Latest news with #Which?Travel
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Travel expert shares legal right to sit with family on plane and if you need to book seats
If you're about to book seats, read this first and then decide If you're heading on holiday soon and wondering whether or not to book specific seats, you may want to hold off. According to travel experts at Which?, you're "probably wasting" your money if you're paying to sit together. It comes as Which? Travel found many customers who didn't pay for seat selection "told us they ended up seated with their travel companions anyway." Talking about other major airlines, they state that "most" of them will "automatically seat you with the people you booked with" with the figure for those being seated together for easyJet standing at 93% with Jet2 at 90%. Am I legally entitled to sit with family? Many people may think that there is a legal requirement to do this, especially those with children. But this is not the case at all. Which? explained: "There's no legal right to sit next to your family, not even children." The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says: "Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults." In a recent post, Which? also stress: "There is no UK law that says children have to be seated with their parents on a plane." What UK airlines sit families together? Which? state: "Most airlines will seat people who book together for free, whether they're families or not. Paying for a seat is usually unnecessary - except with a couple of carriers, as we'll see below. "We've looked at the policies of some of the major airlines to see how likely they are to seat children with parents - and whether you'll need to pay extra. Also, be warned that some airlines will charge hundreds of pounds more for a baby than others." Travelling soon? If you are set to travel soon, holidaymakers should also know that there are seven essential passport checks you should carry out before heading on holiday this summer. Travel insurance experts at have said people should ensure the laminate over the personal details page is not lifting or peeling. This is because it could raise suspicions of tampering. This is a common reason for passports being flagged or rejected so even if all the information is readable, it's best to get your passport replaced to prevent any issues. They further add that if your passport has sustained water damage, you likely won't be able to use it as a valid travel document. While minor exposure to water such as slightly crinkled page edges shouldn't be an issue - further damage like smudged ink or discolouration can lead to delays or refusals at the border. You can read about all seven key passport checks for Brits here.
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Scotsman
27-06-2025
- Scotsman
Scotland's best seaside town has been crowned – and it scored 5 stars for its breathtaking scenery
Thebest seaside town have been named by Which? Sign up to our Scotsman Rural News - A weekly of the Hay's Way tour of Scotland emailed direct to you. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The best and worst seaside towns in Scotland have been named in a new study. The results come after Which? asked its members to rate their experiences at coastal destinations across the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad According to the consumer watchdog, almost 4000 people responded to the survey. Each town was then given a score out of 100, based on criteria like the quality of the beaches, scenery, food and drink offerings, accommodation, tourist attractions and value for money. Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel said: 'From beautiful coastlines to peaceful walks and charming traditional bucket and spade resorts, the UK seaside offers something for everyone - whatever the weather. 'Some seaside resorts offer better value for money than others, so it is worth looking at surrounding areas of popular spots if you are looking for a cheaper overnight stay.' Nairn was awarded five stars for peace and quiet. | Elena Reid Topping the UK-wide list, for the fifth year in a row, is Bamburgh in Northumberland, with an impressive score of 84%. It beat 117 other UK towns and villages to get the highest destination score and top the table. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The other top five locations were Beer, Portmeirion, Saint David's and Sidmouth – each scoring in the 80s and high 70s. Two scenic spots in Scotland made the list, and while Which? says 'there's nothing to choose between them', one just edged it to be crowned as the country's best seaside town. Which? said: 'Nairn's position near the start of the Coast 500 scenic driving route – close to Inverness Airport – is why so many people have visited this Highland jewel. 'But it's worth a visit in its own right. Its four white beaches, backed with dunes, scored four stars in our survey and it garnered five stars for scenery, with the Cublin Forest nearby. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There's nothing to choose between it and the equally lovely St Andrews for a Scottish seaside break – both get a destination score of 76% – but Nairn also gets five stars for peace and quiet.' At the opposite end of the table was Bognor Regis. It received just one star for its seafront, food and drink, tourist attractions, scenery, shopping, parking, peace and quiet and value for money.
