Press Releases

CHILD FRIENDLY SKI CHALETS

January 2010 – Remember those carefree days prior to your children arriving into your life and how simple it was skipping off for that relaxing but activity-filled skiing holiday? Okay, reality check. Your 4 year old has trouble walking in wellies let alone ski boots. Your 6 year old can barely carry her DS without bouncing it along the floor never mind carrying a pair of skis. Then there’s the 14 year old who will do anything but admit she’s having a great holiday with her super-dull parents. Travel search engine nowfly.co.uk has picked out some great chalets that offer help in all areas related to providing a truly relaxing family skiing holiday. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/2-top-ski-chalets-for-families.aspx

La Source, Samoens, France

La Source is a little known and new eco-ski lodge. Children are very welcome during the school holidays and extremely well catered for. Run by yogi and filmmaker Saskia McCallum and Adventure Sports Guru and TV Presenter Duncan McCallum, La Source is located in Samoens, on the edge of the Grand Massif. La Source goes beyond the norm, offering yoga classes, healthy vegetarian food and a selection of activities that would stretch the most energetic of visitors.

For flights to La Source, fly to Zurich or Geneva:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Zurich.aspx

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Chilly Powder, Morzine, France

Chilly Powder offers two luxury-catered chalets in the delightful resort of Morzine. Unlike many chalets here, Chilly Powder offers unrivalled in-house childcare facilities as well as a ‘genuine ski to the door’ location. They really seem to live up to their ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude, providing excellent accommodation including all en-suite bedrooms, an outdoor Jacuzzi and sauna.

For flights to Morzine, fly to Geneva:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

La Ferme de Belleville, St Martin de Belleville, France

Run by The Alpine Club, this 400 year old Savoyard farmhouse was nominated by the Sunday Times as a ‘super chalet’. It has charm in abundance, with exposed timber beams and rustic stonewalls. The chalet sleeps 13 and has 6 comfortable and stylish en-suite bedrooms. It’s a perfect base for a family skiing holiday and provides fantastic child-care facilities. The Alpine Club works with 3 experienced nannies who will look after children in the chalet, ensuring children are well looked after whilst mum and dad make the most of the 600km of piste.

For flights to Abode Chalet, fly to Chambery, Lyon or Geneva:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chambery.aspx

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Lyon.aspx

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Santons Solaise, Val d‘Isère, France

Run by Snowline, they offer excellent childcare programmes that will certainly promote a relaxing time for parents as well as fun for the children. Their private nannies care for the children in the comfort of the chalet leaving the parents to ski without concern. Not strictly a chalet, but nonetheless a fantastic apartment, Santons Solaise offers 3 bedrooms and a huge living and dining area. Ideally located to the resort centre and the slopes, Santons Solaise offers an ideal family setting.

For flights to Val d‘Isère, fly to Geneva:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Chalet Le Passeu, Les Arcs, France

Owned and run by husband and wife team Toorna and Duncan Salmon, Alpine365 offers two fantastic catered chalets. Accommodating groups up to 13 and 16 people in each respective chalet, the properties are stylishly finished and offer a perfect place to enjoy your family skiing holiday. The chalets offer both in-resort and in-chalet childcare. The in-chalet childcare service has English-speaking qualified nannies and they can baby-sit in the chalet, or pick the children up from ski school. The key is being really flexible to parents needs.

For flights to Les Arcs, fly to Chambery:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chambery.aspx

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about nowfly.co.uk:

Recently selected as one of the best travel websites by the Telegraph online and voted one of the top 10 travel websites for 2009 by the Times Online travel section, the site has just been re-launched. It is still very fast at unearthing fantastic travel deals, but now has a fresh new look, easier navigation and a very clear results page.

www.nowfly.co.uk was established in January 2008. nowfly uses search engine technology to find as many prices as possible for your flight, hotel or car rental query. We search hundreds of leading, reliable and reputable airline, hotel and travel websites and we aim to present this information as quickly as possible in an easy and logical way.

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that www.nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

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SKI CHALETS FOR ADULTS ONLY

January 2010 – Children? Who mentioned children being here? Frustrated with arriving at your luxurious chalet with your nearest and dearest for some prized adult time to find that you’re sharing with the family from hell? Travel search engine nowfly.co.uk has picked out chalets that offer weeks throughout the season for adults only. Yep, no Ben10, no Polly Pockets, no DS and no looping Peppa Pig DVD’s. Blissful. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/56-top-ski-chalets-for-adults.aspx

Zermatt Loft, Zermatt, Switzerland

On a ‘wow’ scale of one to ten, the Zermatt Loft effortlessly resides in the ten zone. It combines warmth, style in abundance, a setting that’s hard to beat, and is wrapped up in a construction similar to a Manhattan-style loft. The chalet comprises a whopping 300m2 and it fuses together glass, steel, concrete and wood that would happily house the biggest of divas.

For flights to Zermatt, fly to Zurich or Geneva:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Zurich.aspx

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Abode Chalet, St Martin de Belleville, France

This year the Alpine Club introduced a number of adult only weeks to cater for the growing number of guests who don't want to share their holiday with families. Abode is one of their properties that offers its guests accommodation of the highest standard. Originally a farmer’s house, it was converted into uber-cool chalet, forging a traditional feel with contemporary interiors, designer furniture and all embracing comforts that will guarantee the perfect après-ski wind-down.

For flights to Abode Chalet, fly to Chambery, Lyon or Geneva:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chambery.aspx

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Lyon.aspx

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Chalet Zen, Zermatt, Switzerland

Featured as one of Tatler's Top 10 Chalets 2005, chalet Zen offers adults only weeks throughout the ski season. The chalet creates the traditional Swiss feel, with exposed timber beams, antique furniture, welcoming rugs and paintings that really creates a true home from home atmosphere. Chalet Zen offers four en suite double bedrooms, three of which have balconies facing the mighty Matterhorn.

For flights to Chalet Zen, fly to Zurich or Geneva:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Zurich.aspx

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Wedelhuette, Hochzillertal, Austria

Wedelhuette, a brand new luxury chalet and hotel with its own ski lodge opened its doors in December 2009. A truly 5 star luxury experience, the chalet can only be access by gondola or on skis, making this retreat even more exclusive. Wedelhuette has gone to great lengths to create a fantastic Tirolean resort, appealing to both an avid snow-crazed skier but also one who places food and drink high on their list.

For flights to Wedelhuette, fly to Innsbruck:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Innsbruck.aspx

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about nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

TOP BEACHSIDE BEAUTIES

January 2009 – How far into the depths of your memory do you have to go to retrieve that feeling of the sun on your skin, wearing little, and feeling heady from an exhausting day on the beach, topped off with a couple of lip-numbing sun-downers? We suspect it doesn’t take long to grasp this memory, but its all too quickly replaced with the reality that it’s as cold here as it is in Siberia, and that your only exposure to the sun is one that blinds you whilst driving your car to work. Don’t fear, travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has access to a huge number of flights and airlines to airports located in sunnier climes and has also put together it’s top five Beachside Beauties on the website. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/2-Beachside-beauties.aspx

Shutters on the Beach, Los Angeles

This immaculately designed luxury hotel-cum-beach house comes courtesy of Michael Smith, the latest designer to give the interiors of the White House the once-over. It’s chic but casual, making Shutters the ideal location for a seaside getaway this winter. All rooms boast private balconies that afford guests beautiful views out over the Pacific, and for those wanting to truly enter into the spirit of la-la land there are Yoga classes on the beach out front every morning. Other than that, though, it’s all about lying on your sun-lounger, drink in-hand, and soaking up the hotel’s boutique charm.

For flights to Shutters on the beach, fly to Los Angeles:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Los-Angeles.aspx

Jumeriah Beach Hotel, Dubai

Built from aluminium and blue-plated glass, this magnificent hotel boasts a pristine stretch of beach and an unparalleled range of watersports. The iconic 26-floor, wave-shaped building also boasts the Wild Wadi Water Park, Sinbad’s kids club and twenty different restaurants and cafés ranging from German to South East Asian. In true Dubai spirit, the hotel also has a purpose-built coral reef 2-kilometres off shore to cater to its on-site dive centre. In its own words, Jumeriah “gives itself completely to the pleasures of life”. And so should you.

For flights to Jumeriah Beach Hotel, fly to Dubai:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Dubai.aspx

Fisher Island Club, Miami

Offering all the excitement of South Beach whilst retaining a quiet location within a private residential community, the Fisher Island Club is the last word in exclusivity. Fisher Island is a private residential community accessible only by ferry, boat or (for the really flash) helicopter. The club’s sumptuous private beach offers breathtaking views towards Miami’s iconic skyline and out towards the Atlantic Ocean, both of which are best viewed through designer shades. After a hard day relaxing on the sand, the resort’s restaurants serve up a wide range of dishes that will please even the most sophisticated of palettes.

For flights to Fisher Island Club, fly to Miami:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Miami.aspx

Posada del Faro, Punta del Este

With its minimalist white-washed walls, blue doors, hammocks and bamboo sun-shelters, this 12-room resort is the ultimate place to relax. Posada del Faro is situated in the tiny beachside town of Jose Ignacio, the cool, understated younger brother of renowned South American seaside destination Punte del Este. A small yet sophisticated fishing village, the town boasts never-ending stretches of sand, splendid restaurants and a heady nightlife. When you’ve drank your fill, return to your stylish sanctuary to heal your hangover in peach and blissful quiet.

