The new airport is called Techo International Airport (KTI), or to give it its full name Phnom Penh Krong Ta Khamu – Techo International Airport, is located 25km outside the city and 35km from the current airport.

There are a few videos of the new airport under construction:

and from the architects:

The new airport looks absolutely stunning and you can peruse a selection of photos and other visuals on the architect’s site here.

Existing airline bookings will not be impacted by the change of airport – the airlines will handle the transition without passenger intervention.

Turin is a gorgeous city in the north of Italy, but does not attract as many tourists as Milan or other Italian cities. So the latest route announcement from Aer Lingus will be welcomed by some, including me!

Aer Lingus has announced 3 new routes from this winter. Two will be served by Cork, while the third is from Dublin.

Cork will be getting direct flights to both Geneva and Prague.

In the case of Geneva the flights will be once a week on Saturdays from 20th December to March 28th.

Prague will also get a flights ex-Cork but there’ll be two a week, with flights running Thursdays and Sundays from 23rd October to 26th March. So you could have a long weekend of sorts in Prague. The outbound flight departs Cork around 8am, while the return leaves Prague at 6pm.

In the case of Turin it is again a once a week flight, running on Sundays from 21st December until March 29th. The outbound flight departs Dublin around 7am, so it’s not surprise that the return flight is scheduled for just after 11am local time.

Personally I like seeing there being more options, but in those cases where the flight only runs once a week it isn’t going to be overly appealing to me personally, as I’d be more interested in a long weekend in a city rather than being stuck there for a full week. You can of course easily get from Turin to Milan by train, so if you wanted to fly in to Turin and out from Milan it is possible. However I am really not the target market – they’re primarily interested in capturing a slice of the market that would be heading to Switzerland or northern Italy for winter sports. Though I’m not really sure what they’re aiming for with Prague, though it could be that the load numbers they’re seeing out of Dublin warrant adding extra options out of Cork.

However if you book your tickets in advance you can definitely save quite a bit.

How much can you save?

If you book a standard ticket 45 days or more in advance the price will drop from £25 one way to £10.

Is there a downside?

Well sure, you have to book for a fixed date at least 45 days in the future.

The ticket cannot be changed.

There are no refunds.

Full details on the Heathrow Express official site.

Of course you can get to or from the airport using either the Elizabeth line or the Underground. However they can be a false economy, as I found on a recent trip, when the underground simply stopped at a random station and I had to resort to getting an Uber the rest of the way to the hotel. Any savings I’d made with my choice of transport were well and truly lost!

Ultimately how you get into the city will depend on your situation. Paddington is central and very convenient for a lot of places, but if you’re going to other parts of the city one of the other options might be better.

From the end of the October the Irish airline will be flying direct to three new destinations:

• Seville in southern Spain
• Marrakesh in Morocco
• Malta

They’ve also announced the addition of more flights to several existing routes.

Faro in Portugal will now be served all year round as will Lanzarote.

Here’s the summary of the new routes and additions:

New Routes and Lead Fares:

• Marrakesh (RAK): 3 times per week, starting 26 Oct, €69.99
• Malta (MLA): 3 times per week, starting 25 Oct, €69.99
• Seville (SVQ): 3 times per week, starting 25 Oct, €49.99

Season Extensions and Frequency Increases:

• Faro, Portugal (FAO): Operating four times per week, Faro is now a year-round destination for the first time since 2018.
• Izmir, Turkey (ADB): Two flights per week until the end of December 2024.
• Alicante, Spain (ALC): Four flights per week through November, restarting in early March 2025.
• Athens, Greece (ATH): Two flights per week through December, restarting in March.
• Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV): Two flights per week until late November, restarting in early March 2025.
• Nice, France (NCE): Four flights per week until late November, restarting in early March 2025.
• Palma de Mallorca, Spain (PMI): Three flights per week until late November, restarting in early March 2025.
• Bordeaux (BOD): An additional flight brings the total to five flights per week.
• Lanzarote (ACE): Four additional flights per week, bringing operations to double daily, making it a year-round destination.
• Tenerife (TFS): two additional flights per week, now operating eight flights per week, making it a year-round destination.

Direct flights from Dublin to Seville with Aer Lingus is very exciting! Right now the only airline offering direct flights to Seville ex-Dublin is RyanAir and their outbound flight doesn’t get in until nearly midnight, which is far from ideal!

You can save up to 20% off the regular price this week.

Flights need to be booked by 15 April 2024, with travel between 15 April 2024 and 15th June 2024.

Full details on their site.

It’s that time of the year again – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – when pretty much every company you’ve ever done business with over the past few years is assaulting your inbox with “offers”.

While some of them are genuine, many probably aren’t – you might get a discount, but whether it’s specific to “Black Friday” or not is debatable.

So who is offering what and how?

Most airlines are offering a discount this week of some kind.

Aer Lingus, for example, are offering €100 off their flights to the US. But they also offer discounts and sales quite regularly so that’s nothing too special.

Iberia are offering discounts on some routes, though it looks like the biggest discounts are on economy fares.

Delta might be offering some discounts, but I couldn’t find anything obvious on their site.

