According to the Geneva-based Aircraft Crashes Records Office, fewer people died in aircraft crashes last year than at any time since 1947, according to figures released this week. The records are based on most aircraft with the capacity to carry six passengers in its calculations and include commercial and private flights, rescue aircraft, cargo planes and military transporters.

The death toll was 1,379 worldwide and the total number of accidents, 154, was the lowest for 37 years.

Most of the serious incidents took place in the first half of the year, with three major crashes in May. That month saw the year's worst accident in Taiwan, involving a China Airlines Boeing 747-200, which killed 225 people.

Although around 45 percent of accidents were in North and South America that was a 14 percent reduction on the previous year. Crash figures in Asia, however, rose by 15 percent. Europe saw a 4 percent drop in accident numbers, but in Africa the figure rose by 5 percent.

The 46 crashes in the United States mostly involved small planes. There were no deaths on commercial or cargo aircraft in the US according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

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Australian aviation authorities have warned that the country's air links with Papua New Guinea could be severed at the end of January 2003 because of concerns over safety standards. The well used daily service between the capital Port Moresby and Cairns, flown by Air Niugini, is under threat unless PNG's civil aviation authority matches up to international air safety requirements.

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A passenger travelling club class on a British Airways flight from London to Los Angeles was found dead in a bathroom. A newspaper report said the middle-aged man, who is believed to be a Swiss national, was found hanged.

Members of the cabin crew broke into the bathroom after it had been closed for 30 minutes and concerns were raised about the person inside. A doctor who was on the flight tried to save the man, but he was already dead.

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In 2003 British Airways is going to withdraw services from Leeds-Bradford and Cardiff. In April 2003 it will begin flying from London City Airport for the first time, launching three new routes to Frankfurt, Paris and Glasgow. BA also plans a major boost to its Manchester flights, adding more capacity and three new routes. The bad news is that BA plans to cut 21 routes to be announced.

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Scandinavian airline SAS have just announced a low fare private travellers program from March 30, 2003, serving European destinations where SAS does not normally operate.

Although the new service will have its own identity, it will not be a separate airline. The as-yet unnamed operation will be a business unit of SAS.

Travellers will be able to fly from Copenhagen to Alicante, Athens, Bologna, Lisbon, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Pristina and Sarajevo. Flights are also planned from Stockholm Arlanda to Alicante, Athens, Barcelona, Bologna, Budapest, Dublin, Istanbul, Malaga, Nice, Prague and Rome.

“It should be inexpensive and easy to travel. Travellers will experience a totally new concept. We offer only one-way trips, one class, no advanced booking rules and tickets must be booked and paid at the same time,” said Eva-Karin Dahl, who is responsible for the new concept. Passengers will also pay for on-board food and drink.

A unique Internet site is being developed for ticket sales but, initially, tickets will be available via SAS's ordinary sales channels as well as through agents.

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Middle East carrier Gulf Air, owned by Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Oman, is to launch the region's first all-economy class, full service airline later this year aimed largely at the leisure market and the large number of overseas workers in the area.

The airline, which will operate under its own name and have its own livery, will make its first flight from Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, in June.

A recent UK survey for the Department for Education found that of over 1,000 adults, 30% felt unable to compare rates in exchange bureaux. A similar proportion said they were not comfortable converting foreign currency into sterling. Over a fifth of those surveyed admitted they had wrongly calculated how much they spent on holiday, with 12% saying they had run out of money.

The Globetrotters Club has just teamed up with Oanda.com to provide people with information about currency conversions and cheat sheets. To translate currency or make a cheat sheet, visit:

The Globetrotters Currency Converter — get the exchange rates for 164 currencies The Globetrotters Currency Cheat Sheet — create and print a currency converter table for your next trip.

Switzerland: Foulee Blanche 2 February This cross-country ski race is one of the most popular events in the Swiss Alps, open to everyone.

Japan: Bean Throwing Festival 3-4 February The Japanese dress up as devils and pelt one another with beans to drive out evil spirits.

London Dive Show 1^st & 2^nd March

The London International Dive Show will take place over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of March at the ExCel exhibition halls in Docklands, London. In its 23rd year with over 250 exhibitors, the show features new equipment, holiday destinations, presentations and seminars. For more info, visit:

London Dive Show

Source: What’s On When

Globetrotter Mac shares with us his thoughts and experiences on his travels around the world. If you want to contact Mac, please e-mail him on:

1. In England pubs labelled “Free Houses” mean that the keepers have no tie up with a particular brewery and serve various brands (you still have to pay for the beer.)

2. Guide in India trying to get tour group to move faster: “don’t look, it will take time” Another time he said “Don’t look in a scholarly manner.”

3. Malaysia: I got diarrhoea travelling on a boat in Malaysia. I have gotten diarrhoea all over the world. Advice the Malaysian guide gave me: “for your diarrhoea eat burnt toast soaked in water”. If you get chilli (hot sauce I guess) in your eye pour water on your toe. If you burn your finger put it in your ear, who needs Walter Reed Army Hospital? Pepto Bismol sometimes helps me. I also Blackberry wine. (I drink a lot of this just to be on safe side!)

4. On Indian trains they have a hook on floor under berth where you can chain your luggage, so I carry lightweight padlock and small chain. If you check luggage at the baggage room in India train station they required the bag to be locked. Can use same padlock.

5. Bucharest. 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7. Our guide counts the empty bus seats and if she has 7 empty seats she knows we are all on the bus. I went into a pastry shop here in Bucharest and pointed to the pastry I wanted. A local came up to me and said they are very cold. Later when I ate it I realized he probably said “they are very old”. Ha!

Would you like to tell us about your travels? Contact the Beetle.

Anyone got Cabin Fever?

You know the feeling, stuck inside with only electric lights to shine upon you, thinking about far off exotic places. Help is at hand in the form of our monthly meet ups, where you can:

• plan your next trip
• hear tall tales from others who have been travelling
• find someone to help you out with your sticky question about round the world fares, or how to get into Cambodia from Vietnam.
• or just have a beer and catch up.

Where: Upstairs at The Globe pub, 37 Bow St, Covent Garden W2
When: Tuesday 4th Feb from 6:30pm
Price: NOTHING
There is a map at ifworldwide.com

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our Mutual Aid section of the Website: Mutual Aid

Here’s a little Beetle quiz based on airport codes. See how many you get right! Go on, have a guess!

Which cities are served by airports with the following codes:

1. GVA
2. DXB
3. MAD
4. BKK
5. LAS

For the answers, see at the end of the e-newsletter.