior notice, in the event that the price of light sweet crude oil according to the NYMEX is greater than $70 per barrel of oil. Celebrity, Costa, Cunard, Holland America and other major lines have similar conditions.

It might be worth noting that the express shipping companies are also very much in the business of charing fuel surcharges. UPS, for example, hits customers with an extra 4.25% on air and international shipments - but this is dropping to 3% as of Feb. 1.

With oil slipping to $35-a-barrel, it's time regulators cracked down on transportation companies and demand that they at least break-out their add-on fees.

Malaysia Airlines Bans Check-in Baggage on Flights to Europe

In a move that has confounded airline analysts, Malaysia Airlines announced yesterday that no check-in baggage is allowed on its flights to continental Europe.

In a statement on its website, the carrier said “unseasonably strong headwinds” were limiting the amount of baggage its flights could handle.

“This longer flight path consumes more jet fuel and for safety reasons, Malaysia Airlines has had to impose temporary limitation on checked-in baggage allowance,” it said.

“Passengers who wish to check in their luggage will be able to do so, however their baggage will only arrive later.”

The airline advised economy passengers only to carry 7kg of hand luggage and first-class and business-class customers to limit themselves to 14kg of hand luggage.

Malaysia Airlines told AFP that they had no choice but to take these steps because “safety is our utmost priority” and the restrictions were “based on our risk assessment”.

Making the move even more bizarre is that MAS said the restrictions did not apply to London-bound flights but would affect its two other European destinations, Paris and Amsterdam.

It is not clear whether the move is intended as a security measure or to save fuel. My Savvy Traveller knows of no other Southeast Asian carrier that has imposed the same measures.

The money-losing flag carrier is still reeling over the loss of two aircraft in 2014 - one blown out of the sky over eastern Ukraine and another lost over the west coast of Australia in very mysterious circumstances.

Editor's note: At approximately 05:15GMT on Jan 6 the airline issued the following statement on its Facebook page:

Malaysia Airlines confirmed today that normal check-in baggage allowances are available on all flights across the network including services to Amsterdam, London and Paris. The airline has recently had to operate a longer route to Europe, which combined with strong head winds, limited the airlines' ability to carry baggage and cargo. The head winds over the last four days were in excess of 200knots which can add up to 15% fuel burn on a B777-200 aircraft. All baggage is being shipped to affected customers in Europe. Based on its current risk assessment, done on a daily basis, the airline is now able to take a shorter route on European flights. Malaysia Airlines maintains that safety is of utmost priority in its operations and will not hesitate to adjust its flight path based on its daily risk assessment.

El Nino Said to Create Turbulence for Air Travellers in 2016

Bumpy flights. Flight delays and cancellations. Longer travel times.

These are just some of the side effects of El Nino - weather systems that form every few years when the warm waters of the central Pacific ocean expand towards the Americas. The current El Nino is the strongest since 1998 and is expected to be in the top three most powerful systems on record.

Already California residents are bracing for several days of record-setting rains that start today. Northern California could receive up to 15in (38.1cm) of rain over the next two weeks. A weather expert called the series of storms a "conveyer belt" and cautioned that it could eventually trigger major landslides.

Airports in the Bay Area - especially San Francisco International Airport (SFO) - will be particularly vulnerable to delays and cancellations from weather.

Since late December passengers travelling on northern, high altitude air routes over North America have been experiencing more frequent and more severe turbulence. On December 30 an Air Canada pilot advised travellers on an eastbound flight from Victoria to Toronto that the El Nino effect was creating more turbulence and that passengers should keep their seat belts fastened as much as possible. (Just days earlier an Air Canada Boeing 777 flying from Shanghai to Toronto experienced severe air turbulence and had to divert to Calgary after heavy shaking injured more than 20 onboard). 

Because of the wavy jet stream experts say flight times on some routes will be longer, resulting in more fuel consumption and delays.

