Express to London

All Right, London?

Blimey! Just in time for the Olympics, British Airways is upping its service between London and Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Airlines is launching its first flight to the UK with an all-business plane. Brill. (Let’s see how much British slang this American columnist can bandy about.) Flights from Heathrow to HKIA are set to increase from 14 to 17 per week starting March 25. If you fancy, get your bum/arse on these new flights, which are definitely long enough for a kip. Learn the schedule, because these cheeky monkeys don’t fly all the time. BA21 and BA22 will operate until April 28 before taking a breather, then resume for the height of summer—May 27 to September 3—before another stint from October 3 to 27. A chuffed exec over at the UK’s flag carrier said he also expects the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (60 years on the throne) to draw crowds. Joining the fray is Hong Kong Airlines, which initiated a daily nonstop service to Gatwick on March 8—marking the 11-year-old carrier’s first European destination and its first long-haul flight. Hold the cheers, though, because animal rights advocates got totally aggro about a cock-up Hong Kong Airlines committed in late February, when China Daily reported, based on a leaked internal memo, that the carrier had been transporting dolphins between Japan and Vietnam in dodgy conditions to turn a bloody profit. After 6,500 pissed-off people signed an online petition, the airline stopped dodging blame and agreed to ban shipments going forward. Its new all-business flights to and from London, though, happen to be competitively priced—so if you feel the company has had enough piss-poor luck and deserves some forgiveness, then book away. Ace.

Last-Minute Deals

No plans for Easter? Search engine and booking agent Zuji has put together a couple of reasonably priced flight + hotel packages. Spend a week in London (travel from now till April 8, $5,637) or Sydney (travel from April 5 to 18, $7,963). But if you’re limited to the public holidays, check out the long-weekend deals to Singapore (travel from March 23 to May 4, $3,559) or Seoul (travel from now till May 8, $4,497). Be warned that if you elect the Seoul option, you just might run into me and two of my college roommates traipsing around during a long-awaited reunion (cue girlish shrieking). The downside? All prices exclude taxes and are based on two or more people traveling together. Purchase via phone from now till March 31 and get two $250 discount vouchers.
Book Zuji’s Easter packages by visiting www.zuji.com.hk or calling 800-938-600.

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