Focus on flying the family

FIFTEEN destinations are featured in the new Airtours Holidays brochure with the promise that families will be catered for as never before.

All 15 destinations will be served from Dublin, but southern holidaymakers will be catered for by direct flights from Cork to the Algarve, Majorca and Lanzarote.

Airtours holidays cater for children of different ages, those between three and five, six and ten and for the teens as well. The company has guaranteed a free place for the first child in many of its properties if booked before October 31.

One of the drawbacks of sun holidays is having to wait on the coaches provided as they stop in various hotels and apartment complexes. In some cases, transfers can take up to three hours or more. One of the features of this brochure is the range of pre-bookable extras, including private taxi transfers.

For those facing awkward arrival and departure times, it is also possible to order welcome packs and late check-out facilities. Those willing to take the risk, or those on a tight budget, can opt for what Airtours call Sundeal. The accommodation is allocated on arrival.

Holidaymakers are free to make their own way to the property or pay extra for a transfer coach. Company managing director Niall McDonnell admitted the brochure had been released early to take advantage of the mood in the market.

“The poor summer weather this year has meant demand has exceeded supply and many families have been left disappointed. Now people have an opportunity to book early for next year and guarantee their place in the properties best geared to family needs.”

ANOTHER company on the move for next year is Falcon.

Just launched is the new look Premier Hotels and Private Villas brochure. The production features 4 and 5-star hotel accommodation in five of the Canary Islands, including the picturesque and non-commercialised La Gomera.

The company’s premier hotels are also situated on the Costa del Sol and Costa Calida, the islands of Majorca and Menorca, Portugal, Cyprus, Crete and Rhodes. A selection of private villas with pools are available in Majorca, Menorca, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Costa Blanca, Portugal and Cyprus.

Car hire is included in the price for these particular holidays and those booking before the end of this month will get a free upgrade. Clients can take advantage of private taxi transfers and every villa in the programme is supplied with a welcome grocery pack with some of the vital provisions.

Families with very young children can save on carrying extra luggage by pre-ordering a cot, high chair and buggy with sun canopy, bottle warmer and bottle steriliser. Falcon’s regular brochure for summer 2003 features large numbers of free child places, free places for grandparents and special savings for single parent families and large groups.