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| Location: // |
| Subject: | AIR & BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS 01/05/06 |
| From: | Jim Mason |
| Posting date: | 01-05-2006 |
| Content: | |
AIR & BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS
A WEEKLY NEWS REVIEW PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY
PO Box 1315, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 1PU, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1707 665454
All enquiries: info@abtn.co.uk
In conjunction with The Times business travel on line
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/businesstravel
1 MAY 2006
BREAKING NEWS is not likely until Tuesday when the Reed Travel
Exhibitions organised Arabian Travel Market opens, once again at the
Dubai World Trade Centre. A major talking point will be Whitbread=E2=80=99s
move into the Gulf region with its budget Premier Travel Inn product
(see below) and Qatar Airways home territory unveiling (also in ABTN
this week) of its new livery. http://www.arabiantravelmarket.com
AIR NEW ZEALAND =E2=80=93 on board phones
AIRTRAN =E2=80=93 not a Mickey Mouse airline
ARSENAL =E2=80=93 Eurostar bonus
BAA HEATHROW =E2=80=93 Airbus debut
BMI =E2=80=93 all under one roof
BOEING =E2=80=93 787 progress
CARDIFF TO DUBLIN =E2=80=93 still a route
CITYHOPPA =E2=80=93 easy arrival
CORK AIRPORT =E2=80=93 delay
FIFTY YEARS =E2=80=93 German connection
FLYWHO =E2=80=93 yet another website
GAMBIA =E2=80=93 now direct
GATWICK EXPRESS =E2=80=93 no decision
IATA =E2=80=93 well delivered words
INDIA =E2=80=93 strange airline rules
QATAR AIRWAYS =E2=80=93 new livery
ROBIN HOOD DONCASTER SHEFFIELD AIRPORT =E2=80=93 annual result
VIRGIN TRAINS =E2=80=93 the package is coming together
VLM =E2=80=93 rumour
WHITBREAD =E2=80=93 hotels disposal
ON TOUR: Quebec =E2=80=93 Still Under the Crown
INCIDENTALLY: Flat Bed - Sort Of
ON THE SOAPBOX: The All-Business-Class Model - Six Months On
On the six-month anniversary of MAXjet=E2=80=99s all-business class flights
from Stansted to New York, and with the additional service between
Stansted and Washington, DC, now well established, MAXjet chief
executive Gary Rogliano comments on an era of innovation in airline
travel. Gogliano, an accountant, is based at Washington Dulles. He is
a former partner of Ernst & Young and previously chief executive
officer of TransPacific Capital LLC, a boutique investment and
operating firm with a focus on transportation companies.
=E2=80=9CWe are at the cusp of an important time in the airline industry. W=
e
launched our Stansted to New York service just before Christmas and
have already expanded with the launch of a new service from Stansted
to Washington Dulles at the start of April. EOS continues with its
premium service to New York from Stansted and newcomer Silverjet has
also announced its plans to operate an all-business class service
between Luton and New York Newark Airport. Whilst Silverjet has some
way to go before it takes off, it demonstrates the growing belief that
there is a market for transatlantic low fare business class travel.
COMPETITION: With increasingly high expectations from the travel
consumer, there has never been a greater need for more differentiation
in the business-class airline world.
With the death of Concorde and the size of the premium market in
Europe having halved in the last four years, the launch of an
all-business-class airline (albeit a transatlantic one) was clearly a
brave choice. Yet rather than being a dying breed, the competition in
the long haul business class market could not be fiercer, alongside
the recent BA announcement to invest at least =C2=A3100m to upgrade its
long haul business class service, and the growing popularity of Virgin
Atlantic=E2=80=99s Upper Class Suite.
We strongly believe that in a market where customers are happy to pay
a premium for quality service, there is sufficient demand for the
all-business-class model to work =E2=80=93 this is clearly contingent on th=
e
right price being charged for business class customers, in opposition
to the fees being charged by other major transatlantic carriers whose
seats sell for multiple thousands of pounds.
ALL-BUSINESS-CLASS BOOKINGS: The MAXjet model of a one-configuration
airline has been met with huge applause, with our booking loads to New
York regularly exceeding 50%. We have managed to build up our loads as
quickly, if not quicker, than any airline that has developed a new
international route and recently for the first time ever, our New York
flight was 100% full. Forward bookings indicate that the New York
route will average at 70% load factors for the month, with bookings
for June also looking strong. The Stansted to Washington route is
gaining ground and we are confident in its success with forward
bookings for some flights already indicating 50% load factors.
