Easy Jet:Sir Stelios resigns from EasyJet board

EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has quit the board of the airline in a row over its growth strategy.

Boardmember Bob Rothenberg had also stepped down. Both individuals sit as representatives of easyGroup, a 26.2 percent shareholder of easyJet.

“The stated reason for their resignation is that Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou wishes to gain greater freedom to exercise easyGroup’s rights as a shareholder in the company to seek a change in the company’s strategy,” stated the airline.

It further stated: “The Board of easyJet wishes to make it clear that all decisions about strategy and the allocation of capital have been made by the full plc Board and where necessary agreed by shareholders.”

Sir Stelios, whose family members are major shareholders with a combined 38 percent stake, has been critical of the airline’s plans to grow the size of its fleet, believing that profit margins and dividends should be a higher priority.

Under the terms of its arrangement with Airbus, easyJet has the right to order a maximum of 315 aircraft; to date easyJet has placed orders for 227 aircraft of which 172 have been delivered.

According to a report filed by The Press Association, Sir Stelios may now call a special meeting of shareholders to consider rejection of the current strategy of “relentless growth”. Sir Stelios said the additional planes were an “expensive legacy” of an order signed by outgoing chief executive Andy Harrison and Airbus in 2006, when different economic circumstances prevailed.

                                                                                      Author:www.eyefortravel.com

News: United union seeks fresh British Airways strike talks

The British Airways cabin crew union, Unite, has urged the airline to hold fresh talks to avert strikes which could disrupt thousands of travellers.

Members plan to walk out for four separate five-day strikes as part of a bitter dispute over cost-cutting plans.

The first strike will begin on 18 May, ending on 22 May, with further strikes planned on 24 May, 30 May and 5 June.

But the union said BA could still prevent the walk-outs if it opened what it called
"meaningful negotiations".

The dates were announced on Monday.

News: England's airport stay open ash cloud clears the UK

All airports in England will remain open until at least 0100 BST on Tuesday as the

volcanic ash cloud clears, air traffic control body Nats said.

Restrictions put in place over most of the country's airports were all lifted by 1300 BST on Monday.

But air passengers across England still faced disruption and delays as airports tried to clear

passenger backlogs.

From midday on Tuesday new measures will allow flights for a limited time at higher ash densities.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said a Time Limited Zone (TLZ) had been agreed.

To operate in the new zone airlines need to present the CAA with a safety case that includes the agreement of their aircraft and engine manufacturers.

New zone

UK airline Flybe is the first to achieve this and will be able to use the new zone from midday on Tuesday.

On Monday services were cancelled at a number of airports, despite the flight ban being lifted.

A spokesman for Nats said: "According to the latest information from the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) and the Met Office, the volcanic ash cloud clears the UK for the period 1900 BST until 0100 BST tomorrow and all airports in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales will be available during this period."

A no-fly zone remains in force over parts of the North Sea which could restrict helicopter flights, Nats added.

Airspace above Bristol and Farnborough in Hampshire was the last to reopen at 1300 BST.

Restrictions put in place at London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports, due to their proximity to Bristol and Hampshire, were also lifted.

Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds-Bradford airports had reopened earlier on Monday but passengers continued to experience disruption throughout the day.

Passengers at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport found their flights were still cancelled.

Margaret Palombella, 55, from Liverpool, said: "It's been terrible. There's just nothing going."

Robin Tudor, a spokesman for the airport, said many morning flights had already been cancelled by the airlines.

He said: "The restriction was lifted for this morning, but there is a difference between that and flights resuming as normal.

"Just because the restriction is lifted doesn't mean the flights are back on."

At Heathrow, Andrew and Bernadette Clarke, from Hatfield, Hertfordshire, had their British Airways flight to New York cancelled.

The couple, who are going on a four-day break to the city before travelling back on the Queen Mary 2 cruise liner, were transferred to a later flight.

Mr Clarke, 57, said: "We've just had to keep an eye on the news, because the cruise leaves on Friday so if we had to wait much longer there wouldn't be any point going."

Birmingham, Norwich and East Midlands airports suspended flights on Sunday but were open again on Monday.

Ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano has led to thousands of flights being delayed or cancelled across Europe since April.

