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| Another fun filled bank holiday weekend |
It’s cold, snowy and the UK’s motorways are car parks. It must be the Spring Bank Holiday then. A self fulfilling Groundhog Day. It needn’t be that way. This time of year sees the launch of the summer flight schedules and there are a plethora of new long haul routes launching from Gatwick - and some exciting ones too. Let’s look at where you could be going instead.
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| New York: never sleeps - because the lights are on |
If you like North America, then you are in luck with no fewer than NINE new routes launching in May16. It’s going to be a competitive market. First up is New York with a new daily service from Gatwick to JFK with British Airways. Going head to head with Norwegian on this route will offer more choice for those long weekends in New York. Avoid the heat of mid summer and the cold of mid winter and the original long haul weekend is still the best.
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| Vancouver: Could you be more Pacific? |
Canada is going to be better served than many European countries from Gatwick soon. In addition to existing Air Transat services, Air Canada Rouge starts new Toronto flights and budget carrier WestJet is launching six routes including Toronto, Edmonton (the Alberta one, not the Tottenham one), St Johns, Calgary and Vancouver. In summer take a road trip and enjoy the great outdoors. In winter, ski Whistler and Banff. And don’t forget to bring back loads of maple syrup.
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| San Francisco: As seen on TV |
Back to the US and Norwegian are adding to Florida, New York, Boston and LA with a new route to Oakland. Aka San Francisco South and a golden gateway to this great city. Ride the Cable Cars, walk around Fisherman’s Wharf, visit Alcatraz (make sure you don’t miss the boat back) and see the iconic Golden Gate bridge. It’s just like the movies. Head out to sample some great wines in the nearby Napa valley or drive the Pacific Coast Highway down to LA. That certainly beats the M6 on a Bank Holiday Friday!
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| Costa Rica: Do you know the way? |
Staying in the Americas, British Airways has just launched new flights from Gatwick to San Jose, Costa Rica. Not to be confused with their Heathrow flight to San Jose, California. Thomson already fly to Liberia, Costa Rica. Not to be confused with George Weah’s home country. Costa Rica is an explorer’s paradise with smoking volcanoes, steaming rainforests, wildlife, waterfalls, the wild Pacific coastline and more sedate Caribbean beaches. And frogs. Lots of frogs.
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| Machu Picchu: Lost Inca City? There it is! |
Another new British Airways route is from Gatwick to Lima, Peru. Leave coastal Lima for high altitude Cusco on the Inca Trail to the lost city of Machu Picchu. Continue in the high Andes across the spectacular Altiplano to watch Condors soaring above the 1km deep Colca Canyon and sail on 3,800m high Lake Titicaca. Head back to sea level and swap hairpin bends for the Nazca Lines before rounding off the trip with a dish of Cuy - roasted guinea pig. It’s fair to say that Peru is seldom visited by the Michelin Star awarders.
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| Choke-quing: working on those emission rules |
We finish off in the Far East with new links to China. If you are a fan of poor air quality then you’ll be interested in the new flights from Tianjin Airlines from Gatwick to Chongqing and Tianjin - China’s 5th and 4th largest cities respectively. These routes are expected to carry tourists into the UK rather than out.
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| Hong Kong View-y: Spectacular from all angles |
Of more interest is a new Gatwick to Hong Kong service from Cathay Pacific starting in September16. Ideal for a stopover if you are continuing on Cathay’s Australasian network, this is one of the great cities of the world. Enjoy the view from the star ferry between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, visit Victoria Peak and eat from a mind boggling selection of street food. The shopping is not bad either.
You can visit any of the above places as part of a tailor made package which are all ABTA/ATOL protected. Please contact me and I can put one together for you. If you need further inspiration, please visit my Website and Facebook page and follow me on Twitter. For an exotic twist, please visit my new boutique Thailand website.
Don’t get in a jam, get on a plane!
David Sutherland
EyeLine Travel
29 April 2016
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