RyanAir are offering flights to many European destinations from €24.99

British Airways, who are part of the same group as Aer Lingus and Iberia, are offering up to €300 off some destinations.

Ultimately you need to weigh things up. Airline prices over the past year have been quite a bit higher than pre-pandemic and many of the airlines have been changing how they charge passengers for various services. Iberia, for example, don’t let you choose your seat with some business class fares until 24 hours before the flight!

Shop around. Personally I’m a big fan of using tools like Google flights, Kayak or Skyscanner to find better prices by playing around with the travel dates a little.

1. Plan Ahead

One of the best things you can do when preparing for air travel is to plan ahead. This includes booking your flights, arranging for transportation to and from the airport, and making sure you have all necessary documents, such as your passport or visa. By taking care of these details ahead of time, you can reduce stress and avoid any last-minute complications.

2. Arrive Early

To ensure that you have enough time to navigate security and other airport procedures, it’s important to arrive at the airport early. For domestic flights, arriving 90 minutes before your scheduled departure time is usually sufficient, while international flights may require at least two hours. Keep in mind that during peak travel times, such as weekends and holidays, lines may be longer, so you may want to arrive even earlier.

3. Pack Carefully

Packing for air travel can be a challenge, especially when it comes to complying with airline regulations. Make sure you check your airline’s baggage restrictions before you pack, and be mindful of the weight and size limits. If you’re not sure whether an item is allowed, check with the airline before you pack it.

4. Dress Comfortably

Airports and airplanes can be chilly, so it’s a good idea to wear comfortable, layered clothing that you can adjust as needed. Shoes that are easy to slip on and off can also be helpful when going through security checkpoints.

5. Stay Hydrated

Air travel can be dehydrating, so it’s important to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your flight. You may also want to bring an empty water bottle with you to the airport, which you can fill up after going through security.

6. Bring Entertainment

Long flights can be boring, so consider bringing some form of entertainment with you, such as a book, magazine, or electronic device. Just make sure you have headphones or earbuds to use, so you don’t disturb your fellow passengers.

7. Be Prepared for Security

Going through airport security can be time-consuming, so it’s important to be prepared. This means having your ID and boarding pass ready, removing any liquids and electronics from your bags, and taking off your shoes, jacket, and belt if required. By being prepared, you can speed up the process and minimize any delays.

8. Know Your Airport

Different airports have different layouts and procedures, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the airport you’ll be flying out of. This can help you find your way around more easily and avoid any confusion or delays.

9. Be Patient

Air travel can be stressful, especially during peak travel times when airports are crowded and flights are delayed. Remember to stay patient and remain calm, even if things don’t go as planned. Being courteous to airport staff and your fellow travelers can help make the experience more pleasant for everyone.

By following these air travel tips, you can prepare for your upcoming trip out of an Irish airport and have a smoother, more enjoyable travel experience. Remember to plan ahead, pack carefully, stay hydrated, and be patient, and you’ll be well on your way to your destination.

In order to avail of the offer you’ll need to use the special promo code: MAYDEALS

The offer is only valid for flights booked from today until 26 April 2023, so 3 days only.

NB: the discount is only for travel from May 1st to 31st

When you go to the Aer Lingus site you’ll need to enter the promotional code in the search bar to the right as I’ve highlighted in the screen shot below:

You’ll see both the original fare price as well as the discounted price in the results:

Happy bargain hunting!

(My example fare was for a weekend getaway, as that is the kind of trip I usually take)

Aer Lingus will be offering a direct service from Cork to Bristol.

The service will run 6 times a week and will be operated by Emerald Airlines who run all flights for Aer Lingus Regional. The flights will be run using the ATR-72 turboprop aircraft, with seat capacity of 72 seats each way. The ATR-72 aircraft is significantly more environmentally friendly than regional jets and other turboprops, emitting 40% less CO2.

At present Aer Lingus operates direct flights to Bristol from Dublin, so passengers from Cork and the south of Ireland had to get to Dublin, which adds quite a bit of time onto the trip. Previously other airlines had served the Cork to Bristol route, but that was a long time ago (I have recollections of getting flights with airlines out of Cork that no longer exist!)

The new service will run from April 26th six times a week, Sunday to Friday.

The airline also announced a new Belfast city to the Isle of Man.

All flights are bookable via the official Aer Lingus site.

If you fancy a bit of luxury then Air France’s La Première cabin class definitely delivers. It’s not a cabin class that most people will be booking however, as it’s a little on the expensive side.

Frequent fliers who are members of Air France’s “Flying Blue” can book reward flights and choose the cabin class they’d like to fly. Depending on the route you can, of course, book reward tickets in La Première, though they’ve always been in very high demand. From January 2023 it’s going to be even harder to use your airmiles to get a seat in the luxury cabin.

To start with you’ll need to be at one of Air France Flying Blue’s top tiers – Platinum or Ultimate to qualify. And if that wasn’t enough they’re also restricting it to one reward seat per flight. So if you wanted to take your significant other on a romantic getaway in style then you’ll have to settle for business class!

Air France recently launched a revamped La Première cabin, which is one of the reasons they’re citing for these changes in policy.