Latest news with #Corfu
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Incest horror of the Durrells. Bombshell papers tell of obscene sex abuse as the violent and dark secrets behind the happy family facade are finally exposed
The Durrells – ITV 's award–winning 2016 adaptation of Gerald Durrell's bestselling trilogy about his family's move to Corfu in the 1930s – was joyous and golden, awash with love, eccentricity and mad humour. We all wanted to be part of that wonderful chaotic family as they moved from villa to villa – Strawberry Pink to Daffodil Yellow to Snow White – during their four-year stay. Lunching in the sun at a table half submerged in the Ionian Sea with Gerald's brother and sisters Leslie and Margo. Drinking wine in the shade with his widowed mother Louisa (played by Keeley Hawes). Helping young Gerry himself tend his pelicans. Or maybe just being charmed by eldest brother, Larry, an aspiring writer who was portrayed (by Josh O'Connor) as tall, dark, charismatic and excitingly louche.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Simon Calder issues mobile roaming warning for summer holidaymakers
British holidaymakers are being advised to be vigilant about potential mobile phone roaming charges while abroad. Holidaymakers in Corfu have recently faced bills of up to £300 due to their phones connecting to Albanian mobile phone masts. This issue of unexpected roaming charges is not confined solely to the Corfu and Albania region. The Independent 's travel expert, Simon Calder, provides essential information on how to avoid these additional costs. Watch the video above.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
How to avoid ridiculous phone roaming bills on your summer holiday
Showing now | News 01:30 Simon Calder The summer holidays are officially underway with thousands of Britons jetting off into the sun for a week of relaxation or two. Whether you have been saving for months for your 2025 holiday, or managed to book a great-value late deal, make sure you do not succumb to extra charges on holiday when using your mobile phone. Holidaymakers in Corfu have recently been hit with bills for roaming charges of up to £300 after their phones latched on to Albanian mobile phone masts. This issue is not limited to Corfu/ Albania confusion. The Independent's travel expert Simon Calder explains all you need to know.
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Ridiculous phone roaming bills and how to avoid them
Holidaymakers in Corfu have been hit with bills for roaming charges of up to £300 after their phones latched on to Albanian mobile phone masts. At their closest, the Greek island and the Balkan nation are barely one mile apart. The Mail reports that holidaymaker Maria Pratt wrote on Facebook: 'We got caught out 298 pound bill when we got home x.' This issue is not limited to Corfu/Albania confusion. Most British travellers have some sort of deal for low roaming charges within the European Union, and often the wider Schengen area (including Switzerland, Iceland and Norway). Costs are kept down to perhaps a few pounds per day. But in border areas with non-EU nations, or on ships connected to maritime satellite networks, travellers can inadvertently lock onto networks where charges are extremely high. These are the key questions and answers. I fly to an EU country. I switch on my phone. What could possibly go wrong? So long as you are staying well away from any borders with non-EU nations, and coastlines where you could connect inadvertently with a maritime network, not much. Typical roaming arrangements allow you a reasonable deal for Schengen area nations plus Ireland, the Isle of Man, Channel Islands, San Marino and Vatican City. Because a number of remote islands and territories are part of France, the plan often includes some far-flung destinations, including Guyane, Guadeloupe, St-Martin and Reunion. Notably, though, plans usually exclude some key Balkan, Mediterranean and Pyrenean nations: These territories are priced at high rates. Maritime tariffs – as applied on some ferries and cruise ships – are even more expensive. What are the possible roaming risks? The main problem is connecting to a network in another destination without meaning to. Phones are constantly probing to detect the optimum mast, and that may lay on the other side of an international border – or even on a vessel at seas. Where are the most likely problems? Holidaymakers on some Greek islands are prone to locking on to other countries' providers. Besides the Corfu-Albania example, the northern tip of Kos is only three miles from Turkey, while part of Lesbos is six miles from the Turkish mainland. Little-visited Chios is four miles from Turkey. In Cyprus, close to the 'Green Line', phones may select a network from the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. In Croatia, the main problems concern the narrow coastal strip in