For flights to Posada del Faro, fly to Buenos Aires:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Buenos-Aires.aspx

Mövenpick Hotel and Resort, Beirut

With its own private beach and marina, the Mövenpick is the only city-centre hotel in Beirut to boast resort facilities. Inside there are watersports, two beautiful pools and a Mediterranean beachfront, whilst outside is one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting cities. When it comes to whetting your appetite, guests can choose between the traditional Lebanese Bourj Al Hamam or the international Mediterranee before finishing off with a nightcap at Hemingway’s Bar & Cigar Lounge.

For flights to Mövenpick Hotel and Resort, fly to Beirut:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Beirut.aspx

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about nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

TOP CARIBBEAN SPAS

December 2009 – Overdone the eggnog? Battered and bruised from the last-minute Christmas shopping? Tired of making yet another trip to the supermarket? And then there’s the weather; the cold, sleet and snow, all topped off in what seems to be no more than 5 hours of daylight per day. Love this time of year, don’t you? Why not transport yourself off to an oasis of luxury, where the sun strokes your skin and the sea matches the temperature of your bathwater. And why not go one step further and pamper yourself silly? Mud or clay treatments, a medley of massages, or perhaps a manicure or pedicure to get you ship-shape. Travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has access to a huge number of flights and airlines to airports all over the Caribbean and has also put together it’s top five Caribbean resorts and spas on the website. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/52-Caribbean-Spa-Resorts.aspx

Cotton Bay Village, Saint Lucia

If you’re looking for an exclusive enclave of stylish suites and villas offering the ultimate in laid-back elegance, Cotton Bay Village certainly hits the mark. Situated on the serene Eastern coast of Saint Lucia, in a wide crescent of golden sand, the Village is lapped by the gently rolling turquoise of the Atlantic Ocean. Reborn and revitalised under new management, Cotton Bay Village is an oasis of peace with world class dining and a fantastic spa called ‘heaven’.

www.cottonbayvillage.com

For flights to Cotton Bay Village, fly to Saint Lucia:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Saint-Lucia.aspx

Fern Tree, the Spa at Half Moon, Jamaica

Tucked away in the exclusive Rose Hall enclave of Montego Bay, Fern Tree, the Spa at Half Moon is a natural paradise and nurturing refuge with services, treatments and facilities that harness healing powers unique to the Caribbean. Half Moon converted its signature villa, Fern Tree House, into Fern Tree, the Spa at Half Moon, a 68,000 square foot indoor/outdoor sanctuary for the mind and body. Drawing from the local lush landscape and centuries-old healing traditions as inspiration, the spa moulds modern-day techniques with Jamaica’s ancient healing remedies of native herbs, fruits and botanicals.

www.halfmoon.com

For flights to Fern Tree, fly to Jamaica:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Montego-Bay.aspx

Marley Resort and Spa, Bahamas

Formerly a private vacation home for Bob and Rita Marley and their family, Marley Resort and Spa is now a run and managed by their daughter Stephanie. The influence of the family is evident throughout, with Rita Marley playing a pivotal role in remodeling the home into a resort for all to enjoy. Her passion for mind, body and soul preservation gave birth to the Natural Mystic Spa and its focus on holistic renewal.

www.marleyresort.com

For flights to Marley Resort and Spa, fly to Bahamas:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Nassau.aspx

Sugar Ridge, Antigua

Located on a natural hillside bordered with sugar cane and beautiful indigenous flora, this provides a wonderful backdrop for Sugar Ridge. Looking forward, you can enjoy breathtaking views of stunning palm fringed beaches, with the Caribbean Sea gently lapping the sand. One of the signature treatments ‘Sugar Bliss’ is 5 hours of 'sheer bliss' designed to the individual. Guests will enjoy an elemental manicure, pedicure and massage, followed by a two-course lunch with a glass of bubbly.

www.sugarridgeantigua.com/hotel

For flights to Sugar Ridge, fly to Antigua:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Antigua.aspx

Mount Hartman Bay Estate, Grenada

Okay, not strictly a spa resort, but one worthy of inclusion in our top picks. If you can’t relax and unwind here, nowhere will do. A spectacular waterfront retreat within the chic resort of Lance-aux-Epines on the southernmost coast of Grenada, Mount Hartman Bay Estate is an exclusive private hideaway; an incredible piece of innovative design built into the hillside on a private peninsula, with its own beach and stunning views across a beautiful bay.

www.mounthartmanbay.com

For flights to Mount Hartman Bay Estate, fly to Grenada:

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Grenada.aspx

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about nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

HIGH ALTITUDE SKIING IN THE ALPS

December 2009 – What could be worse than realising that your well earned ski break to the Alps has been disrupted by the closure of roads and airports, due to adverse weather conditions? It’s arriving in your chosen resort finding that there is no or little snow. No snow I hear you cry, we’ve got bucket-loads here? This time last year saw one of the biggest dumps of snow in history and yet this year, some resorts have yet to see a significant sprinkle. To prevent disappointment on both counts, newly re-launched travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has access to a huge number of flights and airlines to airports all over the Alps and has also put together it’s top five high altitude ski resorts on the website. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/51-High-altitude-ski-resorts.aspx

Val Thorens, France

Okay, so the town lacks the charm of traditional Swiss or Austrian ski resorts, but charm counts for nothing when the key reason for being in Val Thorens is to ski on almost guaranteed snow from December onwards. So leave your lederhosen or curling gear behind and instead, wax down your board or carvers and head for one of the 268 runs.

For flights to Chambery, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chambery.aspx

Ischgl, Austria

Want good skiing, a mix of Austrian hospitality and some fantastic entertainment? Ischgl’s the place to head for. The skiing is high, with its highest lift sitting at 2872m, giving you a fairly safe bet snow-wise. Come to an Austrian resort and you’ll always receive that fantastic welcome, so again, a fairly safe bet on that front. Entertainment? Where else can you find a calendar of events that puts many major cities to shame?

For flights to Innsbruck, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Innsbruck.aspx

Chamonix, France

Chamonix boasts eleven separate ski areas that are all included within it’s lift pass, so even for the most demanding skier – you know, the one that goes to bed early and is annoyingly jolly at breakfast time, is also there to ski every minute of natural daylight – there’s so much skiing to be had here that you’re thankful for the maximum quota of kendal mint cake you brought to keep you going.

For flights to Geneva, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Zermatt, Switzerland

Okay, some vistors to Zermatt don’t look the youngest nor the poorest, but it doesn’t mean you have to don those very dark wrap around sunglasses that sit on top of your specs, or indeed wear that coat made from 100’s of fluffy somethings. Zermatt is simply a resort you have to ski and one that you’ll want to revisit time and time again. It’s not that the skiing is necessarily easy to ski from area to area, or that it takes an age to get there by train or car, it’s just the magic of the town.

For flights to Zermatt, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Zurich.aspx

Tignes, France

Lying 300m higher than Val d'Isère, Tignes is undoubtedly a safer bet. It doesn’t have the nightlife appeal that Val has, but frankly speaking, how many demi biere does it take to have a good time and what alpine ski resort have you come across that doesn’t indulge in slightly dodgy euro-pop ditties? Val or Tignes, you bound to find that bar that spins the wheels of the legendary stuff. It also not particularly pretty, but hey, you’re there to ski not gaze at the architecture.

For flights to Tignes, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Lyon.aspx

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about nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CARIBBEAN FOR WINTER 2009/2010

November 2009 – It’s that time of year when people cluster around brochures and start eagerly pointing at the Caribbean, cooing over pictures of white sand beaches and carefully constructed rum punches. And you can bet your bottom East Caribbean dollar they will be on about Jamaica or Antigua.

But what about the less explored places among these tropical islands? Newly re-launched travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk swerves off the beaten track in search of what’s new and not so obvious for 2009. The below are edited versions. For the full monty (minus the dodgy striptease) go to www.nowfly.co.uk.

Dive in - Grenada

Grenada is working towards becoming the dive capital of the Eastern Caribbean by 2012. There are currently 30 world-class dive sites and Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique all have unspoiled reef formations. And from October British Airways is flying twice weekly year-round, making things almost suspiciously convenient.

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Grenada.aspx

The island’s first campsite and eco-lodge - Montserrat

Budget accommodation goes up a notch with the new Mount Pleasant Eco Lodge and Camp Site. Alongside 12 camping pitches, Harmony Cottage is a self-contained unit similar to a Mongolian Yurt. A see-through panel in the circular roof means guests can stare at the stars and talk gibberish for hours.

Travel to Montserrat via Antigua www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Antigua.aspx

Arikok National Park has a facelift - Aruba

This park is home to a number of indigenous species of wildlife, flora and fauna typical of Aruba’s unique tropical desert climate. The 12.5 square mile park accounts for 18 per cent of the total land mass of the island. In July they unveiled the fruits of their three-year, €7.1-million infrastructure upgrade.

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Aruba.aspx

Fight the sun-lounger - Dominica

The Caribbean’s first long-distance hiking trail opens within the next two years, although some sections are already open. The Waitukubuli National Trail covers the length of the island from north to south, totalling a hearty 115 miles. Some trail sections also follow the coast, in case sea breezes and the smell of salt floats your boat.

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Punta-Cana.aspx.

A classic reopens - Barbados

OK, so Barbados is pretty mainstream. But we thought the Atlantis Hotel on the rugged east coast was worth a mention. The new owners are restoring the 10-bedroom boutique property to its former glory and it will reopen for Christmas. They are also going to charge one year-round rate of US$300 a night per room B&B.

www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Barbados.aspx.

For further details regarding these tips, please visit:

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/48-Caribbean%20hot%20spots.aspx

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About nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

EUROPE’S TOP CHRISTMAS MARKETS EXPLORED

November 2009 - If you find it hard to get into the Christmas spirit, there is nothing better than browsing some of Europe’s most charming Christmas markets. The scent of mulled wine and excited conversation fills the night air and shops are packed to bursting point with traditional wooden toys and decorations.