My Savvy Traveller advises travellers to keep abreast of weather reports and to make adjustments accordingly. Remember too that most airlines do not compensate travellers or offer accommodation for delays or missed connections due to weather. Check your travel insurance details and upgrade to a plan with more perks if necessary.

NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM WAVES OFF BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT TO HOGWARTS

Hundreds of children fell under the spell of Hogwarts’ hero Neville Longbottom actor Matthew Lewis, who flew in especially to meet them before their departure on the British Airways Dreamflight, bound for Harry Potter World in Orlando, Florida. They were joined by TV presenter Konnie Huq, Tinkerbell and Star Wars characters in a huge celebration at Heathrow.

Every year, a specially chartered British Airways jumbo jet flies almost 200 children with a serious illness or disability to Florida to enjoy a fun packed ten-day trip of a lifetime, where they spend time at attractions including Disney World and Universal Studios.

British Airways comes together with the Dreamflight team each year to make the departure a special event – and this year an army of volunteers, including the Air Cadet National Marching Band and British Airways cabin crew and pilots were at Heathrow to see the children board the Boeing 747 through a magical castle.

Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis, said: "Dreamflight is a fantastic charity and I’m honoured to be part of such a magical send-off, alongside volunteers from British Airways.

“It’s humbling to see how excited the kids are to be flying off to visit Harry Potter World. I hope they have an incredible time.”

TV presenter and mum of two, Konnie Huq, said: “Dreamflight is a great cause and this trip will make a huge difference to the children's lives. As a mother, I know how enthusiastic children get about the prospect of going on holiday, and Disney World will top any other adventure!”

Since the first flight in 1987, 5,500 children have flown on ‘Dreamflight’, and for many – it’s the very first time they’ve travelled abroad and been away without their family. The young fliers are accompanied by the Dreamflight team, British Airways cabin crew, and a fully trained medical team, which includes doctors, nurses and physiotherapists, who are on hand 24 hours a day throughout the trip.

British Airways captain Andrew Bean said: “I feel honoured to be flying the Dreamflight group of children to Florida. The children are such an inspiration to us all and it’s wonderful to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime, special trip”.

Major Paris Railway Station Turning Into Giant "Silent Disco!"

On 11th July, Gare du Nord in Paris is turning into a giant silent disco! BBC Travel reports it will be a strange sight to behold, with DJs pumping out music to partygoers' headphones. The line-up includes such DJs as Cut Killer - who famously cameoed in cult French film La Haine.

BREAKING: Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 Went Down in Southern Indian Ocean - Officials

*****Updated March 26 0320 ET *****

LATEST UPDATES

- Search efforts for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 resumed on Wednesday following improved weather conditions

- Malaysia's acting transport minister said 122 "potential objects" had been seen around 2,557km from Perth based on new French satellite images

- Six countries - Australia, New Zealand, the US, Japan, China and South Korea - are sending aircraft or ships to the search area

New data show the plane's last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth, Australia, far from any possible landing strip, the Malaysian prime minister said Monday at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Najib Razak said Malaysia Airlines had informed the families of the 239 passengers and crew. The airline sent an SMS to relatives saying that it is to be "assumed beyond any reasonable doubt" that MH370 has been lost. The announcement appears to have been based solely on tracking data supplied by Inmarsat and not on sightings of debris in the ocean.

China, meanwhile, has asked Malaysia to hand over the data that led it to conclude the plane had flown into the sea.

"We demand the Malaysian side state the detailed evidence that leads them to this judgement as well as supply all the relevant information and evidence about the satellite data analysis," Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Xie Hangsheng said, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

Meanwhile, a multinational search is continuing in the southern Indian Ocean. That search was suspended Tuesday due to "horrendous" weather.

David Johnston, Australia’s defense minister, described the search as taking place in “probably one of the most remote parts of the planet” and one that “has shipwrecked many sailors.”

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on 8 March.