Back to travel as usual: strikes, storms and shutdowns

Simon Calder’s Travel Week [The Independent]( September 23, 2022 [View in browser](   [The Independent]( [The Independent]( How to fly from Manchester to Mallorca? Set a course a smidge east of south, then settle back with a cup of tea as the Isle of Wight drifts by on the right and the Seine estuary to the left. Start a descent over Andorra to complete a two-hour trip. Long way round: Jet2 flight 831 took a western European tour last Friday Last Friday, though, a [24-hour strike by French air-traffic controllers]( jeopardised UK-Spain flights. Airlines went to some commendable lengths to get their passengers away on holiday. Jet2 flight 831 from Manchester to Palma de Mallorca flew over southeast Ireland and northwest Spain, giving surprised passengers sitting on the right a brief view of Portugal before crossing Madrid and finally reaching the holiday island by the back door, avoiding French airspace. But around 250 links to and from the UK were cancelled, stranding 40,000 travellers – who spent the weekend desperately trying to rebuild their trips. We’re now back to travel as usual. [Your rights when your flight is cancelled]( As normal for late September, storms are making their highly charged presence felt in the Caribbean and beyond. “We have had floods in our rooms,” a holidaymaker in the Dominican Republic told me after Hurricane Fiona had powered through. “We have been served mashed potatoes for breakfast for two days now.” (I infer that is due to the storm, rather than it being the usual fare at an inadequate all-inclusive resort.) This morning’s British Airways arrival from Bermuda has been “preponed” (moved earlier) to avoid the sting in the storm’s tail. And the [maiden flight of Air New Zealand’s new link from New York to Auckland]( touched down without 65 bags on board. The luggage was unloaded to allow for extra fuel “to go around a forecast cyclone,” the airline told me. The baggage should have caught up with the owners by now. [Should airlines that leave baggage behind face a fixed penalty?]( Here, London Paddington station [shut down for 28 hours on Monday and Tuesday]( due to overhead wire problems west of the terminus. I caught the first train out when the station reopened: the 10.17am to Heathrow Terminal 4, which [gave up the struggle short of its destination at the point it was half-an-hour late](. Yet as interest rates rise and the pound sinks, I must bring you some moneysaving news: the [surprisingly wide range of free public transport around the world](, even including a smattering of airport links. Any cloudy skies over Boston should be eased by the Silver Line bus waiting to whisk you downtown for nothing.   [Get inspired...]( Europe by rail]( How to take the scenic route across the Continent on a multi-stop, sleeper train adventure [I'm an image]( [Paris's best budget hotels]( The most stylish stays in the City of Light that won’t break the bank [I'm an image]( [Fit for a King]( As a new reign begins, here are the world's most beautiful royal palaces that are open to the public Tip of the week: Advance rail tickets can still be changed Ticket revenue on Britain’s railway has slumped by 20 per cent since the coronavirus pandemic, with the taxpayer making up the difference. To encourage passengers to buy fixed advance tickets in uncertain times, the Book With Confidence scheme was set up. Travellers can change their booked train up to 6pm the day before travel, without the standard amendment fee (though they will need to pay any increase in fare on the new trip). More usefully for many, advance tickets purchased online can be exchanged for a voucher for future journeys. The scheme was due to end a week from today, on 30 September, but has been extended by two months to 30 November. Anyone whose train is cancelled by the impending national rail strikes can claim a full cash refund or, in some cases, travel on an alternative service. [Latest: RMT union calls for national rail strike on Saturday 8 October](   Deal of the week: London to Bath, Bristol and Cardiff for less GWR runs trains from London Paddington, the West of England and South Wales (subject to strikes and overhead wire failures). The firm has launched an experimental Long Weekender return ticket designed to lure travellers from the capital to Bath (£79), Bristol (£79) or Cardiff (£99). These fares may not look especially cheap: a super off-peak return from London to the Welsh capital costs only £89. The crucial difference: there are no time restrictions. Leave Paddington at any time on a Friday or Saturday, returning on a Monday. Offer ends 2 December but, if the move stimulates travel, it could be retained and expanded. Book at gwr.com – it is not available at stations. [How to spend a day in Roath, Cardiff’s most charming neighbourhood](   Question of the week: Lowest cost European city break? Q We are looking at a European city break for early November. In purely financial terms, what is the cheapest combination of flights from the London area and low living costs when you get there? A For an early November break, personally I would look south. As a budget destination, the only possible choice is Portugal. It is easily the least expensive western European nation, and leaves France, Spain and Italy far behind in what your currently puny pounds will buy. Porto is the city of choice – much cheaper than Lisbon. Yet it will not be the lowest cost option. For that you must look to the far side of what used to be called the Iron Curtain. Poland offers by far the widest choice of flights and cities – of which Krakow and Gdansk are the stand-outs. But you should also consider some smaller Polish cities. Wroclaw, Katowice, Bydgoszcz and Szczecin are easier to enjoy than they are to spell, offering excellent value and a friendly welcome to winter weekenders. How to spend two days in Porto, Portugal's charming second city]( STAT OF THE WEEK 22% The[increase in spending by British holidaymakers for package holidays]( this coming weekend compared with pre-pandemic levels, according to Tui What you might have missed... - Canada cools: [Vaccination rule and random Covid testing to be dropped]( - Costa change: [Spain has dropped its demand for British travellers to complete a health form, but jabs or test rule still applies]( - Green wash: [Airline adverts ‘hacked’ across Europe in climate protest](//link.e.independent.co.uk/click/29143421.23408/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5kZXBlbmRlbnQuY28udWsvdHJhdmVsL25ld3MtYW5kLWFkdmljZS90cmFuc3Blbm5pbmUtZXhwcmVzcy1zdGFmZi1zaG9ydGFnZS1yZXBsYWNlbWVudC1idXMtYjIxNjA1NzguaHRtbA/583d2887487ccd777a8b7489Bfb487898 SIMON'S DIARY       Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel](         Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel](   INDYBEST / [TRAVEL BEST BUY]( [10 best sleeping bags for camping, festivals and trekking adventures]( From kids’ options to cocoons for two, these will ensure the happiest of campers. 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