Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on May 9

BAA Gatwick Airport is the 10th busiest international airport in the world. Gatcwick is the UK’s second largest airport, behind Heathrow, and is considered to be the worlds busiest singe runway airport.

Opened by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II in June, 1958, Gatwick celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008. The name ‘Gatwick’ is, like many British place names, derived from old Anglo-Saxon words, in this case meaning ‘goat farm’ or ‘goat dairy farm’ to be more accurate.

Gatwick was the first UK airport to have its own railway station and a direct rail link. As the passenger numbers increased so the airport has expanded to accommodate them. In 1984 the airport opened a new air traffic control tower and a new non-stop rail service between Gatwick and Victoria was started. The new North terminal at Gatwick was opened by the Queen in 1988.

The airport has continued to undergo further expansion with an extension to the South Terminal departure lounge in 2000 and a similar expansion to the North terminal departure lounge in 2005. The airport South Terminal had another extension added in 2008 and a new upstairs security search area was added.

Gatwick currently supports over 80 airlines flying to more than 220 destinations worldwide. Some of the most popular destinations from Gatwick are actually closer to home with many passengers using Gatwick for domestic, European and Irish flights. Airlines including US operators Delta, Northwest and Continental now offer a huge selection of long-haul flights to all areas of the world. The airport has received numerous awards including the 2008 Travel Bulletin ‘Best UK Airport’ award for the fifth year running.

Travellers are spoiled with an abundance of Gatwick parking facilities or they can use the excellent train services running direct to the airport. The airport is jam packed with top class restaurants and a variety of high street shops. It’s looking like Gatwick will contiune to grow in popularity as as major international transport hub.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Mar 29

I regularly travel to Europe for business and try to take at least one foreign holiday each year. Recently our favoured destination for family holidays has been the United States and I decided to take a leaf out of my business travelling book and use the same facilities and resources to make my holiday travel less stressful.

Our flights to the U.S. from Gatwick often leave really early in the morning. When travelling on business I always have a hotel room booked for the night before an early morning flight so that is exactly what I did for our last holiday. We took two adjoining rooms in an excellent Gatwick hotel and started our holiday even before we’d embarked on our flight. The children really loved the facilities provided by the hotel and it felt like we’d started our holiday early.

Another service I always use is airport parking. I sometimes need to hop on a flight to Europe at very short notice. Also, I can often find myself returning late at night. Parking at the airport means I can jump straight in my car and be on my way home without having to worry about trains and taxis. When time is really tight I get my personal assistant to book meet and greet parking as that saves loads of time, avoiding the need to transfer to and from the car parks. And when I return from Frankfurt, Rome or Madrid my car is cleaned and ready for my drive home as soon as I have cleared customs.

The last time I went on holiday I was able to combine our Gatwick parking requirements with our hotel. Pre-booking online gave me some almost unbelievable savings.

And the internet is not only good for getting the best deal, it can also save you lots of time and hassle. When travelling on business I always use the online check in facility from my office, saving me loads of time at the airport. I just turn up with my boarding pass and hand luggage, ready to board the plane.

One service that i regularly use when travelling on business is from a baggage handling company who take responsibility for transporting my bags. This means I don’t need to hump heavy luggage around the airport and can travel with just my hand luggage. And no need to stand and wait by the baggage carousel wondering if my bag has made it. The baggage handling firm takes reponsibility for ensuring that your bags are waiting at your final destination.

Another service that I routinely use when travelling on business is I will have my personal assistant book space in a Gatwick airport lounge. These are great places to meet colleagues before embarking on a flight and maybe have a little pre-trip planning get together or simply relax with a nice coffee and newspaper. Although I didn’t use this service on my last family holiday I think I will for the next one.

I am certain that if you follow just one or two of these suggestions you will experience far less stress and a far more enjoyable trip.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Feb 7

Snow Causes Traffic Chaos Across Britain

Severe weather in the UK has caused almost a complete breakdown of transport systems as many trains, buses and flights are cancelled. And met office forecasters have warned that more heavy snow is set to hit the British shores as the UK suffers its most severe winter for 13 years.

Met office forecasters have warned that snowstorms from Russia, currently brewing over the north sea, will bring even more freezing temperatures, biting winds and even more heavy snow. While the weather may be seen to improve for a while more heavy snow is predicted for the rest of the week across the UK.

The Automobile Association have warned people that their cars are not overcoats. If they break down they will need to leave their vehicles and must ensure that they are adequately protected against the cold, else they will risk hypothermia.

London and the Southeast region of England has experienced the heaviest snow falls for around 20 years. The severe weather forced London mayor, Boris Johnson, to shut down the whole of the London bus network causing immense disruption for commuters. Disruption to public transport has led many people to work from home and lots of schools are still closed.

The worst snowstorm to hit London for 20 years has cancelled hundreds of flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. The closure of one of Heathrow airport’s busy runways has led to more than 650 flight cancellations. The outlook for travellers this week continues to look uncertain as forecasters predict even more severe weather.

The cancellation of many trains and buses is resulting in lots of people attempting to get to the airports by car. Freezing conditions are making driving dangerous, particularly in many outlying districts where roads have not been treated. The roads are littered with abandoned cars, buses and trucks, some blocking carriageways.

Anyone who is hoping to fly from Heathrow or Gatwick is advised to contact their airport before leaving home. And if you are planning to take your car to the airport be sure to pre-book your Heathrow parking or Gatwick parking space in advance to be certain of a place.

The current Highways agency advice is: ‘if your journey isn’t vital, stay at home’.