the south, where Bosnia is never far away. Some of the most enticing locations in northeast Romania, including elaborately painted monasteries, are close to the Moldovan frontier. In the Suwalki Gap – where Poland and Lithuania meet, pinched between Belarus and Russian exclave Kaliningrad – you may lock on to a network that will either not work or cost you a fortune. The same applies in northeast Estonia, at the spectacular city of Narva, overlooking Russia. Even in the UK, at some locations in Kent, your phone may find a network in France more appealing. Travellers to French locations in the Caribbean might find potential issues, too. St-Martin (French) and the Dutch outpost of Sint Maarten share an island; the French part has cheap roaming, the Dutch part not. How can I avoid inadvertent roaming? You could turn off roaming altogether. On Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy, go to "settings", "connections", "mobile networks" then select "roaming off". On an iPhone, from 'settings', go into 'mobile service' then 'mobile data options'. Select 'roaming off'. Then rely on local free wifi. If you want to roam without unpleasant surprises, start with 'roaming off'. On arrival in the destination, for an Android, from 'mobile networks' select "network mode", then "network operators" and disable "select automatically". On an iPhone, go to 'settings' and 'network selection'; disable 'automatic'. Choose a local provider; your phone should not opt for anyone else. Then switch on roaming. I am going to a country where roaming costs a fortune Get a local SIM or an eSIM that will allow you to make and receive calls, and use data, at a low price – which you can top up as necessary as you go. Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Pregnant woman with seafood allergy forced off plane over tuna dish on in-flight menu after air steward said he 'wouldn't be dictated to'
A pregnant woman with a seafood allergy says she was forced off a plane after an air steward refused to stop selling a tuna dish on the in-flight menu and told her he 'wouldn't be dictated to'. Abbey Holling and her mother were left stranded in Corfu after 'vile' easyJet staff allegedly ignored her concerns about her life-threatening airborne allergy before 'belittling' them in front of the entire plane. In a post on Facebook detailing her ordeal, Ms Holling, 24, said an air steward told her he was refusing to stop selling products with tuna in them, adding: 'I've been working since 4:00. I have a Tuna salad I want to eat so I will be eating that.' A video filmed by a fellow passenger showed how one of the air crew told Ms Holling: 'We are legally entitled to a meal break and I won't have customers dictate to me what I can or can't eat.' She now worries the incident has 'caused strain and stress on my pregnancy', adding staff made her feel 'vulnerable' and 'sick to my stomach'. The chaos unfolded on a plane from the Greek island to Manchester on Tuesday evening. Ms Holling said she had informed easyJet prior to the flight about her allergies, although the airline disputes this. It has reimbursed her for extra costs incurred as a result of the incident and is investigating, a spokesperson said. She described initially being 'reassured' by a member of the crew who told her no products containing sea food would be sold during the flight. But a second member of staff then approached her and her mother and said the products would in fact be sold. After asking to speak to the in-flight manager, who Ms Holling described as 'vile', she said she informed him that she was at risk of death if the products were sold on the flight. She claims she even offered to buy all the affected products to avoid any loss of revenue to the airline, but says this was also refused. The plane was then turned around so the pair could disembark from the plane, but Ms Holling accused the manager of further 'belittling' them by refusing to tell fellow passengers the cause of the delay. 'He announced it over the speaker saying 'we are turning this around because two people don't want to fly with us' tonight,' she said. 'He didn't explain why I couldn't be on the flight and so everyone began booing, swearing, tutting, and making us feel uncomfortable.' Ms Holling and her mother were eventually able to travel back to the UK on Thursday, two days later than planned. She said that once they were ready to disembark the plane, one of the pilots made an announcement, saying: 'The reason we are delayed is because we won't stop selling Tuna sandwiches.' A spokesperson for easyJet told the BBC that 'safety is our highest priority'. They added: 'As Ms Holling only notified us of her tuna allergy once on board and subsequently did not travel, we are looking into how this was managed onboard. 'We have been in touch with her to apologise and understand more about her experience, and reimburse her alternative travel expenses.'