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Pretty UK market town with best food is the 'loveliest in England'
Which? Travel asked more than 9,000 people to rate their favourite inland towns and villages' food and drink offering. Ludlow, a historic market town in Shropshire, came out on top The quaint market town is one of the UK's top foodie destinations, according to a survey by Which? Travel. After polling over 9,000 people in 2024, Ludlow in Shropshire emerged as the nation's best-rated inland town for its culinary delights, boasting an impressive five-star rating for its food and drink offerings. This picturesque town, with its 500-plus listed buildings, has long been admired for its charm, with poet John Betjeman once describing it as "the loveliest town in England". Ludlow's recipe for success lies in its emphasis on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, which are showcased in its numerous pubs, cafes and restaurants. A spokesperson for Which? said: "Instead of a handful of high-end eateries, there's a culture of local produce as well as numerous pubs and cafes, served by people who care about the food." Some of Ludlow's top-rated eateries include The Old Downton Lodge, Vaughan's Sandwich Bar, The Boyne Arms gastropub, and CSONS, a riverside cafe. Visitors can sample the best of the region's produce at the Ludlow Local Produce market, held on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. The market features food and drink produced within a 30-mile radius of the town, promoting sustainable and locally sourced fare. Wells, the UK's second-smallest city, took second place in the survey as the best inland destination for foodies. Top UK Towns and Villages for Foodies.
Observer
26-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Air India ranked the most delayed airline in UK
London - Air India has been ranked the worst airline for UK flight delays. The carrier's departures from UK airports were an average of 45 minutes and 48 seconds behind schedule in 2024, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the PA news agency. The route with the longest average delay was Gatwick to Bangalore, with an average of one hour and 23 minutes across 50 departures. Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel described Air India's performance as "completely unacceptable". The airline said the disruption was "primarily due to factors beyondour control". Guernsey-based Aurigny Air Services had the second-worst punctuality record for UK departures last year, with an average delay of 31 minutes and 12 seconds. It was followed by Turkish low-cost leisure airline SunExpress (29 minutes and 36 seconds) and Air Portugal (25 minutes and 12 seconds). Irish carrier Emerald Airlines recorded the best performance last year, with UK departures delayed by an average of just 10 minutes and 30 seconds. The analysis took into account all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by airlines operating more than 2,500 of these flights last year. Cancelled flights were not included. The average delay for all these airlines was 18 minutes and 18 seconds, down from 20 minutes and 42 seconds in 2023. Air India was acquired from the Indian government by the Tata Group in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick, and Heathrow, with routes to several Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Data from aviation analytics company Cirium shows the airline operated 56% more flights from UK airports last year compared with 2019. This is projected to rise to 90% this year after increasing flight frequencies on several routes in March. Aviation consultant John Strickland said there has been "a lot of work going on to put the airline back on track" after it gained a"poor reputation" for delays and cancellations. This was partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare parts for aircraft, leading to some of its fleet being grounded. Strickland said: "They're coming out of this period of malaise pre-the Tata takeover, and now have to put in work on their engineering, manpower, spare parts holding, all those factors." He said some of Air India's promotion of its new Airbus A350 first-class product has focused on the quality of its service. He noted: "You can have great meals and a great crew, but fundamentally you've got to operate an airline which is as punctual and reliable as possible. "That's a work in progress for them." Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, said: "These latest delay figures will come as no surprise to travellers, who can find themselves paying sky-high amounts for air fares and in return receiving unreliable services. "Air India had an average delay of 45 minutes. This is completely unacceptable. "It's time for airlines to get their act together and start delivering the service their customers are paying for." A spokesperson for Air India said: "During 2024, Air India's flights to and from the UK experienced occasional delays, primarily due to factors beyond our control. "Proactive operational initiatives like self-check-in, baggage dropand automated boarding process have ensured smoother airport touchpoint experience and faster turnaround of aircraft, boosting on-time departures. "The deployment of the new Airbus A350 and upgraded B787-9 aircraft on some of the UK routes has also helped enhance punctuality of our flight operations. "Over the first three months of 2025, Air India's on-time performance has seen significant improvement on our direct flights from the UK to India, which also reflects on our NPS (customer satisfaction) scores." Depending on the distance of the route and length of delay, passengers booked on flights from UK airports that are running behind schedule are entitled to assistance such as a reasonable amount of food and drink, a means to communicate, and overnight accommodation if required. Passengers may also be able to claim compensation of up to £520 from the airline if the reason for the delay is deemed within its control, which could be a fault with the aircraft or pilot sickness. CAA head of consumers Anna Bowles said: "We expect all airlines operating in the UK to uphold high standards of service and reliability. "While the majority of airlines have made progress in reducing delays, with the average falling, delays can cause significant disruption and inconvenience to passengers. "Delays occur for many reasons, and we fully expect that airlines minimize the impact by providing timely information and upholding passengers' rights when it applies."
