Category: independent

A passenger on a long-haul flight is suing British Airways for what he claims is physical harm suffered after being seated next to a large fellow traveller. But how can overweight passengers be sensitively accommodated on increasingly crowded aircraft?

Are flights are getting more crowded with less personal space?

Yes. Long-suffering airline passengers are accustomed to the discomfort of modern flying. But now the squeeze really is on, with airlines cramming more seats into the same size economy cabin, both on short-haul and long-haul planes. BA and other “legacy” airlines are seeking to compete with the budget carriers by packing more seats into their short-haul fleets. And British Airways is halfway through a programme of “densifying” its Boeing 777 fleet at Gatwick, by fitting an extra 52 seats into each aircraft.

When the 777 was introduced 24 years ago, almost every schedule airline fitted each economy row with nine seats abreast. But now the trend is towards 10 abreast. Air Canada, for example, has revealed “new slimline seats in economy”.

What is happening to the size of passengers?

Aviation is a “one-size-fits-all” business, but passengers are increasing in girth. According to the most recent figures from NHS England, 26 per cent of adults are classed as obese – compared with 15 per cent a quarter-century ago. At the same time, airlines are getting much better at filling up their aircraft.

Twenty-five years ago, the average “load factor” – the proportion of seats occupied on each plane – was about 70 per cent, meaning there were plenty of spare places on the typical flight. Today, airlines such easyJet and Ryanair are in the mid-90s, which means an average of seven or eight seats spare – and, on many services, none at all. Good for the environment, not so good for those of us who like a bit of room to move.

You can’t blame the airlines for squeezing us in; they are responding to the relentless public demand for cheap flights. 

What are the options for plus-size passengers?

On long-haul flights, there’s a simple if unappetising solution: spend more. At the same time as airlines are making basic economy more basic, they are expanding premium economy – pay a bit more, get a bit more space. If you need a more than a bit of extra room, then you could move up to business class – though fares are often many times more than in economy.

For this reason, some larger passengers routinely buy two seats: Ryanair, the biggest budget airline, makes it relatively easy (providing you book the second under the name “Extra Comfort Seat”), while easyJet says its seats are 17.5 inches wide and if you are unable to fit into a single seat, “You will be required to purchase additional seats at the prevailing rates”.

Virgin Atlantic urges passengers with a high body mass to book extra space, and stresses “you will not pay any passenger taxes, fees, charges or surcharges on the extra seat.”

British Airways says: “Our customers have individual needs so we discuss options and provide guidance on a case-by-case basis.”

The most benign solution is operated by Air France. It offers passengers who won’t comfortably into a single seats the chance to buy a second, adjacent seat at a 25 per cent discount – with the promise that, if there are any unoccupied seats in your cabin, you get a refund on the second seat.

What if a passenger who can’t comfortably fit into a standard seat just turns up?

Most of the time, if there is some space available, cabin crew will work sensitively and discreetly to find a suitable pair of seats to maximise comfort for the large passenger and minimise discomfort for fellow travellers.

Problems arise, as in the British Airways court case, when flights are full. Air France warns passengers who don’t avail of the extra-seat offer: “In the interest of safety, if the flight is full and you have not reserved an additional seat, you may not be allowed to board if your build does not permit you to sit comfortably in a single seat.”

Passengers who are denied boarding because of their size will not qualify for compensation, but they will generally be accommodated on the next available flight.

Do fellow passengers have the right to unimpeded use of their seat space – and can they demand an upgrade?

Legally, no. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) deals with obesity only in terms of its threat to pilots’ health. The authority requires seats to be configured to allow passengers to escape swiftly in an emergency. But the CAA is silent on encroachment.

British Airways has rules about behaviour “which causes discomfort, inconvenience, damage or injury to the crew or other passengers.” But having a high body mass and sitting passively in a seat cannot be classed as “unacceptable behaviour”.

If, in a full economy section, a possible solution involves re-seating someone in a premium cabin, there is no reason to assume that either the large passenger or their neighbour will get the benefit; airlines generally issue upgrades according to frequent-flyer status.

