Travels through the Balkans

Mostar

"Whether breathing the Ottoman atmosphere of Prizren, Kosovo, or exploring the mystical shores of Macedonia’s Lake Ohrid; dining on grilled squid at a seaside café in Montenegro or sampling the nightlife in the Serbian capital of Belgrade—visitors can’t help but marvel at the richness of culture and the vibrant weave of people, history, and nature in this crossroads of Europe." - From a recent story on the Western Balkans in National Geographic Traveler.  

I didn't consult National Geographic when I began planning our latest trip through parts of the former Yugoslavia, but it looks like we'll be hitting all the right spots. I hope you'll come along as Tom and I travel through the Western Balkans, starting with an overnight ferry from Bari in Italy to Montenegro on the Adriatic coast. Click here to follow the blog.

Liquid travels

Q: Just how many liquids CAN you fit into one of those quart-sized plastic bags?

A: A LOT (3 oz. goes a long way, folks. This is a 3-week supply)

BA to increase Seattle/London flights as Delta plans to add service

Seattle travelers will be the winners in competition heating up between British Airways and Delta Air Lines for nonstop service to London. 

Following news from Delta that it plans new nonstop service between Seattle and London's Heathrow airport, pending government approval of a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic Airways, British Airways says it will bump up its flights from seven to 10 per week, starting October Oct. 27.

British will start selling tickets April 3 for new Wednesday, Friday and Sunday flights between Seattle and London aboard Boeing 777-200s. In addition to its daily 6:10 p.m. departures from Seattle, British will add flights on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday that will leave Seattle at  2:20 p.m. and arrive in London at 7:30 a.m. Flights will return from London at 9:20 a.m., arriving in Seattle at 10:55 p.m. The extra flights will continue through the summer season of 2014. More details at London Air Travel.

Delta's proposed new service would compete directly with British Airways, the only airline now flying non-stop between  London and Seattle. Delta, an Alaska Airlines mileage partner, already flies between Seattle and Paris and Amsterdam.  

 "The service is contingent on approval from the Department of Transportation, so we don’t have a lot of details yet like the date service would begin or the type of aircraft that will be used,'' Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter said an e-mail. 

Delta announced Monday that it has filed an application with the DOT seeking antitrust immunity for the new joint venture with Virgin on flights between North America and the United Kingdom.

 Last year, Delta and Virgin Atlantic announced an agreement under which Delta will acquire a 49 percent equity stake in Virgin Atlantic's parent company.

The following press release issued by Delta outlines all the details of its latest move: 

"The application marks a significant milestone in the creation of the joint venture. The joint venture will allow Delta and Virgin to be more effective competitors on routes between North America and the U.K., particularly between the U.S. and London, by expanding the quantity and quality of travel options for customers of both airlines.

In their filing, Delta and Virgin Atlantic noted that nearly 60 percent of the slots at London Heathrow Airport are controlled by the American Airlines/British Airways joint venture which, as a result, dominates air travel between the U.S. and the U.K., including the New York-London market, which is the most important business market in the world. By combining Virgin's Heathrow slots and U.K. brand strength with Delta's powerful U.S. network, the joint venture will offer significant competition in the market and benefit consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

"Our proposed joint venture will mean an expanded schedule with more frequencies and destinations for customers traveling between the key business markets in the U.S. and the U.K.," said Delta President Ed Bastian. "Approval of antitrust immunity would allow travelers to take full advantage of all the aspects of the Delta-Virgin joint venture and enjoy the benefits of increased competition, particularly on flights to and from London Heathrow Airport."

"Today's filing for antitrust immunity marks the next step towards the full implementation of this joint venture between two great airline brands," said Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive Craig Kreeger. "Consumers will reap the rewards of this joint venture on services between the U.K. and the United States, Canada and Mexico through a shared ethos in the highest standards of customer service and much more effective competition to and from Heathrow. We are confident that the DOT will recognize this consumer benefit."

Under the proposed joint venture, Delta and Virgin Atlantic would coordinate schedules, network planning, pricing and revenue management functions, sales and other aspects of their services between North America and the U.K. Through the joint venture, the carriers would together offer a greatly expanded network at Heathrow despite slot constraints, which have limited the growth of both airlines in the U.K. – North America market.

 The two carriers would operate a total of 31 peak-day round-trip flights between the U.K. and North America, 23 of which would operate at London-Heathrow. The enlarged network will benefit customers of both carriers by providing greater access to key markets, improved connectivity and convenient booking options. The airlines plan to implement codesharing, frequent flier program reciprocity and shared lounge access.

In addition, if antitrust immunity is approved, Delta plans to begin new nonstop service between Seattle and London-Heathrow, expanding competition on that important business market. The new service would complement Delta's growing international gateway in Seattle.

Delta already operates an trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France KLM and Alitalia. In their filing, the airlines are also seeking antitrust immunity for five-way coordination on U.K. – North America traffic flows among Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM and Alitalia to facilitate the effective operation of the two joint ventures.''

Alaska cruises: How find pick, choose, find the right one for you

With seven major cruise lines sailing 10 ships between Seattle and Alaska this year (and more calling out of Vancouver B.C.), a decision on which trip is the right one hinges on more than price. Not that the bottom-line isn't important, but costs can be easily managed by picking off-peak sailing dates.

More challenging "is what you want to do and who you're traveling with,'' says Lisa Anciaux,  director of travel products for AAA Washington. 

Start with a list of  priorities. Kid-friendly or not? Twenty-four-hour pizza or craft cocktails? Ports of call that emphasize historical sites or active outdoor adventures?

See my latest Travel Wise column in The Seattle Times for tips on how to pick the right cruise for you. 

Bikes and Bites in Victoria, B.C.

The Saanich Peninsula

Someone has finally picked up on the idea of offering cycling tours in Victoria, B.C. that combine rides on its long network of paths with stops along a culinary trail that showcases Vancouver Island coffee roasters, breweries, bakeries and distillers.

Victoria Tourism reports that a new bike shop called The Pedaler will offer a variety of guided, themed tours: Beans and Bites, The Hoppy Hour Ride, Castles, Hoods and Legends...and here's the one I'm excited about: Spirits of Saanich.

Beans and Bites will take visitors to coffee roasters and bakers. The Hoppy Hour Ride will introduce riders to some of the city's brewmasters. Castles, Hoods and Legends tour will showcase neighborhoods. 

Spirits of Saanich will guide visitors to the heart of the Sannich Peninsula, a little-known and under-appreciated area of the island in my opinion, to enjoy locally-crafted spirits and the HCP Gardens.

The Saanich Peninsula is a 20-mile-long finger of land that extends north from Victoria toward Sidney on the southern tip of B.C.'s Vancouver Island. When I visited a couple of years ago for a story for The Seattle Times, I found culinary tourism thriving.

Away from the housing developments and suburban strip malls, roadside signs point the way to wineries, farms and orchards where owners keep the welcome mat out year-round.To read more on what I found in the Saanich, click here.

In the meantime, check out The Pedaler's tours. The first three are three hours long and start at $79 Canadian. The Spirits of Saanich is a full day and will cost $129. A note on the website says the business will launch in May.