With the festivities about to begin in earnest, newly re-launched travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has just put its top five European Christmas markets on the website, to give travellers a flavour of what lies in store just a short hop away. The below are edited versions:

Best for food – Brussels

Big, busy and open from 27 November to 3 January 2010, Plaisirs d'Hiver (Winter Wonders) sees a collection of wooden chalets set up shop in the Grand-Place. If it’s too busy, try the Place Sainte Catherine instead. This year’s guest country is Mongolia, so expect the décor to have an Asian twist to it.

Top tip – for the first time there will be a 40-metre outdoor luge, with real ice and views of the Big Wheel.

Return flights departing Heathrow on the 16th December, returning 21st December 2010 start from £110 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £44 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Brussels.aspx

Best for children - Cologne

Opening on 27 November until 23 December, the biggest of the four markets here is in front of the cathedral but families should head to the Old Town and the Alter Market. In front of the narrow-gabled houses of the Old Town Hall, the cobbled square and half-timbered stalls have a unique atmosphere all of their own.

Top tip – tears soon dry up when fractious children clap eyes on lebkuchen, the famous gingerbread biscuits.

Return flights departing Gatwick on the 10th December, returning 14th December 2010 start from £67 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £45 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Cologne.aspx

Best for pixies - Copenhagen

Held in the Tivoli gardens from 20 November to 30 December, picture a blizzard of 3,300 strings of lights and Christmas trees lit up like, well, Christmas trees. Alongside the other rides, the clear favourite is the 150-years-old double-decker merry-go-round. After a spin, head to Nissekøbing (Pixieville), an indoor Christmas town with hundreds of mechanical pixies busily preparing for Christmas.

Top tip – for a special meal, dine at the Michelin-starred Herman restaurant in the Tivoli.

Return flights departing Manchester on the 10th December, returning 14th December 2010 start from £215 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £80 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Cologne.aspx

Best for less crowds – Prague

From 28 November to 1 January 2010, unlike some of the more frenetic Christmas markets packed with people, Prague’s ones remain less busy and more pleasant for browsing handmade jewellery and other stocking-fillers. Feast on fine sausages and corn on the cob, washed down with the local mulled wine, called sva_ené víno.

Top tip – the huge tree, chosen specially and brought from the mountains of the north, has its lights turned on at approximately 5pm each day.

Return flights departing Luton on the 10th December, returning 14th December 2010 start from £59 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £60 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Prague.aspx

Best for snow – Tallinn

Running from 29 November to 7 January, children can dispatch their Christmas wishes from Santa’s Post Office, guided by two elves called Scribble and Scrabble, carols will warm the heart and soup will warm anywhere else that is feeling the cold.

Top tip – thanks to its northerly location, if you are dreaming of a white Christmas Estonia is a reliable bet.

Return flights departing Stansted on the 10th December, returning 14th December 2010 start from £115 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £70 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Tallinn.aspx

For full details, follow the link below:

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/47-Christmas%20Markets.aspx

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About nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

GREAT PRICES FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE IN EUROPE

November 2009 – It’s that time of year when, for some weird reason, people become fraught with tension. “I always have a bad New Year’s Eve”, they moan, blaming inflated levels of expectation, rubbish telly or just being a cheerless swine.

But with plenty of great deals on flights and hotels still available, travel search engine nowfly.co.uk thinks otherwise. Travellers should get themselves a ticket to some of the finest events Europe has to offer and kiss the Noughties goodbye with a proper smacker.

The below are abridged versions of our latest travel picks from the zip it section of the site, where we encourage our users to pack their bags with great ideas:

Munich

Christmas is a friendly affair in the city whose motto is ‘München mag Dich’ (‘Munich Loves You’). As well as atmospheric and festive markets and beer halls where you can experiment with wheat beer, the Tollwood New Year's Eve Party has cocktails, music and every danger of waltzing at midnight.

Return flights departing Gatwick on the 30th December, returning 4th January 2010 start from £85 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £69 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Munich.aspx

Venice

Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square) has music, a hair-raising amount of fireworks and a mass kiss at the appointed hour. And if fresh air is not clearing fuzzy heads on New Year’s Day, don your Speedos for a swift plunge at the Lido beach. It will do miracles (if you survive).

Return flights departing Heathrow on the 30th December, returning 4th January 2010 start from £197 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £45 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Venice.aspx

Vienna

The hot ticket is the exclusive Kaiserball at the Hofburg Palace, where the Pummerin bell rings at midnight and the Imperial Couple wish everyone a Happy New Year. If you are still up for anything on 1 January, at the Art Nouveau Konzerthaus Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 will be performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, who are rather good at it.

Return flights departing Heathrow on the 30th December, returning 4th January 2010 start from £156 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £62 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Vienna.aspx

Paris

Join the throngs of humanity who are lining the Champs-Élysées, enjoying the night air charged with expectancy and a hint of “What do you mean, you forgot my gloves?” Converse deeply with your amore and wait for the Eiffel Tower to come alive in a blaze of fireworks as midnight strikes and the city of love greets 2010 with open arms.

Return flights departing Luton on the 30th December, returning 4th January 2010 start from £85 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £64 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Paris.aspx

Prague

The ‘city of a hundred spires’ has entertainment on tap. And if looking for the additional thrill of people letting off the rockets themselves alongside the main display, get down to the Old Town Square or Wenceslas Square. It’s a bit more freeform with the pyrotechnics and taking safety goggles could be wise.

Return flights departing Luton on the 30th December, returning 4th January 2010 start from £76 inclusive of taxes per person. Hotels start from £58 per night.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Prague.aspx

- ends -

About nowfly.co.uk:

Recently voted one of the top 10 travel websites for 2009 by the Times Online travel section, the site has just been re-launched. It is still very fast at unearthing fantastic travel deals, but now has a fresh new look, easier navigation and a very clear results page.

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

FLIGHT PASSENGER NUMBERS ON THE UP

November 2009 – The recession and general state of the economy has had a significant bearing on both businesses and consumers alike. The recent news outlining that the US was coming out of recession last week with a 0.9% growth within their economy from July to September is clearly good news for Europe and the UK, though the fact the UK is yet to get itself out of a negative state leaves many wondering when the economic gloom will clear. However, key indicators suggest that things are changing, be it a rise in house purchases or car sales, and one of these indicators pertinent to the UK travel market is the increase in volume of passengers travelling out of UK airports.

According to BAA’s recent September Traffic Report, “BAA’s seven UK airports handled a total of 13.0 million passengers in September, 2.6% down on last year and a similar year on year result to that achieved in July and August. In March this year, traffic across the UK airports was down 11.3%, so recent figures suggest that while underlying market conditions remain soft, there are some signs of a recovery.”

“In practical terms, there has been growth across BAA’s UK airports in the last two quarters of 2009, though the passenger volumes are still down year on year”, comments Dan Hart, CEO of nowfly.co.uk. “This is clearly positive news for all associated with air travel within the UK. The last year has been incredibly tough, particularly for a company such as nowfly.co.uk that launched its service in one of the worst economic downturns experienced in the UK. Any positive shift in consumer confidence will undoubtedly filter through to those deciding now to take that well-earned short-break or family holiday. Thankfully, there are still many fantastic flight deals to be had, particularly whilst the UK’s airlines have to aggressively market their services, offering compelling short and long-haul flight offers.”

Using nowfly.co.uk search-engine technology, the following great offers are available for travel in 2010:

• Manchester to Dubai in January from £258 per person, inclusive of taxes.

• London to New York in February from £298 per person, inclusive of taxes.

• Glasgow to New York in February from £356 per person, inclusive of taxes.

• London to Los Angeles in February from £383 per person, inclusive of taxes.

• Newcastle to Singapore in March from £442 per person, inclusive of taxes.

• London to Tokyo in March from £456 per person, inclusive of taxes.

- ends -

About nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

THE RETAIL TRAIL

November 2009 – With the leaves falling by like the weeks until Christmas, this is the ideal time of year to plot a shopping trip to brighten the grey season. With a range of places to wield the plastic, lightning-fast and devilishly clever travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk brings you top tips on the finest shopping cities.

New York

With no sales tax on items of clothing and shoes under $110, at 54 Bond Street in NoHo, Billie Reid is fantastic for sweaters and cotton shirts. Over in Brooklyn, Jan & Äya opened last year, with cool and quirky goods for the home displayed in a contemporary venue.

Return flights in December 2009 departing London to New York from £310 and Glasgow to New York from £393. Both fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges. For further offers see: http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-JFK.aspx

Boston

Also with no sales tax on similar items under $175, start with the famously high-end eight blocks of Newbury Street. Ideal for parents with young children approaching meltdown, over at the Build-a-Bear Workshop in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace they can stuff their own bear and even give it a heart.

Return flights in December 2009 departing London to Boston from £298 and Newcastle to Boston from £368. Both fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges. For further offers see: http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Boston.aspx

Chicago

On the Loop, Old Navy is part of Gap and has good clothes in an airy and fashionable loft-like shop. Over in Wicker Park, futurgarb boutique also features a loft area and fashionable pieces.

Return flights in December 2009 departing London to Chicago from £348 and Manchester to Chicago from £368. Both fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges.

For further offers see: http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chicago.aspx

Milan

No visit should miss the four floors of haute couture at Versace’s epicentre at Via Montenapoleone 2. For something at the opposite end of the scale, try the Viale Papiniano, the street market held on Saturdays.