Should passengers be weighed at check in?

Ideally, yes – but not to embarrass or surcharge overweight people. Stepping on the scales at check-in is a good idea is for safety and environmental reasons.

To operate safely and efficiently, pilots need to know the weight of the plane and everything in it. The CAA assumes passengers and their presumed 6kg of hand baggage weigh an average of 84kg. Children under 12 are assumed to average 35kg. And each passenger’s checked-in baggage is deemed to average 13kg, though this is one thing that the airline should know with accuracy since all hold bags are weighed

If the captain knows the plane is carrying less weight than the “assumed mass”, he or she can load a little less fuel, which in turn uses less fuel to carry. Also, on routes where there is a restriction on passenger numbers because of range limitations, knowing exact weights can mean a plane carries more people – reducing the “footprint” per person. 

On small passenger planes, such as those used for safaris, it is essential for passengers to be weighed, in order to assign seats in a way that maximises safety. Wilderness Air in Zambia insists on knowing weights ahead of time, so it can plan its operation. Small planes are much less tolerant of “weight and balance” issues than bigger passenger aircraft.

But unless it is for safety reasons, passengers are unlikely to tolerate the indignity of being weighed at check-in.

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds

The world’s first underground hotel has opened in Shanghai, buried almost 90 metres deep in an old quarry.

Built into the side wall of a decommissioned quarry, the 18-storey InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland is almost entirely subterranean.

In the Sheshan Mountain Range on the fringes of Shanghai, the luxury hotel has two floors above ground and 16 below ground, including two floors that are underwater.

Key design features of the quarry hotel include a cascading glass waterfall and exposed rock.

Inside, the 336 rooms and suites are designed to mimic the quarry’s landscape, with eye-popping views of the surrounding quarry. There are also underwater suites featuring an in-room aquarium where guests can watch shoals of fish swim past.

And if guests get bored of staying in such a bonkers environment, there are other extreme adventures available, including rock climbing, kayaking and walking across the glass-floor skywalk. There’s also a nightly light show and, in a nod to the hotel’s location, a Quarry Bar.

Lin Wang, CMO of Greater China, IHG, called the InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland “an architectural masterpiece”, adding, “With its exceptional experiences and personalised services, the hotel is ready to welcome guests to a world of alluring luxury and natural wonder, inviting everyone to live and enjoy the InterContinental life.”

The property was built by British firm Atkins, also behind the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and skyscraper Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Bertil de Kleynen, sector director for architecture, planning, landscape and interiors at SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins in Asia Pacific, said: “Every once in a while, architects create something truly extraordinary, truly unique, reminding the world what great architecture is all about. Atkins’ architects mark this as one of those exhilarating moments and congratulate Shimao, IHG and everyone else that helped make the Atkins vision become reality.”

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds

Four international hotel chains have issued apologies after a video revealing unsanitary cleaning practices in various Chinese outposts went viral.

Captured by hidden camera, the footage, uploaded to Chinese social media site Weibo, shows hotel cleaners using dirty towels and flannels to wipe glasses and cutlery and even using the same cloth to clean the both the toilet and sink. 

Sponges used to clean the shower stall were also applied to in-room glasses and mugs.

There were 14 luxury hotels featured in the video posted by user “Huazong”; so far four have apologised for the sub-par methods revealed by the clip.

The Waldorf Astoria in Shanghai and the Sheraton in Guiyang city both apologised and said they would be reviewing procedures, while The Shangri-La Hotel in Fuzhou said the behaviour violated its hygiene standards.

Park Hyatt in Beijing said it was an “isolated incident”.

The Beijing tourism authorities have also responded to the video, issuing a statement saying that they will require hotels to check and rectify their practices, and stating that they have since contacted the Beijing health commission about doing hygiene inspections of four of the implicated hotels.

An investigation by ABC News into the hygiene of hotel rooms in 2017 revealed the specific elements most likely to have a high level of bacteria.

Microbiologist Chuck Gerba conducted germ tests in nine Los Angeles hotel rooms – three lower-priced, three medium-priced and three high-end – and found hairdryers were the worst culprits when it came to germs.

