Water-ski record broken in Tasmania
A new world record has been set after 145 water-skiers were pulled along by just one boat.
Although starting out with 154 water-ski enthusiasts, nine did not manage to stay on their skis for the full nautical mile.
The record was set by skiers from around the globe at the Macquarie Harbour, Stahan, Tasmania, with the youngest participant only 12 years old.
The previous record was set two years ago by the same team but consisted of 114 participants. The customised 114ft-long World Heritage Cruises catamaran Eagle was fitted with different propellers and a 308ft-long boom to ensure the skiers' ropes did not tangle.
The record-breakers experienced perfect weather conditions and are now waiting for their attempt be confirmed by Guinness World Record officials over the next few weeks.
If you are planning on setting your own sporting record, or even have a slightly less ambitious sporting holiday in mind, always ensure you have the best
sports travel insurance .
Abu Dhabi hit by cancelled flights
Heavy fog affected the plans of hundreds of travellers earlier this week when around 35 flights were cancelled from Abu Dhabi's International Airport.
A plane bound for Dublin damaged runway lights during its take-off on Monday as it veered off its line on the southbound runway in poor visibility. As well as the flight cancellations, a further 150 were delayed by more than an hour. No-one was injured in the incident.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company chief operating officer Ahmad Al Haddabi said: "The airport has resumed normal operations, with expected delays in some flight departures."
Top golfer Luke Donald was one of the lucky passengers able to fly off as planned following his appearance at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
He wrote on Twitter: "Luckily I left from Dubai. Back in the US now."
However, with such a high number of delays and cancellations, the situation will have caused chaos for many and left them thankful they arranged
travel insurance cover.
Website show extra airline costs
Adding optional extras for flights can now be as easy as choosing the right
travel insurance policy after the
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published a guide on fees charged by airlines.
A comparison document which looks at the prices of extra fees, such as reserving specific seats and ordering an in-flight meal, can be found in the CAA passenger portal at www.caa.co.uk/passengers.
Andrew Haines, chief executive of the CAA, said that passengers in the UK were offered "excellent choice" in the aviation industry amid different business models employed by airlines.
He said: "To really benefit from that choice consumers want to know the full price picture. For some passengers and airlines the headline ticket price will be the most expensive part of the booking whilst for others the impact of optional fees and charges can change their view of the best overall price.
"Our table allows passengers to easily compare the optional fees that airlines charge and it's important to consider those charges alongside the ticket price and the extra charges that could be applied before making their booking."
Asthma and bacteria link discovered
Parents taking asthmatic children on holiday may be interested in research that claims some cases of the condition may be caused by an allergic reaction to a common environmental bacteria.
Experts at the University of California's Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco have uncovered a link between inflammation of the airways and a bacteria regularly found in the environment.
Researchers found evidence that suggested certain strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes high levels of histamine to be produced by white blood cells.
This then causes inflammation, which is one of asthma's symptoms.
Medical travel insurance policies can offer some protection if a loved one suffers with an asthma attack during a holiday abroad. The symptoms may have been brought on by a change in the environment.
One of the researchers, Dr George Caughey, said:" We hope that these findings in mice will encourage human-focused research regarding bacterial stimulation of histamine production by white blood cells, like neutrophils, that are not traditionally associated with allergic inflammation.
"Such research could improve our understanding of inflammation in bacterial infections, and help us to craft therapies for relief of inflammation and its consequences for short and long-term health."
Passengers stuck as firm goes bust
At least 22,000 passengers have been affected after an airline went bust, stranding customers at Spanish airports.
Customers were left having to buy their own tickets to get home although they were allocated special lounges, said airports authority AENA.
The disaster will have meant floods of calls by angry and frustrated travellers to
travel insurance firms in a bid to obtain payouts.
The company, Spanair, which flies within Spain and to Europe and Africa, had to cancel all future flights at just half an hour's notice "as a measure of caution and safety."
But angry passengers were left queueing at an airport in Palma, Mallorca, last Saturday, although the situation was reported as normal at Madrid's Barajas airport and Barcelona's El Prat by AENA.
Rival airlines including Iberia, Vueling and easyJet took on the stranded passengers.
Ski festival moves with week to go
A cross-country ski festival in the US is being moved with a week to spare after snow weakened ice.
Organisers of the city of Minneapolis's annual
City of Lakes Loppet Festival said the recent snowfall also formed puddles around the Chain of Lakes.
Now they are working out how to move about 1,200 luminaries from Uptown to Theodore Wirth Park in the north of Minneapolis, which has been on standby as an alternative spot because it has artificial snow.
Thousands of visitors taking a trip to the festival for skiing will be ensuring as good a safety net as possible with their
sports travel insurance cover.
The main attraction, which drew 6,000 people in 2011, is the Luminary Loppet which is planned for an area where visitors will be hiking, said one of the organisers, John Munger. This means older visitors on the Luminary Loppet can be taken back on single-track trails through the woods, said Mr Munger.
The festival attracted 40,000 to 50,000 visitors last year which makes adequate parking space the main challenge in moving the event to north Minneapolis.
Mr Munger added that he was glad to focus attention on the area as a great resource, considering that it was struck by a tornado several months ago.
Guide to travelling with diabetes
The NHS has issued guidance for people with diabetes about what they eat while they're on holiday.
Those who will be flying overseas are advised are advised to avoid placing an order with their airline for a special meal for people with diabetes as these are frequently low in carbohydrate, making them generally unsuitable.
Holidaymakers on long-haul flights, meanwhile, are recommended to take a number of healthy snacks with them for their journey as airline meals are usually smaller than average.
People with diabetes are also advised to take out
medical travel insurance before they go on holiday. As well as the obvious health benefits this is also essential for peace of mind while abroad.
Travellers are also reminded that blood glucose measures can differ between countries so they are advised to consult Diabetes UK's blood glucose conversion chart to ensure they are eating healthily.
Golf Holidays tees up new website
A new customer-friendly website has been launched by GolfHolidays.com to ensure that enthusiasts of the sport have the easiest possible transition from the airport to the first tee.
Returning visitors to the website are sure to be struck by its complete overhaul, producing a new look which combines streamlined design with an easy-to-use interface which displays all the relevant information in a clear manner.
Golfers can choose between ready-made holidays which include everything but the under-par scorecard or breaks which they can build up themselves from a range of options and prices.
Once the perfect getaway has been booked, arranging
sports travel insurance can go a fair way to ensuring golfing fans feel relaxed on their holiday.
Golf Holidays managing director Morgan Clarke said: "Aside from being able to book trips independently, holidaymakers will also be able to contact our staff via the site to put together a tailor-made package developed with their preferences and budget in mind."
Typhoid cases soaring in Harare
Typhoid cases have risen in parts of Zimbabwean capital Harare amid reports that some residents are no longer shaking hands for fear of contracting the disease.
The bacterial disease is caused by ingesting food and water contaminated by an infected person - with shaking hands also widely believed to be another way the disease can be transmitted. It is a reminder that disease can strike anyone, anywhere - and it makes sense to have the proper
worldwide travel insurance cover .
Almost 800 cases of typhoid have been recorded since the outbreak began, according to Harare City Council. The director health services Prosper Chonzi said: "We are busy tracking patients who were treated at other health centres to establish their contacts and also test them for typhoid. The situation is serious and we now want partners to come and help us out."
In Kuwandzana, 15 people were being treated at a makeshift tent shelter erected at the local clinic, set up especially for typhoid patients.
Incoming patients are also given instructions on necessary procedures at the entrance by a dedicated healthcare officer.