Return flights in December 2009 departing London to Milan from £43 and Birmingham to Milan from £96. Both fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges.

For further offers see: http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Milan.aspx

London

Newly opened Anthropologie at 158 Regent Street stocks cool bohemian clothing and quirky but chic objects and furniture. Meanwhile at number 38 on chi-chi Marylebone High Street, homegrown designer Paul Smith has opened a second shop.

Return flights in December 2009 departing Edinburgh to London from £48 and Belfast to London from £42. Both fares are inclusive of taxes and surcharges. For further offers see: http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-London.aspx

- ends -

About nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

DON'T LOSE YOUR SHIRT

November 2009 – There is nothing more terrifying than arriving at your chosen destination, only to find that your luggage has strayed off-message. “Get with the programme!” you will want to shout, but the luggage isn’t listening. It’s busy jetting off somewhere else. And secretly you fear that your suitcase is already semi-conscious on a sun-lounger, soaking up the warm sun while you are pacing the airport, wondering if you will ever see that favourite stripy jumper again.

So it’s not just because we are selling them here at nowfly.co.uk that we are telling people about the Trace Me Luggage Tracker. It’s because they are so flaming clever. If you are the sort of sleep-deprived or plain forgetful soul who leaves their luggage behind, or is worried someone else will, this nifty device has your name all over it. Or rather, hidden safely inside it.

The tag holds no personal data but a unique serial number and barcode which are linked to the owner in the world’s largest property ownership database. If you lose your bag the tag is scanned and an email and SMS text are immediately sent to you. Presumably saying “Your suitcase is in Hong Kong and we are running around with your underpants on our head.” But it’s nice to be certain.

Budget Travel Magazine in New York voted it ‘best product’ after a journalist was told the location of their deliberately lost bag in four hours. The tags normally retail for £12.50 each or £19.95 for two but nowfly is currently running a 2 for 1 offer.

Registration is for life – there are no renewal fees and no risk of identity theft. And coming soon is their new Winter Sports Pack containing tags for ski boot holdalls and permanent, durable adhesive identifiers to be applied directly to skis and boots.

For more details, see link below:

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/43-Trace%20Me,%20Luggage%20Tracker%20Tag.aspx

- ends -

About nowfly.co.uk:

The Trace Me Luggage Tracker Tag is a lost luggage identification system, protecting the passenger’s identity as well as their possessions. It can be fastened to any bag or case; it carries no personal information but instead a unique serial number and barcode that enables airlines and their baggage handlers to match lost luggage to the registered owner.

The Trace Me Tag is the only luggage identifier integrated into Immobilise.com - the world’s largest property ownership data base used by both the general public, businesses and government. With over 23 million registered users, Immobilise is used by law enforcement agencies, insurance companies and lost property organisations across the world and has a proven track record of reuniting lost or stolen property with its rightful owner.

To Editors:

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

EARLY SEASON SKI TIPS

22 October 2009 – With the new ski season about to begin in earnest, there are all sorts of exciting developments which travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has been discovering in the mountains of Europe and North America.

Want to get your Kitz off somewhere fancy in Austria? The famous resort has two new five-star hotels so guests can hang their hat up in style. Can’t bear the thought of the pitter patter of tiny feet in the ski chalet? Boutique chalet specialists the Alpine Club are running a series of adult-only weekends this winter. And some of their customers who requested this are actually parents themselves.

If you’re considering booking a ski holiday this season, book early to snap some fantastic deals. “Many airlines are still struggling to fill their planes, and this has resulted in some very competitive fares being offered to entice skiers to book early for their annual ski trip”, comments Dan Hart, CEO of nowfly.co.uk.

The latest travel news on skiing and boarding is all conveniently located on the zip it page on the newly redesigned site, which is now quicker, slickers and clearer than before. Below is a taster of our top five ski and snowboarding picks for the start of the season. So limber up and go find that snow.

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/37-early%20season%20ski%20picks.aspx

1. Les Trois Vallées, France.

If you don’t have young children and have no desire to be surrounded by other people’s while skiing, upscale chalet company The Alpine Club has earmarked a number of adult-only weeks in response to guest requests. This year highly rated chef Ben Woods returns to open their new chalet, Abode, where he will be drawing on a summer spent cooking in Cornwall.

www.thealpineclub.co.uk

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

2. Morzine, Avoriaz and Chamonix, France.

Welcome to Rude Chalets (slogan: ‘When Hell freezes over, we’ll build a chalet there’). This dynamic snowboard company provides very cool chalet and apartment holidays in Morzine, Avoriaz and Chamonix in the French Alps. New this year are their custom snowboard weeks, including the Burton Snowboard Test Weekend (11–14 December) and the Rudegirls snowboard week (10–17 January 2010).

www.rudechalets.com

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

3. Kitzbühel, Austria.

On 15 December, just in time for glüwein, Kitzbühel’s first Leading Hotel of the World will throw open its doors in welcome. Unless you just want to use the loo, in which case they might be frosty. Located in the neighbouring village of Jochberg, the Royal Spa Kitzbühel will combine heady luxury with direct access to the slopes.

www.kitzbuehelroyalspa.com / www.grand-tirolia.com

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Salzburg.aspx

4. The Tirol.

if you are on a tight budget this year (and let’s face it – a lot of us our) you can save cash in other ways. Keeping it with the Tirol, those friendly folk at the tourist board have some savvy ideas on how to spend wisely. For instance, drop by the local tourist office – some offer weekly cards entitling you to discounts on après-ski activities and local restaurants and will advertise free events. So when the cash-burning lure of the après-ski becomes too much, go sledging or build a snowman instead. At the very least, your liver will thank you. www.visittirol.co.uk

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Innsbruck.aspx

5. Northstar-at-Tahoe, California, USA.

If you have outgrown sharing a room with friends while skiing, where the smell of socks becomes an obsession, get yourself to Lake Tahoe for a bit of indulgence. Opening in December 2009, the 170-room Ritz-Carlton Highlands is situated on a mountain at the Northstar-at-Tahoe ski resort. Two outdoor swimming pools allow guests to swim laps or just float about like happy flotsam and the fitness centre will run yoga classes in case you haven’t done yourself enough mischief on the slopes.

www.gotahoenorth.com

http://www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Los-Angeles.aspx

- ends -

About nowfly.co.uk:

In August this year nowfly was listed by the Times Online travel section as one of the top 10 travel websites for 2009. And the site is now even better. It is still super-fast at unearthing fantastic travel deals, but now it has a fresh new look, easier navigation and a very clear results page.

nowfly.co.uk was established in January 2008. nowfly uses search engine technology to find as many prices as possible for your flight, hotel or car rental query. We search 100's of leading, reliable and reputable airline, hotel and travel websites and we aim to present this information as quickly as possible, and importantly, in an easy and logical way.

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

NOWFLY.CO.UK REVEALS ITS BRAND NEW WEBSITE

14 October 2009 – Ever looked at someone’s newborn and thought “My goodness – that baby is ugly”? We probably all have at some point, and unless you’re too thick-skinned to care, you kept this thought to yourself. While recently sitting round the boardroom at nowfly heights, this analogy was applied to our baby, the current nowfly.co.uk website. It took a brave man with thick skin to break the news. But soon those tears were wiped away, egos were repaired and everyone got down to the nitty-gritty of transforming this ugly duckling into a slick swan.

It’s not that it was really ugly or worked badly - it just needed a bit of a makeover. Some adjustments here and a few tweaks there to make it the force that we believe it can be. And we know this is the case thanks to some great feedback from our users and fantastic reviews from the national press in the last month. nowfly was included in the Times Online Top 10 new travel websites in September 2009. It has also had coverage in the Daily Telegraph, was blogged in the Independent and is one of the sites recommended on Martin Lewis’ moneysavingexpert.com. Not bad for a small fish in a fiercely competitive pond.

So why all the fuss and what’s improved? “The primary objective was to simplify the user experience, make the navigation from the search box to the flight results page as simple and quick as possible,” explains nowfly’s CEO, Dan Hart. “The existing search box was clunky and the results page too complicated. We initially designed this page to bring flexibility to choosing flights on a two-step process – step one being the selection of your outbound flight and step two the return flight. This however, took too long and was confusing. What we have now is one page that combines speed and flexibility when choosing your flight times, and it is done so in a very logically and presentable way”.

The site also has a fresh new look about it, with the emphasis being on making navigation through the site as clear and as concise as it can be.

“Moving forward, we have a number of exciting enhancements to follow, with great new content and functionality being added to the site”, says Hart. “The next three months will see www.nowfly.co.uk evolving rapidly with some fantastic additions being made to our Zip It section, Hotels and Car rentals pages. We also have some exciting plans up our sleeve that will undoubtedly make searching for a flight, hotel or car even easier, highlighting the best available fares and rates.”

About nowfly.co.uk:

In August this year nowfly was listed by the Times Online travel section as one of the top 10 travel websites for 2009. And the site is now even better. It is still super-fast at unearthing fantastic travel deals, but from next week the site will have a fresh new look, easier navigation and a very clear results page.

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

A SEAT TO SUIT

25 September 2009 – Airlines have increasingly been making exit row seats available for passengers to pre-book ahead of their flight. This certainly gives customers increased flexibility - but it has always come at a price.

On 7 October British Airways is launching a new pre-allocated seating policy, meaning passengers can now reserve the seat of their choice from up to 355 days in advance to 24 hours before departure. From 24 hours to departure, it is still free to pre-allocate seats online.

But what policies do the other major carriers have in place? There is wide variation between what each airline is offering its customers and the big question is whether this is set to change with BA’s announcement. To make things easier, travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has developed a table of what airlines charge to pre-book seats on flights.