Business class travellers value time, efficiency and a high degree of
comfort when flying, so the all-business-class model serves their
needs very well. An interesting pattern that has emerged from our
competitive fares is that leisure travellers are as likely as business
travellers to fly onboard our aircraft. Given that the transatlantic
prices are often less than the cost of a premium economy return trip,
this has opened up a world of opportunity for the traveller, who would
previously have found this option out of reach.
Not only do our forward bookings illustrate the growing success, but
the quality of our product is also endorsed by the results from the
first ever passenger survey. Some 87% of our customers found the
experience to be =E2=80=98very good=E2=80=99 or =E2=80=98excellent=E2=80=99=
and 95% of passengers said
they would be likely to fly with us again. We are now negotiating for
our third and fourth aircraft to expand the MAXjet fleet.
FUEL COSTS: Fuel costs are of course a major issue, with the
indication being that charges to airlines will remain high. With
projected higher fuel prices, it will become increasingly difficult
for airlines to make profit margins on their product. Yet the
combination of our competitive pricing structure and high-quality
product has meant that our load factors are full to the point where we
are profitable in spite of high fuel charges.
The all-business-class era is very much here to stay, with MAXjet
planning new routes to the States, thereby increasing the range of
destinations open to the discerning traveller.=E2=80=9D
Gary Rogliano =E2=80=93 May 2006
http://www.maxjet.com
___________________________________________________________________
AIR NEW ZEALAND has come up with a scheme that allows passengers to
use portable electronic devices, and those mobile phones and Personal
Digital Assistants (PDAs), which can be set to a non-transmitting
flight mode. This follows an exemption granted by the National Civil
Aviation Authority (CAA). Passengers will not be able to send and
receive phone calls or emailed messages but will be able to compose
email messages and use other functions enabled by the device with the
transmitting component deactivated. Quite how ANZ staff will be able
to police passengers, has not been made clear. It should be very easy
to compose a message and discreetly leave the device in the normal
mode. ABTN sees trouble ahead down under.
http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz
AIRTRAN =E2=80=93 the successful Orlando-based budget airline, a phoenix fr=
om
the ashes of ValuJet, has ordered 24 Next-Generation Boeing 737-700s.
The airline was the first operator of the Boeing 717 in September 1999
and will shortly take delivery of the last, its 87th out of a
production run of 156. The new order will take the AirTran 737 fleet
to 50 aircraft by the end of 2010. http://www.boeing.com
ARSENAL=E2=80=99S progress to the European Cup Final in Paris on Wednesday =
17
May (the same day that the A380 arrives at Heathrow =E2=80=93 see below) is
good news for Eurostar who say that train tickets are going like
hotcakes. One person already booked is Dennis Bergkamp, the legendary
Dutch striker (see http://www.abtn.co.uk). If Dennis, and the rest of
the fans, had been really optimistic they could have booked weeks ago
for just =C2=A359 return and not left London until 1511. A win will leave
plenty of time for celebrations (or if defeat to drown their sorrows),
with the first train back at 0715 the next morning. There are just a
few seats left outbound on the Wednesday at =C2=A3298 return. A final
minutes=E2=80=99 penalty miss is a turn of fortune for the north London clu=
b,
who in the shape of Nigel Winterburn, missed a similar goal
opportunity against Luton in the 1988 League Cup Final, Andy Dibble on
that occasion the hero. http://www.eurostar.com
BAA HEATHROW will welcome the world=E2=80=99s largest commercial airliner, =
the
Airbus A380, on Wednesday 18 May, when it makes its British debut to
carry out airport compatibility checks. The Rolls-Royce Trent powered
(and 60% British by components) A380, will arrive on Heathrow=E2=80=99s
southern runway and will park at Terminal 3, Pier 6 =E2=80=93 a new
purpose-built =C2=A3100m facility that is 280 metres long, three storeys
high pier which can accommodate up to four A380s at a time. During its
UK visit, BAA and Airbus will be carrying out ground handling and
airport compatibility trials, which will help to ensure that
everything is ready for the aircraft=E2=80=99s entry into service. Airlines
planning to operate the A380 at Heathrow include the first to begin
scheduled service =E2=80=93 Singapore Airlines =E2=80=93 for whom deliverie=
s are
scheduled before year-end; as well as Emirates, Malaysia Airlines,
Qantas, Qatar Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_
04_06_a380_heathrow.html
BMI long haul services to the USA and Caribbean and bmi regional
Toulouse service are to relocate from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 at
Manchester Airport from 1 June. The move completes the airline group=E2=80=
=99s
relocation under one roof which saw bmibaby, the low cost arm, switch
terminals at the end of March. Additional check-in desks and aircraft
parking stands have been secured, helping to focus and streamline
day-to-day operations in a single location. The move also means that
eligible passengers will be able to access bmi=E2=80=99s own business and
diamond club lounges at Terminal 3, rather than using a third-party
lounge at Terminal 1. Manchester is the only airport where all the bmi
group airlines, bmi, bmi regional and bmibaby, are represented.
