Many Happy Returns: Celebrating the Golden Oldies!

Summer: now available with sun

Having just celebrated my own birthday, I have been thinking about the concept of age providing wisdom & experience. Case unproven from my point of view but in the travel industry that may well be the case as longevity is a precious commodity. 

The way we take holidays has changed beyond recognition and continues to evolve. Modern aeroplanes with Wifi and on demand films whisk us around the globe for ever lower prices whilst short haul travel is taken for granted in the same way you hop on a bus or train. Without the comfort.

Our industry body ABTA was established in 1950 and has outlasted Laker, British Caledonian, Air Europe, Dan Air, Intasun, Lunn Poly, Hoverspeed and many more. So this week, let’s have a look at some of the industry veterans that must be doing something right. 

Monarch: All aboard the Ibiza night flight

Last week was the 49th birthday of Monarch Airlines. That is quite some achievement in an airline industry that has no place for sentimentality and where your competitors sell tickets to places you have never heard of for £1. 

What is their secret? Reinvention. Form is temporary but class is permanent and today's Monarch is a scheduled low cost short haul airline and was the World’s most punctual in this category in 2016. With expansion on the horizon, Monarch is showing these upstarts how it should be done!

GET ON BOARD: Monarch fly European leisure routes from Gatwick, Manchester, Luton, Birmingham and Leeds. Next year will see new Boeing 737 Max’s joining the fleet 

Qantas: Loading chicken, beef & a lot of wine

Flights to Australia are about to get quicker with new Qantas non-stop flights between London and Perth next year to be followed by a 20 hour non stop to Sydney. If you think that’s long, the Kangaroo route to Sydney officially started 70 years ago in 1947 and took 4 days (including 2 overnight hotels). 

Jet services started in 1959 with the journey time reduced to under 35 hours (with 8 stops). It’s still a long way but much quicker & more comfortable these days. 

GET ON BOARD: Today Qantas operates the Kangaroo route with A380s flying to Sydney with one stop in Dubai, taking around 24 hours in total. Non-stop 787s to Perth start in March18.

Cunard: Fun; as long as the stabilisers are on

Of course before aeroplanes, long haul travel was by boat - so you needed a bit more time off work for that summer trip to Orlando! This year, Cunard will have been operating the North Atlantic shipping route for 177 years. 

With a rich history of luxury ships, Cunard is today the only regular Transatlantic operator with the sumptuous Queen Mary2 sailing between Southampton and New York in a leisurely 7 days.



GET ON BOARD: Queen Mary2 has 24 Transatlantic crossings in 2017 - you can fly/cruise in either direction or relax on a return journey - with no luggage restrictions!

Cook It: 7 nights in Magaluf from 3 Shillings

The package holiday concept can be traced back 176 years when a group of people wanted to escape Leicester. The organiser arranged trips within the UK before venturing overseas in 1855 and then going global.

Mr Thomas Cook eventually set up Thomas Cook and Sons in 1871 and the rest, as they say is history. These days Thomas Cook is a pan-European operator with its own hotels and airlines. Fortunately for the people of Leicester, they can now travel all around the World!

GET ON BOARD: Thomas Cook specialises in both short and long haul package holidays departing from across the UK using their in-house airline which is growing its long haul routes. 

***
I can arrange holidays with all of the above companies - ask me my recommendations. I am looking forward to EyeLine Travel celebrating 175 years in business - in 2190.

David Sutherland, EyeLine Travel, Crawley; 9 April 2017
e: david@eyelinetravel.co.uk

t: 020 8123 2569

***

All of my Latest Offers are on Facebook

Follow on Twitter: @eyelinetravel

Standard low cost packages are bookable through my multi destination EyeLine Travel website. 

For tailor made packages or just for some information, please Contact me and I will do the hard work for you. 

Latest Thailand Offers

Follow on Twitter: @bouthaique

For holidays to Thailand, please visit: http://boutiquethailand.co.uk

Latest Ski & Board Offers
Follow on Twitter:@alpineweekender

For Ski and Snowboard Short Breaks, visit http://alpineweekender.co.uk

EyeLine Travel is an Explorer Travel Franchise owned & operated by David Sutherland