Melbourne Cup mention in the Express by Will Hide 24 Jan 2010

The Melbourne Cup is the horse race that transfixes a nation. For several minutes during the first Tuesday of November, the whole  of Australia pauses and turns towards a radio or TV to see  who’s first past the post.

Bridge and Wickers (020 7483 6555/www.bridgeandwickers. co.uk) offers a 13-night package  to Australia from £2,711pp (two sharing), room-only, including return flights with Cathay Pacific from Heathrow, accommodation in Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne, and tickets for the big day.

Contact us if you'd like to incorprate the Melbourne Cup within your trip down under.

Hot off the press - Air New Zealand's new economy beds!

Air NZ is planning to introduce the new economy ‘skycouch’ and premium economy ‘spaceseat’ later this year.

Skycouch or spaceseat
The ‘skycouch’ is a row of three seats that has been engineered to create a lie-flat, flexible space between the seat-backs, providing a flat surface for adults to relax and sleep on. It could also serve as a play area for small children.

There will be 22 skycouches - the first 11 window rows in economy class - in each plane. For two adults travelling together, the skycouch purchase will be based on buying two seats at standard prices with the third seat at approximately half price. Airfare details will be announced when the skycouch goes on sale from late April.

Innovations in the premium cabins include a new ‘spaceseat’ offering unparalleled comfort and legroom for premium economy travellers, and an enhanced sleep experience for business premier travellers to ensure travellers really do feel they’ve snuggled into their own bed!

A new bean-bag footstool will offer some extra comfort for passengers.

Long-haul makeover
All three zones in Air New Zealand’s long-haul aircraft of the future will receive a makeover designed to put the airline ahead of competitors in comfort and experience. This includes new interior design, on demand food and beverage options, and new inflight entertainment that could include wine tasting and destination seminars.

The interior design will move away from traditional blues and greens to a more luxurious blend of chalk and deep ink colours that will be enhanced with mood lighting.

The award-winning Air NZ business premier experience will be enhanced with a complete on-demand food and beverage service, while premium economy will offer new shared-meal experiences. The planes will feature new oven technology that cooks food from scratch rather than simply reheating, and a new digital in-seat ordering service.

Take a look for yourself here

First routes
The 340 seat 777-300 aircraft will be configured with 246 in economy (including 66 seats creating 22 skycouch combinations), 50 in premium economy and 44 in business premier.

The first routes to offer travellers the next generation of long haul travel will be on selected services between Auckland and Los Angeles from December 2010, followed by return services between Auckland and Los Angeles and through to London from April 2011.

Air New Zealand expects to refit its fleet of eight Boeing 777-200 aircraft from mid 2010, with all Asian, North American and UK services to have the new product by around 2012.

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date when these new fares are released

NEW ZEALAND ESCORTED TOURING

If you prefer to explore New Zealand in company, enjoying the companionship of travelling as a group as well as the benefit of having an experienced tour director and driver, we can offer you a choice of escorted tours available through the best local companies.



Each company offers a variety of itineraries as well as groups of differing size and style of travel. We can help you select an itinerary that best fits your dates and requirements. Details of some of the tours we offer are listed on our website as well as on pages 26-27 of our new brochure.

Options include:

Scenic Tours: Best for - Excellent Value For Money

A wide range of itineraries for groups of up to 48 travellers (Price – 20 days from £3130 per person including breakfast and some dinners). They do not produce a printed brochure but our consultants can send you an electronic version. Click here for details of their most popular tour.

APT: Best for - variety as well as smaller groups (up to 30)

 An extensive range of  tours with premier plus options for those who prefer to travel in a smaller group (up to 30, Price – 18 days from £4532 including all meals) in addition to their regular premier level of touring with up to 48 passengers (Price – 17 days from £3383 per person including all meals) . Let one of our consultants know if you would like to receive a copy of their brochure and click here to see details of what's included on their New Zealand Wonderland tour.

The Great New Zealand Travel Company: Best for - small groups

This company uses mini coaches with never more than 16 passengers (Price 20 days from £3665 per person including breakfast and 2 dinners) - again we have copies of their brochures which we would be happy to send.

Grand Pacific Tours: Best for - Luxury Coaches

As well as a choice of tours for groups up to 48 passengers (Price – 19 days from £2365 per person including breakfast and most dinners), Grand Pacific has an 'Ultimate' range of tours utilising one of the most luxurious coaches on the market, each fitted with just 20 fully-reclining leather seats similar to a traditional size airline business class seat (Price – 19 days from £3610 per person including breakfast and most dinners). The coaches also have their own galley and state of the art entertainment system. At present Grand Pacific do not have a brochure but we can send you an electronic copy covering all their itineraries.


Please let us know which of these options suits your requirements or let us know if you have seen a particular tour that isn't featured here and we'll put together a tailor-made quotation including flights and stopovers if required.

Call 020 7483 6555 or email nz@bridgeandwickers.com.

Top Hotels

We regularly use these properties in our tailor-made holidays - what do you think of TripAdvisor’s Traveller's Choice 2010 Top Hotels - is your favourite on there?







Luxury OZNZ http://bit.ly/81mUKo

Luxury ASIA http://bit.ly/6SOCge

Luxury CANADA http://bit.ly/8eKkdy

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Bridge & Wickers - this weekend's travel sections

As well as our regular presence in the weekend travel sections, we featured Atlantic Canada in the AITO supplement with this weekend's Daily Telegraph.

Click here to read the piece.

Other Bridge & Wickers mentions in the press this weekend were Fiji in the Aberdeen Press & Journal and Tasmania in the Independent.

They all make excellent reading and food for thought for that next trip!

Don't forget to order our latest brochures for more information on all of our destinations - visit us at www.bridgeandwickers.co.uk

Airport disruptions across the UK.

Sky News is now reporting all the airport disruptions across the UK.

At 12.04pm it stated that: 

• Gatwick airport flights suspended.
• Luton airport reopened.
• Heathrow and Stansted open but warning of disruption.
• Flights at Exeter and Bristol airport currently suspended.
• Southampton airport is open but running with delays.
• Birmingham airport reopened but with delays.
• Blackpool has suspended flights.
• Some cancellations at Manchester and Liverpool but both airports open.
• Robin Hood Airport has reopened.
• Leeds Bradford open but check with airline for delays and cancellations.
• Some Easyjet flights from Newcastle cancelled.
• Glasgow airport is open, but with delays.
• Number of flights in to Aberdeen airport cancelled.
• Cardiff Airport flights suspended until at least 3pm.

For up to date information, visit the airport and airline websites directly.

If you're a Bridge & Wickers client, then call us if you're unsure about your departing flights.