The Star
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Really, it is a long wait here -- Air India ranked most delayed airline after new record
London (PA Media/dpa): Air India has been ranked the worst airline for UK flight delays. The carrier's departures from UK airports were an average of 45 minutes and 48 seconds behind schedule in 2024, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the PA news agency. The route with the longest average delay was Gatwick to Bangalore, with an average of one hour and 23 minutes across 50 departures. Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, described Air India's performance as "completely unacceptable'. The airline said the disruption was "primarily due to factors beyond our control'. Guernsey-based Aurigny Air Services had the second-worst punctuality record for UK departures last year, with an average delay of 31 minutes and 12 seconds. It was followed by Turkish low-cost leisure airline SunExpress (29 minutes and 36 seconds) and Air Portugal (25 minutes and 12 seconds). Irish carrier Emerald Airlines recorded the best performance last year with UK departures delayed by an average of just 10 minutes and 30 seconds. The analysis took into account all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by airlines operating more than 2,500 of these flights last year. Cancelled flights were not included. The average delay for all these airlines was 18 minutes and 18 seconds, down from 20 minutes and 42 seconds in 2023. Air India was acquired from the Indian government by Tata Group in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Data from aviation analytics company Cirium shows the airline operated 56% more flights from UK airports last year compared with 2019. This is projected to rise to 90% this year after increasing flight frequencies on several routes in March. Aviation consultant John Strickland said there has been "a lot of work going on to put the airline back on track' after it gained a "poor reputation' for delays and cancellations. This was partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare parts for aircraft, leading to some of its fleet being grounded. Strickland said: "They're coming out of this period of malaise pre-the Tata takeover, and now have to put in work on their engineering, manpower, spare parts holding, all those factors.' He said some of Air India's promotion of its new Airbus A350 first class product has focused on the quality of its service. He noted: "You can have great meals and a great crew, but fundamentally you've got to operate an airline which is as punctual and reliable as possible. "That's definitely a work in progress for them.' Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, said: "These latest delay figures will come as no surprise to travellers, who can find themselves paying sky high amounts for air fares and in return receiving unreliable services. "Air India had an average delay of 45 minutes. This is completely unacceptable. "It's time for airlines to get their act together and start delivering the service their customers are paying for.' A spokesperson for Air India said: "During 2024, Air India's flights to and from the UK experienced occasional delays, primarily due to factors beyond our control. "Proactive operational initiatives like self-check-in, baggage drop and automated boarding process have ensured smoother airport touchpoint experience and faster turnaround of aircraft, boosting on-time departures. "The deployment of the new Airbus A350 and upgraded B787-9 aircraft on some of the UK routes has also helped enhance punctuality of our flight operations. "Over the first three months of 2025, Air India's on-time performance has seen significant improvement on our direct flights from the UK to India, which also reflects on our NPS (customer satisfaction) scores.' Depending on the distance of the route and length of delay, passengers booked on flights from UK airports that are running behind schedule are entitled to assistance such as a reasonable amount of food and drink, a means to communicate and overnight accommodation if required. Passengers may also be able to claim compensation of up to £520 from the airline if the reason for the delay is deemed within its control, which could be a fault with the aircraft or pilot sickness. CAA head of consumers Anna Bowles said: "We expect all airlines operating in the UK to uphold high standards of service and reliability. "While the majority of airlines have made progress in reducing delays, with the average falling, delays can cause significant disruption and inconvenience to passengers. "Delays occur for many reasons, and we fully expect that airlines minimise the impact by providing timely information and upholding passengers' rights when it applies.' - PA Media/dpa