Important points include:

1. British Airways – domestic and Euro Traveller passengers will pay £10 to book further than 24 hours in advance, rising to £60 for Club World travellers. Free at the time of booking, First passengers, those with infants or with disabilities or other special requirements can pre-book their seat for free. In addition, customers can request an exit row seat in World Traveller or World Traveller Plus from 10 days to four days before their flight. Exit row seats cost £50 per person per sector. Gold Executive Club members, oneworld® Emerald equivalents, and other passengers on the same booking can request an exit row seat free of charge at any time before their flight.

2. EasyJet – the Speedy Boarding option can be selected as soon as the passenger books the flight. The price ranges from £4.50-£8 depending on the length of the flight and also the airport (i.e. if you catch a coach from the terminal you pay less than passengers who walk straight to the aircraft from the boarding gate).

3. Ryanair – the Priority Boarding Fee per passenger per one-way flight is £3/€3 if booked online or £4/€4 if booked via a call centre or airport. Priority boarding can be booked if passengers contact their local Ryanair reservations centre up to four hours prior to departure.

4. Monarch - seats on Monarch's scheduled flights can be pre-reserved in advance for £7.50/€9 per seat, per sector. The price varies according to the route and is displayed when making a booking. Vantage Club gold members get free allocated seating, including extra legroom. Other passengers can pay for extra legroom and this costs between £15 (€22.50) and £25 (€37.50) per seat, per sector.

5. Virgin Atlantic/bmi – Virgin is not charging for pre-allocated seating, regardless of what class a passenger is flying in. bmi is not charging for pre-booking seats on either its short or long-haul flights.

nowfly.co.uk/preassigned_seat_comparison.aspx

About nowfly.co.uk:

In August this year nowfly was listed by the Times Online travel section as one of the top 10 travel websites for 2009. And the site is now even better. It is still super-fast at unearthing fantastic travel deals, but from next week the site will have a fresh new look, easier navigation and a very clear results page.

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

IN-FLIGHT FOOD AND DRINK NOW UP IN THE AIR

11 September 2009 – Remember the days when everyone looked forward to being handed their plastic airline food tray on a charter flight to somewhere hot that did a great line in congas?

Compartmentalised into three or four delightful courses, the starter was usually a bullet-hard bread roll with a limp lettuce leaf. The main course would be a variable hot meat stew, topped with a slab of pastry and accompanied by a cocktail of tinned vegetables.

Dessert was a pink dollop of something you could grout the bathroom with, followed by a nervous-looking slab of cheese which had been sweating profusely. All washed down with a gin and tonic (no ice of course) and coffee so hot it could melt the table. Ah yes. Those were the heady days of fine dining in economy.

More recently, airlines have greatly improved the quality of food at 30,000 feet. Many still serve a decent breakfast, with some carriers charging for it whilst others don't. In general, airlines have stopped the hot meal option as a complimentary service and have opted for pre-packaged, branded goods such as Cup-a-Soup, Pringles and Maltesers.

So is the recent announcement that a major airline is cutting meals on its short-haul flights as serious as it sounds? We think not. Why would travellers would want a meal that often occurs between meal times anyway?

Clearly, there are economic motives behind dropping a meal service and offering a selection of snacks as an alternative. But, in practical terms, why would you want to indulge in a meal that is perhaps is best confined to the history books? And, more importantly, what food and drink is available and which carriers charge what for it on short-haul flights?

As the second table in the ‘on the fly’ series following the success of our baggage allowance table nowfly has developed another chart. Now travellers can quickly assess whether to pack the snacks or extra cash. Bon appetit!

www.nowfly.co.uk/Food_table.aspx

About nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

RYANAIR PASSENGERS SET TO BE PISTE OFF THIS WINTER

7 September 2009 – Ryanair has just announced that it is to raise the fees it charges to check in bags and sports equipment. From 1 October, checking in a bag will rise from £10 to £15 if booked in advance online and from £20 to £30 at the airport. But the bigger news is that passengers can now take a second bag weighing up to 15kg if they pay an additional fee. The second bag will be charged at £35 if booked online or £70 at the airport. Sports equipment fees also go up, rising from £30 to £40 if booked on the internet and £50 if paid at the airport. This will be an unwelcome hike for skiers and snowboarders in particular.

Virgin Atlantic is changing its baggage allowance policy on 23 September. The carrier will be changing their checked-in baggage policy and moving to a 'Piece Policy' for the whole of the network. This is rather than their current mixture of weight and piece allowances according to different routes. The airline believes that, in the majority of cases, passengers who wish to fly with excess baggage in addition to their free allowances will pay less on these routes than they do now.

British Airways is bringing in its own changes on 7 October. Sports equipment will now be included as part of the free checked baggage allowance. But if the number of bags exceeds the free allowance passengers will be charged the excess baggage rate for each extra bag. Sports equipment will be only be accepted if they are packed correctly within the maximum weight and reduced maximum dimensions of 190cm x 75cm x 65cm. The changes to BA’s sporting equipment policy will apply to bookings made from 31 July 2009, for customers travelling from 7 October 2009.

Where possible, the solution must be to keep your one piece of luggage with you at all times and put it in the overhead locker when onboard. But what are the current allowances, the correct dimensions of your bag and the permitted weight allowance across the major airlines? As featured in the Times Online Travel section on Friday 4 September, travel search engine nowfly.co.uk has developed an easy guide to complicated baggage allowances:

www.nowfly.co.uk/baggage_costs.html

About nowfly.co.uk:

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

QUITE FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

27 August 2009 - Looking for somewhere enjoyable now that the summer temperatures and crowds are dropping back to sensible levels? nowfly.co.uk brings you its favourite September spots and where to stay in style while there.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France

A typically charming market town in Provence, that old spook Nostradamus was born here and it’s where Van Gogh was treated after not seeing eye-to-eye with his ear. The Hôtel les Ateliers de l'Image is a photographer’s sanctuary where you can rest your head after days of snapping cool olive groves and orchards of flowers in spring.

www.hotelinprovence.com

Return flights to Marseille for one week in September from £42 including taxes. See for details www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Marseille.aspx

Ibiza, Spain

The nights of foam parties at Amnesia might be past you, but Ibiza is the ideal island to do things a little more stylishly these days. For a secluded hotel situated in its own orange grove, Atzaro is a century-old family finca with luxurious accommodation, an avant-garde restaurant and a restful spa.

www.atzaro.com

Return flights to Ibiza for one week in September from £83 including taxes.

See for details www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Ibiza.aspx

Tarifa, Spain

Knickers to the Costas. If you prefer wind, waves and adrenaline sports by day and a low-key but cool bar and restaurant scene by night, Tarifa might well float your boat. Or board. This beautiful spot on the coast of Andalucia is nearly permanently windy, making it ideal for windsurfing, surfing and kitesurfing. La Sacristia is a simple and relaxing hotel with Moorish and Chinese influences.

www.lasacristia.net

Return flights to Malaga for one week in September from £57 including taxes. See for details www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Malaga.aspx

Amalfi Coast, Italy

The hordes have retreated, children are back in school and this splendid strip of Italy with altitude is returning to some semblance of order, with less celebs and more chances of finding a table in that restaurant you had your eye on. Base yourself in the hilltop village of Ravello, where you can wander old palaces and gardens high above the sea. For rooms with views, Palazzo Sasso is a five-star 12th-century Italian villa perched 1,000 feet above the sparkling Mediterranean.

www.palazzosasso.com

Return flights to Napoli for one week in September from £101 including taxes. See for details www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Naples.aspx

Koh Samui, Thailand

Not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you have had an excessive summer colonic irrigation using coffee can have a positive effect on your appearance and overall sense of wellbeing. If you stay at the Spa Village on this pleasant island, they do a range of fasts which means no food and lots of hosepipe action. The 39 bungalows are located on a hillside dotted with rock formations in the lush Lamai Valley.

Return flights to Bangkok for one week in September from £244 including taxes. See for details www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Bangkok.aspx

- End -

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

AUTUMN IS THE TIME FOR A TIPPLE

19 August - The arrival of Oktoberfest from 19 September to 4 October is fast approaching. And this got travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk thinking, as all that lederhosen and alcohol seems like an alarming amount of fun. So we put together our five favourite autumn drinks events:

Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany

After the 12-gun salute and tapping of the first keg of beer, the world’s biggest fair kicks off. One of the more unusual of the many beer tents is actually a timbered house. Zur Bratwurst serves up rostbratwürstl – fried sausages grilled over an open beech wood fire, washed down with Augustiner beer. www.oktoberfest.de

For flights to Munich see www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Munich.aspx

Mondial de la Biere, Strasbourg, France

The first ‘World of Beer Festival’ to be held in Europe is taking place in the Alsace capital of Strasbourg from 16-18 October this year. And if you get tired of all that beer, drive down Alsace’s 170km wine route to Thann, south of Colmar. The October vendage will be in full swing, with enough wineries to derail the most organised of schedules. www.festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca

For flights to Strasbourg see www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Strasbourg.aspx

Whisky Galore Festival, Barra, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

It’s been a long and fairly adventurous sixty years since Whisky Galore was filmed on this remote and beautiful island. To celebrate, the first ever Whisky Galore Festival takes place here from 18-20 September. A unique chance to savour the renowned island hospitality and be part of something (sort of) memorable.

www.whiskygalorefestival.com

For flights to Glasgow see www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Glasgow.aspx

Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Sonoma County, California, USA

Which devilishly clever person first mixed jazz with wine? Nobody knows for certain, but you probably won’t give a monkey’s after three days here. The fair itself, from 2-4 October, is a celebration of everything connected with harvest. This includes three lazy days of wine tasting with over 150 wineries, non-stop live jazz and farm animals on their best behaviour.