Six of the nine bathroom sinks tested had germ levels considered excessive, while at one of the five-star hotels, the experiment uncovered high levels of bacteria on the room-service menu.

One bucket at a Beverly Hills three-star hotel had five times the amount of germs Gerba considered acceptable and across the board, the germ count for toilets was at higher levels than you’d find in the average toilet in someone’s home. 

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds

One of Africa’s least visited countries, São Tomé and Príncipe comprises two tropical islands floating in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Gabon. This remote island nation – nicknamed Africa’s Eden – has been chosen by Lonely Planet as one of the top destinations to visit in 2019.

São Tomé is the larger (330 square miles) and more developed of the two islands, home to a population of 200,000, and is where flights arrive from mainland Africa (TAP flies to São Tomé via Lisbon from London). Príncipe is much more off-the-beaten track, heavily forested and tiny (just 50 square miles) with a population of around 7,000. It’s reached by a 35-minute flight from São Tomé. Both have their own unique appeal; it’s a smart move to stay a few nights in São Tomé to soak up the city bustle, before experiencing the quiet of Príncipe.

Here are the 10 must-do activities on any trip.

Beach hop

Both islands are ringed by spectacular stretches of sand, ranging from golden sweeps to blinding white crescents, which during the weekdays are uncrowded save for a fisherman or two. São Tomé’s best are Praia dos Tamarindos, a good swimming spot on the northern coast; and Praia Santana, just outside the city centre. While São Tomé’s beaches are pretty, Príncipe’s are even more pristine. Remember those cheesy Bacardi rum adverts from the 1990s with idyllic emerald water and picture-postcard sands? They were filmed on Príncipe’s Praia Banana – and it’s just as gorgeous today. 

Marvel at natural wonders

With towering magma columns and undulating rainforest where golden orioles and African grey parrots flit through the canopy, STP looks like something straight out of Jurassic Park. On São Tomé, marvel at the 663m needle-shaped Pico Cão Grande (Great Dog Peak), a solid column of magma left after a volcano eroded away. All of Príncipe is designated a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, and a highlight is taking a boat trip past the Bais das Agulhas (Bay of Spires) to see its bonkers phonolite towers.

Feast on top-quality chocolate

In the 15th century STP was settled by the Portuguese, and scores of cocoa plantations followed. The fertile volcanic soil creates ideal growing conditions, and in 1913 STP was the world’s largest cocoa producer. After the country gained independence in 1975, many plantations were abandoned, but in recent years some have reopened. Gen up on the bean-to-bar process at renowned chocolatier Claudio Corallo’s laboratory in São Tomé, which has plantations on both Príncipe and São Tomé, and buy cocoa nibs and intense 100 per cent cacao chocolate bars.

Hit the shops

Stalls packed with rolls of African-print fabrics, baskets of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables and a cacophony of yellow taxis that whizz and beep their way along the city’s dusty streets: São Tomé’s hectic Mercado Grande (Great Market) on Rua do Municipio gives a real glimpse into island life. Close by is Xico’s, a popular café where fresh seafood and chunky burgers are served. Order a soursop juice, admire the artwork by acclaimed São Toméan artist René Tavares and slip into STP’s ‘leve leve’ (slowly, slowly) rhythm.

Bed down in style

A strong close-to-the-airport choice in São Tomé is Omali Lodge (rooms from £280), which has rough-luxe rooms, an outdoor swimming pool and the best pizza in town. It’s operated by Here Be Dragons, which also runs a trio of rather lovely properties on Príncipe. 

On the northern tip is Bom Bom Island; sandwiched between two palm-fringed beaches it has wooden bungalows along the beach and forest and a Robinson Crusoe vibe (rooms from £360). 

Not too far away is newly-opened Praia Sundy, a slicker than your average 15-tent luxury camp in thick rainforest with a beachside infinity pool, forest-to-plate cuisine and a spa tent (tents from £670). 

A more affordable choice is new Hotel Roça Sundy, an ex-plantation house which has been charmingly restored (rooms from £190).