http://www.flybmi.com
BOEING last week announced the second birthday of the 787, in fact the
second birthday of the announcement that the aircraft had been
officially launched. Maiden flight is due summer 2007 with the first
of 50 firm orders to ANA delivered one year later. The =E2=80=9CDreamliner=
=E2=80=9D is
the most successful launch in the history of Boeing, outpacing the
popular 747, 777 and even the 737 Next-Generation at the same point in
history relative to launch. To date, 29 customers have made
commitments for 393 aircraft =E2=80=93 350 of those are firm and worth roug=
hly
$51bn at current list prices. The first three years of production are
sold out and demand for subsequent years is said to be high. Nine
composite fuselage sections have been manufactured at facilities in
Seattle and Wichita (Kansas). A demonstration wing box has also been
built in Seattle. http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787family
CARDIFF TO DUBLIN air services, the latest to be ditched without
virtually any warning by Ryanair, have been picked up by Aer Arann,
who quickly introduced twice daily ATR flights last week. Ryanair
regulars might also be warned that the airline appears to be stopping
the Stansted =E2=80=93 St Etienne (they called it Lyon) flights from 5 June=
.
The Air Wales operation to Dublin has also been withdrawn. Aer Arran
says that frequencies will be improved with additional aircraft into
the fleet and confirmed a 25 May start-up to Galway. This will bring
the total number of Aer Arann routes from Cardiff to four, all new
this year, with Lorient, South Brittany, the other two destinations.
http://www.aerarann.ie
CITYHOPPA has been launched, a development of the successful
Resorthoppa.Com pre-booked shared transport concept. CityHoppa will be
available at most European gateway airports providing door-to-door
transfers from airport to hotel or apartment by shared mini bus or
coach at prices usually lower than the local taxi company. As
CityHoppa points out, the booking, which can be made up to 48 hours
before the flight, guarantees transport availability whatever the
time, night or day. http://city.resorthoppa.com
CORK AIRPORT=E2=80=99S new E160m terminal, due to open Wednesday 10 May, is
not likely to be ready =E2=80=9Cuntil June at the earliest=E2=80=9D. The de=
lay of the
opening date has largely been caused by late completion of the
facility, and the knock-on effect on delivery and staff training.
Capable of handling 3m passengers the new building has 30 check-in
desks, but just a single air bridge. A new multi-storey car park with
room for 630 cars has been built with direct access to the new
terminal building via a covered walkway. http://www.cork-airport.com
FIFTY YEARS is a long time. In April 1956 Lufthansa introduced
services to D=C3=BCsseldorf and on to Hamburg, from Manchester. Ringway, as
it was then called, was but a stop on a Lockheed L-1049 G Super
Constellation service that started at Chicago, went on to Montreal,
and then Shannon. The first service from Germany saw Bert Trautmann
OBE, a former prisoner of war, cutting the ribbon just days before his
heroic performance for City in the FA Cup Final where he played in the
latter part of the match with a broken neck. Lufthansa=E2=80=99s summer
timetable for 2006 offers Manchester passengers a choice of 85 flights
a week (28 to Frankfurt, 21 to Munich, 24 to D=C3=BCsseldorf and 12 to
Hamburg), with onward connections to 187 destinations in 79 countries
in the Lufthansa network. http://www.lufthansa.com
FLYWHO is yet another website that pretends to be an airline. The CAA
tells ABTN that it is talking to BluArrow Aviation Ltd who, according
to the terms and conditions shown, is the owner of the site. We quote
FlyWho,=E2=80=9CA huge percentage of people who fly hate the experience.