For flights to Santa Rosa see www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Santa-Rosa.aspx

Sourtoe Cocktail Club, Dawson City, the Yukon, Canada

For an entirely different event, this bizarre venue is a shrine to having a drink with a human toe in it. Formerly only drunk with champagne, you can now consume anything with it but the drinker's lips must touch the toe. "You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but the lips have gotta touch the toe", apparently. Not your average sharpener.

www.sourtoecocktailclub.com

For flights to Whitehorse see www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Whitehorse.aspx

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To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

VALUE CALCULATOR UNVEILS HIDDEN COSTS BUT BROADER COMPARISON REQUIRED TO UNEARTH THE BEST FLIGHT DEAL

August 2009 - Revealing the full cost-breakdown of a flight between one of the UK’s airports and a major destination has raised some eyebrows and possibly fuelled the already fierce rivalry with these major airlines. Possibly, the calculator should be applied to a broader range of airlines, however, the starting point for any flight search should be with a flight comparison website.

Dan Hart, CEO of nowfly.co.uk comments “Air travelllers should be aware of the costs attached to a flight ticket, be it a debit card booking fee, using a check-in desk, checking in luggage or even having a drink on board the plane. However, with the current climate as it is, there are some incredible fares that are being offered by a broad range of carriers that mean further savings can be had. We are constantly monitoring the key routes out of the UK and have seen some very competitive and compelling fares”. As an example, using www.nowfly.co.uk, our powerful and speedy search engine, we found the following fares on offer this week*:

• Qatar Airways is offering flights from London Heathrow to Dubai in September from £218 inc. taxes.

• KLM has fares from Manchester to Nairobi in September from £357.80.

• US Airways has fares from Glasgow to New York’s La Guardia in September from £317.20.

• Qantas are offering fares from Newcastle upon Tyne to Hong Kong in September from £421,29.

• Emirate Airlines has fares from London’s Gatwick to Cape Town in September from £527.70.

• Air France is offering fares from Bristol to Singapore in September from £467.70.

• Air Canada has fares from London’s Heathrow to Los Angeles in September from £390.30.

• FlyBMI has fares from Belfast to Cairo in September from £278.59.

• Air France has fares from Southampton to Johannesburg in September from £437.90.

• Gulf Air is offering fares from Edinburgh to Abu Dhabi in September from £369.

Dan continues: “These results clearly show what great bargains are on offer. They were found easily and quickly, without the need to trawl through many different websites. In some cases, these fares were saving up to £300 when compared to some of the UK airlines. Using a site such as www.nowfly.co.uk brings a wealth of information to the traveller, and it does so in a matter of seconds. Whilst unraveling the hidden costs of any trip is very important, starting with a selection of the most competitive fares is paramount”.

About nowfly.co.uk:

nowfly.co.uk was established in January 2008. nowfly uses search engine technology to find as many prices as possible for flight, hotel or car rental queries. We search 100's of leading, reliable and reputable airline, hotel and travel websites and we aim to present this information as quickly as possible, and importantly, in an easy and logical way.

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE PRICES WERE CORRECT AT THE TIME OF WRITING THE RELEASE. NOWFLY CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THESE FARES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE.

- ends -

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

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THE LITTLE FISH WITH BIG IDEAS

July 2009 – Funny word, “now.” Feels rather immediate. Almost urgent. “The fierce urgency of now”, some American bloke said recently. And this sense of hurrying is commonplace nowadays. Rush here, absorb a little more information or advertising there, until your feet hurt and your brain is saying “remember that hammock on Koh Pha Ngan?” Clever things, brains.

And so we get used to big brands, sometimes even like them and feel comfortable with who they are and how they make us feel. Until we discover they sell guns or eat polar bears. Big isn’t always beautiful. So what if there was a new company that people didn’t know about? The new kid in the class who is looking at his shoes but knows he can knock the socks off the competition? Here at www.nowfly.co.uk we think it’s worth telling people about.

That’s why we are sending you this press release about our newly re-launched and very fast travel search engine. But what makes us different? If you want the version with technological whistles and bells on, just ask and we will shimmy it over to you.

But as time is short, let’s just say nowfly searches faster and deeper than conventional engines. It’s a Ferrari, not a Mondeo. It isn’t sensible but it is an exciting ride with the minimum of crashes and the maximum of top results. And we are developing unique travel content to inform and inspire our users on a weekly basis. Recent travel tips in the ‘zip it’ travel column include:

• Scott Maslen. Who knew the EastEnders hardman has toured the world beyond Albert Square?He likes to get around off-camera and is a big fan of New York: “For a boho hit try the great rooms at Soho House NY in the Meat Packing district. It’s very cool. And make sure you visit an authentic jazz club - there are many to choose from. Woody Allen's band plays a regular slot at the Cafe Carlyle on a Monday evening and it’s one of the most popular.”

• Double Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell, currently freezing his bits off on a race to the South Pole for the BBC’s On Thin Ice, has circled the globe for business and pleasure. He isn’t a fan of airline food. “Forget the plate of plastic food or curled-up sandwich served at 30,000 feet. The best food and drink to get you through the journey that also helps you feel more human when you arrive has to be a big bag of fruit and plenty of water. Avoid the rich food and alcohol - you’ll feel fresher than the people at the front of the plane.”

• We are getting users to tell us about their top tunes to travel with. Tim from London is partial to a bit of Grace by Jeff Buckley. “What could be better? Backpacking around Fraser Island, trekking through a rainforest and walking along miles of beach. Well, the swim bettered it. Waddling into a vivid blue Lake McKenzie and then watching the sun go down while listening to Grace by Jeff Buckley. Awesome.

So do have a look at the new kid. Because he can save people that rarest of commodities – time.

About nowfly.co.uk:

- ends -

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 07860 904976 for further information.

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WHICH ITV PRESENTER LIKES TO SLEEP UNDER THE STARS AT JACK'S CAMP IN BOTSWANA? THE NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION OF WWW.NOWFLY.CO.UK FINDS OUT.

1. ‘This has to be the best airport service ever. The plane literally pulls up next to your accommodation. It’s a long way from the norm.’ (Olympic Gold Medallist James Cracknell).

2. ‘Arrive by seaplane (which is very exciting) and be prepared for the bear briefing before you set out. Take those snacks out of your backpack or pockets or you may have an encounter that you weren’t planning on.’ (Helen, Berkshire - nowfly user).

3. ‘I found this place by accident after my family and I got food poisoning whilst staying in a rented cottage (I cooked, so my fault).’ (ITV’s Craig Doyle).

4. ‘Deep snow, warming vodka and crossing the border is something straight out of a Bond film.’ (Marcus Waring, travel journalist and nowfly.co.uk editor).

5. ‘If I so much as thought about being thirsty they brought a drink, if my sunglasses suddenly looked a bit dirty they were being cleaned….it was like the ultimate in telepathy.’ (BBC presenter Gabby Logan).

July 2009 – today nowfly.co.uk unveils the latest version of its successful travel search engine. It’s now even easier to use, with a new look and feel, but still generates fantastically quick results. nowfly.co.uk successfully launched at the end of 2008 and was rated by Times Online as one of the top ten travel websites for 2009.

Since then the site has significantly evolved, improving both the design and performance. It has joined forces with travel journalist Marcus Waring (Evening Standard, the Independent, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, www.thehotelguru.com) to launch ‘zip it’, nowfly’s travel column. This includes unique and snappy travel tips and news by Marcus and nowfly users thanks to a new blog and Twitter. nowfly.co.uk has also picked up several great tips from well-known faces. So if you want to hear where Scott Maslen, Gabby Logan, Craig Doyle and James Cracknell like to relax, look no further. They also have some great travel advice to boot.

Using cutting-edge technology, nowfly.co.uk searches over 340 airline websites, including those of 90 low-cost carriers as well as scheduled and charter airlines, to find the very lowest fares available at any moment. But nowfly.co.uk is not just about flights. The new site, the first to use the power of TravelFUSION travel search technology to its full potential, is also the place to find hotels, hire cars and other travel extras so that users can build their own bespoke holiday.

About nowfly.co.uk:

nowfly.co.uk was established in January 2008. The site uses search engine technology to find as many prices as possible for flight, hotel or car rental queries. The site searches hundreds of leading, reliable and reputable airline, hotel and travel websites and aims to present this information as quickly as possible and in an easy and logical way.

- ends -

To Editors:

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

___________________________________________________________________________

TRAVEL SEARCH ENGINE NOWFLY.CO.UK LAUNCHES ITS LATEST VERSION

July 2009 – After a successful soft launch in December 2008, travel search engine nowfly.co.uk launches its latest version of the site today.

Cleanly designed and easy to use, nowfly.co.uk was started by a group of online and travel experts with a clear objective to provide an easy, fun and best-priced way of finding a flight, hotel or car rental. nowfly.co.uk successfully launched its travel search engine at the end of 2008 and was picked out by the TimesOnline for inclusion within its top ten travel websites to look out for in January 2009.

The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has extensive experience in the online and travel sectors. “Since its launch, we have been able to gather valuable feedback in addition to undertaking further usability testing. This has given us the opportunity of seeing where the site worked well but importantly, where it needed enhancing”, commented Hart. The result has seen improved functionality and navigational changes with clearer presentation.

In addition, nowfly.co.uk has joined forces with travel journalist Marcus Waring (Evening Standard, the Independent, Sunday Times Travel Magazine, www.thehotelguru.com) to launch ‘zip it’, nowfly’s travel column. This includes travel tips and news by Marcus and as well as nowfly users thanks to a new blog and Twitter contributions. nowfly.co.uk has also picked up several great tips from well-known faces.

