The AUC (Air Transport Users Council– the UK airline watchdog) recently issued a list of the 20 most complained about airlines. They said there was “little evidence” that airlines were showing “any real concern about the impact on passengers of damaged, delayed or lost luggage”. Lost luggage, flight cancellations and problems with tickets – particularly for those booked over the internet and by telephone – were among the most common complaints.

The AUC said it was especially worried about budget airline Ryanair which, it claimed, often displayed a poor attitude towards its customers. Overall, Ryanair was the third most complained about airline – receiving 77 written complaints, compared with 117 for the biggest carrier, British Airways, and 110 for Air France.

The top 10 are as follows:

1) British Airways + subsidiaries: 117 2) Air France: 110 3) Ryanair: 77 4) KLM + subsidiaries: 53 5) Easyjet: 42 6) MyTravel (formerly Airtours):39 7) Britannia: 33 8=) Air 2000: 32 8=)Go: 32 10) BMI British Midland: 29

The Beetle says she is pleased to see Ryan air in the list, and is not surprised to see most of the other low cost carriers all represented.

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EXPLORE 2002 For anyone planning an expedition, EXPLORE 2002 – the place to be is the 26th annual Expedition Planning Seminar that will be running on 16-17th November 2002 at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London.

The seminar covers all aspects of planning an expedition including lectures on medical issues, insurance, PR, communication, mapping etc and also workshops covering all environments from polar to jungle to mountains or deserts!

This is the place to find inspiration, contacts and practical advice that you will need to head into remote and challenging environments. For more info and a booking form visit: www.rgs.org/explore

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­ Less than one in 10 people are estimated to have been on an international flight

­ China is expected to unseat France as world’s most visited country by 2020

­ 16% of foreign trips are in East Asia – up from 1% in 1950

Sources: IATA, Worldwatch Institute

Cote d'Ivoire (a.k.a.Ivory Coast) is a developing country on the west coast of Africa. The Foreign & Commonwealth office advise against all holiday and other non-essential travel to Abidjan and against all travel to any other part of Cote d'Ivoire at this time. Abidjan is calm but tense. There is a curfew from 2000 to 0600, due to be reviewed on 30 September. The northern towns of Bouake and Korhogo are still held by rebels, but the government has begunmilitary operations to re-take them.

Click here for FCO website

Mexican airports are returning to normal operations after Hurricane Isidore battered the country on the weekend. The airport authorities estimated that 89 flights at Cancun, were cancelled because of the hurricane, but no damage has been reported and the airport is now operating normally. One man died at Cancun Airport.

The Museum is housed within the Bank of England, at the heart of the City of London. It traces the history of the Bank from its foundation by Royal Charter in 1694, to its role today as the nation's central bank. Displays include: gold, bank notes and a reconstruction of the 18th century office. In addition, inter-active systems allow visitors to look behind the doors of the central bank or to examine the intricacies of bank note design and production, and a computer-driven simulation gives visitors an idea of what it is like to deal on the US Dollar/Sterling spot market.

The museum is open Monday to Friday, 10.00 – 17.00 and admission is free.

Historical Bank of England Trivia

Ø The Bank of England was founded in 1694 by a Scotsman, William Paterson, and the Bank of Scotland in 1695 by an Englishman, John Holland.

Ø The monarch's portrait didnot appear on Bank of England notes until 1960.

Ø The highest value bank note issued by the Bank of England was the £1000 denomination. It was last issued in 1943.

Ø The fiver (£5) is the longest running denomination of Bank of England note: it was first issued in 1793.

Ø Bank of England notes were not wholly printed until 1853. Until that year they were still signed by one of the Bank's cashiers.

Ø Kenneth Grahame, the author of children's book, The wind in the Willows, was the Secretary of the Bank of England 1898 – 1908. The book was published in 1908, the year in which he retired from the Bank. It is possible that some of the characters in the book were based on those people he knew and worked with.

Bank of England web site

For true 007 fans this exhibition at the Science Museum in London will display a vast collection of objects, costume designs, storyboards and images. See Oddjob's killer bowler hat and Rose Klebb's flick-knife shoe. Visitors will have a real behind the scenes look at the work of the creative and technical teams of these world famous films. Special themed areas will allow fans of Bond to gain a sense of what its like to be the special agent. Visitors must embark on a 'death-defying stunt' and negotiate 'the mirrored maze in the villains lair' before they are granted secret agent status! The exhibition runs from 16 October 2002 – March 2003. For more info, visit:

London Events: Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival

If you’ve never seen them, this is your chance: if you are in London 6^th October, you will be able to see the Pearly Kings and Queens. They are traditional Cockney costermongers. The altar and the pulpit of St Martins in the Fields, Trafalgar Square are arrayed with the fruits of the earth, and a Pearly King or Queen reads one of the Lessons, while the congregation sings the hymns of the harvest season.

Date: 6 Oct 2002

Location: St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 4JJ Tel: (020) 7766 1100

Website: St Martins in the Fields

It’s Real Beer Week in British pubs this autumn. 33 family run breweries that have each been in the business from 100 to 300 years want to encourage more people to try real ale. The 33 brewers, are staging the first ever Real Beer Week in British pubs this autumn (September 30 – October 6). If you are not sure you would like the beer on offer, many pubs will provide a no-obligation free taste on request. For more info, visit: Family Brewers