Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast

Day four of my conversation with Trailfinders founder and chairman Sir Mike Gooley, in which he reveals how the company name was chosen; why booking online isn't always brilliant; and how the firm very briefly owned a light aircraft. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, has given The Independent an exclusive, in-depth interview about his innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970. Today: the mission of the firm, and how he kept it afloat in the early days by instructing motorists on the overland trail to Africa. This podcast is free, as is In...

All week I am talking to Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, about the story of this innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970. Today: why he thinks booking travel through a human being is better than going online, and how Trailfinders could pay instant refunds to customers when Covid struck. This podcast is fr...

All week I am talking to Sir Mike Gooley CBE, founder and chairman of Trailfinders, about the story of this innovative company – which has been unlocking the world for millions of people since its inception in 1970. Today: how he spotted a gap in the market. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acas...

LNER is saying don't travel on the East Coast main line between Doncaster and York unless you really have to. On the West Coast main line there will be planned disruption all weekend. And the skies aren't looking too clever. Good luck everyone. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

I'm aboard the 8.26am from London to Sunderland, run by "open access" train operator Grand Central. My ticket cost £42. Grand Central had to pay around £2 in commission to rival LNER, with whom I chose to book because of a cashback offer. I think train operators should behave more like budget airlines. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it deliv...

I have been enjoying an excellent day out from the Croatian city of Split to Krka National Park and the town of Skradin. The excellent local guide, Mate (pronounced Matay) used WhatsApp to keep everyone in the loop – sending out maps, coordinating movements and ensuring everyone was on the bus at precisely the right time. Eye-opening in all senses. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's...

It's Travel Desk Tuesday so I'm talking to my excellent colleague Natalie Wilson about the curtailment of Britain's longest rail route, the bus vs the train and the upcoming South Wales Metro. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hundreds of thousands of travellers to, from and within Spain and Portugal have faced chaos after a massive power cut across the Iberian peninsula. These are the key issues for British travellers. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Thursday night a Ryanair flight from Agadir to Manchester was diverted due to a disruptive passenger. A tech issue was found. Ryanair wanted to lay on a rescue flight using its EU, rather than UK, subsidiary. But the CAA said no. Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC (the EU part) is furious. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it deliv...

A report says the number of applications for these cards – which get you free or reduced-rate health care – is falling. I think that's no surprise, but it's a good moment to remind travellers about why they are worthwhile. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I've discovered the average plane flying in and out of Heathrow have three fewer passengers than they did a year ago. P&O Cruises has disappointed 1,800 passengers with the abrupt cancellation of a voyage with 24 hours' notice. And after the sad passing of Pope Francis, what are the effects for tourists in Rome? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up...

That is the question on Travel Desk Tuesday for my colleague, Natalie Wilson. So many factors are at work when deciding where to go and what to do on holiday – does care for the planet figure strongly? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special Easter Monday edition. I've been talking to Sue Partridge, head of the Wing of Tomorrow programme at Airbus, about how folding wings on short-haul aircraft will reduce the damage caused by aviation. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm talking to Andy Anderson, founder of Passport Waiting Time – which does what it says and helps travellers with their expectations of how long it will take to get that all-important document. So how does HM Passport Office rate? This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

Many travellers have welcomed speculation that facial recognition combined with digital passports could allow smoother journeys through the airport. But as I have been hearing from tech writer and broadcaster, Kate Bevan, the concept raises serious concerns – from digital exclusion to privacy. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to y...

Sandra Greig, senior cabin crew for Aer Lingus, says Barbados is her favourite destination anywhere in the world. Sandra kindly took a call from me while on the island, to which she had flown from Manchester on one of the three weekly flights the airline offers. Sounds like I should get back there soon ... This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it d...

It's travel desk Tuesday, which means I am talking to one of my excellent colleagues. Today it's Natalie Wilson, just returned from the fine island of Malta. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rod Dennis of the RAC is telling me how to avoid getting caught in the worst of the traffic over Easter, which is projected to peak on the M25 anticlockwise from the Gatwick turn-off (M23) to the M40 to Oxford and Birmingham at 11.45am on Good Friday. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast....

That's the long-term prospect for the West Midlands airport, which aims to compete with the London airports. In the very short term, Birmingham is expecting its busiest Easter ever. I'm talking to the airport's chief executive, Nick Barton, who says the restoration of flights to New York can't come soon enough. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get...

That's the hope of London St Pancras Highspeed, the company that runs the UK's only functioning international rail station – as well as the High Speed 1 rail link to the Channel Tunnel near Folkestone in Kent. Chief executive Robert Sinclair has been telling me about the prospects for trebling the number of international passengers between the UK and Continental Europe, adding new destinations and...

Villains are stalking social media in search of passengers frustrated at the lack of contact from their airlines. I've been hearing from Karen Welsh, who told me: "Potentially being scammed out of a fortune is upsetting and worrying, but more than anything, if I could get there then goodness knows who else could get there as well." This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter...

It's Travel Desk Tuesday, and I'm talking to travel writer for The Independent Amelia Neath about a survey that rates the most beautiful approaches to airports around the world – including three that are reasonably accessible for British travellers. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

When Europe’s much delayed entry-exit system finally takes effect, motorists departing by ferry from Dover will face a two-stage process to enter the EU – with the locations for each element taking part a mile apart. AI will be deployed to detected any unusual activity between the two checkpoints. Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, has been telling me all about it. This podcast...

Many schools break up on Friday 4 April, and I've been looking ahead to the likely pain points on road, rail, air and ferry. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.