There are a number of factors that set nowfly.co.uk apart from its competitors:

Content is broad and wide, searching more than 340 airlines including low-cost, charter and scheduled carriers.

nowfly.co.uk uses an airline-style search, presenting results for each sector rather than combining outbound and inbound options together.

The site has third-party integration with leading, well-known travel sites as well as airlines, hotels and car rental suppliers.

The website has geo-coded results for all the leading hotel chains and major consolidators, using Google Maps to visually place hotel results.

nowfly.co.uk has teamed up with travel journalist Marcus Waring to provide weekly travel tips and ideas through its ‘zip it’ column, to help users get the very most from their journeys.

nowfly.co.uk has added a new community site where its users can blog, share photos, video or audio files. Utilising cutting-edge technology, nowfly.co.uk is the first site in the UK to employ TRAVELfusion’s API. Dan comments “I believe that the combination of good content from TRAVELfusion, matched with a great user-face, is a compelling proposition for travellers booking trips online.”

Comments Moshe Rafiah, TRAVELfusion CEO: “This is exactly the kind of partnership that we envisioned when we created our XML API programme. By combining the most advanced travel search technologies developed by TRAVELfusion with innovative applications such as nowfly.co.uk, we have created a winning formula for success.”

About nowfly.co.uk:

- ends -

To Editors

Permission is granted for this press release to be used in full or part on the condition that nowfly.co.uk is credited. Where this release is used online, a link to www.nowfly.co.uk must be included.

More information:

Please visit www.nowfly.co.uk or www.nowfly.net. If you wish to call please telephone 0790 999 5074 for further information.

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ESCAPING THE RECESSION - FLY TO WHERE YOUR POUND GOES FURTHER

11th March 2009 - The slump in the value of the pound has impacted virtually all but a few key holiday destinations, says Dan Hart, founder of travel search engine nowfly.co.uk. The pound has depreciated by 38% against the dollar since last March, the euro by 17%, the Swiss franc by 28% and the Thai bhat by 26%.

Choosing your next holiday or weekend break is simply not a case of finding the best value air-fare or hotel rate, but is becoming more dependent on how far your pound will go once there. There are however, some destinations where the pound is more or less where it was a year ago and in cases, has strengthened.

“The pound can now buy an Australian dollar at a higher level than last year, along with the Icelandic krona, the Mexican peso, the Seychelles rupee, the South African rand, the Swedish krona and the Turkish new lira. Coupled with the most aggressive air-fare war we have seen, these destinations must be high on the list for those seeking a good value break”, comments Hart.

The company’s powerful web technology has unearthed return fares in May on Middle Eastern carrier Emirates Airways from London to Perth via its hub in Dubai for just £535. Etihad Airways are offering return fares from London to Sydney at £584 and Royal Brunei Airlines are selling fares to Brisbane for £554 return.

“A year ago, you would have been looking at paying at least £700 for flights to Australia but the introduction of the huge Airbus A380 on the Sydney route by Qantas and Singapore Airlines, coupled with a downturn in demand, has led to the appearance of these unbelievable fares all across Australia.”

Australia is not the only long-haul destination offering bargains at the moment. nowfly’s cutting edge search technology has unearthed bargains travelling in May such as £377 for a return from London to Mexico City and £445 return for flights from Manchester to Cape Town on British Midland and £133 return for tickets on KLM from Edinburgh to Istanbul via Amsterdam Schiphol. Easyjet are offering flights from Luton to Istanbul for as little as £60, whilst SAS have fares at £107 from Heathrow to Stockholm.

About nowfly.co.uk:

nowfly.co.uk was established in January 2008. The management team comprises a mix of travel and online experts with extensive experience within these fields. CEO Dan Hart has worked within the travel and online sectors for over 15 years.

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FLY TO SYDNEY FOR £240 (PLUS TAXES), SAYS TRAVEL SEARCH ENGINE NOWFLY.CO.UK

5th March 2009 - The slump in the number of passengers travelling on the world’s airlines is leading to some of the best long-haul bargains ever, says Dan Hart, founder of travel search engine nowfly.co.uk.

The company’s powerful web technology has unearthed return fares in May on Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways from London Heathrow to Sydney via its hub in Abu Dhabi for just £240 plus taxes and charges, or £514 all in.

These fares are historically low, says Hart. “Airlines have been trying to use smaller planes and cut the frequency of services on some routes in a bid to keep fares up. But the fall in passenger numbers has been so great on some routes that airlines have been forced into fare wars, leading to some incredibly low prices – with some lower than they have ever been in real terms.

“In the 1980s, you could get seats on charter flights from London to Sydney for £399. That was a great deal back then but the fares you can get now on scheduled carriers for just over £500 are cheaper when the effect of inflation is taken into account and you get a better seat too.” He adds: “A year ago, you would have been looking at paying at least £700 for flights on the popular Kangaroo Route but the introduction of the huge Airbus A380 on the route by Qantas and Singapore Airlines, coupled with a downturn in demand, has led to the appearance of these unbelievable fares.”

The nowfly.co.uk technology also shows how airlines are still making money from fuel surcharges, despite the slump in the price of oil. The £514 Etihad fare includes £264-worth of various taxes and charges, including £160 return in fuel surcharges. “Despite this smoke and mirrors approach from airlines, there is no doubt these current fares are incredibly attractive” says Hart.

Australia is not the only long-haul destination offering with bargains at the moment. nowfly’s research shows that many of the best deals come from taking one-stop flights via the Continent. nowfly’s cutting edge search technology has unearthed bargains such as £357 all in (£121 plus £236 in charges) for a return from Bristol to Shanghai and £318 return (£81 plus £237 in charges) for flights from Manchester to San Francisco both via Paris on Air France and £289 return (£75 plus £214 taxes and charges) for tickets on KLM from Manchester to Delhi via Amsterdam Schiphol.

About nowfly.co.uk:

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SLUMP IN BUSINESS CLASS DEMAND LEADS TO HISTORICALLY LOW FARES

4th March 2009 - Business travel is one of the key areas that companies look to cut in the face of a recession, mainly because it is an easy target that offers the potential of big cost savings. But slashing business trips may not be the right thing to do, according to Dan Hart, founder of travel search engine nowfly.co.uk. “Companies are understandably nervous in the face of an economic downturn and instinctively cut back on certain key areas: marketing and business travel are the two obvious areas of low-hanging fruit. Yet businesses that do cut back in these areas risk alienating the very customers who will be able to help them through a crisis,” says Hart. “Face-to-face meetings with key clients are invaluable in maintaining strong relationships that will go on to bear fruit both now and when we eventually emerge from recession,” he says.

One advantage for companies that do intend to continue to travel to see their customers is that air-fares in business class have plummeted. Hart says: “Airlines are suffering from a slump in demand in their premium cabins. British Airways, for example, has today [4 March] announced that the number of premium passengers has fallen by more than 20% from a year ago. Airlines have tried to reduce their capacity – by cutting the frequency of flights and reducing the size of aircraft flying on a route – in an attempt to keep their yields up. However, the rash of historically low fares we are seeing on nowfly.co.uk shows that there are still too many seats on some of the key routes with the result that business class fares are now ridiculously low. We are seeing prices of just more than £1,000 for seats in British Airways’ Club World on the transatlantic route between Heathrow and Newark, kept low by an intense fares war with Virgin Atlantic.”

It is not just British carriers having to cut fares either. “Etihad is offering business class seats from London to Sydney via Abu Dhabi for around £2,500 while Air New Zealand has business returns to Los Angeles for £1,627,” says Hart. “If you look back a year or two, you would have paid hundreds or thousands more for the same seats.”

With such bargains around, it is inevitable that businesses want to shop around for the cheapest fares. Hart says: “Competition between the airlines to win premium customers is intense and it is inevitable that their customers are turning to fare search engines such as nowfly.co.uk to pick up the best bargains.”

About nowfly.co.uk:

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TRAVEL SEARCH ENGINE NOWFLY.CO.UK SEEKS TOP TRAVEL TIPS

2nd March 2009 - Whether it’s clambering up Java’s Mount Merapi at 3am to watch the sunrise, eating live sea urchins straight from the Med in Sicily or dancing till it’s light in a Rotterdam nightclub, we all have travel experiences we want to share with our friends. New travel search engine nowfly.co.uk wants to hear them too.

The search engine, which compares fares on 340 airlines, is seeking tips and experiences to share with readers of its online magazine zip it. And the quirkier the tips, the better. As a starter, nowfly has already started posting some of these experiences on zip it, including some from well-known faces.

nowfly’s CEO Dan Hart has his top five ready:

1. Best Mountain Restaurant. For the best mountain restaurant with a breathtaking view try Chez Vrony in Zermatt. Sit back on loungers with a provided cosy blanket keeping you warm, sipping a glass of prosecco, awaiting the best plate of cured meats and cheeses while gazing at the striking Matterhorn.

2. Best Oysters. Go to L'Huîtrière in Lille. The waiters, decked out in crisp aprons, bring the freshest oysters to your table. Make sure you end your feast with a zingy crepe suzette.

3. Best Beach Restaurant. The Lonestar, Barbados. We’ve eaten here loads, has to be in my top five restaurants worldwide. Food is great and the setting is just fantastic – literally on the beach.

4. Best Boat Trip. Circle Line, New York. Where do you get the best view of Manhattan? From the Empire State or down Fifth Avenue?