Step back in time

The crumbling 16th-century fort São Sebastião in Ana Chaves Bay, São Tomé, houses the National Museum. Inside are artefacts and artwork – such as intricately carved wooden masks – from the colonial period, as well as exhibits detailing the hardships of life for slaves working on the plantations. After you’ve explored the museum, head out onto the roof to see the fort’s red and white lighthouse, and to take in the breezy ocean views.

Ocean pursuits

The waters of the Gulf of Guinea are a biodiversity hotspot, teeming with triggerfish, barracuda and eels, laid-back nurse sharks, neon-coloured hard corals and Gorgonian fans; if you don’t snorkel or scuba dive at least once here, you’re missing a trick. As well as marine life, dramatic volcanic rock formations underwater mean lots of overhangs, arches and dropoffs for divers to explore. São Tomé is a good choice for wreck enthusiasts, while off Príncipe, Pedra a Dalho is an impressive dual-pinnacle dive where sharks often hang out. The dive scene here is still small, and operators often change hands, so ask your hotel or guest house to recommend an outfit. The best conditions, visibility and water temperature-wise, are found between December and March.

Meet local artisans

Roça Paciência, an old plantation house on Príncipe, has been transformed into an organic farm, providing many jobs for locals. Wander the grounds, passing vegetable patches with gourd-heavy vines and gardens packed with aromatic herbs and flowers, and learn about how the home-grown produce is made into tropical fruit jam, muesli and beauty products, such as coconut and ylang ylang massage oil. All are available to buy in the rustic gift shop. Hotels can arrange tours.

Explore one of the world’s smallest capital cities

Tiny but charming, Príncipe’s capital Santo Antonio is a cluster of colonial-era buildings by the Papagaio River. Some are faded but grand, with wooden balconies and archways in disrepair, while others have colour-popping facades, freshly painted in shades of pastel pink and green. Explore a handful of souvenir shops, then try local specialities such as banana chips and traditional calulu – a hearty fish stew – at rustic family-run restaurant Zinha. On Sunday morning everyone congregates at the church in their elegant Sunday best; join the congregation at Mass to hear uplifting singing and sermons.

See turtles hatching

Between November and March green, hawksbill and leatherback turtles come in their hundreds to lay their eggs on Príncipe’s beaches. As nests are protected, book a guided trip to Praia Grande in the south of the island. Here, the passionate turtle conservation rangers who log each nest, protect eggs from being eaten by wild dogs and the many land crabs, take visitors on torch-lit beach walks where, if you’re lucky, female turtles laying eggs or baby turtles hatching can be spotted.

Travel essentials

Getting there

TAP Air Portugal flies from London to São Tomé (via Lisbon) from £648 return.

For more information about visiting São Tomé and Príncipe, see turismo.gov.st/en/welcome

Rome is introducing a new set of rules to curb bad behaviour in the Italian capital.

The Code of Civil Coexistence was announced by the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, on 14 November.

She said the rules, approved by the council, will “make the city more beautiful, safe and welcoming”.

Alcohol consumption, bathing in fountains, Centurions and graffiti are all affected by the code, which will come into force in 14 areas of Rome, including the historical centre, Ostia, San Lorenzo and Prati.

The new rules will give local police new means of intervention and sanctions to apply to offenders, including banning them from certain areas of the city for 48 hours.

While the tradition of throwing coins into the Trevi fountain is upheld, taking a bath in one of Rome’s historic fountains or using them “improperly” – throwing in objects, spilling liquids or substances, dunking animals, or climbing on them – is strictly forbidden. 

Fountains covered by the ban include Fontana di Trevi, the Fontana dei Leoni in Piazza del Popolo, the Barcaccia in Piazza di Spagna and the ‘Fontanone’ del Gianicolo.

There’s a big push to control alcohol sale and consumption too, with a whole new raft of rules concerning when and where you can buy and drink booze. Organised pub crawls and “alcohol tours” that are centred around drinking at breweries, pubs and wine bars are banned.

It’s prohibited to buy alcohol from a shop or drink in public from 10pm to 7am, and even clubs have to stop serving alcohol after 2am.