Research shows that there has never been a time in history where so
many companies claim to be investing in customer service yet people
have never been as dissatisfied with their purchases as they are
today. Air travel has robbed economy customers of comfort, dignity and
satisfaction. We are here to repair that damage! With the world=E2=80=99s
finest economy cabin and a very impressive economy plus cabin, for
those who want even more space and comfort, FlyWho is simply in a
class of its own!=E2=80=9D FlyWho was launched as FlyBlu in November 2004,
changed it name due to a possible title clash in the US and claims to
be starting services in July. http://www.flywho.com
GAMBIA is to be served non-stop from the UK for the first time in
almost 20 years from next Friday. Astraeus is to launch a weekly
two-class scheduled service from Gatwick to Bangul, flown by Boeing
757 aircraft. From 30 May a second weekly flight will be introduced to
the route on Tuesdays, the service confirmed as an all year round
operation. There are 40 seats in the Star Class premium section,
offering dedicated check-in facilities and additional baggage
allowance, wider seats with 36-inch seat pitch, enhanced in-flight
dining, complimentary beverages and entertainment systems throughout
the flight. http://www.astraeusgambia.com
GATWICK EXPRESS users, and indeed airlines and Gatwick Airport itself,
are once again demanding news from the Department for Transport
regarding the future of the very popular non-stop service to London=E2=80=
=99s
Victoria Station. A decision was expected in February but only a very
muddled statement produced. With airlines now in the process of
confirming their winter schedules 2006/2007 any decision to cut the
services could have serious planning consequences. Continental
Airlines and Delta have been vociferous in complaining that if the
Express be stopped it would be very bad news for one of the world=E2=80=99s
major international airports, pointing out that since they are banned
from Heathrow the least they expect is a similar rail service.
http://www.gatwickexpress.co.uk
IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani was the guest speaker
at the Aviation Club last week. In a robust and thoroughly
entertaining speech, he attacked European mainland airports for their
double-digit charge increases between 2001 and 2004 =E2=80=93 Paris airport=
s
+44%, Stockholm +35%, Amsterdam +34%, Munich +26% and the Spanish
airports +24%. Manchester and Birmingham both came in for praise
reducing costs per passenger by 38% and 13% respectively. The
diminutive and highly experienced Italian noted that IATA was taking
the French government to court and asking for a European directive on
the efficient National Regulation of Europe=E2=80=99s airport monopolies. H=
e
also debunked some persistent myths, noting that domestic aviation was
included in the Kyoto agreement and that air transport contributes
only a small part of global CO2 emissions at 2%. He pointed air
transport also supports 8% of the global economic activity, fuel
efficiency has improved 20% over the last decade and when it comes to
paying tax on fuel, he highlighted that airlines pay when they land,
when they fly and when they park, a totally different scenario
compared with road and rail transport. http://www.iata.org
INDIA has a different set of rules regarding overseas scheduled
services than most other countries. Kingfisher Airlines, just 12
months old but backed by one of the country=E2=80=99s largest industrial
conglomerates, plans to fly internationally starting with the UK.
Under current legislation any domestic carrier has to operate
successfully for five years and own 20 aircraft before it can fly out
of the country. Amongst other aircraft Kingfisher has on order, five
long-range Airbus A 380, five A350 and within the last week five
A340-500 with once again Rolls-Royce Trent engines.
http://www.flykingfisher.com
QATAR AIRWAYS officially will display its distinctive new livery at
this week's Arabian Travel Market in Dubai in a 200sqm two-tier steel
and glass structure =E2=80=93 its biggest ever stand. The striking design t=
hat
sees the word =E2=80=98Qatar=E2=80=99 emblazoned across the fuselage in lar=
ge bold
burgundy-coloured letters, the tail fin painted with an image of the
Oryx, the national animal and icon of Qatar. The changes are the first
since the airline=E2=80=99s re-launch in 1997. Visitors to ATM will be give=
n a
preview of a mock-up of Qatar Airways=E2=80=99 revolutionary first class
lounge, which will be introduced when the first Airbus A340-600 is
delivered this summer. It will be progressively introduced on other
aircraft as they are delivered, while the existing fleet of 46
aircraft will be repainted over a 12-month period.
http://www.qatarairways.com
ROBIN HOOD DONCASTER SHEFFIELD AIRPORT (Britain=E2=80=99s airport with the
longest name) celebrated it first birthday last Friday 28 April and
reported a 12-month throughput of more than 840,000 passengers. During
this period it achieved the distinction of being the first and only
airport in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the Humberside area to offer
direct non-stop services to long haul destinations in USA, Mexico and
the Caribbean. Over the next year the passenger figure is expected to
climb through the one million barrier. The airport says that inbound
traffic is 15% of the total and growing, with a target of 40% similar
to sister airport Liverpool John Lennon, also owned by the Peel Group.
