Emirates passenger struck down by Congo Fever
A man who flew into Glasgow on an Emirates flight from Dubai has been hospitalised after developing the tick-born disease Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever.
After receiving treatment in Scotland, the passenger, who had been in Kabul, Afghanistan, has now been transferred to a specialist unit in London.
Although officials say the disease, which was most likely contracted in East or West Africa, poses no threat to the public, they were keen to track down two fellow passengers.
The patient was transferred to London today (5 October) in a special RAF isolation plane.
Ryanair to close Aer Lingus base at Gatwick and set up afresh in Brussels
If Ryanair’s takeover bid to adopt Aer Lingus is approved, the airline plans to shut down the Irish carrier’s Gatwick base and open a new one in Brussels instead.
The budget airline already owns 30 per cent of Aer Lingus and if its £560 million bid for the airline is accepted by the European Commission, it will retain the brand name but cut airline fares and move headquarters accordingly.
What this means for passengers is that they will now be able to get Aer Lingus discounted fares to the US.
easyJet launches two new routes to Iceland
The nation’s best loved budget airline, easyJet, is to launch two new routes from Edinburgh and Manchester to Reykjavik.
easyJet’s latest move comes after growing demand for UK flights to the Icelandic capital and will see twice weekly flights leaving from Edinburgh on Mondays and Thursdays and from Manchester on Thursdays and Sundays.
Titanic II to set sail in 2016
Nearly 115 years since the ill-fated Titanic sank, the Titanic II is to make its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 2016.
The designs for the replica ship are to be unveiled in December at a prestigious launch which will see guests ordering from the same menu as passengers did on the day the ‘unsinkable ship’ sank.
It will feature the same 840 rooms and nine decks – retaining its first, second and third class divisions – as its predecessor.