The “Centurions” – people who dress up as ancient Roman soldiers found around tourist attractions in Rome – have long been a thorn in the authorities’ side. The new code stipulates they are now forbidden from receiving money for posing for photos or indeed any other activity.

Ticket touts who often overcharge tourists for tours and attractions, promising them the chance to skip the queue, are also banned from selling or promoting tours, museums, theatre performances or any other activities that are not expressly authorised.

Rummaging through bins, graffitiing the Unesco World Heritage-protected part of the city, flyering, stickering and dropping cigarette butts on the floor are all banned too, while those with dogs must carry bags with them and clear up after their pets.

The measures are going before the Capitoline Assembly for final approval before being implemented. Raggi has stated that she aims to up law enforcement from 6,000 people to 8,000 to help enforce the new rules and “equip the local police with the forces it needs to guarantee the city’s security and decorum.”

It comes as Raggi is rename streets in Rome that honour infamous fascists.

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds

Pilots at Japan Airlines have failed breathalyser tests on 19 occasions since last August, the country’s media has reported.

The revelation comes as the flagship carrier tries to reassure travellers its flights are safe following the recent arrest of a first officer who was almost 20 times over the airline’s alcohol limit.

Katsutoshi Jitsukawa was arrested at Heathrow last month ahead of boarding a flight back to Tokyo after he was found to have 189mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system.

He had spent the previous evening downing two bottles of wine and five cans of beer, it was alleged.

The 42-year-old pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol limit at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on 1 November and will be sentenced later this month. He was nearly 10 times over the UK’s legal limit.

The 19 failed tests delayed 12 flights, the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reported.

The pilots all exceeded the airline’s in-house limit of 0.1mg of alcohol per litre of exhalation, leading to fears that a widespread culture of drinking could be putting passengers in danger.

JAL has now said it is to start breathalysing pilots at all overseas airports, while also banning alcohol consumption in the 24 hours before a flight, instead of the current 12 hours. The measures will be introduced next week.

Japanese aviation law does not require pilots to take pre-flight breathalyser tests – instead, allowing such safety measures to be decided by individual airlines.

Created with Sketch.
























Created with Sketch.

As a result, eight of the country’s 25 airlines do not routinely check pilots for alcohol, while 12 others only use simple devices that are said to be less sensitive.

But the new revelations could prompt the transport ministry to make testing mandatory, the Mainichi Shimbun suggested.

Issei Hideshima, a former JAL chief flight attendant and airline industry commentator, said stress caused by increasingly busy schedules may be behind the use of alcohol by pilots.

“Imposing stricter rules is not enough,” he told Kyodo news agency. “Pilots need to be given enough time between flights to rest and recover.”

Hundreds of Air France passengers who had boarded a flight to Shanghai ended up spending three days in Siberia – under “hotel arrest” because they had no visas.

Their ordeal began seven hours after flight AF116 took off from Paris Charles de Gaulle late on Saturday night, 10 November.

The Boeing 777 aircraft with 282 passengers and 16 crew had just crossed from Russian airspace into Mongolia at a height of 32,000 feet. It was on course for an on-time arrival in Shanghai three hours later.

But flight attendants in the crew rest area above the economy cabin reported smoke, and a smoke detector in the aft galley was activated.

The captain decided to divert to the nearest major airport, Irkustk, which was about 180 miles north. The aircraft landed safely half an hour later.

While Irkustk is an international airport, its only flights to foreign destinations are to former Soviet republics such as Kyrgyzstan and holiday charters to Thailand.

The airport is not set up to process almost 300 new arrivals, almost all of whom were ineligible for admission to Russia because they needed visas.

Air France said: “As soon as possible, customers were assisted and provided with accommodation in two hotels designated by the local authorities.”

A team from the French airline’s Moscow base was dispatched to Irkutsk to help out.

As is common with many “fume events” on aircraft, it was impossible swiftly to identify and fix the fault.

The initial “re-routing solution” proposed by Air France involved sending a replacement Boeing 777 to Irkutsk – which itself “went technical”. 