Discover Venice

Venice from the look of it, you'd think Venice spent all its time primping. Bask in the glory of Grand Canal palaces, but make no mistake: this city's a powerhouse. You may have heard that Venice is an engineering marvel, with marble churches built atop ancient posts driven deep into the barene (mud banks) – but the truth is that this city is built on sheer nerve. Reasonable people might blanch at water approaching their doorsteps and flee..

at the first sign of acqua alta (high tide). But reason can’t compare to Venetian resolve. Instead of bailing out, Venetians have flooded the world with voluptuous Venetian-red paintings and wines, music, Marco Polo spice-route flavours, and bohemian-chic fashion. And they’re not done yet.

Getting there

Bus

Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano (ACTV; 041 24 24; www.actv.it) local buses leave from the bus station on Piazzale Roma for surrounding areas, including Mestre and Chioggia.

ATVO (Azienda Trasporti Veneto Orientale; 041 520 55 30) operates buses to destinations all over the eastern Veneto. A handful of other companies have the occasional service to more-distant locations but, for most places in Italy, the train is an easier option. Tickets and information are available at the ticket office on Piazzale Roma.

Car and motorcycle

The congested A4 connects Trieste with Turin, passing through Mestre (and hence Venice). Take the Venezia exit and follow the signs. From the south, take the A13 from Bologna, which connects with the A4 at Padua.

Once over the Ponte della Libertà bridge from Mestre, cars must be left at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto. You will pay €20 or more for every 24 hours. Parking stations in Mestre are cheaper.

The car-rental companies listed here all have offices on Piazzale Roma, as well as at Marco Polo airport. Several companies operate in or near Mestre train station too.

Avis (041 523 73 77)

Europcar (041 523 86 16)

Expressway (041 522 30 00)

Hertz (041 528 40 91)

Train

Prompt, affordable, scenic and environmentally savvy, trains are the preferred transport option to and from Venice. Trains run frequently to Venice’s Stazione Santa Lucia (signed as Ferrovia within Venice) from locations throughout Italy and major European cities; vaporetti (city ferries) stop right outside the station. Train tickets can be purchased at self-serve ticketing machines in the station, online at www.trenitalia.it, or in the UK at Rail Europe (tel: 0844 8484064; www.raileurope.co.uk).

Venice is linked by train to Padua (€2.90 to €15.70, 30 to 50 minutes, three to four each hour) and Verona (€6.15 to €25.20, 1¼ to 2½ hours, two each hour). Regular trains run further afield to Milan (€14.50 to €38.50, 2½ to 3¼ hours), Bologna (€8.90 to €35.20, 1¾ to 2¾ hours), Florence (€21.50 to €54.50, 2¾ to 3¾ hours) and many other major points in France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia.

Boat

Minoan Lines (www.minoan.gr) and Anek (www.anekitalia.com) run regular ferries to Venice from Greece, while Venezia Lines (www.venezialines.com) runs high-speed boats to and from Croatia and Slovenia in summer – but consider big-ship transport carefully. Long-haul ferries and cruise ships have an outsize environmental impact on tiny Venice and its fragile lagoon aquaculture, exposing Venice’s ancient foundations to degradation from high-speed motoschiaffi (wakes) and leakage of wastewater from the bilge, ballast and flushing of onboard toilets. Take the lower-impact train instead, and Venice will be most grateful.

Air

Most flights arrive and depart from Marco Polo airport (VCE; tel: 041 260 9260; www.veniceairport.it), 12km outside Venice, east of Mestre. Ryanair’s budget flights to/from London Stansted, Dublin, Shannon and Paris currently use San Giuseppe airport (TSF; tel: 0422 31 51 11; www.trevisoairport.it), about 5km southwest of Treviso and a 30km, one-hour drive from Venice. Low-cost airlines are a benefit to travellers, but a burden on the environment and Venice’s air quality; to travel with a cleaner conscience, consider a carbon-offset program.

Airport bus services link both airports with Venice’s Piazzale Roma and Mestre, and the Alilaguna fast ferry runs from Marco Polo airport. ATVO’s Eurobus connects to Treviso’s San Giuseppe airport.



 

How to go to the beautiful Prague in Chech Rebublic?

For a country that’s only been around since 1993, the Czech Republic does a fine job of showcasing an exciting history. Here the past becomes real. 








Castles and chateaux abound,illuminating the stories of powerful families and individuals whose influence was felt well beyond the nation’s current borders. Unravel the history of Bohemia and Moravia, the two ancient lands that now make up the modern Czech Republic and you’re unearthing the history of Europe.

