55 year olds are just too young to retire!

Well that is what British Airways believes…BA has recently announced that it plans on increasing the retirement age for its cabin crew to 65 years from 55 years. The reason for them changing the age is that BA has a deficit in its superannuation plans for about $GBP 1 billion.

I know that cabin crew have to pass tests on a regular basis, but would you like it if a 65 year old was put in charge of opening the 'emergency door' on a plane that had crashed?

Personally, I wouldn't want a 65 year old to be waiting on me, getting me drinks and serving my dinner…I think it should be the other way around. It is just like riding on a bus, you give your seat up for the elderly…but is 65 no longer considered old?

They are also planning to increase the retirement age for pilots from 55 to 60. They would have changed it to 65 but countries like the US won't allow pilots to fly beyond the age of 60.

So is this age increase a good thing or a bad thing?

Travel Tip #4 - Bargaining

When you are travelling throughout the world, there will no doubt be a time when you want to buy an item cheaper than its displayed price. This is fine if you are at a market but never try to get the vendor to lower their price if you are in a store or shop. It is considered rude, even if you don’t speak the same language.

Here are some tips on how to bargain at markets:

• Do your homework on prices. Walk around the market once, check all the prices and then go back to the stall you liked. Know how much you are willing to pay for an item. This way you know if you are getting a good deal or not.
• Don’t start to bargain if you aren’t going to buy the item. This isn’t fair on the vendor.
• Never make the first offer. Always let the vendor tell you the price and then you can start to bargain with the price.
• Always take a spare calculator…numbers are an international language. You can punch in how much you are willing to pay - even vendors in a small village know their numbers.
• Don’t be aggressive or raise your voice. They may consider this rude and refuse to bargain with you. Always be friendly and have a bit of fun…they are more likely to give you a good deal if they consider you to be a friend.
• Don’t try and rip the vendors off…sure they mark up their products, but remember that they also paid for it and they have to cover their costs. Don’t make them go home at a loss.

Whether you choose to bargain or not, just remember to have fun and not to take it too seriously.

Does the dollar really effect where you will travel?

Do you choose your holiday depending on what the dollar is doing? Or would you travel there anyway?

This is a question that I have asked myself over and over…my answer - I am still going to travel there. Just because the dollar may be stronger or weaker, I still want to go to that specific destination.

I think that a lot of people would still travel to a destination even if the dollar in that country is stronger than their own.

What is your opinion…does the dollar effect where you travel?

Travel Myth #3 - Everyone in Amsterdam is stoned

This couldn’t be more far from the truth!

I lived in Amsterdam for 3 months and the only ‘high’ people I saw were sitting in coffee shops (& no, the main product isn’t coffee). It is actually considered rude to smoke marijuana anywhere except in coffee shops.

And in the 3 months I was there I wasn’t approached by anyone selling any type of drug!  The only reminder that you have is when you are walking down the street and you smell the aromas as you walk past and you realise that you just infront of a coffee shop.

It is definately not in your face all the time as many of my friends thought it would be. My only suggestion would be to not get a Cafe & a Coffee Shop mixed up.

Why do some people think they don’t need travel insurance!

Do they think that they are invincible? So many people think 'it won't happen to me' but it is those people that end up in a hospital bed costing them thousands of dollars each day.

Accidents do happen when you are travelling, you might need hospitalisation (approx $800-$3000 per day) for an injury or did you ever think that the remains of a deceased person cost a fortune to send home (approx $5,000 - $10,000) ?

Of course your travel agent should ask if you have travel insurance, and if you don't they can organise it for you, but what happens with all those people that are booking their travel online…do they remember to book their travel insurance too?

Is it only a matter of time before sites like Expedia.com & other internet booking engines start to offer it?

Something to think about - If you cannot afford travel insurance, you cannot afford to travel.

Travel companies jumping on the ‘Amazing Race’ bandwagon…

As another season of the Amazing Race is hotting up on our tv screens, I knew that it was only a matter of time before we saw the travel industry benefiting from this.

Not only are people wanting to travel to these 'amazing' destinations but travel companies are putting together their own 'amazing races' and it seems that the trend is catching on. From day trips to 20 day trips, companies are organising small groups of people to compete against each other for points…and yes they even offer prizes!

Does this mean that there are people slowly getting tired of everyday sightseeing and they long for something more like ziplining from the top of the building, being part of a cultural dance, taking helicopter rides above the city, always running to try and get the earliest flight or how about always being challenged to do something out of their comfort zone?

I can definately see this trend in the industry really taking off and believe me, if I had a some spare cash lying around, I would be booking one of these adventures! Maybe when I am in Vancouver / Whistler I'll give Canadian Outback a go as they offer the 'Amazing Race' for a day (kinda like a scavenger hunt but with challenges).

If you are interested in participating in an 'Amazing Race' check these out:

Bunnik Tours
Canadian Outback
 

Fancy studying travel on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia?

It is rumoured that the retail giant, Harvey World Travel will be opening a training academy on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.

The training academy will prepare new consultants for the industry and retrain old consultants so that they are always on top of the new trends and products available.

Harvey World Travel will also be creating their own curriculum based on what is needed in the ‘real world’. As far as cost goes, nothing has been release as yet but if I hear anything about I’ll definately post it here!

Also, if you have done a travel course at a college or university, I would love to hear your opinions and get your help to write a review on it. Simply email me on nire79@hotmail.com

Death on Pacific Sky cruise ship!

So a few days ago a women was ‘apparently’ drugged and assaulted by a group of men on board a Pacific Sky cruise with her daughter sleeping . Unfortunately she also died.

This is not good for the cruise ship industry…once they were a place to sit back, relax and get to know your fellow travellers and now you have to always be on the look out. How would you feel if something happened to you and then you were stuck on the ship with no place to go…

Is the image of an exotic cruise ship holiday slowly being diminished?

Travel Tip #3 - Travellers with Disabilities

If you are assisting a person that has a disability plan their holiday, make sure you do the following things:

• Check with airports, hotels and operators well ahead of the planned travel date to find out about services available. Eg seating arrangements, meals and shuttle services.
• Make sure you notify all relevant parties of your passengers needs. For example, a diabetic may need a fridge at all times for insulin or a wheelchair bound passenger may need a lower ground floor? Does your client need an electric current to charge their wheelchair or other aids, ask about the voltage available?
• Do some background work for your client. Call the tourist offices and check to see if there is public transport system that will cater for your clients.
• Call ahead for your client and re-confirm all bookings 48hours prior to their departure. It may not take you long, but your client will be extremely grateful.
• Check with the embassies about rules and regulations about your clients aids. For example guide dogs or medications - are they going to be ok getting through customs?
• Always try and book your clients direct flights or if they do have to transfer, make sure there is ample time for them to get from one flight to the next. Remember, what might take you 15 minutes to run, may take longer if they are restricted to a wheelchair.  

And the most important tip is:

• Do not make assumptions. If you have asked if a room is wheelchair accessible, did you also ask if the hotel has steps at the front door? It is these small things that make all the difference.

All of these tips are important for your client. If you do a good job, they will definately recommend you to other people in the community and therefore you will get repeat business.

LadiesAtLeisure.com Launched!

Ok girls, here is a site just for you…LadiesAtLeisure.com

Women only travel is becoming a pretty important trend in the travel industry and I figured that it was time for a women only travel blog to be out there!

So check it out and let me know what you think!