European Travel News from WhereWhenWhy.EU

UK TRAVEL NEWS

A stealth tax camouflaged in green?

1 February 2007

The passenger duty paid when taking flights from and within the UK has been doubled from today.

The new passenge duty rates are are:

• Economy class flights in Europe and internal UK flights: £10
• Business and first class flights in Europe: £20
• Economy class long-haul flights: £40
• Business and first class long-haul flights: £80

Environmental and political groups have questioned both the level of the tax and motivation behind it, some labelling it as a new stealth tax dressed up in a green environment camouflage.

UK

Terror threat level to be emailed

9 January 2007

MI5, the UK Security Service is implementing a system to allow the sending e-mail terror alerts to the public. After registering on the MI5 website updates will be sent when the threat level changes.

UK

Wanted man may have fled country in veil

20 December 2006

UK Police seeking Mustaf Jamma in connection with the murder of Pc Sharon Beshenivsky are considering the theory he may have fled the country dressed as a veiled Muslim woman. Newspaper reports suggest that Jamma stole his sister\'s passport and wore a full face veil. So disguised he allegedly mananged to evade checks at Heathrow airport and escape the country. This took place between Christmas Day 2005 and New Year\'s Day. UK

British embassy in Moscow Radioactive!

6 December 2006

Following a precautionary check, small traces of a radioactive substance have been found at the British embassy in Moscow. Officials have stated that at the level found, the radiation does not pose a risk to public health.

This follows a statement earlier in the day by British police who are treating the death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko as murder. Litvinenko, a former KGB agent died on the 23rd of November in London. His death has been linked to the highly toxic isotope polonium-210.

UK, russia

High speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link to open in 2007

14 November 2006

The final section of the high speed rail-link between London and Paris will open on 14 November 2007.

Journey times will be cut: London to Brussels, from 2hr 15min to 1hr 51 min and London to Paris from 2hr 35min to 2hr 15min.

uk,belgium,france

Fluids to be allowed on UK flights

5 November 2006

New rules related to carrying fluids on-board UK flights come in effect on Monday 6th November. However, this is not a return to normal, as the volume of liquids carried on-board will still be strictly limited:

LIQUIDS PERMITTED
100ml containers carried in a one-litre re-sealable clear plastic bag.
Verified prescription medicines that are essential during the flight.
Baby milk and liquid baby food.

UK

Bulgarians + Romanians right to work in the UK to be limited

24th October 2006

Following the inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania into the EU in January 2007, their citizens’ right to work in the UK will be limited.

Only the self-employed, highly skilled migrants, skilled migrants with work permits, students and food & agriculture workers will be allowed to work legally in the UK.

This is in contrast to the open-door policy adopted in 2004, when eight former communist states joined the EU and an expected 15,000 migrant workers a year became 600,000 new arrivals in two years.

Shadow home secretary David Davis branded the right of the self-employed to work in the UK as a "big loophole".

UK,Bulgaria,Romania

People smuggler jailed

4th October 2006

Turkish national Ramazan Zorlu, is jailed for eight and a half years for smuggling people into the UK from Turkey.

UK,Turkey

Bird Flu

Updated September 2006

To date there have been no cases of the deadly H5N1 virus in poultry or wild birds in the UK. However, birds in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Turkey have been affected.

UK,Austria,France,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Italy,Slovakia,Slovenia,Turkey

Luggage restrictions relaxed

September 21st 2006

From Friday 22nd September 2006, passengers will be able to take one piece of luggage, upto the size of small carry-on with dimensions upto 56cm x 45cm x 25cm. Musicians instruments will also be allowed on-board.

Liquids are still not allowed through security checks.

UK