The Air France statement said: “Due to the impossibility of completing the repair work within a short timeframe, a second B777 was sent to Irkutsk.

“At the airport, this second aircraft also experienced a technical incident making the flight from Irkutsk to Shanghai impossible to operate.”

By now the passengers had endured two days in sub-zero temperatures, and were unable to stray from their hotels.

A third 777 was sent from Paris, and finally took the passengers on the final three-and-a-half-hour leg to Shanghai. They arrived in the Chinese city 68 hours behind schedule.

Air France said: “The company’s commercial department has contacted the customers concerned to propose suitable commercial measures.”

Passengers were handed letters signed by Ben Smith, the new director general of Air France, offering a flight voucher for €800 (£700).

European air passengers’ rights rules stipulate compensation for long-haul flights that are significantly delayed – unless the airline can claim “extraordinary circumstances”.

Air France is likely to contend that the initial diversion was caused by “unexpected flight-safety shortcomings”, and decline compensation. But the cancellation of the second flight may trigger claims for €600 (£530) in cash.

Passengers waiting in Shanghai for the original flight to return to Paris are also likely to qualify for compensation.

While in Irkutsk, it appears that the flight crew were not confined to their hotels.

One of the stranded travellers, Kevin Ohayoun, from the southern French city of Montpellier, tweeted: “While the passengers had their passports confiscated and were ‘sequestered’ in the hotel, the crew took the opportunity to go to a little restaurant in town.”

Passengers who happened to have passports from former Soviet republics, as well as a number of Latin American nationals and citizens of Nauru, were eligible to enter Russia officially without a visa.

They could enjoy the handsome facades in central Irkutsk and the precarious wooden houses in the backstreets, as well ask some impressive churches.

Irkutsk first developed as a trading post where silk from China was exchanged for mammoth tusks from the Arctic.

In December 1825, a group of Russian aristocrats who protested against the autocratic rule of the tsar were exiled to Siberia, and some of them settled and built grand mansions in Irkutsk.

Today the city is a popular stop along the Trans-Siberian Railway, giving access to Lake Baikal – the world’s deepest body of fresh water.

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds

Seven thousand pounds an hour: that, I calculate, is the money Flybe is expecting to lose between now and April.

Europe’s biggest regional airline has put itself up for sale, and is talking to possible buyers as it struggles to limit its losses. Flybe also says it’s also reviewing other “strategic options” to turn around its fortunes.

The chief executive, Christine Ourmières-Widener, said: “There has been a recent softening in growth in the short-haul market, as well as continued headwinds from higher fuel and currency costs.

“We are responding to this by reviewing every aspect of our business.”

For staff at the Exeter-based airline, these are difficult and very stressful times. But what about the implications for passengers, present and future? Many travellers have contacted The Independent about Flybe, and these are the key questions.

What has gone wrong for Flybe?

How long have you got? There have been some serious management blunders over the years. In September 2017, Flybe decided to take on the Scottish airline, Loganair, on key links to the Northern and Western Isles. By the time Flybe threw in the towel in February 2018, both airlines had lost millions. Before that, a failed IT systems upgrade cost Flybe millions more.

The carrier is also suffering from Brexit uncertainty, which is damaging consumer and business confidence and weakening the pound. Flybe earns revenue mainly in sterling.

Flybe, though, has two fundamental problems. First, it is competing for passengers with Europe’s two budget giants, easyJet and Ryanair. Once Flybe has built up a link to a sizeable scale, then a bigger airline with lower costs moves in and takes all the market. 

So routes which should be a natural for a regional airline like Flybe, such as Glasgow or Edinburgh to Bristol, have now been taken over by easyJet. 

The other curse is Air Passenger Duty, which damages Flybe more than any other airline because it is levied on both legs of a domestic round trip. A far higher proportion of Flybe travellers are on such journeys. On an Aberdeen-Southampton flight costing £64 return, two-fifths goes straight to the chancellor in tax. That doesn’t leave much for aircraft leases, fuel and crew. And on routes such as Manchester-Glasgow, even with fares as low as £37, rail tickets are cheaper.