Currently the airport serves 12 scheduled and 30 charter destinations.
http://www.robinhoodairport.com
VIRGIN TRAINS=E2=80=99 chief proponent (and chairman) Sir Richard Branson w=
as
on hand last week to endorse Virgin CrossCountry to retain the
franchise. The founder of the Virgin Group used the opportunity to
unveil plans to run trains every 20 minutes between Manchester and
London by 2008, the highest frequency anywhere in the world for a
journey of more than 200 miles on a route used by more than one
operator. Three services an hour will run between Birmingham and
London under plans being finalised with Government and Network Rail.
He noted that passenger numbers on Virgin West Coast have increased
from 13.6m 1997/98 to 18.7m in 2005/6, while numbers on Virgin
CrossCountry have grown from 12.6m to 20.4m over the same period. The
biggest growth in passenger numbers on Virgin West Coast has been on
the Manchester =E2=80=93 London route where rail has taken a majority of th=
e
rail-air market. From having just one-third of the rail-air market
before launching a half-hourly timetable, Virgin West Coast now has
nearly two-thirds of the market. Since the new timetable was launched
in September 2004, the number of rail journeys has increased 105%
whilst air travel between the two cities has declined according to CAA
figures. http://www.virgintrains.co.uk
VLM, the largest operator in terms of services at London City Airport,
could be getting ready to upgrade from the geriatric, but popular,
Fokker F50 turboprop, to the much larger (50 seats against 80 minimum)
Avro RJ series aircraft. Faced with competition from Luxair with the
Embraer 135 on the LCY =E2=80=93 Luxemburg route the airline lists from Mon=
day
15 May the Avro RJ as the prime equipment on the sector. Whether this
means that the carrier, known to be evaluating more modern options
than the venerable Fokker, has decided on second user Avros for its
future is unknown, a statement promised shortly. http://www.flyvlm.com
WHITBREAD, which claims to be the UK's leading hospitality company and
long time owner of most of the UK Marriot hotels, has finally disposed
of its 46 property portfolio to Royal Bank of Scotland, itself now
with a impressive portfolio of room accommodation. With nearly =C2=A31bn
realised the former brewer plans to develop its Premier Travel Inn
product. In the UK it currently operates over 470 hotels with more
than 31,000 rooms. It has announced a joint venture agreement with
Emirates Group to launch the budget hotel brand in the Gulf region.
http://www.whitbread.co.uk
FORTHCOMING EVENTS THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO READERS:
World Travel Market has released details of the 2006 Excel event and
it is all now on the web site for the 6-9 November.
http://www.wtmlondon.com
And whilst we are thinking Docklands, London City Airport tells us
that it is producing a CD of the events that led up to its inception,
and afterwards. If you were involved in anyway, or know of someone
close to the activities please contact stuart.innes@blueyonder.co.uk
A memorial service for the late Sir Peter Masefield, raconteur,
journalist and Total Aviation Man, will be held at the RAF Church, St
Clement Danes, on Monday 24 July at 1130.
___________________________________________________________________
ON TOUR: Quebec - Still Under the Crown
There are some wonderful holiday areas that are tantalisingly
difficult to get to from the UK. Quebec (Canada) both for summer and
winter escapes is one of these. There are no direct flights. Montreal
Airport with excellent connections to many British regional centres is
180 miles away and Boston 400 miles across the border. Quebec is
ranked the fourth best tourist destination in North America with
nearly 10m visitors last year. It=E2=80=99s a busy place, yes, but it copes=
.
The summer is the busiest time but in the dark months of the year
Quebec Province is a major skiing centre. One thing for sure, you will
find that your money goes a lot further than in the USA.
The alternative is to arrive by ship and Quebec is a popular
destination with a very modern cruise terminal virtually in the centre
of the waterfront, most places within walking distance. Take the
funicular railway to Le Chateau and walk down through cobbled streets
and history. The big ships, except the very biggest, can go up the St
Lawrence all the way to Montreal.
Quebec is a French-speaking city. Note our words, it is not French in
the accepted sense but very Canadian. History tells us that General
Wolfe defeated the troops of Louis XV on the Plains of Abraham above
the city in 1759. However the British were magnanimous to their
erstwhile foes and gave various rights that are still the law to this
day. Come the subsequent American War of Independence, the
French-Canadians fought on the British side =E2=80=93 better the devil you
know than the devil you don=E2=80=99t! Whilst the citizens of Quebec can sp=
eak
both English and French don=E2=80=99t expect them to be word perfect in the
language of their Queen.
