The crew of BA38 – the Boeing 777 that crash landed short of the runway at Heathrow airport in January – has been awarded the BA Safety Medal.

The award, which has only been awarded three times before, is BA’s highest accolade, and has been given to the three flight crew and 13 cabin crew for their remarkable skill and courage during the incident at Heathrow.

British Airways’ chief executive, Willie Walsh said: “The crew demonstrated incredible professionalism, first in landing the aircraft safely and then evacuating all the passengers with only a few minor injuries sustained. The whole of British Airways is extremely proud of them.”

Flyglobespan, Scotland’s award-winning airline, will once again be operating flights direct from Aberdeen Airport to the winter sun destinations of Malaga and Tenerife.

The Aberdeen flights went on sale last week and are expected to prove very popular with Aberdonians looking for a low-cost fares and the convenience of flying from their local airport.

Commenting on the winter schedule, Rick Green CEO said, “Both these routes proved to be extremely popular last year for both flight-only and holiday packages, and we expect demand to be high again this winter.

“Passengers booking our Tenerife flights can also benefit from more convenient flight times this year, with a 9am flight getting passengers into Tenerife at 2pm allowing customers a more leisurely start to their holiday.”

Both flights will be weekly with the Tenerife flight departing every Thursday and the Malaga flight every Saturday, until the end of April 2009.

Blackpool Airport has announced the appointment of David Kershaw as their new Chief Executive Officer.

The former UK Executive Vice President of Servisair said: “Blackpool International Airport has been the fastest growing regional airport in the UK over the past four years and I am delighted to join the team.

“Our efforts will remain focused on the further growth and development of the airport which we hope will be a catalyst for the regeneration and economic development in Blackpool.”

For Blackpool airport information and to book Blackpool airport parking and Blackpool hotels click on the links.

Network Rail’s restructuring of night time working measures is to allow Stansted Express to offer an extended service for passengers travelling to and from Stansted Airport.

From 9 December an extra 13 Stansted Express trains will help meet the increased demand from leisure and business flying from Stansted Airport particularly for travellers leaving Stansted early in the day or late arrivals.

Derek Noakes, business director at Stansted Express, said: “We are delighted that, in partnership with Network Rail and One Railway, we have been able to introduce this added service for our customers. With the customer at heart, this new timetable furthers our commitment to provide a seamless link between London and onward destinations from Stansted Airport.”

The summer getaway will soon be upon us as thousands of drivers hit the road in an attempt to reach the airport and head off in to the sun. As your holiday approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the whole thing and overlook one important factor of a safe getaway – sleep!

Did you know that approximately 300 people die each year as a result of a driver falling asleep when driving? Sleeping at the wheel accounts for up to 20% of crashes on motorway and similar roads, and you are more likely to fall asleep at the wheel between the hours of midnight and 6am, and 2-4pm.

Leisure drivers are at risk because they are likely to drive further distances during holiday times than they are used to. It’s a natural instinct to want to reach your destination as soon as possible, particularly when going on holiday, but it is better to factor in some breaks and plan your journey properly so that you arrive alive.

Sleepy drivers are aware of their tiredness - common symptoms of tiredness are a drowsy, relaxed feeling, difficulty keeping your eyes open, difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, nodding head, excessive yawning and repeatedly drifting out of your lane.

It’s a fallacy to think that turning up the radio and opening the window for some fresh air will wake you up.

The following tips will help you avoid that tired feeling when going on holiday and help you arrive safely at your destination:

· Plan your journey to include a 15 minute break every two hours of driving

· Drink 2 cups of coffee or other high caffeine drink before resting to allow time for the caffeine to take effect

· Have a good night’s sleep prior to setting out on a long journey

· Be aware that you are more likely to feel tired if you have an unusually early start – ideally avoid making long trips between midnight- 6am and 2-4pm when your natural alertness is low

· If possible, share the driving

· If you start to feel sleepy find a safe place to stop as soon as possible - not the hard shoulder of a motorway

· If you are flying away on holiday, try to book a local hotel either for the outward journey – this will enable you to drive at a time when you are less likely to feel sleepy – or for the return journey – great after a long flight – you can ensure you have a good night’s sleep prior to setting off home. Just think of it as another day’s holiday!

If you are flying from London Gatwick this summer, why not book a room at the Gatwick Hilton Hotel with Hilton Valet Parking – an upgrade on their park and stay package.

The Hilton Valet Parking package in association with Help-Me-Park.co.uk offers a convenient parking service – your car is collected from the entrance to the Hilton Hotel when you arrive and is returned to you at the Hilton when you get back from your holiday.

You can either stay at the Hilton prior to your departure, or after you arrive back from holiday and have your car returned to you at the Hilton the next day when you are refreshed and ready to drive home.