And when you’ve had your fill of the past, return to Prague, one of the world’s most
beautiful and cultured cities, and one of the most exciting with a dynamic music and arts scene. Down the world’s best beer in the brewery towns of Plzeň and České Budějovice, and discover the laid-back backpacker scenes in Český Krumlov and Telč. Everywhere you go, you’ll meet a forthright people, proud of their heritage, but now confidently taking their place in a modern, united Europe.

Getting there

Bus

Prague’s main international bus station is ÚAN Praha Florenc, also known as Ústřední autobusové nádraží (central bus station); it is located 600m north of the main train station. The peak season for bus travel is from mid-June to the end of September, with daily buses to major European cities; outside this season, frequency falls to two or three a week.

The following international bus operators serve Prague:

Capital Express (220 870 368; www.capitalexpress.cz; I výstaviště 3, Holešovice; 8am-6pm Mon-Thu, 8am-5pm Fri) Daily service between London and Prague.Eurolines-Bohemia Euroexpress International (224 218 680; www.bei.cz; ÚAN Praha Florenc Bus Station, Křižíkova 4-6, Karlín; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) Destinations throughout Europe.

Eurolines-Sodeli (224 239 318; www.eurolines.cz, in Czech; Senovážné nám 6, Nové Město; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) Destinations throughout Europe. Another branch in Florenc bus station.

Student Agency Florenc bus station (224 894 430; www.studentagency.cz, in Czech; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri), Nové Město (224 999 666; Ječná 37; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri) Destinations throughout Europe.

Car & motorcycle

Road rules are the same as in the rest of Europe; foreign driving licences are valid for up to 90 days. The legal blood-alcohol limit is zero.

You will need to buy a motorway tax coupon (nálepka) – on sale at border crossings, petrol stations and post offices – in order to use Czech motorways (100/200Kč for 10 days/one month).

Train

International trains arrive at Prague’s main train station, Praha-hlavní nádraží (Praha hl. n; Wilsonova, Nové Město), or the outlying Holešovice (Praha Hol; Vrbenského, Holešovice) and Smíchov (Praha Smv; Nádražní, Smíchov) stations.

Prague and Brno lie on the main line from Berlin and Dresden to Bratislava and Buda¬pest, and from Hamburg and Berlin to Vienna. Trains from Frankfurt and Munich pass through Nuremberg and Plzeň on the way to Prague. There are daily express trains between Prague and Warsaw via Wrocław or Katowice.

Buy tickets in advance from Czech Railways (České dráhy; ČD) ticket offices and travel agencies. Reservations are compulsory on international trains. International tickets are valid for two months with unlimited stopovers. Inter-Rail (Zone D) passes are valid in the Czech Republic, but Eurail passes are not.

Air

The national carrier, Czech Airlines (code ČSA; 220 104 620; www.csa.cz; V celnici 5, Nové Město), has direct flights to Prague from Europe, the Middle East and North America.

The budget airline easyJet (www.easyjet.com) has direct flights to Prague from several British airports. SmartWings (www.smartwings.net) and SkyEurope (www.skyeurope.com) have low-cost flights from other European cities.

Rialto Food Market-Venice

The Rialto Food Markets are working makets where Venetian homemakers and restaurant owners do their shopping six days a week. There are two markets, both slightly to the north of the Rialto Bridge in San Polo:

The Erberia sells fruit and vegetables, with wholesalers arriving early and retailers setting
up their stalls by mid-morning. By noon, most of the action is over, so arrive early for shopping and discreet picture-taking.

Just beyond, in a building with arches that overlooks the Grand Canal, vendors in the Pescheria or fish market sell fish, octopus, squid, clams, and other aquatic edibles.

Tourists love the Pescheria (and the Erberia, for that matter), but before bellying up to the crushed-ice trough to take a snapshot, remember that the person you're elbowing out of the way may be a chef who's trying to buy the sardines or cuttlefish that you'll be eating for dinner.
 

Have a look from the amazing Gardaland park in Italy

Situated in the center of northen Italy, on the banks of Lake Garda, for more than twenty years Gardaland has represented an important point of reference for entertainment, suitable for all ages and for both Italian and foreign visitors. The park is to be found at Castelnuovo del Garda, between Lazise and Peschiera and only 20km from Verona.
Gardaland is the biggest amusement park in Italy.

It deserves to visit this amazing park when you travel to Italy. From Venice, it's about 1 hour by train!

See more pictures..

Official website: http://www.gardaland.it/en/home.php