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April 4th - The battle for smoother airport security
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Passengers are under stress at airports – they’ve all got a plane to catch, it’s an unfamiliar environment and now a stranger is going to rummage through their belongings. Many airline passengers say the worst part of any journey is the airport security check. People resent having to pack liquids in small quantities and then extract them – and electronics such as laptops and tablets – from cabin baggage. New scanners are being installed at checkpoints at all the UK’s main airports – but not fast enough to meet a government deadline of June this year. This morning the transport secretary has given airports an extension, but warned that they could be fined if they further delay the roll-out of smoother security.
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Special Podcast - A new British airline is taking to the skies
06:02|A giant Airbus A380 plane in the colours of Global Airlines will lift off from Glasgow airport in Scotland, destination New York JFK. The founder, businessman James Asquith, has pledged to “take passengers back to the Golden Age of Travel, reinvigorating the onboard experience with elevated service”. But not everyone agrees that a newcomer flying a very large aircraft is what the world needs.So what is the story behind Global – and what are its chances of success? I have bought a ticket for the inaugural departure.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 14th - There are bitey things all over the world’ – but mosquitoes are the worst
06:16|As the UK basks in unusually warm weather, everyone is in holiday mood. But beware the natural world, says the doyenne of travel health, Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth. She has been telling me about protection against the most dangerous creature on earth for humans: the mosquito. Pack that EX4 insect spray.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 13th - Farewell to my excellent colleague, UK Travel Editor Ben Parker
07:53|Ben is sadly leaving The Independent this week after two years with the travel team. He looks back over the highlights during that time – with Scottsdale well ahead of Santorini – and predicts a summer of travel calm. Ben will be missed.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 12th - Cross-Channel by catamaran?
06:55|Foot passengers and cyclists across the Channel from Dover to France have a tricky experience with the traditional ferry operators. But this summer there is an alternative, in the shape of a catamaran sailing from the port to Boulogne in northern France – taking advantage of the winds and tides to provide a refreshing alternative to conventional international travel.Andrew Simons, the skipper of the Sail Link enterprise, has been telling me more.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 9th - Trailfinders: the secrets of Sir Mike Gooley's success
07:00|For the final part of my exclusive week-long series with Trailfinders founder and chairman, Sir Mike Gooley, I learn about his relationship with the late Queen, his succession planning for his travel firm and what he does with his considerable cash – and that doesn’t include buying a superyacht.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 8th - "We wanted to call the company Pathfinders"
05:22|Day four of my conversation with Trailfinders founder and chairman Sir Mike Gooley, in which he reveals how the company name was chosen; why booking online isn't always brilliant; and how the firm very briefly owned a light aircraft.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 7th - Trailfinders: the ethos of one of the UK's most successful companies
05:33|Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, has given The Independent an exclusive, in-depth interview about his innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970.Today: the mission of the firm, and how he kept it afloat in the early days by instructing motorists on the overland trail to Africa.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 6th - The Trailfinders story – part two
06:08|All week I am talking to Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, about the story of this innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970.Today: why he thinks booking travel through a human being is better than going online, and how Trailfinders could pay instant refunds to customers when Covid struck.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.May 5th - The Trailfinders story – part one
06:16|All week I am talking to Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, about the story of this innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970.Today: how he spotted a gap in the market.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.