A round-up of other travel stories in brief...
Hold that parking slot
Car-park users at Dublin Airport who have seen
charges rocket in recent years have a bit of good news this week.
Dublin Airport Authority has launched an online car-park booking
service, with up to 50 per cent off short-term charges when they
leave their vehicle at weekends. See
www.dublinairport.com.
Meanwhile, travellers using the airport should remember that, with the exception of gates C41 and C42, Pier C gates have been closed for redevelopment. Most flights that have been leaving from Pier C are being reallocated to Pier A, B or D. Passengers should double-check their boarding cards for their gate number.
Scanner leaves nowhere to hide
Soon nothing will be sacred. A body scanner that has
been installed at JFK airport in New York allows security screeners
to see under travellers' clothing. It can create a fuzzy 3D image
of a person's body, exposing some curves, or even show them naked
or in their underwear. The American Civil Liberties Union says it
is concerned at the development, and is seeking assurances that the
images are not going to end up on the internet. The machines, use
of which for the moment is voluntary, are to be rolled out across
US airports.
Wine-tasting break in Bordeaux
Nell Stewart Liberty, the former Social &
Personal magazine editor, now runs a small hotel in the
19th-century Chateau Soussac, in Bordeaux in France. She has a
package of three nights' accommodation and continental breakfast,
two five-course dinners and a tour of the vineyard and wine tasting
for €240 per person. She'll give a 10 per cent discount if
booked and paid for by the end of April.
www.chateau-soussac.com.