Reducing emissions, stress-free travel and a megaphone ban

Is slower really better?

Would you like to add 50 minutes onto the flight time from London to New York City? No, me neither. But scientists at the University of Cambridge have recommended that planes should fly slower to burn less fuel and reduce emissions. It’s one of three measures to reduce fuel burn, with the other two being a faster upgrade to newer, more efficient planes, and ensuring the right aircraft are used for the right flight routes.

Apparently, Airbuses are designed for longer flights than many are used for, which can mean inefficacies when it comes to fuel. The latter two make a lot of sense, although I’m sure it’s far more complicated than that – it always is. But one thing I know is that passengers do not want slower flights.

Sometimes slower can be good: like taking it easy on a Sunday morning. Sometimes it can be bad: like trying to keep to a new 20mph speed limit, which means you spend more time looking at the speedometer than the road. Can we just not have progress without the downside please?

Travelling with confidence

ABTA, the travel association we see on the brochures and websites of many tour operators has released its Holiday Habits report for 2024-25. I’ve had a nose, because you know I like a good report, and the section about travel confidence piqued my interest.

ABTA’s Travel Confidence Index is calculated by asking a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults to rate how confident they are currently feeling about taking an overseas holiday. What did they say? Well, getting the correct documents for travel was rated as the most essential, so make sure you remind your group members to check their passports will be valid for travel and read up on the new requirements around ETIAS in 2025.

Taking out travel insurance and having financial protection in case a travel company goes bust were seen as essential by more than half of respondents. Areas seeing the biggest year-on-year increase were having a welcoming and safe environment on holiday, good health and safety standards at the accommodation, and being able to get home if the travel company goes bust. Reassurance and confidence is so important, which is one of the many reasons my lot put their trust in yours truly. And why I use trusted operators and suppliers.

‘No, grazie’ to loud tour groups

I like to have myself heard, but even I don’t use a megaphone. Clearly there must be a lot of tour groups that do when visiting Venice because the city’s authorities have banned their use and limited groups to 25 people. 

Actually, I have never been a fan of loudspeakers being used by tour guides; I understand the reasons for them but competing groups in a small space is no good for anyone. I have been on a group tour when we were given ear phones linked to the guide so we could easily hear the commentary without disturbing those around us. Lateral thinking – there is often a solution! 

The 25 person limit on group sizes does not include school groups and educational trips. Well, if my group are taking a tour it’s always educational. I get the history and the culture, as well as directions to the best place for lunch. 

Over-tourism has been an ever hot topic this year but luckily, and as with many GTOs, I tend to organise city breaks to Europe during the ‘shoulder seasons’. Who wants to battle with the masses? And of course, if you visit Venice away from peak season you avoid the €5 day-tripper fee, which has raised over €2.2 million but, shock horror, has done little to curb the crowds. Probably because it’ll be the cheapest thing you purchase.

The views expressed in this column are not necessarily the views of the publisher.