So who might be in the market for an airline like Flybe?

IAG, the holding company of British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia, is acquisitive. Even though BA got rid of all its regional flights, ironically to Flybe, in 2006, it may regard Flybe’s portfolio of airport slots at airports such as Heathrow, London City and perhaps Edinburgh as attractive, as well as the opportunity to feed hubs, notably Dublin.

Stobart Aviation, which runs its own little airline in Flybe colours, may be a buyer at the right price. It has a lot to lose if Flybe were to close down, because it relies on the airline’s booking system.

It is very unlikely, though not impossible, that either easyJet or Ryanair is looking at Flybe as a way of acquiring a busy route network (and removing a competitor), with plans to stem losses by integrating Flybe into its wider operations. 

There could be a European suitor, though uncertainty about airline ownership rules after Brexit makes it unlikely.

But whoever buys it will need to pump in many tens of millions of pounds to prop up the airline.

If a sale goes through – what will it mean for travellers?

Initially there will be no changes – Flybe stresses that operations continue as normal. You will still be able to fly to and from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast City, Manchester, East Midlands, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton and Exeter, as well as many other UK destinations.

The chief executive, Christine Ourmières-Widener, said: “We remain confident in the vital role that Flybe plays in UK connectivity.”

The network of Channel Islands and near-Continent destinations will also continue. 

But airports such as Cardiff and Norwich, which are heavily dependent on Flybe but are outside its central core, must be concerned. They have intense competition from nearby airports, Bristol and Stansted respectively.

Longer term, some links to London City and Heathrow might be at risk because of the value of slots; within three years Flybe is likely to be able to dispose of some slot holdings at Heathrow awarded to it for competitive reasons.

But I imagine any buyer will be keen to preserve the profitable core of north-south routes. Glasgow to Exeter in 90 minutes is always going to be attractive to anyone in a hurry to reach Devon – the rail journey takes eight hours.

I have a Flybe booking for next summer. Is it safe?

I would be surprised if every Flybe flight that is currently on sale for the summer of 2019 actually takes off. I think it unlikely that the airline will cease to exist – the fact that several potential suitors are talking indicates it has value – but the current route network is an odd shape.

The central core of routes is likely to endure, because it is an efficient and coherent network. The Channel Islands services should mostly also look the same. But a route such as Doncaster-Sheffield to Alicante, operating three days a week, looks an outlier. 

That wouldn’t stop me booking a ticket, as using a credit card ensures there will be no financial loss. But using flights from those airports I would be cautious about committing to other travel purchases, such as car rental or accommodation, until nearer the time.

If no buyer is found – can Flybe survive?

The airline says finding a buyer is only one of its options; cutting costs and continuing to shrink the fleet, and creative ways of generating cash are also on the menu.

The airline stresses there’s no threat to flights that have already been bought, though not everyone in the airline industry agrees.

Ironically in its half-year results on 14 November, Flybe’s auditors said increased demands from credit-card acquirers for upfront cash could lead to the airline ceasing was a going concern.

A footnote in the account says that since the end of September, the airline has paid £9.4m to a credit-card acquirer “as security to cover their risk for unflown flight refunds”.

But at present it is business as usual for Flybe, its staff and passengers.

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds

“No, Simon, that’s a load of nonsense.”

A familiar phrase to my ears, but this time the context was unusual. I had been invited to contribute to talkRADIO on Tuesday morning, ahead of the European Commissioners’ decision about whether British travellers would be given visa-free status after Brexit. You can listen to the exchange here.

I said it was highly unlikely that Europe would demand full visas for UK visitors even in the event of a no-deal Brexit (which later proved correct). But I also pointed out that, whatever the outcome of talks, UK travellers would inevitably face tougher border controls.

The presenter, Julia Hartley-Brewer, disagreed.

“The Spanish tourist industry, which is a huge part of their economy, would collapse if they made it hard for Brits to travel,” she said. 

“The French property world would collapse as well. The reality is: they want us to visit as much we want to visit. They’re not going to make it harder.”