Old Quebec City is the only city in North America to have preserved
most of its defence system, the ramparts stretching for nearly three
miles, the area classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. The
fortifications interpretation centre and esplanade powder magazine,
dating from 1815 and entirely restored, introduces you to the history
of the defence works built under the French and British regimes. A
virtual reconstruction Sketch of a Fortified City takes you back to
Quebec City as it was in the 19th century. The Citadelle itself is
lively (literally =E2=80=93 the noon gun goes off after a demonstration of
18th century cannon loading by suitably dressed militia) and adjoins
Battlefields Park (Plains of Abraham) combining history, culture and
leisure. Here is where Wolfe fell and his adversary Montcalm too.
There are commemorative and interpretive plaques detailing the
incredible history of the site and an abundance of woodlands and
gardens. There is an open-air theatre and band concerts.
The city offers gratis the Official Tourist Guide with a series of
self-paced walking tours but as an alternative you can join an
organised group or take a bus trip. Quebec has a Notre Dame Cathedral
in the grand style and as a diverse and equally free attraction the
splendid provincial parliament building dates from 1877 and is in the
Second Empire style. As you would expect in a city of real historical
importance there are museums galore, with the emphasis French with the
Mus=C3=A9e de l'Am=C3=A9rique Fran=C3=A7aise, Canada's oldest museum, telli=
ng about
the development of French culture in North America. The narrow streets
are full of restaurants, boutiques, museums and points of historical
interest. You need to be fit mind you. Just outside the city walls is
the Old Port of Quebec Interpretation Centre describing a time in the
19th century when Quebec was considered one of the five most important
ports in the world.
Now there are hotels that claim they are the best in the world and
hotels that tell you they have an outstanding location. The Fairmont
Le Chateau Frontenac dominates Quebec and some would claim it is
Quebec. Opened in 1893, rebuilt after a fire in 1926, and upgraded in
1993 it is a dazzling property, a throwback from earlier times when a
grand entrance meant a Grand Entrance. There are 618 rooms on 18
floors. Guided tours take place every day during the summer tourist
season priced at CAN$10 (alternating in French and English). It=E2=80=99s n=
ot
the normal type of tour. The guides act their part telling you the
history of the Chateau and the list of world famous guests. Time your
tour to take the splendid lunch buffet at CAN$27 and relax with a
fantastic view. Take the funicular railway to the hotel and walk down
through cobbled streets and history.
Just 5 miles to the east of Quebec City lies Montmorency Falls Park
and with it the waterfall of the same name 272 feet tall, higher than
Niagara. For those less energetic a cable car takes you to the top
with a panoramic view. The walk down is impressive including a
pedestrian footbridge over the falls. As a young girl Queen Victoria
may well have visited the falls, her father a fan of the area (and
Governor General), Kent House (now re-built) his Canadian home.
Passing the falls, and another 20 minutes along the highway with the
Isle D=E2=80=99Orleans on your right you come into the region known as the
C=C3=B4te-de-Beaupr=C3=A9 an all year around tourism centre. There are 40
different major attractions. The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupr=C3=A9 Basilica, the
Mont-Sainte-Anne area for summertime walking and winter skiing, the
Sainte-Anne Canyon, Les Sept Chutes, the Cap Tourmente National
Wildlife area, an agro tourism centre, golf, museums and art
galleries. Here is said to be the birthplace of French America.
http://www.quebecregion.com http://www.mcq.org
http://www.cotedebeaupre.com http://www.fairmont.com/frontenac
INCIDENTALLY: Flat Bed - Sort Of
We have had a letter from a Mr O=E2=80=99Flagherty who compliments ABTN on
last week=E2=80=99s Incidentally (and says most of it is true) adding that =
he
has heard from a friend of a friend that one airline is about to
introduce what they call =E2=80=9Csleeping in the sky=E2=80=9D and with it =
a =C2=A350
charge for use of the overhead lockers as a bunk.
And it is bye-bye to BY. From today onwards all ThomsonFly flights
operate under the TOM three-letter code. If someone wants to buy BY it
is available.
--=20
Remove `spamtrapped` to reply off-list
http://jim-mason.fotopic.net/c162491.html
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