Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Warnings of flight cancellations, a cruise with a killer virus on board, the EU entry-exit system ... Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, tells me of her frustration about warnings on summer travel that look wide of the mark. But she also says this is the industry of human happiness. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel Desk Tuesday, and I am talking to Senior Travel Writer Natalie Wilson about two fresh concepts in the longhaul aviation world: Emirates' plan for en suite bathrooms in First Class, with Air New Zealand offering bunk beds in Economy. Do we need either? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is an extremely busy weekend on the travel front, and I am rounding up the headline. There are alarming reports of a small expedition ship off the coast of Cape Verde with cases of hantavirus. Worried airline passengers are contacting me about flight cancellations this summer: my message is, don't panic. The EU entry-exit system is unravelling across Europe, so be prepared for anything. Finally, Venezuela is now connected with the US for the first time by an American carrier for seven years, with American Airlines going in from Miami to Caracas. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nine weeks ago, before the US-Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent reprisals, the intercontinental travel world looked very different. I’ve been talking to Laura Lindsay of Skyscanner – the platform where you can search for flights, hotels, car hire and package holidays. “People do still want to get away,” she says. But their destination choices are changing, with western Europe and Morocco benefiting from a drop in demand for Dubai. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have just launched our biggest ever network from the UK" – so says Yvonne Moynihan, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK. "Airlines are well used to crises– we're resilient and well adapted". She says: "We have fuel supply. We have other mechanisms for uplifting fuel. We're not seeing an Armageddon situation. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday I talked to global travel editor Annabel Grossman about her first trip to Poland – a country I have been visiting for decades. Our colleague Maria Jelenska, who works for The Independent, heard the podcast and wanted to talk about her home town, the fine city of Gdansk. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I have been travelling to Poland since before you were born (specifically 1985) and, every time I go there, the nation becomes more appealing – from cuisine and better transport to interpretations of a rich and complex history. But for Travel Desk Tuesday I am talking to global travel editor Annabel Grossman, who is just back from her first visit. She explored national parks and superb beaches, and even found herself on the very brink of Russia. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past few days, there has been controversy in the frequent-flyer community about the apparent extension of Silver and Gold status by BA to people who had done hardly any flying with the airline. Rob Burgess, founder of the Head for Points website, has been telling me more. A spokesperson for IAG Loyalty, which runs the scheme for BA, said: "Due to a technical issue, some members (fewer than 1%) were incorrectly told they had retained their status, when they hadn’t earned it, or been entitled to it. Because of this, we’ll be contacting affected customers in the coming days to apologise and reinstate their correct tier.” This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All week you may have been reading headlines about flight cancellations and soaring airfares. Well, to round off the week, I have been talking to the boss of the leading western Channel ferry operator, Brittany Ferries. Chief executive Christophe Mathieu says he can guarantee no increased prices – due to the company's policy of hedging. And he says there is no shortage of LNG or maritime fuel for his vessels. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On St George's Day, there's no need to trim your travel sails. Despite challenging headlines travel remains in good health. My guest today, Ted Wake, managing director of Kirker Holidays, says that airlines could cut one flight in five with impunity. "There is scope for the airlines to trim their schedules in the coming months without having any appreciable impact on consumers." This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Six months ago, Hawaiian Airlines became part of the Alaska Air Group, with the understanding that its identity as the carrier to, from and within the Pacific state would continue. Today, 22 April, the enterprise joins the Oneworld airline alliance. Chief executive Diana Birkett Rakow has been telling me about her airline, the state of Hawaii and the benefits of an airline alliance. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm talking about the deep south of the world, with conservation biologist Dr Louise Blight – whose book of that title is published today. The work – part science, part adventure and part travelogue – is subtitled "A Story of Penguins, People and Place in Antarctica". Louise told me about her time on Ross Island – and the emotions of life taken to extremes. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is more than 40 years since BA last connected its main base, London Heathrow, with the Channel Island of Guernsey. I was on board the first departure from the isle – a notable operation with both pilots and all but one of the cabin crew being Guernsey born and bread. While I waited for the flight I talked to Zoe Gosling, Lead Marketing Officer at Visit Guernsey – who had just flown in from Heathrow. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Goldstein, wildlife photographer and expedition leader, is just back from Baffin Island in Canada – where the temperature, with wind chill, dropped to minus 50C. He talks about the rewards of such a trip – and his new fundraising project. He will walk 500 miles, and he will walk 500 more, to campaign for endangered species. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Slater, Founder and Managing Director of Henbury Travel of Macclesfield,, tells me that traveller confidence took a knock when the US and Israel began their attack on Iran – but that people are now booking again in normal numbers. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's podcast is rather different from usual. For the first time, I am talking about driving tests but not any driving test. This one involves the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll – Suzi Quatro – who has been on the road, and on the roads for almost 60 years. This year, though she was told she must take a British driving test. Susie has also become a British national. And Tonight she is playing the London Palladium. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eighteen years ago, Kosovo declared independence from Serbia after years of turmoil following the break-up of Yugoslavia. Serbia still regards Kosovo as part of its territory, but more than 100 countries recognise the nation. I flew into the capital, Pristina, which sprawls surprisingly far for a city of under a quarter-million people – but which has a compact and walkable centre. Among the highlights is the Ethnographic Museum, where I met curator Ilir Sopjani. I also visited Prizren, a city close to the Albanian border – which has a handsome Serbian Orthodox cathedral. I got talking to a guide there, Angela, who told me this is a community with room for everyone. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2023 I covered the launch of the British Airways Speedbird Pilot Academy: recruiting young people to be the pilots of tomorrow. I am delighted to be back at Heathrow to meet newly qualified pilot Jasmine Campbell, one of the inaugural intake and now flying A320 family aircraft across the UK and Europe for BA. Recruitment for the next intake begins tomorrow, 14 April, and Senior First Officer Genevieve Pearmaine – the programme lead – told me more. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From today, the EU’s “entry-exit system” is expected to be running at all Schengen area frontiers – bringing to an end the stamping of passports. The digital borders scheme aims to keep a central database of British travellers – as well as many other nationalities. But several EU countries are far from ready, and officials in Brussels have conceded that passports will still be stamped. Here's the inside story. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could you be tempted by the prospect of an exclusive 44-seat aircraft? All-business-class carrier Beond is set to take passengers in some luxury to the Indian Ocean. Rhys Jones, aviation editor for Head for Points, has sampled the cabin. We also talk about Relax Row, the clever three-seat flat bed in economy that Air New Zealand conceived and United Airlines has now picked up. And will there ever be a proper flat bed experience in economy or premium economy? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.