Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

180 years on from Thomas Cook’s first excursion, what is his enduring legacy?Face masks on trains. What’s happening?And cutting through the confusion on testing.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The passport perils of BrexitTravel industry's great and good demand freedomAnd new air routes possibly coming to an airport near you.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why you should go to Ukraine.It’s a year today since the great unlocking of international travel: how different things are now.And more on the Indian variant of the AstraZeneca vaccine: no need to panic.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could an Indian vaccine scupper your planned trip?More on Spain’s tests for British travellers.And the number of flights is increasing – particular on Ryanair.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain spells out what tests you will need to visit.Malta makes a U-turn on how to prove you’ve been jabbed.And the next candidates for the red list?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today: not all roads lead to Rome for England fans.Malta seems to get tougher – but Portugal eases its restrictions.Who said travel was supposed to be easy?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today: more on those Mediterranean restrictions.Labour wants the borders closed.And how to travel in Scotland during the Covid era.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today: as Mediterranean Islands go green for travellers to the UK, the barriers go up for British visitors.A leading analyst says 22 more countries deserve to be on the green list.And don’t neglect the small things – the travel industry really can’t afford to mess up.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could a new health secretary change the way that travel opens up?The Boeing 737 Max is back and starting operations for the summer.And the elephants have landed in central London.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new rules brought in by Malta just one day after they were put on the Green List.What happens to your insurance and points if you are to go against foreign office advice?And why we should be cruising the Balearics.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who’s gone green? Who hasn’t, and why not? And the red list arrivals.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holidays postponed: most travel bookings last week were for next year.The Foreign Office drops its warning against travel to China.And a reminder about passport problems post Brexit.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Travel Day of Action”: What the industry is demanding – and what it might get?“We won’t do anything to put public health at risk” – so does that include not making them stay in the UK?And easyJet’s last throw of the dice goes wrong, with new flights from Manchester to Scotland already called off. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The strange tale of vaccine contraction: the more British people are jabbed, the less travel there is.Will Matt Hancock ease quarantine?And Indiana Wants Me, but Cornwall Doesn’t NecessarilySign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pilots’ union says UK is doing worst in Europe for flying.Should you take a chance on Malta going green?and Aer Lingus starts charging for cabin baggage.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletters and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the next “traffic light review” approaches, what “green list” additions might there be? Could British Airways abandon Gatwick?Seven years late: part-time season tickets are about to arrive on the railways.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Germany’s tabloid press mocks the UK’s travel restrictionsItaly makes arrivals from the UK quarantineAnd when will the UAE escape the UK’s red list?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jersey gives England a red card – but allows vaccinated travellers to swerve quarantine.Rail passengers face disruption from London to Inverness as rail strikes increase.And when might Turkey escape from the “red list”?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Manchester airport and Ryanair take legal action against the government“We have the toughest border measures anywhere in the world,” says the prime minister.And easyJet’s last throw of the dice on summer routes.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Boeing 737 Max is on its way  to Ryanair – would you step aboard?Manchester passengers lose the Irish connection to America for the summer.And the race is on: a rail record attempt tomorrow between London and Glasgow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Delay day – what does the postponed reopening in England mean for travel?Ryanair’s Belarus diversion: new revelations to MPsAnd a new ferry link between Wales and Northern Ireland.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four weeks since the Green List was created – what has changed since then?Cancelled flights: be sure of your rights.Faster trains promised from Edinburgh and Newcastle to London – but not for a year.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aer Lingus and British Airways take over from failed Stobart Air.easyJet cancelling flights in July.Lufthansa deploying its biggest planes.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stobart Air collapses: why, what it means and your rights.Postponement for 21st June domestic reopening looks bad for travellers.And in the unlikely event you are going there anytime soon, Portugal has eased testing requirements.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holiday prices collapse to Portugal – but soar to Jersey.Domestic tourism: a mountain to climb.And Heathrow numbers are down 90%, once again.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Joe Biden arrives in Cornwall … the UK gets another travel taskforce, this time looking at restarting transatlantic travel.British Airways and Ryanair face legal action over refunds.And how slowing down on the rails can save you cash.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scottish cruise cancellation – more misery on the ocean wave.Another round of travel industry fury with the government’s “traffic light” policy.And Britain's biggest holiday company extends cancellations.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’ve spoken to two top travel chief executives: the boss of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and the CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership, a consortium of travel agencies. Very different views on the future.And from one analyst of infection figures: the dozen European countries on the amber list that have lower rates than the UK. Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today leading travel boss reveals some business owners are losing their homes due to restrictions around coronavirus.Airline execs say there should be more travel between the UK and US.And a brief review on the state of the railways. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Revelations of a cabinet bust-up over the freedom to travel this summer – a battle that the transport secretary, the travel industry and the holidaymaker lost.With hundreds of flights now being cancelled, what are your rights – according to law, not the airlines?And the Channel Island of Guernsey invents a fourth traffic light – the blue list. Could it catch on?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Escape from Portugal – what are the options?As Portugal closes down, the Faroes open up.And how long does passport control at Heathrow actually take?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel industry responses to the extraordinary downgrading of Portugal to the amber list – and your rights if you are booked to travel imminently to Portugal.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The travel industry is in utter despair at leaks from government that indicate no more countries are being added to the "green list" and that Portugal is set to be moved to "amber" – with quarantine required of holidaymakers.My calls to the Department for Transport are going unanswered.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We still don’t know when the green list will change.Gibraltar starts warning travellers of the consequences of a trip across the border to Spain.And the tourism minister tells me: this British overseas territory is the safest place in Europe.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm looking at Heathrow's brand new Red List Terminal and what that means for airport operations and passengers.An on location report of the experience you can expect visiting Gibraltar.And it looks as though the expected Green List review we hoped for will not be arriving Thursday.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gibraltar is the tourism success of early summer – I’m at the airport to report for you.The public mood, though, seems to be anti-travel according to a ComRes poll for The Independent.And the weekend numbers at the start of half term spell gloom for the travel industry.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in the air – how different is the flying experience from Heathrow?As Europe turns green, is the UK going red?And what is the outlook for Eurostar in the coronavirus era?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ireland opens up – but with a Brexit bite.Could the green list additions be limited by the length of queues at Heathrow?And why it pays to book ahead for train travel.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Update on green list announcement timing – I’ll bring you the latest.Bank holiday travel: what’s happening on the roads and railways?Jersey opens up for vaccinated travellers.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

France puts the UK on its version of the amber list.When will the new green list be announced – and which islands might make the cut?More on the rails: passenger numbers will return, the transport secretary assures me.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Airlines’ fury at green list.Green list won’t be changing dramatically.Every single train job saved in coronavirus pandemic. Please excuse background noise on today's bulletin.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Belarus: the travel repercussions continue.Diversions: in normal times why do they happen? And what are the consequences?Green/amber/red: did we get any clues from Monday night’s debate in Parliament?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryanair plane forced to land in Belarus: what are the implications?After the scare, how do the airlines stack up for safety?Race to Spain gets under way: but how much “amberlust” is there?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm tackling three questions:Why can unvaccinated people from Portugal come to the UK, but vaccinated visitors from the US cannot?How much notice will those in amber destinations get to return home if that country is put on the red list while there?Why has easyJet cancelled almost all its flights to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands for June?Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stay or go? Why has Spain said it wants Brits, but Germany has placed arrivals from the UK on its own version of the amber/red list.Predictions for the next green list review – who’s up, who’s down.And the latest on those stationary high-speed trains.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Big news from Spain today: the prime minister in Madrid says welcome back Brits from Monday.But the government warns against travel to, say, the Canary Islands. Except it also says it’s fine to visit the Canary Islands. Confused? I’ll do my best to help.And the latest pronouncements on the green list from politicians and the medical profession.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a railway special from Britain’s railway station, Clapham Junction. What the heck is Great British Railways, and what will it mean for passengers?Split-ticketing and other money-saving tips. I’ll be leaving Clapham Junction on a train to Southampton. So of course I bought, perfectly legally, a ticket from Brighton.And the latest from Grant Shapps on that Green List.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After recently opening travel restrictions in the UK, some government ministers now say do not travel abroad. Apart from those that say, do travel abroad?I look into the recent decisions made by the European Union and how it will effect you.And we see a return to premium class on British railways.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The travel experience in summer 2021 – worth it when you get here. But then there’s the getting back …What the European Union will decide on Wednesday – and how that won’t affect anything returning to the UK.And just what the world didn’t need: another Icelandic airline.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m speaking to you from a Ryanair Boeing 737 which is shortly landing at Faro airport in Portugal, after a two-and-a-half hour flight from London. I’ll talk you through the travel experience.I paid £25 for my flight and Ryanair has just announced a loss of £700m. Could the two things be connected?And bets on the changes in the quarantine-free “green list” – when and where?Please excuse background noise on today's episode.Sign up to Simon's free weekly newsletter at independent.co.uk/newsletter and all the very latest is available 24hrs a day at independent.co.uk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.