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Source: www.abtn.co.uk

A WEEKLY NEWS REVIEW PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY

22 AUGUST 2005

BREAKING NEWS is a strike by mechanics (engineers) at Northwest
Airlines, the number four US carrier, based in St Paul Minnesota
with a very low profile operation in the UK flying daily from
Gatwick to Detroit and Minneapolis. As of Sunday evening the airline
has not been seriously affected by the walk out and in any event has
brought forward its autumn (fall) schedule reducing flights by 17%.
ABTN readers booked or likely to use Northwest over the next week or
so should keep their eyes firmly focussed on the airline’s website.
http://www.nwa.com

AIRBUS – A380 on public view
ASHFORD AIRPORT – expansion
AVIS – quick return
BOEING – sales
BRITISH AIRWAYS – planning for 2006
EOS – Transatlantic maybe?
EUROPEAN – EU and safety
FLYJET – expanding
GATWICK – new lounge
INVERNESS – hot city
KOREA – working on
LONDON – hotel update
POLYNESIAN BLUE – Virgin replicated
QANTAS – very long sector
ROUTES – interesting prospects
ROYAL BRUNEI AIRLINES – alternative airline
SILENT AIRCRAFT – maybe
VENEZUELA – air crash
VIRGIN TRAINS – disruptions this coming weekend
ZOOM AIRLINES – 2006

ON TOUR: Edinburgh – Capital of Scotland

Thinking of going to the Edinburgh Tattoo this year? It continues on
until Saturday 27 August and sad to say it is completely sold out.
And it is every year. If you are planning to go in 2006 start
thinking it out now. Tickets for this year went on sale 1 December
2004 and it is just as likely that the same date (but a year later)
will be chosen for what will be the 57th show next year, 4 – 26
August. Get your booking in as quickly as possible. By February of
2005 virtually nothing was left. Ticket prices for the 200th
anniversary of Trafalgar Tattoo ranged from £10 to £35 (£2.50 extra
for the Saturday evening performance) with good views from virtually
everywhere.

Let us take a look at the Tattoo. It is performed in a temporary
auditorium seating 8,500 in what is effectively the parade ground of
the castle. An awesome colourful pageant dominated of course by the
bagpipes, but always with performers from all over the world. This
year the showstoppers were the child motorcycle riders from London’s
docklands, the Imps, but equally impressive was the Russian Cossack
State Song & Dance Ensemble and a precision drill by the Guard of
His Majesty the King of Norway. Nelson and Trafalgar were naturally
commemorated and magnificent was the 200-strong massed band of pipes
and drums from four Scottish regiments. However if you are visiting
Edinburgh in any month other than August you can take in the spirit
of the Tattoo in a new visitor attraction whose aim is to expand on
the story of the event. A 150-year-old Victorian reservoir at the
top of the Royal Mile just in front of the castle is the venue for
the exhibition. It’s free too.

Edinburgh is one of the world’s great tourist cities. Last year it
was voted Favourite UK city by readers of both Conde Nast Traveller
magazine and the Guardian and Observer newspapers. It is a World
Heritage site. From Hogmanay, New Year’s Eve, right through to the
festival, and beyond, it a vibrant city. Edinburgh is a walking
town, but you do have to be fit. Just like Rome it is built on seven
hills and is dominated by the castle. If your visit is limited to
just a few days you can base yourself in one area and come back
another time and stay elsewhere. You will still be in Edinburgh but
the panorama will be completely different. Princess Street, the main
thoroughfare, is one of the world’s great boulevards with all manner
of shops on one side and very pretty gardens on the other (where
there is a bandstand/open air theatre). But both extremities of the
street are entirely different in their offerings. The main railway
centre and bus station are right in the centre of the city and if
you are planning to fly to Edinburgh it has excellent links
including all the London airports (Continental now flies from New
York, EDI’s first Transatlantic offering) and the Express bus is but
£5 return. Terrific value. In fact you will need every penny paid as
eating out is not cheap and whilst the food is fine clearly the
combination of capital city and major tourist attraction means on
the whole premium prices.

As a major international city Edinburgh is well off for hotels in
all price ranges. Clearly it is best to stay in the centre but if
for economic reasons one chooses to base oneself outside the core
area the city has a very good and cheap bus system and it is well
worthwhile buying a multi-sector pass. At the top of the range the
Radisson SAS has a superb position on the Royal Mile, is fully
air-conditioned and is just completing a major refurbishment. It
also has an indoor swimming pool. Also a ‘must’ mention are two fine
old prestige railway hotels, the Balmoral, at one end of Princess
Street and returned to its former glory within the expanding Rocco
Forte empire; and the Caledonian, now part of the Hilton Group, and
itself in the final stages of a major and expensive revamp, and a
classic property. At the economy level the Edinburgh Ibis is bright,
clean and right in the centre of things at the junction of North
Bridge and High Street. Winter rates start at £50 per room per night
but can double for the major events. As with all Edinburgh hotels,
haggle (or visit [url]http://www.octopustravel.com)[/url].

Edinburgh may not have invented the idea of the commercial so-called
“festival” but over the last 50 years it has certainly promoted the
concept and now has events throughout the year with the Edinburgh
Festival itself, and its ‘fringe’ activities taking up virtually the
whole of August. In July the Jazz and Blues gathering is just as
popular with the aficionados, Jules Holland and Kenny Ball topping
the bill this year whilst in June, Ingliston, just by the airport,
is the venue for the Royal Highland Show.

Where to go and what to do? Edinburgh is a feast. Theatre-wise the
major houses play host to a whole variety of productions spread out
throughout the year. Visit the websites to find out what is on when
you are in town. Notable attractions include the old port town of
Leith where you can often gain a view of cruise ships in dock, plus
visiting the former Royal Yacht Britannia. There is the superb
Museum of Scotland near the university, The Palace of Holyrood
House, the new Scottish Parliament (if you are British see where
your money was spent), The National Gallery of Scotland, the Museum
of Flight and Concorde, and of course The Castle. There are
literally dozens of places of interest to visit and one should
include the Camera Obscura at the top of the Royal Mile just before
the Castle and at least one alcoholic drink production unit, either
beer and better still in Scotland, malt whisky.

You can eat Scottish, French, Italian, Indian, Chinese and even
Mongolian. The fare is good if not the cheapest. Try and miss out on
the tourist traps. If the weather is poor the St James Centre is a
massive shopping mall opposite Waverley station. Just launched is
the Edinburgh pass which gives free access to over 25 attractions,
bus transport including a return to the airport and many exclusive
offers.

A one-day pass costs £26 and a three-day offering £40.
http://www.edinburghpass.org http://www.edinburgh.org
http://www.edintattoo.co.uk

Source: www.abtn.co.uk

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