Yet the European Union has spelt out that it will be tougher for British people to visit the EU, saying we will “be subject to thorough checks of all entry conditions for third-country nationals” and excluded from the fast lanes provided for EU citizens at border crossings.

Conversely the British government has vowed, in time, to make it harder for Europeans to visit the UK by insisting that everyone has a passport rather than merely a national ID card.

But Ms Hartley-Brewer, a keen Brexiteer, rubbished my explanation of the stated intentions of the European Union, saying: “When I go on holiday to France, as I do far too often, I still have to go through passport control, the same as I do when I go through passport control in America.”

Yet it is not the same at all. Currently, when Ms Hartley-Brewer goes to France, the only check that border officials are allowed to make is to verify that she has a valid European Union travel document.

When she goes to the US, she must enrol online and pay a small amount of money (unless she gets scammed by the fake websites and pays a large amount of money) for an Esta permit. But that entitles her only to board a flight to the US. If, when she arrives, the passport official chooses not to let her in, perhaps because her name happens to approximate to someone on a “watch list”, then she is on the next plane home.

I also mentioned that in future British travellers to Europe may need to provide evidence of how they will support themselves during their stay.

Which triggered the response: “No, Simon, that’s a load of nonsense.

“You don’t even have to do that in America, for goodness sake.”

Between now and 29 March 2019, take your passport to any European Union border. If the frontier official asks you anything about your travel plans or your available funds, you can cheerfully say: “None of your business.” He or she is obliged to let you in regardless.

Then fly to the US and try the same line. Let me know how you get on.

I voted to Remain, but I respect people who voted Leave. After all, they were assured during the referendum campaign they were voting for the best of all possible worlds. “The day after we leave we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want,” promised Michael Gove.

But I am perplexed by leading Brexiteers, such as Ms Hartley-Brewer, who insist that all will remain the same for British travellers despite clear and incontrovertible evidence to the contrary.

When visiting Europe after Brexit, shouting in English may not prove a wise strategy.

It was David Davis who said while Brexit secretary: “There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside”. And Walter Scott who wrote: “What a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive.”

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds

Over the past few years, the trend of the “micro hotel” has taken off – with brands such as Z Hotel, Yotel and even Premier Inn launching compact rooms for travellers.

But none are as small as this: The Corbigoe Hotel in London, which sells a room that’s half the size of the standard UK parking space.

Its small single room is advertised as 53 square feet (5 square metres), which is also smaller than a standard prison cell, according to an undercover Which? report.

A UK parking space is around 11.5 square metres, while the recommended minimum prison cell size is around 7 square metres.

According to Which?, the bedroom of the “small single room” at The Corbigoe hotel measured just 3 square metres, which is almost entirely taken up by a narrow single bed. The bathroom is so minuscule that you can wash your hands while sat on the toilet; and the only window opens not to the outside but to a landing area. There’s a small ledge with a kettle and a mug balanced on it.

At least it’s cheap: to book the room for the night of 15 January costs just £33.99 on Booking.com, although for that price you’ll still have to pay £3.50 for breakfast.

According to Booking.com, the Corbigoe is “less than a mile from many of central London’s iconic attractions, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tate Britain Gallery and Big Ben. The rooms each have a TV, telephone and tea/coffee making facilities.”

Reviews are poor. Posting on Booking.com, Jonathan from Spain said: “Do not book room 19. The room is no wider than a narrow bed. There is no external window. You can either put your suitcase on the floor or on the bed. If your suitcase in on the floor you cannot get to the so-called “bathroom”’”.

Andrew from the UK added: “Every movement has to be planned out in advance.”

The Corbigoe has just 1.5 stars on TripAdvisor. One user even commented that the property should be renamed from Corbigoe to “Corbi-no”.

Not all small rooms are made equal, though. Last month Premier Inn debuted its Zip concept, which has 8.5 square metre rooms for just £19 a night.

How much hand baggage can you take on a Ryanair flight? Where should you be travelling in 2019? Can you claim compensation for a delayed flight?

Travel expert Simon Calder will be answering all your questions at our upcoming event, Ask Simon Calder.

Register your place today by logging into Independent Minds