The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), has called for evidence on the issue of Aerotoxic or Sick Aircraft Syndrome.  Their investigation remit has stated that: Read More

We have spoken recently with a holidaymaker who took a short break in England.  He decided to spend a long week-end in Cardiff and booked into a hotel near to the airport.  On the day of his arrival he reports that he was not suffering with any health problems.  Further, he also reports that the room was clean and tidy, with no debris left behind by any previous guest.  Within a day, he began to complain of feeling cold and toward the end of the week-end was suffering with a bad throat, aching in the back of his legs, high temperature, no energy and a dry cough.  The holidaymaker believed that he was developing flu. Read More

We have heard of one hotel in Egypt where the range of holiday complaints are diverse and this leads me to think that the Egyptian Tourist Authorities have still not got this right!  I had asked previously as to whether Egypt was the new Dominican Republic for Holiday Illness - I had hoped that 2009 would prove that this was not the case!  Regular readers will know that we have highlighted the manner in which holiday complaints were being ‘handled’, either by the travel industry or by hoteliers, raising the concern that holidaymakers were in fact being bullied away from making complaints! Read More

Norovirus is one of the ‘mantra’s’ used by the Travel Industry when illness breaks out in holiday hotels or cruise ships.  HolidayTravelWatch notes that many holidaymakers are confused by such statements - the simple rule is DO NOT accept such bland statements, only proper medical diagnosis can confirm such an illness - always ensure you get independent medical advices, if possible, contact your GP in the UK!  Read More

Holiday TravelWatch is proud to be associated as a Partner with the initiative created by the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Travellers should supplement advices provided by HolidayTravelWatch with the advices of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Subscribe to the travel warnings contained on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website for the country you intend to visit - you will receive regular updates with useful travel safety information.  Cross reference this information with website searches (ie via Google) or National or Local Newspapers for your destination, hotel, cruise ship, airline etc.  Question your Tour Operator if you are in doubt about any information you have received.  When you have accummulated all ‘destination’ information, you are then able to make an informed decision about travel to your intended holiday destination. Read More

No one expects to travel into trouble! The simple advice is to anticipate holiday problems and prepare for any difficulties before you go - develop your own personal and family strategies!  We would suggest that you consider the following advices: Read More

Holiday Brochures now come in a variety of forms. This is due to the changing methods of how holidays or travel is sold.  If you use a traditional brochure or an internet site to make your booking, make sure that you examine its contents carefully. It is recommended that when booking a holiday or making your own travel arrangements, that you refer to more than one brochure to try and obtain a more ‘global’ picture of the country, resort or hotel you intend to travel to.  Do not book the holiday until you are satisfied that all questions have been answered. If you are not happy with the description then you should ask your travel agent or provider if you can see the ‘Gazetteer’ (this can be available within a travel agency, however this has now essentially moved to an online version only available upon subscription - the link to this article explains in detail the structure of such ‘Gazetteers’). Read More