5. Best Hotel. Palazzo Sasso, Ravello, Italy. This is stunning, a 12th century Italian Villa perched on the top of Ravello village. We had three days here, filled with doing very little.

Dan comments: “We’re really keen to get some fun, interesting and up-to-date views and opinions from travellers. We don’t want to create just another travel guide, but instead want people telling us about stuff our users really need to know. We want to pick the best of the bunch, post them on the site and if we have travelling ‘tweeters’ who can add to, comment on or update our existing tips, we’ll post these up too.”

To get their tips onto nowfly, travellers simply need to visit the nowfly Twitter profile at www.twitter.com/nowfly and click the Follow button. nowfly will keep users up to date with cool news and events around the world as well as great deals to top destinations. They will follow people in return and watch what they’re tweeting about. And the people with the quirkiest and finest tips will see these posted on zip it. Alternatively, travellers and bloggers can e-mail their tips to zip@nowfly.co.uk.

About nowfly.co.uk:

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NOWFLY.CO.UK IS THE BEST ROUTE TO THE MOUNTAINS THIS WINTER

February 2009 - Nearly one in four people booking a ski holiday now does so independently and this emerging section of the winter sports holiday market gets bigger every year. The number of people who book ski holidays online is also growing, with one in seven now booking their travel arrangements on their PC.

The biggest reason for the expansion of this increasingly important group of web- savvy and independent snow-lovers is the growth of low-cost airlines, which have become the preferred mode of transport for many people heading to the slopes. But with low-cost airlines doing everything they can to keep travellers on their own websites, how can skiers and snowboarders be sure they are really getting the best deal available?

Dan Hart, CEO of travel search engine nowfly.co.uk which launched in 2008, says that by using a flight comparison website such as nowfly.co.uk, skiers and snowboarders can be sure of finding the very cheapest flights out to the snow. nowfly.co.uk searches more than 340 airlines, including low-cost, charter and schedule carriers.

nowfly.co.uk also helps travellers put together their own packages. Visitors to the site, which is fast and cleanly designed, can search through thousands of hotels. Users can even see the location of their chosen property on a map to check how close it is to the slopes.

Users can also add a hire car to their package, sourcing the lowest-priced vehicle from a range of leading car rental suppliers and consolidators in all of the major winter destinations.

“With the cost of going to the mountains soaring, independent skiers and snowboarders want to know they are getting the very best prices for their flights, hotels and car rental,” says Hart. “nowfly.co.uk helps them do just that.”

About nowfly.co.uk:

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NEW TRAVEL SEARCH ENGINE CASTS ITS NET WITH THE LATEST VERSION OF NOWFLY

January 2009 – After a successful soft launch in December 2008, new travel search engine nowfly.co.uk launches its latest version of the site today. At a time when finding the best value option is more important than ever, nowfly.co.uk delivers equal or better fares than its rivals. And it is seriously quick, too.

Cleanly designed and easy to use, nowfly.co.uk was started by a group of online and travel experts with a clear objective to provide an easy, fun and best priced way of finding a flight, hotel or car rental. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has extensive experience in the online and travel sectors.

There are a number of factors which set nowfly.co.uk apart from its competitors:

• The site has gone through extensive usability testing and the results have shown that the site is clearly presented and easy to navigate.

• Content is broad and wide, searching more than 340 airlines including low-cost, charter and scheduled carriers.

• nowfly.co.uk uses an airline-style search, presenting results for each sector rather than combining outbound and inbound options together.

• The site has third-party integration with leading, well-known travel sites as well as airlines, hotels and car rental suppliers.

• The website has geo-coded results for all the leading hotel chains and major consolidators, using Google Maps to visually place hotel results.

• nowfly.co.uk has teamed up with travel journalist Marcus Waring to provide weekly travel tips and ideas to help users get the very most from their journeys.

Utilising cutting-edge technology, nowfly.co.uk is the first site in the UK to employ TRAVELfusion’s API. Dan comments “I believe that the combination of good content from TRAVELfusion, matched with a great user-face, is a compelling proposition for travellers booking trips online.”

About nowfly.co.uk:

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NEW TRAVEL SEARCH ENGINE GOES FURTHER AND FASTER TO ACHIEVE TOP RESULTS

December 2008 – New travel search engine nowfly.co.uk launches today, looking set to overhaul the standards of speed and accuracy established by other well-known market leaders. At a time when finding the best value option is more important than ever to travellers, nowfly.co.uk delivers equal or better fares than its rivals. And it is seriously quick, too.

Cleanly designed and easy to use, nowfly.co.uk was started by a group of online and travel experts with a clear objective to provide an easy, fun, and best priced way of finding a flight, hotel or car rental. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has extensive experience in the online and travel sectors.

There are a number of factors which set nowfly.co.uk apart from its competitors:

• The site has gone through extensive usability testing and the results have shown that the site is clearly presented and easy to navigate.

• The content is broad and wide, searching more than 340 airlines with routes, fares and availability and giving the user essential information about booking their flight, hotel or car rental.

• The team studied the way flight results are presented with other travel and airlines websites and recognised that the user wants maximum flexibility when booking their flight itinerary. nowfly.co.uk uses an airline-style search, presenting results for each sector rather than lumping outbound and inbound options together.

• nowfly.co.uk searches low-cost, charter and scheduled airlines, giving a well-informed choice to the traveller, along with the flexibility to choose the best departure and arrival times.

• The site has third-party integration with leading, well-known travel sites as well as airlines, hotels and car rental suppliers.

• The website has geo-coded results for all the leading hotel chains and major consolidators, using the Google Maps Application Programming Interface (API) to visually place hotel results.

• Car rental options are found by using the leading car rental suppliers and consolidators globally.

• nowfly.co.uk uses the Ajax web application, retrieving data from the server asynchronously in the background. This means it loads before the user’s very eyes, without the need for a separate wait page.

Utilising cutting-edge technology, nowfly.co.uk is the first site in the UK to employ the full suite of the TRAVELfusion API. Dan has worked closely with TRAVELfusion over the past year. “I knew they were a great, innovative travel technology company and felt that they were the right people to work with,” Dan comments. “I believe that the combination of good content from TRAVELfusion, matched with a great user-face, is a compelling proposition for travellers booking trips online.”

TRAVELfusion is a world leader in constructing powerful travel search and web fare booking tools which search, aggregate, compare and book travel content from the web. Based around the company’s patented TRIPplannerXML platform, TRAVELfusion has integrated hundreds of travel suppliers including air, hotel, car, rail and ferry as well as adding its unique content generated directly by travel suppliers.

Money-saving price comparison websites have grown in reach and reputation over the last few years. According to a 2008 study undertaken by e-consultancy.com, Comparison Shopping Engines (CSEs) contributed to around 10% of online sales for retailers. Approximately 43% of these retailers claimed that their sales had increased in the last 12 months.

The next phase for nowfly.co.uk is to introduce further useful travel tips as well as community-based content to help users make better informed decisions. The company will also run a number of marketing campaigns to keep users abreast of great travel offers, including ancillary products such as travel insurance, car parking and foreign currency. Product innovation and enhancement is key and will be driven forward to keep nowfly.co.uk looking fresh, without losing sight of the founding principle – fast and highly competitive travel search results every time.

About nowfly.co.uk:

nowfly.co.uk was established at the beginning of 2008. The management team comprises a mix of travel and online experts with extensive experience within these fields. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has worked within the travel and online sectors for over 15 years. Dan worked within the Virgin Group for 12 years, initially starting his career at Virgin Atlantic and most recently with thetrainline.com. Dan has also worked for a start-up airline and lastminute.com.

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THE TRIP YOU WANT, THE WAY YOU WANT

December 2008 - Travel these days is all about choice. Modern travellers simply do not want just the option of a seven-day package holiday to the Costas. They want a romantic weekend in Rioja, six days in sexy Stockholm or three weeks with a backpack in Borneo. Most of all they want the flexibility to put these trips together themselves.

Savvy travellers know that starting your holiday search on the website of an individual airline is like stamping ’rip me off’ on their foreheads.

Dan Hart, head of nowfly.co.uk, which launches today, says: “With the faltering economy and uncertainty over who flies where after a rash of airline failures, now more than ever, people should be using a fare comparison engine like nowfly.co.uk to find the best deals.”

nowfly.co.uk searches 340 airline websites, including those of 90 low-cost carriers as well as scheduled and charter airlines, to find the very lowest fares available at any moment.

But nowfly.co.uk is not just about flights. The new site, the first to use the power of TravelFUSION travel search technology to its full, is also the place to go to find hotels, hire cars and other travel extras to let you build your own customised travel experience.

“Why let a travel agent or tour operator tell you the components of your holiday when you can pick and mix the perfect elements yourself,” says Hart.

Search speed is vital too. You only have to look at Google to realise how stripped-down design serves them so well.

nowfly.co.uk has a similarly neat design which makes flight, hotel and car searches lightning quick. Other comparison engines that promise to search hundreds of other websites to find the cheapest prices often do so at the expense of search time.

“We recognise that people don’t have time to wait around in their busy lives,” says Hart. “The technology that powers nowfly.co.uk means you get the best bargains in an instant.”

About nowfly.co.uk:

nowfly.co.uk was established at the beginning of 2008. It compares fares from some 340 airlines, including more than 90 low cost carriers as well as charter and scheduled airlines. nowfly.co.uk also searches for the best prices from third party consolidators to help users find the best prices. It also helps compare rates from major hotel consolidators and car rental companies quickly.

The management team comprises a mix of travel and online experts with extensive experience within these fields. The business is headed by Dan Hart, who has worked within the travel and online sectors for over 15 years, including stints at the Virgin Group, lastminute.com and thetrainline.com.

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