Hamburg Airport (HAM), northern Germany’s largest international airport is 100 years old this year. With nearly 13 million passengers passing through the airport in 2010, Hamburg Airport has also become the fifth largest airport in Germany.

Hamburg Airport began operations in January 1911 and is the oldest airport which is still operating from its original location. But there’s nothing old about this airport. In fact the three attributes that Hamburg Airport prides itself of are: fast, beautiful and modern. The new Airport Plaza is flanked by two state-of-the-art passenger terminals.

Hamburg Airport

Currently, around 60 airlines fly into Hamburg Airport. There are 125 destinations with direct flights to Hamburg Airport and 800 destinations which can be reached with just a single transfer, making Hamburg Airport the air transportation hub of Northern Europe.

Throughout its 100th birthday anniversary year there is a range of events for passengers and visitors to Hamburg Airport  including competitions and free gifts.

More about Hamburg Airport >

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Lufthansa’s latest offer of  lets two passengers fly from Heathrow to Milan (return) for the price of one.

You can select departure and return dates up to April 2011 (pretty flexible), but the ticket must be purchased by 11 May 2010. So anyone planning on Milan shopping trips, travel gifts for family and friends or that special night at La Scala or a special Opera and Flamenco performance, this is the time to book.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

Note:  Read the fare conditions carefully as on these cheap flights you may not be able to change dates and there’s no refund if you cancel your flight.

Conditions for this offer:

• Purchase by: 11.05.2010
• Departure period: 28.04.2010 – 23.04.2011
• Return period: 30.04.2010 – 26.04.2011
• Minimum stay: 2 days or a Sat night
• Maximum stay: 12 months
• Subject to availability
• This offer can only be booked for two persons traveling together
• Fare valid for outbound and return flight including all taxes and services fees
• Tickets can only be booked 360 days in advance

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If the cold snap is making you yearn for that destination in the sun, Jet2.com have some fantastic promotions which are proving very popular right now.

Jet2.com is offering flights from as little as £9.99 (one way inc. taxes) to a number of popular destinations,  including Dusseldorf, Paris, Amsterdam and Belfast.

Other great offers include:

• Pisa from £29.99
• Croatia from £49.99
• Tenerife from £49.99
• Turkey from £59.99
• Cyprus from £59.99 and
• Tunisia from £69.99

All prices are one way including taxes.

And, that’s not all - Jet2.com are also offering some added benefits to every flight booking with a promise of great flight times, a generous 22kg Bag allowance, allocated seats and a free Loyalty Scheme.

You’ll also find last minute ski flights to Geneva, Chambery and Salzburg from £19.99 one way inc. taxes.

With these cheap rates, it’s worthwhile planning your year’s trip in advance to take advantage of the savings.
Book early to avoid disappointment.

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Oh Dear, World’s Worst Airport Again!

Members of Priority Pass, the world’s leading independent airport lounge programme, have voted London Heathrow Airport the World’s Worst Airport for the second year in a row. Responses to the annual survey came from 160 countries and the respondents have taken, on average, 17 flights in the past year.

This year, Heathrow doesn’t have the excuse that they had last year with the ill-fated opening of Terminal 5 and the ensuing teething problems.

Although Priority Pass members are not a representative sample of travellers that pass through Heathrow, they do know what a good airport experience should be.

For the humble traveller what we must have as a minimum are baggage trolleys, quick and hassle-free check-ins, no queues, no surly security staff and on-time departures. Free internet, good coffee and affordable food would make for a pleasant experience and all other services would add to making it a great airport.

The airport’s chief operating officer, Mike Brown said “We are working very hard to make every passenger’s journey to or from better than the last one …… we are rebuilding an airport of which the UK can be rightly proud.”

When Terminal 5 was completed it was hailed as one of the most spectacular architectural spaces in modern Britain!  So, what’s gone wrong with the services?

LHR should take a leaf out of Singapore’s Changi Airport the perennial favourite with travellers of all classes. At Changi Airport they understand what it takes to make the passenger’s journey a pleasant experience and they never stop trying to make it better. Changi is an airport that most travellers are happy to stop at!

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Well actually, it’s more like no meals, rolls or sandwiches for you if you fly British Airways after 10:00 a.m. from London Heathrow and your flight lasts less than two hours 30 minutes.

BA would like to help us all keep trim and healthy so passengers will instead be offered a biscuit or “snack bites” – I have visions of dog biscuits!

BA is also reviewing the range of free alcoholic drinks on short-haul flights in the hope of saving £22m a year. The onboard food and drink changes are due to take effect next month.  It does not affect short-haul passengers travelling in BA’s premium cabin or Club Europe, although the airline is making some cuts to what it serves on some shorter flights.

If you like your free BA breakfast, you’ll need to fly before 10:00 a.m. My flight is at 10:15 a.m. but lasts 2 hours 35 minutes, so in theory I should get fed?

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