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PODCAST

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast

The Independent

Simon Calder is the Independent’s travel correspondent, the UK’s leading travel journalist. From news updates to discussions with experts, Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast will bring you all you need to know from the world of travel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

society & culture places & travel

All Episodes

7:09

May 30th - Would you go on a Political Tour – or is...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/30

I'm talking to Nicholas Wood, director of Political Tours, who organises trips to various frontlines around the world. The 2026 offering has just been published. It includes Taiwan, under threat from China; Poland and Lithuania, bordering on Russia; and the US for the mid-term elections late next year.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.

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6:43

May 29th - Heathrow: what went wrong on 21 March when...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/29

I have been talking to Ruth Kelly, author of the review into the shutdown of Heathrow airport on 21 March, following a fire at the North Hyde electricity substation.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.

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6:09

May 28th - What’s wrong with air passengers’ rights...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/28

Air passengers’ rights rules have been around for a couple of decades now – spurring the creation of a side industry in claims handling. Companies such as AirHelp offer to pursue claims for delays and compensation on your behalf in exchange for a sizeable chunk of any payout. Today, though, AirHelp has launched a new app that monitors your flights for you and lets you know if there is trouble ahead. I have been speaking to the chief executive of AirHelp, Tomasz Pawliszyn.This podcast is free, as is

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6:44

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/27

A pan-European consumer group is urging the EU to force airlines to allow passengers to bring a wheelie bag on board planes as well as a smaller item without paying extra. Frankly I think they are on a hiding to nothing – and talking of hiding, the accusation that these are "hidden charges" does not stand up. Airlines are extremely clear about their baggage limits, and the costs for taking more.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to

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4:52

May 26th - First train in Great British Railways...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/26

I was on board the 6.14am train to Shepperton, along with the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander. What is the big idea behind renationalising the railways?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.

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4:20

May 23rd - Summer flight disruption: easyJet spells...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/23

The boss of Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, reveals pre-emptive action:Sharper turns between arrival and departure.Spare parts and planes judiciously deployed.More slack in crew rosters in case of air-traffic control delays.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.

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5:21

May 22nd - Summer travellers warned: strikes and...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/22

I have been talking once again to Gediminas Žiemelis, boss of Avia Solutions Group – which runs 14 different airlines including Ascend of the UK. He's been talking about how his company helps meet peak demand, but also warning of possible strikes in Scandinavia and France. Also: check in early is his advice, to swerve possible overbooking.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

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8:30

May 21st - Stratford, east London: gateway to Europe?

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/21

The transport tech giant Uber is to take on Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel – but you may need an Uber to reach the departure station in east London. Uber has teamed up with a start-up operator, Gemini Trains, to promote a planned rival service linking London with Paris and Brussels. If the partners are permitted to launch trains to Continental Europe, they will not start from the terminal at St Pancras – but six miles down the track at Stratford International.Chief executive of Gemini Trains,

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7:10

May 20th - How much??? Why it makes sense for...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/20

Many people grumble at soaring air fares. But if an airline is setting fares at a preposterous level, such as £900-plus from London to Edinburgh, that's because it doesn't want you to buy it – rather, the hope is that a long-haul passenger will use it as part of a more lucrative trip. Aviation economist Oliver Ranson has been telling me more.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

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5:27

May 19th - Rotterdam has a new must-visit enticement

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/19

Fenix, which has just had its opening weekend, is a breathtaking new museum that explores the deep-rooted human instinct of migration. “In every family, there is a migration story to tell,” says director Anne Kremers. “As long as we exist as human beings, we move, we migrate, and we will always keep on doing that.”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.

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6:02

Special Podcast - A new British airline is taking to...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/15

A giant Airbus A380 plane in the colours of Global Airlines will lift off from Glasgow airport in Scotland, destination New York JFK. The founder, businessman James Asquith, has pledged to “take passengers back to the Golden Age of Travel, reinvigorating the onboard experience with elevated service”. But not everyone agrees that a newcomer flying a very large aircraft is what the world needs.So what is the story behind Global – and what are its chances of success? I have bought a ticket for the

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6:16

May 14th - There are bitey things all over the world’...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/15

As the UK basks in unusually warm weather, everyone is in holiday mood. But beware the natural world, says the doyenne of travel health, Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth. She has been telling me about protection against the most dangerous creature on earth for humans: the mosquito. Pack that EX4 insect spray.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.

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7:53

May 13th - Farewell to my excellent colleague, UK...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/13

Ben is sadly leaving The Independent this week after two years with the travel team. He looks back over the highlights during that time – with Scottsdale well ahead of Santorini – and predicts a summer of travel calm. Ben will be missed.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.

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6:55

May 12th - Cross-Channel by catamaran?

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/12

Foot passengers and cyclists across the Channel from Dover to France have a tricky experience with the traditional ferry operators. But this summer there is an alternative, in the shape of a catamaran sailing from the port to Boulogne in northern France – taking advantage of the winds and tides to provide a refreshing alternative to conventional international travel.Andrew Simons, the skipper of the Sail Link enterprise, has been telling me more.This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's

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7:00

May 9th - Trailfinders: the secrets of Sir Mike...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/09

For the final part of my exclusive week-long series with Trailfinders founder and chairman, Sir Mike Gooley, I learn about his relationship with the late Queen, his succession planning for his travel firm and what he does with his considerable cash – and that doesn’t include buying a superyacht.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.

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5:22

May 8th - "We wanted to call the company Pathfinders"

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/08

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 information.

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5:33

May 7th - Trailfinders: the ethos of one of the UK's...

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/07

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 Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See

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6:08

May 6th - The Trailfinders story – part two

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/06

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 free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted

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6:16

May 5th - The Trailfinders story – part one

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/05

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 acast.com/privacy for more information.

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4:54

May 2nd - Bank holiday travel chaos has begun early

Simon Calder"s Independent Travel Podcast ·

2025/05/02

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 for more information.

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421 results

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